Surprise! I'm in a celebratory mood, so here's the next chapter! College life is good and I just finished my first day of classes! Reviews are awesome, they make me smile! Contest is still going on as to who can figure out where Spirit is going next! Hint #3: It's not Marvel. This is also the second to last chapter of Part I, so not much time left to give me your guesses! ;)
HextheDaydreamer: She will be going to another Marvel one later, but not quite yet. ;)
BrySt1: I'm glad you're enjoying the story!
()()()()()()
That something came almost a week later in the mail.
I was sitting in the library, another one of my popular hangouts, reading a book on spiders, when Rogue came in looking through the mail.
"Hey Spirit," she greeted. "Have you seen Storm?"
I shook my head, using a finger to hold my spot in my book. "No," I replied, giving a small toss of my head to get my hair out of my face. It was getting long, and annoying for that matter; I was going to have to cut it soon.
"Darn," Rogue said, tucking the mail under her arm. "I guess I'll try her office then. See you around."
I nodded, starting to go back to my book before I saw that Rogue had dropped a piece of mail on the floor. I sighed and rose, still holding my book in one hand as I walked over to the dropped flier and picked it up. "Rogue, you dropped a piec-" I started before breaking off as I looked over the flier. It was for military recruitment. Intrigued, I went back to the couch and sat down to read the flier in more detail.
()()()()()()
"I want to join the Army," I announced to Logan a few hours later in the kitchen.
Logan sputtered, nearly choking on his beer. "You what?" he asked, wiping his chin on his sleeve as he set the bottle on the counter
"I want to join the Army," I repeated, showing him the flier I'd picked up earlier that afternoon. "Think about it. It'll give me something to do and it'll give me a place to go to get away, to explore. It's perfect!"
"Sprite," Logan started, pushing the flier away as he turned his gaze from it to me, "this isn't something to take lightly. I mean, no offense, but you don't exactly blend in."
I scowled at him in annoyance. My looks were one thing, my accent and way of speaking another; it wasn't something I could really explain. Thankfully, I'd already had the foresight to think ahead. My scowl turned into a grin.
"Why Logan?" I asked, mischief glittering in my blue and black eyes. "Who ever said I was going to join the Army as a human?"
()()()()()()
That's how a few weeks later, I was being donated to the US Army as a bomb-sniffing dog. Specifically, I was a German Shepherd.
I'd finally convinced Logan of my plan to join the Army as a trained Army dog. In my opinion, it was foolproof. Logan, on the other hand, was skeptical. He still thought that my one blue, one black eye would make people think twice once they looked at me, but I was determined; I'd been cooped up for too long.
As we stood in line, I could sense Logan's unease. I gave a soft whine, nosing his hand.
'Don't worry, Logan,' I assured him. 'I'll be fine.'
Logan sighed, rubbing one of my ears. "I know, Sprite," he murmured. "I just don't like leaving you here."
'I'll come back,' I promised. 'I just need some time to clear my head, you know? Get away from the way everyone looks at me and thinks of me.'
Logan smiled faintly, stepping up to the desk. "I know," he told me, giving my ear an affectionate tug. I licked his hand before sitting down, looking up at the man sitting at the desk.
"Name," he said, looking down at me with a bored expression.
"Spirit," Logan responded, rubbing my scruff as he tried to keep his attention solely on the man at the desk.
The man only gave a slight nod, writing my name down and making a name tag. He asked Logan a few more questions, mostly about my health and all that stuff. "Any prior training?" he finally asked, handing a clipboard to a woman standing in fatigues next to the desk.
I could sense how much Logan wanted to laugh at the question, and I gently nipped his hand. "Yes," he replied once he'd gotten himself back under control. "She's previously worked under private ownership."
The man gave one final nod before he rose and shook Logan's hand. "Well, we thank you for your sacrifice," he said. "Private Wales here will take Spirit and get her comfortable."
Logan nodded, making a motion for his hand as though telling me to go with the private; I'd refused to wear a collar or leash. Obediently, I stood up and trotted over to the private, going to sit down next to her. As I sat back down, Logan came over and took something from his pocket.
"I thought you should have these," he murmured, his words too quiet for the private's ears. "So you don't forget where you came from, Sprite." He slipped something metal around my neck, and I looked down at it. It was a dog tag, my name engraved on one side and the X-Men emblem on another. The second tag was one from Logan's own dual pair around his neck, which, when I looked closely, was missing its partner. I whined my thanks, licking Logan's face.
'Thank you, Logan,' I told him. 'I'll cherish them always.'
"I know you will," he said, ruffling my fur once more before he rose, nodding to the private before turning and leaving me to my future.
()()()()()()
You guys know the drill! The more reviews, the faster I get the next chapter up! Thanks again for all of those who reviewed last chapter; they made my day! Again, I'd also like to see what your guesses are for where Spirit will be next; this is your last chance before the last chapter!
ML out