Well, this was it. I walked out on to the outdoor training field. Nico stood in the middle of it, sparing with a dummy. The weather seemed to match my uncertainty with this situation. The sky was painted grey with clouds, not sure whether or not to pour, with a slight chill with an erratic breeze in the air.
"I know you're standing there," Nico called out, "Quit looking like a cat that was drenched in the artic, and come over. I'd rather not waste any time more than necessary."
Was that what I looked like? And how did he even know I was here? Never the less I walked forward and hoped for the best. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect when it came to Nico. Christin's brother, while civil towards me, was always distant. I didn't know why, it might have been the same reason why Junia had his reservations about me, but it was never clear.
"So, what are we doing today?" I asked.
Nico scowled, "Before we begin anything, I believe somethings must be clarified. One, I am not one to repeat myself, if you weren't listening, I will allow you to fail before reexplaining. Which could mean your life."
I nodded.
"Two, your tutelage under me will not be like the one with Steve Rogers. I prefer cut to the chase, and value tradition. You will address me, as Master, or Master Nico. Three, you will what I say and exactly as I say it, even if you don't understand it. Understood?" He turned to me and raised a mostly silver brow.
"Yes, sir," I said falling back on to how I addressed my old drill sergeants.
"Good," Nico replied, "Now, as for your question, today will be less of a training session and more of an evaluation. To understand what we need to work on in order to give you a chance at survival," He twirled the staff in his hand between his fingers.
"Okay, when do we start?" I spoke.
The staff came flying at my head, the stick of hard wood becoming a blur with its speed. I barely had time to duck.
Nico smirked, "Right now."
I twisted to the right and the left, narrowly avoiding the harsh strike of the wooden rod. Nico wasn't pulling any punches. I hadn't seen him really fight before, but less than two seconds into this evaluation as he called it. I could tell that he was seasoned fighter, that held years of experience under his belt and didn't hold back. His strikes with the staff were precise, calculated, and almost not actually trying to hit me. Like he was aiming for certain spots to see how I would react. Whether if I would block of dodge.
I was never more thankful for muscle memory. Somehow even after all that time in the ice, and what I spent recovering didn't wipe away the instincts of a soldier. The technics I learned all those years ago, began to flow back into my limbs. Reactions and reflexes happening before I even thought about doing them.
That didn't mean I was top of my game however.
Suddenly, before I could retaliate, Nico stopped striking at me, and then whirled the staff through my legs. The blow rattling my shins with pain that crackled like fireworks. I was sent crumbling into the ground.
"That's enough," Nico said, the staff returning to his side, "This battle is over."
"You could've just said that," I grumbled, "You didn't have to nearly break my legs."
"Watch yourself boy," Nico glared, "First I stopped you in such away, that was to add information to my evaluation. Second, if I had wanted to break your legs, you wouldn't be able to get back up."
Despite the sparks going through my lower legs, I managed to stand back up.
"As for the rest of you, we have a lot of work," Nico said.
"What do you mean? I know I'm a little rusty but-"
"Hush. You are correct, your skills have dulled a bit due to your recovery. It's nothing that can't be fixed. Despite your smaller stature…"
Okay, that kind of hurt. I stood at 5 foot 9 inches. Which while not exactly short was still not really tall either. I had lost count of many times I got made fun of in the Army because of my height and baby face. Jack would always say I looked twelve no matter how many birthdays passed. And after missing seventy of them frozen in ice, staying the exact physical age, his jokes were more real than he realized.
"…Your blows are still powerful and well placed. Your reflexes? Exceptional even. It is my understanding that you were sent to Europe to be trained, correct?"
I nodded.
"Your tutors did well, your technique is better than expected. However, they did fail in unlocking your true potential," Nico walked over to another part of the training field, where a column of concrete stood (where did that come from?).
"True potential, sir?" I said following him, my legs still aching.
He placed his staff down, "The human body is a complex, and powerful creation of nature. Hundreds of different and complicated systems working together to allow a being to live and thrive. With proper rearing it can become one of the deadliest weapons Mother Nature ever molded. Even if without mutant genetics. However, few know how to unlock its hidden inner potential."
Nico drew his arm back, before sending it through the column. The stone pillar burst and crumbled down into rubble and a cloud of grey dust. I felt my eyes widen. Well, that explained all the scars on his knuckles.
"Before, you ask," Nico said, "No, I do not have super strength."
"How…?" I stuttered, the only people I had ever seen do something like that was Steve, and probably Namor.
"Throughout our history, mutants have tended to been experimental with their bodies. Learning their limits and what their capable of. Through training or more unsavory methods. Even with your weakened blood, we still should be able to mold yours similarly."
"You're going to teach me to do that?" I gaped.
"I will have to. As a non-mutant, you are already severely out matched by any opponent you meet in this trade. If you pass the trials, and make it into the field you will need every tactic or technique perfected if you wish to live. Which brings me to the next point we will have to work on. Your utter lack of mental combat training."
Alright, I had no idea what that was, "Mental combat?"
For a second Nico's eyes were no longer the cold dark brown I had grown used to, but glowing, alive with a vibrant purple. The world around me began to melt. My breath hitching, as the training field dripped away, only to be replaced with…the rocket. The sudden gust of rapid harsh wind forced me down. I gripped the cold metal ladder; both of my hands were made of flesh and gloves. I could hear Steve screaming my name.
Then it was over. As if I was waking from a nightmare, gasping for breath and with a sheen of cold sweat coating my body. I found myself on my knees, staring at the dirt ground below me. My head shot up and whirled around, confirming where I was.
"Wha…what just…Was that real?" I gasped out.
"To your mind it was."
"What?"
"Reality as you see it, is how your mind senses it. Through, sight, touch, smell, and every sense in between. However, those senses can be manipulated, to make you perceive some that isn't actually there."
"You mean…you…?" I gasped out.
"Yes, I did. I am a Telepath, in broad terms. While Christin took after our father being in the Nature Class. I took after our mother, who is in the Mental Class. Much like how Arrow took after him, but Shawnen took after their mother."
"What?"
Nico frowned, "Mutant abilities can be sorted into four groups or classes. All of which can be broken down into subgroups and individual abilities."
"Okay, so how exactly…so if you read minds…"
Nico rolled his eyes, "Telepath, is a broad term that can be used to describe many different abilities. From telepathy, to memory manipulation. However, there are rarer examples. While I cannot 'read' your mind per say, I can still manipulate it into thinking of something I want to see or making you see something that isn't there."
"That's really complicated…" I mumbled.
"Our classification system tends to be that way these days, with new powers popping up randomly. It is also why we are such dangerous opponents. You never know what you're going to have to fight. Which is the reason we need to build up your mental strength along with your body.
"Telepaths, or most of the subgroups in the Mental Class, are some of the most comment types of mutant abilities, but they are also the most dangerous. Whether the user are experts in their powers, or a young child who doesn't really know what they're doing; they can easily shatter someone's psyche. Leaving the victim in a state between life and death. Where they physically live, but there is no one home."
I swallowed. That could happen? Well, I wasn't even going to bother doubting it. I felt like I had no control when Nico messed with me just now, and he was barely toying with me.
"So, how do I protect myself?" I asked.
"There is one single weakness that Telepaths or any 'mind reader' has, they can enter your mind but not control it."
"What? Isn't that's what reading minds is all about. I mean like taking over someone's mind and controlling it."
"What you're thinking of is either someone who can control a physical component of the human body or someone with possession abilities. Telepaths are different. They can route around in your mind, possible alter the things your mind controls, but they can only see what you allow them to see. It is still your mind; you are in control of it. No matter how much they try to make you to think otherwise."
"Okay, I think I got it."
"No, you don't."
"What?"
"You do not get it. You, were just merely informed about a possible protective skill. You have not yet learned it or put it to practice."
I frowned "How do I practice it, then?"
Nico looked me in the eyes again, his irises gleaming violet once more. A rush of vertigo sent me to the ground, and when I picked myself back up, I wasn't on the training field anymore.
"Allow me to show you," Nico smirked.
I groaned.
"That's a lot of books," I said.
"Well, it's a good start," Taiga said, placing an at least two-foot stack of books on the desk in front of me.
I looked at the stack, slightly regretting my decision to ask Taiga to help me study. Due to my complete lack of knowledge in mutant culture, Nico gave me the order to study the nation's history, and biological science, alongside my physical/mental combat training. Having no idea where to start with that, I went to Taiga and on his day off he dragged me and Black Sheep off to the Archives in Nexus. Which was actually just a glorified library in the lower levels of the mountain palace.
"Start?" I raised a brow.
"Well, a good summery of the past 1000 years, and classification science."
"Summery?"
"A lot can happen in 1000 years, and you've got a little bit under 12 months to prepare for your trial."
"Do I really need to know all this?"
"Trust me, you do," Taiga turned to Black Sheep, said toddler was fingering the book stack curiously, "And while you do that, we'll be off in the children's section, working on our words," the mutant medic picked up my brother and walked off.
I sighed, might as well start on this monster. I pulled down the book on the top of the stack. The cover read, "'Gifts, Blessings, and How to Understand Them: A Guide to Mutant Abilities'". I opened the book and skipped the table of contents to get right into the introduction.
"'For thousands of years, mutants have roamed this planet. In the forests, oceans, deserts and civilizations. As such there have been multitudes of mutant gifts over the generations, each one discovered unique and powerful in its own way. In order to keep track, the ancestors created a system to organize them. This book is a basic summery of that system. Of course, scientists make new discoveries every day, and mutants are known for their unpredictability, meaning there will always be an exception to this system until we find a place for them…'"
Okay this was boring. I skimmed the rest of the page, and moved on to Chapter one. It's title simply being, "'Classes History."
"'There are at least four known classes for mutant abilities to fall into. Nature, Mental, Physical, and Mystery. Each of them, having their own sub groups or individual powers…"
Well, I already knew that, but it was nice to put names on faces.
"…The origins of these classes can be traced back all the way to the first counseling, as they served as the first four clans underneath the Lost Queen's rule…"
"…During this age the classes only bred with in themselves, so cross-class mutants (cross-class mutant: a mutant whose abilities come from two or more subgroups which are from different classes) had yet to come in to existence, but once The Lost Queen established peace and unity, the classes mingled between each other. Creating new breeds, with more explosive abilities…"
Well, that was interesting. Had the mutants once been divided? That seemed very counterproductive, considering what Arrow and the others told me about their nation. I raised a brow at this thought, but let it drop and continued to skim through the rest of the book.
The next chapter was on the "Nature Class" which included the subgroups, Elementals, Photosinsites, Animens, and Conjurers. The Class basically was anything to do with the natural world, from its forces to the lifeforms, hence the name. I could immediately place Arrow and Christin into the Elemental group, as fire, wind and electricity, or lightning, all fit the requirements of that group. I found that Taiga was a type of Photosinsite, as that subgroup had special connections to plants. Snowy was a cross between the Elemental and Animen groups, having powers that both fit in each group.
Chapter three was all about the "Physical Class". If Steve had been a mutant, then he would've been in this class. Basically, it was all about advancements in the human body; super strength, speed, eyesight, etc. Some of the subgroups, included Speedsters (Shawnen my brain supplied), and Plastoids, along with all the latter's types (there were actually several).
Chapter four, was for the "Mental Class", which included Telepaths, Dream Walkers, Empaths and surprisingly Technopaths, like Mara Jean. Empaths were people who can interpret others emotions giving them glimpse in to how others feel. Quite different from Telepaths who mentally entered and gained information or manipulated other people's minds and thoughts all without feeling. Dream walkers, weren't just people who lucid dream apparently, no, they like Cathenia could see the future or even enter other people's dreams. Technopaths counted as they tend to have high levels of intelligence, and were looped in with other groups who could communicated with certain objects or beings. I spent a few minutes reading through the section on imprint abilities, like Black Sheep had (I had to know how his powers could change as he grew).
Chapter five, that one was on the "Mystery Class". These guys were the mutants that no one really knew how they worked. A lot of them were Shapeshifters, and all of the subtypes. Due to the drastic changes that their bodies go through in a short time. There were also the ones who could speak to the dead, and see souls. Or the ones that they haven't found any other place for just yet.
I closed the book. Shaking my head and rubbing my temples. My eyes ran over to the clock on the wall. It had been two hours. Wow, I needed to get faster at reading chosen tongue. No way was I going to finish all of these today. I debated over finding Taiga and checking all of these out to read over the week, or just telling them to go home so I could cram all of this in my head. I eyed the stack of books, a red one in the middle of it caught my eye. Its title read "Mutants Roles in the Shadows: 1900s-1950s".
I huffed as I picked it up, trying not to knock over the stack. Maybe I could find some inaccuracies in it. I opened it to the table of contents. My brows furrowing as I found a chapter titled "Project Rebirth". These guys were involved in that? I mean it made sense if I thought about it, these guys probably recoded human genetics with chemicals for sport. However, Steve was not very popular in the community, so it didn't make sense that they would help create him. I flipped to the chapter, and what I read…I was lucky I didn't get sick.
Taiga was laying on the floor, with Black Sheep next to him. A children's book in front of them.
"Taiga," I said walking up to them.
Taiga looked to me, his green eyes smiling with pride, "Hey, Bucky, find everything you need? Me and Black Sheep were just going over his words. He's already almost fluent, we might be able to start him on a second language soon."
I cracked a smile at the now beaming toddler, "Good job, buddy," I turned to Taiga, "Actually Taiga I was wondering if I could talk to you alone for minute."
The smile left his eyes, and he nodded. He got up from the ground and stood next to me.
"Thanks," I said, before turning to the young child still looking at the book on the floor, "Black Sheep we'll be right back, don't leave the kids section, okay?"
"Okay," Black Sheep said.
I pulled Taiga away, hiding between a pair of bookshelves, a little deeper into the library.
"What's going on?" Taiga asked.
"Tell me this isn't true," I handed him the history book, open to the chapter on Project Rebirth.
Taiga took the book, his eyes saddening almost immediately. I had my answer before he even opened his mouth, "Bucky I…"
"It's true, isn't it? This why they hate him. This is why everyone here hates my brother," I said.
"Bucky, I know this is upsetting," Taiga said, "but there was a reason why Mutants didn't make any sort of major appearance until the 60s."
"What happened Taiga?"
He sighed, "When Dr. Erskine started the super soldier experiments, his goal wasn't just to create the perfect soldier. After many failed attempts, to alter human genetics. He found some inspiration, old legends, wives' tales, fables things like that. A number of which are actually just mutant sighting that people misunderstood. Somehow Erskine figured out what was really happening. He started looking for the natural superhumans to figure out the genetic triggers that they had in order to replicate them for his project. But he didn't know the right parts that he needed…and…Well, let's just say there was a lot of trial and error after that."
"So, the reason that mutants were against Captain America…"
"Was because mutant blood was one of the main ingredients in the Super Soldier Formula," Taiga looked at the ground, "The legacy of Captain America was built on a foundation of my peoples mutilated bodies. Many people blame him for their deaths, and felt those gone were avenged by his death."
I shook my head, feeling my breath pick up pace, "No, no, no, no," I mumbled, backing up into a bookshelf.
"Bucky, breathe," Taiga dropped the book, and gripped my shoulders to steady me, "I know this is a tough pill to swallow…"
"He didn't know, Taiga," I whispered, "He didn't know. They see him as a murderer but…He didn't know."
A/N:
Well, this is finally done. Yay! Worldbuilding! I love doing this, but it was also difficult to make decisions on this technical magic system. So, that's why it took so long.
And here is the reason that Mutants aren't a fan of the good captain. Its sort of personal, head cannon, for me, but it depends on the continuity and if I'm writing for it. However, we're really told what's in the Super Soldier Formula, and considering that mutant genetics can alter human DNA in a matter of moments, like the formula, I wouldn't if there was some connection there.
