psinex@yahoo.com Academia Book 1: Starting Block Chapter 11 by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: Everyone here is Marvel's, except for Soraya. No money is being made off of this. Please don't sue. CONTINUITY NOTE: This is what was happening back at the X-Mansion when "Night Owls" was going on ... >) WARNING: One scene of graphic imagery ... -------------------------------------------------------- 10/26/00: X-Mansion: 18:30 hrs EDT: -------------------------------------------------------- "I don't know WHAT my dad's problem was," Ray sighed, scribbling away at her social studies homework. "I mean, you and I aren't sleeping together or anything." "He was worried about you, Ray. Parents do that," Frank said, looking over her shoulder. She smirked at him, then playfully shoved him back into his seat at the library's table. "This from the guy who's - oh God. I'm sorry," Ray breathed, looking at her textbook. "That was a cheap shot, wasn't it ?" "They ARE usually gone," Frank admitted, hanging his head. "I haven't seen my family since ..." "Since August, Frank. And now it's October," Ray breathed, taking his hand. Frank looked at her, smiling weakly, as Ray continued, "You're their son. Doesn't that matter for ANYTHING ? Don't they want to see you, to know you're doing all right ?" "They went to Skrull space to complete a mission," Frank said, unconvincingly. "The world was counting on them ... but ..." Ray stood, hugging him, and sent, ~You've got me. You risked everything last night for me. I swear, I'll NEVER leave you ...~ ~Thanks,~ Frank sent, letting Ray curl into his lap. "You know," he teased aloud as she nibbled on his ear, "we've got to get back to our homework." "Call this biology 101." "Wicked ... say, I think Leong's got my biology notes ..." "Frank ! You KNOW what I meant !" "Just kidding ..." -------------------------------------------------------- "I can't READ Franklin's chicken scratching !" Leong sighed, looking over at where Nga was helping him study for their biology mid-term, and asked, "Sister, would you -" "Let me see it," Nga said from Leong's bed, taking the notes and squinting at them. "Good thing the Professor lets us girls over here to help you boys study. How you've survived this long with this kind of resource material is beyond - a-ha. 'Duodenum.'" "Thank you," Leong said, taking the notes back and copying them. "Intestines ... at least it wasn't 'spleen.'" "Does that still irk you ?" Nga asked, trying to fight a smile. "As much as your 'heal the world' plan does," Leong muttered. "You'll never convince the medical establishment to allow you to become a doctor." "Mutants are guaranteed equal rights in the American job market. The Kelly Act specifically states that," Nga said, shaking out her black hair. "Besides, I want legitimacy for my power. I can heal people, Leong - I can make a difference without spandex or carnage." "Just as long as that ... thing ... doesn't come back for us," Leong whispered, shuddering. Nga stood, hugging him from behind, and kissed the top of his head. "Never. It's a SPLEEN, Leong," Nga said reassuringly. "How could a spleen exist outside of a body ?" "If I can biokinetically animate my limbs and keep my head alive without a body, who's to say my spleen couldn't come back and try to kill us again ?" Leong asked, sweating as the memory came flooding back. ******************************************************** 8/2/00: Mesa Verde, Arizona: 09:00 hrs MDT: ******************************************************** "Oh mah LORD !" Sam Guthrie cried, trying to keep his breakfast down. The rest of X-Force had gathered outside the Mahn's cottage, hearing a horrific high-pitched scream come from within. Xi'an clung to Dani Moonstar, ashen, as Nga sobbed on her knees. "Leong - his power - Sam, we have to DO something !" Karma pleaded, clutching her pink-dyed, shaven-haired head. "He's tearing himself apart !" "A-a-and m-my power d-didn't help," Nga cried, letting Rahne try to comfort her. "H-he -" "GREAT SPIRIT !" James Proudstar's horrified cry drew the others' attention, and a howl of abject panic from the wolfen Rahne. Leong stumbled out of the Mahns' cottage, wearing boxer shorts. A huge purplish growth on his stomach pulsated, reaching outwards, until it leapt free with a wet, sickening noise and gurgled. "S-sp-spleen ... kill it ... please ..." Leong panted, trying to keep the rest of his internal organs from pulling free. "Must - keep - self - TOGETHER - NYRRRAAARRRGHHHH !!!" X-Force gasped as Leong glowed bright white, then fainted, apparently unharmed. His spleen gurgled, lunging, and scuttled off into the desert. "MOVE, people !" Dani ordered, checking Leong's pulse. "He's got a strong heartbeat ... we need to check for internal bleeding. How he could survive his spleen leaping out of him - there are so many blood vessels connected to it -" Doug ran a medscanner across the boy's body and whispered, "My God. He's ... grown another spleen." "But what about the first one !?" Xi'an cried, comforting Nga. "Why did it break free of his control ?" Doug scanned the trail of slime the renegade spleen had left behind and whistled. "Guys," he said, looking fearfully at his teammates, "there're neurons in this gunk." Roberto looked into the distance, then back at Doug and asked, "You mean, that thing has a nervous system ?" "It'd make sense for Leong to have extra nerves - psionic receptors in his organs to pick up on his biopsionic commands," Doug said. "But ... oh no. This isn't just nerves. There's GREY MATTER in this slop !" Xi'an watched Rictor and Shatterstar ease Leong onto a cot and asked, "You can't mean -" Doug nodded grimly, looking into the distance, and said, "Leong's spleen ... "... HAS A BRAIN." ******************************************************** 10/26/00: ******************************************************** "And ever since then, I've lived in terror of the day when my spleen will rise up from its hiding place and try to kill me !" Leong cried. Nga opened the door to the hallway, seeing the rest of the New Mutants gathered outside with shocked expressions, and said, "No, he's not insane." "THEY KNOW MY HORRIBLE SECRET !?" Leong cried. "Oh, relax," Tom said in a kindly tone. "It's one spleen. With a brain. What could it do -" The entire mansion shook, and the kids rushed downstairs, powers at the ready. The front foyer was gone, Xavier sitting in his hoverchair before the front staircase with a determined expression. And at the front door towered Apocalypse. "THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE TESTING, XAVIER," the Son of the Morning Fire chortled coldly. "YOUR NEWEST GENERATION WILL BE MY SERVANTS FOR THE TESTING OF MANKIND AGAINST THE COMING FIRE. THE THREAT IS ON ITS WAY - ONE GREATER THAN EVEN I." "You are a fool, Apocalypse !" Xavier exclaimed. "And I will die before my students become your slaves !" Apocalypse roared, charging. Xavier grunted, psionics leaping invisibly between himself and the Dark Lord. And they both screamed, recoiling. "H-his defenses - so strong -" Xavier panted, letting Nga try to heal him as his nose dripped blood. "GRMMF - YES, XAVIER, YOU ARE OF THE STRONG," Apocalypse said with what could have been a note of admimration. "BUT I WILL NOT LET YOUR IDEALISM TAINT WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SAVE THE WORLD FROM THE CELESTIALS !" "The Celestials !?" Frank yelled. "What do they have to do with your psycho mission !?" "I STOLE THEIR POWER FOR MYSELF, STRENGTHENING MY ALREADY-CONSIDERABLE MIGHT," Apocalypse chortled, growing. "THEY HAVE SOME INSCRUTABLE PURPOSE FOR EARTH, AND I INTEND TO ENSURE MUTANTS ARE READY TO MEET THAT CHALLENGE." He bellowed when golden fire slammed into him. "You're a MURDERER," Nate snarled, tears in his eyes. "You killed Ship 'cause he tried t'be our friend. You turned Uncle Warren into Death. And you tried t'kidnap me. I've HAD it with you, Apocalypse ! "FACE ME !" "Nate, NO !" Ray screamed, watching the boy launch himself at Apocalypse. En Sabah Nur bellowed with laughter, looming - - and shouted when Nate sent him flying backwards. "YES ! GO, NATE !" Joe whooped. "What, we're gonna let the little dude kick that loser's butt all alone !? LET'S GET IT ON !" Frank and Ray looked at each other, then at Xavier. Nga shook her head and said, "He's exhausted himself. We're the only ones left to defend the mansion until the X-Men return." "NATE !?" Ray cried, seeing Apocalypse knock him to the ground. "That's IT - "NEW MUTANTS, TAKE HIM DOWN !" Nur actually staggered when shadows, telekinetic force bolts, magnetism, lightning and heat vision slammed into him. Bill and Nicole pounded at the shapeshifter physically, while Frank, Ray, Nate, Artie and Claudette combined their telepathy into an immense mental bolt. ~'M sorry I got so carried away, Ray,~ Nate sent, apolgetically, to his sister. ~I'm not really mad. You really did a great job - but we gotta focus now, OK ?~ Ray sent. Nate smiled, squeezing her hand, as they kept up their assault. "FOOLISH CHILDREN ! YOU - WHAT - NO - NO !" Apocalypse roared - - shrinking - - as Leech grabbed him by the neck. "YES !" Chuck whooped. "Get an inhibitor collar, guys ! HURRY !" "Very - cunning," Apocalypse snarled, his voice changing, as he grappled with Leech. "But - I - am ever - stronger - EVER -" "LEECH !?" Artie shouted, watching his best friend go flying across the yard. "Leech is OK, but hit Apocalypse NOW !" Leech yelled. "TOO LATE, CHILDREN !" Apocalypse roared, returning to his original height. "YOU ARE FORMIDABLE INDEED, BUT I AM THE STRONGEST ! THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT ME FROM TAKING YOU AS MY - WAIT - WHAT IS THAT ?" Nga stifled a gasp as something staggered from the shadows at the edge of the Xavier property, horrific noises coming from it. Leong clutched his chest, then went ashen. "MY SPLEEN HAS RETURNED !!!" The New Mutants recoiled as the huge, foul-smelling purple blob scuttled towards them on pseudopods, a nauseating lump of brain visible atop it. It lumbered towards Apocalypse, who began to chuckle. "AH. TRULY, THIS SPLEEN IS OF THE STRONG," En Sabah Nur said with a hint of admiration. "IT HAS ADAPTED, AND SURVIVED. PERHAPS I WILL MAKE IT MY FIFTH HORSEMAN, HADES. COME TO ME, SPLEEN." "SPLURTCH ..." "WAIT ! I COMMAND YOU - DOWN ! BAD SPLEEN ! NO SPLEEN MAY THREATEN THE SON OF THE MORNING FIRE !" Apocalypse raged, watching the spleen creep up his leg and leap onto his face. The New Mutants looked away from the carnage, gasping at the unholy noises coming from the spleen. Finally, Nate dared to peek out from behind Ray and said, "GUYS ! LOOK !" The kids peeked, going pale. The spleen sat, pulsating, where Apocalypse had been, and coughed up a blue boot with a resounding "URRRRPPP." "It ... it ATE Apocalypse ..." Ray breathed in horror. "Jesus, Leong, you've gotta get a leash for that thing," Tom demanded, looking at the biokine. "It's ... at peace, somehow," Leong said, relaxing. "It doesn't mean me any harm anymore. I don't know how, but it's communicating with me." "It's a mutated SPLEEN ! IT JUST ATE APOCALYPSE !" Chuck yelled. "Doesn't that bother ANYONE but me !?" "We've got bigger problems - the spleen's glowing !" Frank yelled, helping Nga remove Xavier from his hoverchair. "It's going to -" KA-BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM !!!!!!!!!!!!!! -------------------------------------------------------- The X-Men pulled up, letting Jean Summers out of one of the vans with a cry as the mansion's debris smoldered. "Mom !" Nate yelled, running to hug her. "We're OK - the Professor's asleep, he's so tired out from fightin' Apocalypse -" "APOCALYPSE !?" the X-Men shouted. "But it's OK ! He - uh, got eaten," Nate said, wincing at the purple debris scattered throughout the ruins of the mansion. "That was just DISGUSTING," Frank, holding Ray close, growled at Leong as they walked towards the X-Men with the other New Mutants. "Like I was supposed to know it'd do that," Leong moaned. "YOUR SPLEEN ATE APOCALYPSE AND EXPLODED !" Chuck shrieked, pulling at his hair. "You were psi-linked to the stupid thing - why didn't you warn us !? Unless you've been under its' control the whole time, a traitor in our ranks !" "See what y'made me miss by draggin' me outta de' house ?" Gambit joked to Thunderbird. "Shut up, LeBeau," Chuck growled, tromping off. "I've got to find a place to sleep tonight ..." "Apocalypse ... he's dead ?" Angel asked, slowly smiling as Psylocke put an arm around him. "That means our child can grow up safely !" "CHILD !" the New Mutants exclaimed. "Ray, Nate - you're going to have two new siblings in nine months, too," Jean beamed. "You're PREGNANT !?" Ray laughed, hugging her mother. "You guys had a great time at Harry's huh ?" "Ray !" Scott exclaimed, blushing as he laughed. "There's more happy news." "I, too, am expecting," Storm said, taking Forge's hand. "And Cecilia -" Sarah's face lit up as Cecilia and Hank coughed, and Cecilia said, "Yeah ... I'm going to have a pequeno or pequena too ..." "EEEE ! YESYESYES !" Sarah shrieked, hugging her father and stepmother. "I'm so HAPPY ! I could almost forgive Leong for his spleen exploding the mansion." "Leong's ... spleen ?" Hank asked, looking at the biokine with obvious curiosity. "Keep rubbing it in, please," Leong muttered. "At least it's dead." "But how did it live for almost three months on its own ?" Frank asked, obviously concerned. "And what was Apocalypse so concerned about with the Celestials ?" -------------------------------------------------------- NEXT: While the New Mutants pursue those answers, Tom Shade must face his own dark night - HALLOWEEN ! -------------------------------------------------------- __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send instant messages with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com/ --- Sponsor's Message -------------------------------------- Need Mo? We have it. Motivation. Momentum. Motion. http://click.topica.com/aaaalDaVxiJRaVz48Jc/ScoreCardUSA3 ------------------------------------------------------------ ___________________________________________________________ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics