psinex@yahoo.com Academia Book 1: Starting Block Chapter 2 by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: Everyone here is Marvel's. No money is being made off of this. Please don't sue. ------------------------------------------------------ 9/2/2000: X-Mansion Danger Room Control Room: 07:55 hrs EDT: ------------------------------------------------------ #Note to self,# Charles Xavier thought with a feigned frown, #the next time we remodel, make this room bigger.# The presence of 18 eighth-graders and one sixth-grader was making even the normally-personable Xavier antsy as he displayed the Danger Room's settings. "As you can see," he told his newest students, "the Room has a great degree of variability. Some of you are familiar with the room" - he gave the yawning Sarah a knowing glance, drawing a blush from her - "but most of you need to see it for yourselves. As with all of your training, you are not to use the Danger Room without a spotter in the control booth, and not without adult supervision." "Got it, sir," Ray said, looking around at her classmates. "Right, guys ?" Mumbled assent was the reply, bringing an honest smile to Xavier's face. "If you doubt the danger of the room, pun intended, ask Iceman or Angel," he said. "I remember when they were starting their training routines, and often came in here alone at night ..." "That's great, sir, but when do we start training ?" Tom asked impatiently. "One at a time, for this first semester, Thomas," Xavier replied. "Many of you will have X-Men as mentors, or I will give you as much one-on-one assistance as possible. Franklin, would you prefer to go first ?" Frank nodded, smiling as Ray squeezed his hand, and said, "Sure, sir." "Eager guy - spandex in a wad, perhaps ?" Gail teased as Frank headed for the ready room. "Don't we wish," Ray whispered absently, looking out the window to see Frank waiting at the Danger Room entrance. "And you critisized US for excessive horniness ? Down, girl," May snickered. "So, Professor, when does our golden boy down there start his run ?" "Now," Xavier said into the intercom, depressing a button beside it. ------------------------------------------------------ #This isn't gonna be easy,# Frank thought, walking slowly and carefully across the Danger Room. #I'm the most powerful, so the Professor must've set up some serious traps ...# He kept walking, but nothing appeared. #What IS this ?# Frank thought, slowing. #This can't be right ...# Nothing leapt at him, fell out from underneath him, or coiled about his limbs. #Am I screwing it up ?# Frank thought, starting to sweat. "Professor - ?" "Keep going, Franklin," Xavier said calmly. #Sure. Easy for you - you programmed the whole thing,# Frank thought wryly. #Easy, Frank ... you won an Olympic gold medal, this isn't any harder ...# He took a few more steps, and still not a device appeared. #This is too easy !# Frank thought, taking baby steps. #What's the Professor's game ?# "Sir ?" Ray asked, looking at Frank with concern. "Is there something wrong with the Danger Room ?" "Everything is fine, Rachel," Xavier said, watching Frank intently. "Franky's freakin' something fierce, O Lord of Scalp Wax," Bill said coldly. "He might be a stiff, but he's still my pal - you mind-scamming him ?" Xavier gave Bill a stoic look and replied, "I would never violate any of my students' minds without a dire reason, William. I assure you, I am not interfering mentally with Franklin, nor would I even if I could pierce his mental defenses." He turned back to watch as Frank kept walking slowly towards the exit, now visibly swallowing. #If there's nothing wrong with the room, then maybe it IS me - maybe I'm using my powers unconsciously to 'fix' reality so I pass,# Frank thought, fear rising in his throat. #I can't do that ! It's wrong - and I might hurt the others - I can't ...# He stopped, shivering, and closed his eyes. "Frank ?" Ray breathed, looking at Xavier with a darkening expression. "Professor, something IS wrong - let me -" "No ! Rachel, I do not ask your trust lightly, but in this case I must ask for it," Xavier said, his voice returning to a calm tone. "Franklin MUST pass this test alone." "But he's just stopped," Nate said with concern. Xavier's face betrayed no change of expression, even when Frank opened his eyes. #I know,# Frank thought, putting one foot in front of the other with a grim expression. #I know I can do this.# He touched the exit door's handle, then pulled it open and stepped through, smiling a little when the others gave a subdued cheer. "Of course - it wasn't his powers, but his courage you were testing," Chuck said acidly to Xavier. " You were trying to make Frank think he'd lost control of his abilities. You played with his greatest fear." "That's not fair, Chuck," Ray replied, smiling as Frank entered the control room. "The Professor wasn't being mean." "Stay OUT of this, Rachel," Chuck said in an even darker tone. Xavier looked at his namesake with a worried expression, listening as Chuck added, "You spoke of trust. Then start trying to help us, and don't torment us with these mindgames." "Chuck, I'm OK, really," Frank said. "The Professor knew I had to face my fears about my powers before I could start to learn to control them better." "Great for you," Chuck snapped, folding his arms and staring at the wall. "Some of us prefer open, honest teaching." "Charles, is there something I've done to offend you ?" Xavier asked. "Please, tell me." The boy whirled around, blue energies crackling in his eyes, and hissed, "YOU EXIST." He stormed out, leaving a dead quiet in his wake. "Well," Leong said to no one in particular after a long moment, "we have a new entry in the Angst Sweepstakes." ------------------------------------------------------ She found him sitting in his room, knees under his chin as he sat on his bed. "The Professor gave ya a demerit," Rogue said, pulling a chair up to the side of Chuck's bed. "'Deserting an assignment.' Ah'm surprised he didn't add disrespectin' your elders." "That MAN," Chuck said harshly, his voice breaking, "is not my elder. He doesn't deserve respect. You know that." "If your father hadn't had Charles Xavier as a role model, a devil's advocate, do ya think ya'd be here now ?" Rogue said with a frown. "The Professor's a good man, Charlie. He ain't your father, an' he ain't supposed t'be. He's the driving force behind the peace we have, and he deserves some respect." "Charles Xavier is a coward whose dream kept my father distracted to the point where the Prime Sentinels KILLED HIM !" Chuck sobbed. "If Dad hadn't had to fight the X-Men, if he hadn't been hounded into orbit, then that disease Bastion wouldn't've hunted Dad to death !" He hung his head, pulling away from Rogue when she reached for him. "We don't belong here," Chuck whispered. "You know that." "Then where do ya want t'go ? Antarctica ? Let the Acolytes fawn over ya ?" Rogue replied. "Charles, ah am not about t'let ya become some egomaniac, or a spoiled brat. Ah know ya miss your pa - ah do too - but followin' Magnus down his bloody path is only gonna ruin things." "I'm not anti-human, Mom, I'm pro-mutant - like my father," Chuck said, drawing himself up. "Xavier is an apologist. I'm not. And I won't apologize for my feelings about Xavier, any more than I'll go on some dumb warpath and kill innocent people. Once I master my powers and graduate, I'm gone - assuming Xavier doesn't rewire my brain." "Darlin', it's been two years. You gotta let go o'this chip on your shoulder," Rogue said, squeezing Chuck's shoulder. "Ah want your pa back as much as you do -" Chuck removed her hand harshly and muttered, "The Cajun is still hanging around your door, isn't he ?" Rogue stood with a glare and snapped, "You're grounded. Two weeks. Ah hope you use that time t'consider your attitude." She stormed out, hearing the door slam under a magnetic bolt, before she started to cry. "I'm sorry," Chuck whispered on the other side, screwing his eyes shut as tears started to flow. "But Xavier is WRONG, Mom - he needs to dominate instead of teach. And that'll get us killed. "Just like Dad ..." ------------------------------------------------------ tbc ... ------------------------------------------------------ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Photos -- now, 100 FREE prints! http://photos.yahoo.com ___________________________________________________________ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics