X-men: Bast

   *** Legal issues: Kia Jaeger(codename Bast) is an original character and
belongs to me.  All other characters and core X-men concepts are copyright
Marvel, Stan Lee, and other creators.  I do not own any of them, nor do I
profit from them in any way.

   Author Note: This story is based upon the story and setup in the comics
and takes place at no particular point in them, but is instead treated as
it's own events separate from many of the large happenings in the comics.
Also, I am not fully aware of every significant event that has happened in
the X-men's long history, so the information presented in this story and
the information in the comics may not always 100% add up.  Some characters
who might even be dead as of the current X-men issues may be alive in this
story.  ***

   Chapter 4

   Saturday morning was well underway by the time Kia woke, a bit later
than usual.  She showered and dressed in a soft pink tank-top and snug
jeans.  She went to the kitchen, expecting to have to make herself a late
breakfast, but was pleased to find Storm finishing preparing a large stack
of waffles topped with blueberry and strawberry toppings.  Rogue and Logan
sat at the table along with a hungry looking Professor.

   "Good morning," Charles greeted her with a smile.  "It seems we're the
lazy group this morning.  Thankfully, Ororo has offered to make us
breakfast anyway."

   "I didn't get to eat this morning," Storm smiled.  "So I may as well eat
with all of you."

   "Morning," Kia smiled and sat down next to Rogue.  "Is there enough for
me?"

   "There's plenty," Ororo answered.  "This just means Logan will have to
fill himself with three servings instead of four."

   "Make me sound like a fuckin' pig , why don't ya?" Logan grumbled as he
nosed through the paper.

   "Where are the others?" Kia asked.

   "I believe Scott talked most of the team into a session in the Danger
Room," the Professor answered.  "Bobby went to play some basketball or some
such with some of the students.  Kurt is studying."

   "Hank is married to his lab for the morning," Ororo smirked.

   "Damn other woman," Rogue grinned.

   "Indeed," Ororo chuckled as she placed the waffles on the table.  The
group shoveled food onto their plates.  Logan gave Storm a dirty look.

   "No bacon?"

   Ororo ignored him and handed the Professor the strawberry topping. 
Logan grunted and returned to reading his paper.

   "So how did last night go?" Kia asked.  "Any bruising on your feet?"

   "Hank is a wonderful dancer, if that's what you're asking," Ororo
smiled. "And we had a delightful time, thank you."

   "I must say, I do approve of the way you two have grown together,"
Charles commented with a smile.  "It seems somehow very right.  You two fit
well together."

   "Thank you, Charles," Storm nodded.  "I'm glad to hear that, actually.
Hank and I took our relationship deeper last night and we are much closer.
I think we will be together for some time."

   Kia and Rogue exchanged matching glances.  It was all Rogue could do to
stifle her giggle, and Kia had to briefly hold her hand over her mouth to
hide her wide grin.  Both wanted to hear a much deeper account of Storm's
news, but felt it wasn't wise to say anything in front of the Professor.

   "Excellent," Charles nodded, seeming oblivious to what the two women had
inferred.  "I am happy for you.  It does me good to see some of my students
finding happiness with one another."

   "We ain't really students any more," Rogue pointed out with a smirk.

   "Once a student, always a student," Charles smiled lightly.

   " `Bout time Beast got a woman," Logan commented.

   "Quit bein' an ol' sour-puss, Logan," Rogue replied.

   " `Old'?" Logan growled.  He turned the page of his paper and glanced
over it for several minutes.  He looked up and scowled darkly.  "Fuckin'
hell."

   "Logan, language, please," the Professor sighed.  "What is it?"

   "Anti-mutant bullshit," Logan spat.  " Even worse, the scheduled kind.
Turn the tube on 13."

   Ororo grabbed the remote to the small flat-screen placed against the
kitchen wall and turned it on channel 13.

   A large crowd gathered in front of a large wooden stage in what looked
to be a square in the city.  The roads had been blocked off and barricaded
to allow the gathering to take place.  The crowd undulated, several hundred
strong, murmuring and speaking softly as they sat and waited.  A large
wooden podium was set up at the front of the stage, and behind it were
several banners and posters and other paraphernalia associated with the
upcoming political race.  `Kevin Dodd' was boldly written in colorful
patriotic shades across the various posters.

   The politician standing behind the podium appeared to be in his early
50's, and his face was already creased and lined, aged prematurely by the
looks of it.  His mouth pulled downward in a bitter pinch, and his eyes
squinted and shifted restlessly.  His hair, rusty brown, was thinning and
graying all over.  He was at least forty pounds overweigh and his gut was
ineffectively pulled in by a thick black belt, which served only to push it
upward and make it all the more noticeable.  He was dressed in an
immaculate suit, which looked like it had been made without taking his gut
into consideration during the fitting.

   "My fellow humans," he began, and paused to allow the crowd to fall
silent.  Storm and Charles exchanged a heavy look.

   "I am here today," the politician continued, "To speak with you about
our own vulnerability.  This city...this state...and even worse, this
country, are all in a terribly vulnerable state.  For years we have been at
risk of being overrun by the most dangerous and shady enemy the great
country of the U.S.A has ever faced."

   The man leaned forward, his face intense and tight.  "I'm speaking of
Mutants!  And we must do away with them!"

   The crowd gave a loud, enthusiastic roar of approval.

   "This is not good," Charles murmured, shutting his eyes and rubbing at
his brow.

   "They are a threat to everything we hold dear," Kevin Dodd said, his
tone slightly more restrained, but still pinched and impassioned.  "Their
children mingle with ours, spreading like a disease through our schools and
establishments and putting the future generation of humans at risk with
their powers and hideous deformities.  They take our jobs, using their
freakish abilities to do work faster than us and make us look incompetent.

   "And they threaten our very lives!" he continued.  "Mutant terrorists
have made unlawful attacks with the express intention of harming human
civilization and destroying our governments!  I'm sure you all know of
Magneto, one of their most prominent terrorists.  He claims that their race
is superior to ours, and will wipe us out!"

   The crowd looked incensed, their faces screwing up into snarls and
grimaces of anger.  A sea of nodding heads greeted the man's words.

   "Well, I say our race is superior!  I say their race is a disease!  And
like all diseases, it must be stamped out before it brings about the death
of thousands of innocents!"

   Information flashed along the bottom of the screen depicting the
live-broadcast, reporting on the rally of Senator hopeful Kevin Dodd and
displaying various comments on his Anti-Mutant platform.

   "Turn this shit off," Logan snarled, standing up sharply enough to send
his chair skidding back across the room.

   "No good will come of this," Storm said grimly.

   "Indeed," Charles said, his voice barely more than a whisper as he
stared at his hands folded in his lap.  "He stirs them to riot...like a
burning ember thrust into a pit of dry leaves.  Their thoughts turn to
supposed injustices and wrongs that they know have never been done, but
pretend are true anyway."

   He looked up at them, his eyes focusing once more.  "The hour will not
end without bloodshed, I fear."

   "We're breakin' this up, huh?" Logan asked, his grim and agitated scowl
suddenly shifting into a wild grin.

   "Yes," Charles nodded.  "Otherwise the damage and harm could be
overwhelming.  And they may begin to hunt for Mutants to vent upon."

   "I'm goin'," Logan said, his eyes dancing strangely as he continued to
grin.

   "You will restrain yourself," Charles stated more than asked.

   " `Course," Logan nodded.

   "Very good," Charles sighed.  "I will be going as well."

   " Is that really a great idea?" Rogue asked.

   "I will be fine," Charles insisted.  "You and Storm will accompany Logan
and I.  I am in good hands."

   "Should we get the others?" Storm asked.

   "No," Xavier replied.  "We don't have the time, and a small group would
work best."

   "Scott ain't gonna like this," Rogue stated.

   "We'll deal with that later," Charles shook his head.  "We have to move,
now." "Good, we don't need One-Eye anyway," Logan growled.  "I'll go warm
up the blackbird."

   "We're going incognito," Xavier nodded as Logan left the room.  "So no
uniforms.  We go as we are."

   "Does he know that?" Ororo asked, nodding to the door Logan had used to
leave the room.

   Charles hesitated for a brief moment.  "He does now."

   "We ready to get on outta here?" Rogue asked.

   "Indeed," the Professor replied.  "Let us be on our way."

   "Can I go?" Kia spoke up, causing her three friends to jump.  She had
fallen totally silent upon seeing the broadcast.  Typically vocal, her
silence had caused her to be almost totally forgotten.

   "Are you sure you want to go, Kia?  It will be dangerous."

   "I know," Kia nodded.  "I'll be okay, though.  And I could help with the
crowd."

   Xavier hesitated for a moment, his eyes playing curiously over her.  She
appeared pale, more so than usual, and her mouth was set into a tight line.
He'd never seen her like this.  She was visibly shaken, but appeared
somehow determined.

   Finally, Charles nodded.  "Very well.  Stay out of sight and stick close
to Logan and Rogue.  Come, we must hurry."

   Rogue grabbed her waffle from the table and distractedly munched it as
they headed into the lower levels and the hanger where their aircraft, the
Blackbird, awaited.  Her calm, casual bearing was at odds with Kia's
nerves. This would certainly be a challenge, though she felt eager to show
she could be of use.

   As she strapped herself into a seat on the Blackbird, she stared into
space, a heavy feeling in her gut.  "That man," she whispered under her
breath, but her companions were too busy with take-off preparations to hear
her.

   ***



   The crowd was out of control, rioting wildly already.  The square the
political rally had been held in was mostly empty now, with the mass of
rioters moving down the street and causing damage as they went.  A dozen
police officers in riot gear were out trying to quell the riot, but the
crowd of people lashed out violently at them.  The rioters were clearly
doing the intimidating and controlling here.  The four X-men were standing
on the roof of a small building near the crowd, crouched down and out of
sight as they watched the chaotic scene unfold.  Windows were being broken,
things stolen.  Innocent, confused people were beaten and mugged.  A few
cars had been turned over and set alight.  The fire department couldn't get
through the roiling, violent crowd enough to get the hoses to the flames.

   Several chants of Anti-Mutant sentiments floated through the air, but it
was mostly swallowed by the general roar and of the screaming crowd.  While
there was certainly still an unfriendliness toward Mutants here, it wasn't
truly about that anymore.  The rioters were more focused now on whatever
acts of violence and looting they could accomplish.  A good thing for
Mutants, yes, but certainly a bad thing for everyone else.

   "We gotta get them fires out," Rogue commented.

   "Agreed," Charles nodded.  "Storm, if you will?"

   "Rain!  Come forth to cool the flames of these peoples misguided
hatred!" Ororo tilted her head back slightly and then held out her arms,
palms facing upward.  Her eyes went white.  Storm's Mutant ability was that
of mastery over the weather, controlling the elements to bring about rain,
wind, fog, sunshine, or even snow and hail.  Thick, black clouds formed
with a suddenness that had often left meteorologists baffled.  The dark
clouds roiled and pulsed with their fullness.

   The sky broke apart, letting out such a torrent of rain that it shrouded
the streets in sheets of watery downfall.  The freezing, fat drops
splattered through the crowd, completely drenching everyone in moments. 
The fires hissed and sizzled weakly as they died out.

   Much of the crowd began to run and disperse, their violent mentality
apparently dropping off as the rain chilled and soaked them to the bone and
the wind drove the downpour into their faces with stinging force.  Even
once the flames died and much of the rioting folk dispersed, over a hundred
remained, gathering together and walking around the wide streets,
overturning cars, stealing goods from shops, and beating the meager number
of police with folded chairs and various blunt objects.  Several good
Samaritans tried to help the officers, only to be turned on by the violent
crowd.

   "Stubborn bastards," Logan commented.

   "I do not think they will stop for anything I can do to them,
Professor," Storm said after slowly lowering her hands.  Her eyes returned
to normal.

   "Their anger is growing," Kia said softly, her senses extended over the
crowd below.  "It's turning into rage.  These people want blood.  Mutant
blood.  And that some of their fellow humans are trying to stop them is
making them even angrier."

   "The real die-hard hate mongers , eh?" Logan growled.

   "Can ya use your power where we're standin'?" Rogue asked.

   "No, I would have to be closer," Kia replied.

   "Logan and Rogue, escort Kia into the crowd.  She might be able to help
the situation," Charles nodded.

   "Ya got it, Chuck," Logan grinned.

   "Keep an eye on us, y'all," Rogue said.

   The three Mutants descended to ground level and after watching the
violent crowd for a moment, walked out into the rain-slick streets.  Their
clothing was soaked and they were as cold and wet as the rioters were. 
Rogue and Logan flanked Kia as they approached.

   Several of the rioters spotted the trio and started toward them,
gripping whatever they had gotten their hands on as weapons.  But after no
more than a handful of steps, they halted, their weapons slipping from
their hands.  They glanced about, confusion and a hint of unease on their
face.

   "The hell is goin' on?" Logan asked Rogue quietly.

   "Ya don't know?" Rogue.  "Kia's empathic.  She can use her empathy to
connect with someone, and usin' that she'll drain feelin's.  It don't work
too well on folk who're strong willed, but these folk are simple `nough. 
Ask her if ya really wanna know more about it.  Now ain't `xactly the best
time, Sugah."

   A steady trickle of wet, cold, and confused people were leaving the
crowd, wanting nothing more than to go home and get warm and dry.  More of
the enraged group rushed them.  Even as Kia strained to drain and nullify
the intense emotions of the attackers, fists and weapons flew.  Rogue
ducked a man swinging a lead pipe at her head and gingerly booted him in
the stomach.  Even with her best efforts to be gentle, the man went flying
a good three yards back and collided with a wall.

   "Oops," Rogue muttered, only half meaning it.

   One particularly unlucky rioter took a swing at Logan's head with his
bare hand.  Logan stood motionless and the man's hand cracked sharply
against Wolverine's Adamantium skull.  Logan shoved him roughly, and the
man was so distracted by the pain in his hand he tripped and toppled to the
ground.  A second man rushed Wolverine and swung a blunt club.  Wolverine
stepped quickly in, past the range of the club.  He caught the man's arm,
then snapped a head butt out, knocking the attacker out and causing him to
crumple to the ground, his nose broken.

   Kia continued to siphon off the anger of the crowd, sweat washing off
her body by the rain overhead.  It was difficult, the flow of violent and
ugly emotions these people exuded.  She had to open herself fully to that
hatred in order to drain it away, and it almost made her sick to feel the
heat of it beating against her.  It took some time, but it was relatively
effective, and the crowd steadily dwindled.  About every fifteen or thirty
seconds, another rioter or two left.

   Wolverine carefully watched two thugs with knives eyeing his two female
companions, ready to spring on them if he needed to.  Rogue was pretending
to `struggle' as she wrestled a folding chair away from a man almost three
times her body weight.

   Logan heard a scuffle at his feet and looked down to see the man who's
hand he'd broken with his skull reaching for the discarded club with his
good hand.

   Logan laughed softly.  "Ya don't give up, do ya?  An' here I was gonna
leave ya with a hand to work with.  Ah well, yer problem now." Logan
smashed his heel into the man's outstretched hand, cracking bones and
popping joints.  The man screamed and rolled away, shakily climbing to his
feet.  He stumbled and weaved away from the scene of the riot.

   Logan's head spun quickly at the cry behind him.  Kia was crumbling to
the ground a few feet away.  A tall man stood over her and her temple was
red from where he had struck her.  He had one hand tangled in her thick
brunet hair, and the other reached for the wallet in her back pocket.

   Before Logan could explode into furious motion, the man froze, his body
going still.  Logan glanced around to see the rest of the crowd similarly
motionless, standing stiff and still and gazing out into space.

   Is she okay?  Xavier spoke into his mind.

   Rogue walked over to Kia and examined her, looking over the large welt
forming on the side of her face.  "Ah think so, she's just kinda bruised.
Pro'lly got hit from behind."

   "Ya ain't gotta say it out loud, ya know," Logan pointed out as he
walked closer.

   "Now ain't exactly the time, Sugah," Rogue repeated her earlier words.

   I will take care of the rest of the crowd, Xavier told them.  I did not
want to have to mind-sweep them, but it seems we have no choice.  I cannot
hold them more than a few more moments, and the police will not arrive in
great enough numbers to restrain them until after they have already hurt
more people.  Too much has been done already.  Return to the Blackbird.

   Rogue grabbed Kia's wallet out of the would-be thief's hand and pushed
it back into Kia's pocket.  Logan grabbed a handful of the motionless man's
hair and used it to toss him roughly to the ground.  He reached down and
hoisted Kia from the floor and onto his shoulder.

   As Logan and Rogue returned to the aircraft, Charles finished memory
wiping the crowd, erasing only the very surface of their memories, enough
to make them forget why they were angry in the first place.  The Professor
let out a deep sigh as he wheeled his chair back to where the Blackbird
rested, cloaked and unseen on the spacious and empty roof.

   He hated using his powers, his gift, for such purposes.  There were much
temptations behind having such a powerful mind, and the less he tempted
fate by using them in such manners, the less chance he would ever give in
to a more powerful and dangerous temptation.

   But then, was it any wiser for him to use Kia's power in such a way? 
Was not using her Empathic powers to neutralize someone's negative emotions
just as risky as using his telepathy to neutralize their negative thoughts?
Charles pondered that heavily on the flight home.

   ***

   Kia regained consciousness shortly before the Blackbird returned to the
Mansion.  Despite repeatedly insisting she was fine, Charles firmly
insisted she go see Hank or Jean to be sure she didn't have a concussion.
Kia hastily chose to have Hank examine her.  Ororo offered to accompany her
to the med-lab to keep her company.

   As soon as the Blackbird was safely nestled in the Hanger in the
sub-levels of the Mansion, Charles hurried to the War-Room to begin
researching this Anti-Mutant politician.  He was gravely worried; if the
man could stir up such a violent riot from a simple speech, what would he
be capable of if he became Senator(govenor?)?  Kia, Storm, Rogue, and Logan
all stayed behind to finish shutting the Blackbird down and getting their
aircraft fully ready for its next launch.  Kia helped Rogue tidy the
interior and exterior while Storm shut the systems down and Logan refueled
the plane.

   As the four finished up their various tasks and chores, Scott came
storming into the Hanger.  He was scowling deeply and the icy glare he
swept over his four team mates was visible even through his ruby glasses.

   "What the hell was that about?" he demanded.  "Where do you all get off
taking the Blackbird by yourselves?"

   Before anyone else could make a sarcastic remark, Storm answered, "There
was a riot near Manhattan.  It was becoming very ugly, and there was a
possibility that people would be hurt and Mutants would be persecuted.  We
had to quell it."

   "A riot?" Scott sneered.  "Oh, this was the perfect team to bring to
take care of a situation like that, Storm.  You took the half trained and
practically useless woman who refuses to listen to orders and the two
biggest hot-heads on the team.  You could've gotten everyone killed!"

   "I don't listen to your orders," Kia clarified icily.

   Ororo almost took a step back in shock, her eyes wide.  Scott had
recently begun to question and criticize her methods, undermining her
authority when he felt his way was best.  But he had never openly attacked
her like this before.

   "Ya got a problem, Cyke?" Logan growled softly.  "Maybe ya oughta go
take it up with the rioters we took care of.  I'm sure they'd be glad to
take some pipes and chairs to yer face.  Fix it right up for ya."

   "I have a problem with loose cannons like you going on missions without
someone to watch them.  Especially missions to keep the peace!" Scott
snapped.

   Logan growled and clenched his hands into fists.

   Kia sighed and crossed her arms.  "Yeah, because you're being so
peaceful right now, Scott."

   "Cool it down, Scott," Rogue agreed.  "It ain't like we was hurtin'
anything.  We took care of the riot and kept a lotta dangerous folk from
hurting innocent people.  What're ya getting upset about?  Everythin' went
fine."

   "It doesn't matter if things went `fine'," Scott scowled.  "Storm acted
without thought for the consequences of taking such a poorly suited team
into action.  When we need to take someone down we'll call you two in, but
otherwise you need to stay out of the way!"

   Logan snarled and took a step forward, but Rogue grabbed him by the
collar of his coat and yanked him back.

   "That's enough!" Ororo declared loudly.  She shook her head, still
unsure of where these personal attacks were coming from, but she wasn't
about to let Scott cow her in front of her teammates.

   The Goddess was out.

   "Scott, I can appreciate you viewing this situation from an angle we
didn't think of, but we did what had to be done.  If we hadn't acted, many
would have been hurt, and lives would have been lost.  Inaction would have
only served to cause more harm.  And questioning my judgment in such a
hostile and, worse, public manner is not going to help anyone here.  You're
out of line, way out of line, and I don't appreciate it."

   Logan grinned widely, waggling his eyebrows at Scott from behind Storm's
shoulder.  Kia couldn't help but smile slyly as well.  Rogue just looked
annoyed at Scott's hostility.

   Scott opened his mouth to snap at his team mates again, but he never got
the words out.

   Scott, the Professor spoke into all of their minds.  You are misplacing
blame here.  I ordered the these four to deploy, not Ororo. .  You do not
give her enough credit.  Besides, I accompanied them and advised them on
what I felt was best.  Ororo handled the situations quite well.  I thought
this would be a good team to handle the situation, and I was right.  If you
wish to dispute the decision further you may come speak with me. 
Otherwise, stop upsetting everyone, please.

   "Count on it," Scott muttered aloud.  He shot the four Mutants one last
glare before stomping out the hanger.

   "What a loser," Kia said, raising her voice so Scott would catch her
words before the door shut behind him.

   "Sometimes I wonder what is happening with him," Ororo shook her head.

   "Somethin' crawled up his ass `n died, that's what happened," Rogue
replied.

   "Fuckin' tool," Logan growled.

   Kia glanced at her friends and stepped away, walking toward the exit. 
"I have some papers to grade.  See you later, everyone."

   "Not so fast," Ororo laughed, the incident behind her for the moment. 
"You have to see Hank first."

   "No I don't," Kia complained.  "I'm fine!"

   "It's team policy," Ororo insisted.  She gabbed Kia by the wrist and
began to half-drag her toward the infirmary.  "Don't worry, I'll be getting
an examination while I'm there, too," she assured Kia.

   "Yeah, but your `examination' will be a lot more fun!" Kia protested.

   Rogue laughed loudly as the two women left the hangar.  She turned to
Logan and tilted her head.  "Well, the day's half gone.  Not much else
t'do. Wanna go blow off steam in the Danger Room, Sugah?"

   "Sure," Logan shrugged, then smirked lightly.  "Maybe we can set up a
Cyclops simulation to beat on."

   ***



   Logan woke late the next day.  Having already missed breakfast, he
decided to just give up on eating for the moment and instead did his
morning workout.  The large weight bench in one corner of his room was
loaded down by the time he finished with it a half-hour later.  His weight
lifting done, he proceeded to stretch and wind down, going through a series
of positions and stances he had learned long ago that helped to strengthen
muscles and keep the body limber and flexible.

   Though he had learned it, Logan wasn't a regular practitioner of Yoga.
He knew, however, that some of the stances and stretches could do wonders
for keeping the body in peak condition.  The more often one stretched, the
easier it was to maintain that flexibility and warmness.  Logan had become
proficient enough that he no longer had to warm up or prepare for combat or
other rigorous action; he could start right into things cold turkey and be
at his full range of movement and flexibility.  His healing factor helped
him with this.

   Relaxed and wound down from the earlier intense workout, Logan settled
into a kneeling position and began to meditate.  Few people around him knew
just how regularly he tried to exercise his spiritual side.  It was a
necessity; if not for that touch of spirituality and honor in his life, he
would have been that much closer to losing himself to the beast within.

   Long had he struggled with his inner nature.  It wasn't entirely clear
what spawned the animalistic aspect of his being; perhaps it was a side
effect of his mutation.  It would certainly make sense, given his feral
senses and claws.  Or perhaps it was a mental condition brought on by some
trauma or experience in the murky mystery of his past.  Either way, Logan
had a feral, bestial side buried within, a primitive killing instinct that
turned him into a savage berserker when angered or injured.  It was
something he had struggled with as long as he could remember.  A number of
occasions the animal side of his soul had wrest control from him and sent
him on a killing spree.  As such, one of Logan's deepest fear was that he
would become a danger to those he around him he loved.  And so he
struggled, day in and out, to find a sense of balance.  He would never
completely banish the beast within; he knew that.  But to be able to
channel his berserk instincts into times of battle and danger while keeping
them shut off in his every day personal life...that was the balance he so
desperately sought.  It was an uphill battle, but over the years,
considerable progress had been made.  He hadn't lost control of himself in
quite some time, and he was secretly quite proud of that.

   Meditation could be an intense and exhausting thing when done in certain
manors.  Zen was particularly taxing.  When Logan finished an hour later,
his body was covered in sweat, almost more so than when he had worked out
with the heavy weights.

   He rose and showered, then stepped out into the Manor.  It was just past
one, and things were quiet.  Most of his friends on the team would be
occupied at the moment.  He decided it was finally time to tend to the
growling of his stomach.  He went to the kitchen and made himself a rather
large sandwich heaped high with every lunch meat he could find, and grabbed
one of the beer that had been stocked in the fridge specifically for him.
He smiled to himself.  It was good to be home.  At home, people always
remembered to stock your favorite brew.

   He stepped out onto one of the decks behind the manor and plopped into a
chair, propping his feet up on the railing overlooking the gardens below.
He slid the tip of one claw out and flicked the bottle cap off before
taking a sip.  He took a bite from his sandwich and watched the day slowly,
lazily rolling past.  It wasn't often things were so peaceful here at
Xavier's school.  For once, there was no chaos, no drama, no attack or
threat of extinction or global genocide.  It was kind of a nice change,
really.

   Logan tensed slightly as he caught the scent of something approaching.
He sniffed softly.  Something...reptilian?  His ears picked up an almost
imperceptible clicking sound coming from behind his shoulder.  On the other
side of the roof, slowly cresting the rise and coming down the other side
toward him.  He glanced up out the corner of his eye, then relaxed.

   One of the students came crawling down the sharply sloping roof, face
leading the way, on all fours.  A long, thick tail waved out behind him. 
He clamored and climbed, sharp, slightly hooked fingertips clinging to the
sturdy shingles of the Mansion roof.  He plopped down onto the deck and
hesitated a moment, watching Logan with slitted eyes.

   He stepped closer and Logan turned to acknowledge him.  He was covered
in a thin layer of green scales, gleaming like emeralds in the sunlight,
clean looking and close linking.  The Mutant teen's face was slightly
elongated like the snout of a lizard, but aside from his slitted eyes, his
facial features were otherwise still relatively human.  A mop of thick
brown hair hung down to frame his green, scaled face.  Two bumps extended
from his temples, likely a pair of horns growing in.  His thick, reptilian
tail swished rhythmically behind him, creating a soft breeze.

   "Hi.  Um...you're Logan...Wolverine...right?  A lot of my friends have
talked about you."

   Logan nodded.  "Shouldn't ya be in class, squirt?"

   "It's my lunch period.  I, uh, didn't feel much like eating.  I've been
trying to practice my climbing.  It's not a power, it's just something I
can do now that I have these," the teen explained, flexing the short hooked
claws on his hands and feet.

   "Nice claws," Logan smirked.  His claws exploded from the back of his
hands with their characteristic `snikt', causing the lizard boy to jump. 
"Got some o' my own."

   "Wow, that's cool," the boy said.  "Is that your power?"

   "Somethin' like that," Logan replied.  "What's yer name, kid?"

   "Robby," the boy replied.

   "Robby," Logan repeated.  "Ya got a codename?  Anythin' like that?"

   "Umm...my friends just call me Robby...or, well, Dragon Boy."

   "Dragon Boy," Logan chuckled.  "Nice."

   "Or Liz," Robby added, looking down and kicking at
nothing-in-particular.

   "Liz?" Logan asked.

   "Y'know...Lizard?"

   "Ah," Logan smiled.  "Yer new.  I don't know everyone, but I'd know yer
scent."

   "Yeah," Robby nodded.  He sat down on the chair beside Logan's, his tail
curling off to the side.  "I just came here.  I wasn't like this when I got
here."

   "How's it treatin' ya?  The lizard thing, I mean."

   Robby shrugged and blinked his slitted eyes at Logan.  "I dunno.  It's
not as bad as I thought it would be.  I figurd it would hurt and it would
mean I...well, I dunno...that I wouldn't be me, you know?"

   Logan nodded and sipped at his beer.  "That's what most kids yer age
thing.  It ain't the end o' the world, bein' a Mutant an' all.  Just
somethin' else life throws at ya to deal with."

   "At least you look human," Robby pointed out.

   Logan smirked and looked away.  "Looks don't count much fer havin' a lot
o' humanity kid.  You'll learn that."

   Robby fell silent for a few moments and mulled over Logan's words.

   "You'll do fine here," Logan nodded to him as he bit into his sandwich.
"Just do what yer told and try not t' cause trouble."

   "You sound like my Dad.  Before he threw me out, I mean," Robby said.

   "I ain't yer pop," Logan chuckled.  "An' trust me, if ya screw up, I
ain't throwin' ya out.  None of us will.  I'll just have to smack some
sense into ya is all."

   Robbie laughed and stood up.  "You're kinda cool.  My friends all told
me you were.  I didn't believe them.  I figured you'd just be mean."

   "I am mean," Logan said seriously.

   The bell rang to announce classes were shifting.  Logan hated that bell.
Got on his damn nerves.

   "I gotta get going.  Classes are back in in five minutes."

   "Yep," Logan nodded, tipping his beer toward the youngster.  "Oh, hey.
What's yer power?  Ya said climbin' wasn't.  So what is?"

   Robbie hesitated, then cleared his throat.  He opened his mouth and
exhaled a large gout of white fire.  "I found that out when I burped a few
weeks back and almost set my classroom on fire."

   Logan laughed softly and grinned at the reptilian Mutant.  "See ya
around, Kid.  An' stay away from the beans."

   End Chapter 4

   Sorry about the lack of sex in this chapter, there'll be more coming up.


   I've always thought that the struggle between Mutants and Humans was one
of the integral aspects of the X-men.  It's been seen and emphasized time
and time again throughout the comics, in various ways.  Let's face it;
racism and prejudice is a very prevalent thing in the world.  If people can
hate so strongly for someone having different color skin, then how easy
would it be for those same people (and maybe some others, as well) to find
fault in a person with scales?  A third eye?  Several other limbs?  I think
it's a logical situation, and I wanted to touch on that in this story, as
one of the most realistic aspects of X-men lore.  Expect to see this theme
again.

   Chapter 5 is next, and will prove to be packed with action of all kinds
;)

   Please send all questions/comments/critiques to
Crouching_Buddha2000@yahoo.com