X-men: Bast Ch.4

*** 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.

*** 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.

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.