X-men:Bast Ch.2

Logan smirked and moved his feet, then snubbed his cigar out in the ashtray Charles kept on the end of his desk just for these visits. Every time Logan was called into Xavier’s office he came in the same way, and every time Charles told him to do the same thing. Old habits.

“So how was your trip?” Xavier asked.

Logan looked out the window and folded his thick, hairy arms across his wide chest. “Alpha Flight tried to pull me back in.”

Before joining the X-men, Logan had been a member of the Canadian Super Hero team Alpha flight. He left on less than idea terms, but the team had long been trying to get him to return to them nonetheless.

Charles nodded and let out a quiet sigh. “I take it you didn’t take that very well.”

“Not after the lot ‘o ‘em tried to force me,” Logan shrugged.

“Guardian was doing most of the pushing, I suppose?” Charles asked.

“Yup.”

“Why didn’t Vindicator try to stop all this? She was always good at acting as a liaison between you and James.”

“Heather wasn’t ‘round. Guardian says she was on leave. Pro’lly lyin’.”

“Was there violence?” Charles asked.

“Bit,” Logan grunted. “ya know I don’t take well to bein’ pushed ‘round. They backed off once they realized I was serious. No one died.”

“That’s certainly good, at least,” the Professor nodded. “How was your absence otherwise?”

Logan shifted slightly in his chair. “Ya know how it went, Chuck. We been here before.”

“Indeed,” Xavier steepled his fingers thoughtfully. “As luck would have it, we’ve not had anything that we would need your help with while you were away. I must say though, eight months is a long time to be gone. We’ve missed you, all of us. I was tempted to contact you a number of times, if nothing else than to see if you were well.”

Logan grinned widely. “Ya know me. Nothin’s gonna happen to me, Chuck. I just needed some time alone.”

“Mmm,” Charles murmured. “Well, I am glad you are back, Logan. Planning on staying for a time?”

“Probably,” Logan nodded. “I got it outta my system fer now. I went through Canada and up into Alaska. Checked on some old buddies. Got word from an old friend that somethin’ was goin’ on with his family. Ya know how it is. Old loyalties.”

“Indeed. I hope your friend is well,” Charles nodded.

“I went to see Amiko for a few weeks.”

“Oh?” Charles smiled. He was fond of Wolverine’s foster daughter. Though Amiko and Logan’s relationship was sometimes a bit strained because of distance and Logan’s duties, he knew Logan cared deeply for the child and that if nothing else, the young girl was good for him. She was one more thing to help the often volatile man stay stable and grounded. She was currently enrolled in an all girl boarding school in Pennsylvania and Logan went to visit from time to time.

“How is she?” the Professor asked.

“Bored,” Logan chuckled. “She says they ain’t challengin’ her enough.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Xavier smiled. “She’s incredibly bright for her young age. That one will go places in the world.”

“She’s a good kid,” Logan agreed. “Proud o’ her.”

“Well, in any case, shall I explain our current situation?” Charles asked.

“Looks good to me,” Logan commented. He glanced around the room, smirking lightly. “Place is standin’. In one piece, too.”

Charles chuckled. “Yes, well. As I said, we’ve been having something of a quiet period. There was a rather large breakout of riots in the Bronx area about a month ago, all centered around hate crimes against Mutants. We acted as subtly as we could, but action was needed. We managed to get things calmed and evened out without any deaths, though several people were hurt and one Mutant had to be hospitalized for several weeks. Fortunately, things have been uneventful since then.”

“The deep breath before the plunge, eh?” Logan said, his smile turning grim.

“I pray not,” the Professor said softly. “But I can’t help but fearing the same thing. Our many experiences would suggest as much.”

“Good thing I’m back then,” Logan grinned. “Wouldn’t wanna miss the party.”

The Professor shook his head, but one corner of his mouth twitched upward. “In any case Logan, it’s good to have you back. Now then. I hear you’ve met our newest friend.”

“Huh?” Logan arched a brow.

“Kia Jaeger,” the Professor explained.

“Oh. Yeah, I met her. Joined a training session in the Danger room. Lady ain’t half bad. Fer a rookie.”

“She is new and inexperienced, I’ll admit. But she tries quite hard, and she has much potential” Xavier replied.

Logan smirked and shook his head. “One o’ yer new pet projects, eh?”

“Come now, Logan,” the Professor protested. “You know I don’t play favorites.”

Logan leveled a wry look at Xavier. “Come on, Chuck. We known each other too long fer you to try that with me.”

Charles hesitated for a moment before slowly admitting, “She does intrigue me more than the average student, yes.”

“Tell me ‘bout it,” Logan suggested.

“She arrived here seven months ago. We detected a powerful reading and went to investigate. At first we thought it was a young Mutant boy that was in her care, but that turned out not to be the case. Before we discovered that she was the one with the high power reading, however, we found that she was indeed a Mutant. We also discovered that, as it turned out, she was a teacher. We brought her in to help teach the children, which she now is. She seems well suited to the role.”

Logan nodded. “So, what’s her power?”

“It’s quite extraordinary, actually,” Charles murmured . “She has the ability to alter organic matter. She can manipulate and rearrange, or even destroy it, as she sees fit. She can do this on the molecular, and even the genetic level.”

“And that means…” Logan muttered.

“It means that if she should so choose, she could destroy your body, cell by cell, or atom by atom, with no more than a thought.”

Logan whistled softly and shook his head. “No wonder ya’ve got an interest in her. We sure she’s not gonna randomly kill someone by blinkin’ at them?”

“Well,” Xavier sighed. “It is somewhat unnerving, I’ll admit. Though there is the potential for her power to be put to such fatalistic use, at this point, Kia has only just begun to discover the power she can use. Her control is strong, but she hasn’t really developed her abilities yet. Before coming here, in fact, she had only even used her power on herself.”

“Herself? How’s that work?” Logan asked.

“Just as she can use her powers to destroy the molecular structure of a living organism, she can use it to augment as well. Yes, think of it. She can use her powers to briefly make herself faster or stronger, or more agile, by tweaking, if you will, her body’s natural cellular structure. She can make the cells of her bones denser, her muscles thicker and larger, activate chemical reactions in her system…She can even use her power to repair damaged cells in her body. Almost like a lesser, manual version of your healing factor, if you will.”

“Handy,” Logan smirked.

“Indeed,” Charles nodded. “In any case, as I said, before coming here she never used her powers on anyone but herself. Testing them on some of the team, we find that she can augment them and make them stronger just as she can herself. Kia can also augment their Mutant powers, making them more effective and pronounced.”

“That’s good and all, Chuck,” Logan nodded, “But what about her bein’ able to destroy? Ya looked into that?”

“Indeed,” Charles nodded. “I’ve managed to configure the Danger Room to generate a target close enough to actual organic matter for her powers to affect.

“We’ve had to start slow, but progress has been made. At the moment, she can use her powers to break down the molecular balance in an enemy, causing them to weaken and fatigue almost instantly, as if suddenly struck with a deadly virus or disease. She can even turn their own immune system against them to break down healthy cells and body structures. She can focus her powers in a localized area, such as a muscle grouping, and destroy the cells there entirely.”

Logan nodded and leaned back in his seat. “Can she do anythin’ else??”

“We don’t really know,” Xavier shrugged. “Honestly, with the ability to alter and control matter on a genetic and molecular level…her powers could quite literally be limitless. Provided something was made of organic material, Kia has the potential to alter it in almost any way she wills. The thing is, the more she wishes to alter something, the more energy and focus it takes for her to do so. Right now, killing too many cells, more than a few muscle groupings, has her verging on fainting. Augmenting and healing cells and atoms seem to come more easily to her. But who knows? One day she may indeed be able to fully destroy a person with her power, down to the last cell.”

Logan looked into Xavier’s eyes and smirked. “Hope she stays on our side.”

“As do I,” the Professor chuckled. “For her own protection as much as ours. Her vast powers have not been without their pitfalls already. Some time ago, before we found her, she accidentally altered her own DNA with her power and brought about an additional Mutation. She has something of an empathic ability now…she can feel the emotions and feelings experienced by others in close proximity to her. If she focuses, she can perceive someone’s emotions so keenly as to even understand why they are feeling how they feel, and what they are feeling it about. Almost like an emotional version of telepathy and mind reading.”

“Sounds like she’s got talent,” Logan grunted.

“Indeed she does,” Xavier smiled. “She is extraordinarily gifted, more than almost any Mutant I’ve ever met. I think she will be a very valuable addition to the team some day.”

Logan nodded and tilted his head slightly, watching his old friend. “So, ya gonna tell me why yer tellin’ me all this?”

Xavier rubbed slowly at his smooth head, looking as close to bashfulness as he was likely to ever show. “I had…well, I had hoped you would look out for her and perhaps even befriend her.”

Logan gave the Professor a heavy look. “Ya askin’ me to babysit, Chuck?”

“Not at all,” Charles replied. He cleared his throat and regained some of his smooth business-like composure. “I have told all the team the same thing- watch her and help her. She is older than most students who come here. It is more difficult for adults to adapt to new things than it is for youngsters, you know. She needs friendship, Logan, and she needs someone to make sure she doesn’t stumble. I ask you to be one of many people who will help her with those things.”

Logan let out a heavy sigh, then nodded curtly. “Fine, I’ll see what I can do. Can’t make no promises, though.”

“You’re effort has always been more than good enough for me,” Charles nodded. “Oh, and you’ll be happy to know you’re no longer alone in your dislike for Scott. He apparently has rubbed Kia the wrong way. Perhaps you two can converse on that.”

Logan smirked and stood. “Well. The lady’s talented, and smart. Sounds like ya hauled in a winner this time, Chuck.”

“Jean would like me to remind you you’re overdue for your checkup.”

“Not even Jean could make me like doctors,” Logan grimaced. “ ‘Sides, what’s she gonna find? That I’ve aged five minutes in the last year an’ a half? All us know nothin’s wrong with my health. Waste o’ time.”

Logan grumbled on as he walked out of the office. The Professor leaned back in his wheelchair, watching his wayward pupil go with an amused smile.

End Ch. 2

Well, this chapter was certainly a bit more exciting than the first one. Hope everyone enjoyed…more to come soon.

A few quick things. First, a note on Kia’s powers. I am not attempting to make Kia an all-powerful character by any means. I also have no intention of adding powers to her out of the blue. Kia will, most certainly, be able to manifest and use her set powers in a wide and unusual variety of ways, but all will fall under the capacity of the way her powers work as I’ve presented them here. Kia will never randomly be able to alter and manipulate non-organic matter, and if you notice her doing so, then please send me an email pointing it out, as it’s probably a monstrously bad slip on my part. Otherwise, Kia’s abilities will all fall under her currently defined powers, and most of the ways she will use them should be able to be reasonably explained in a scientific/pseudo-scientific manner. And as for whether or not she’ll eventually just be able to kill things off with a thought by destroying all their cellular/atomic matter…who knows? I’m not totally convinced if I’m going to even let her power level rise past where it is not.

I want to say here that I’ve written this story in collaboration with my Fiance, who was the primary creator of the Kia character. She’s made this story a lot of fun and very special, and I wouldn’t even be writing this story without her; it just wouldn’t be worth it. I think we work well together :)