Canon Fodder

CHAPTER 404 ERROR

We ended up staying in Limbo for a few more days. Treated like celebrities for ending the scourge of Magnus, I spent my time refining the Soulsword I had made. Most waking hours spent gathering and condensing my Lifeforce, it was taxing to not pull too much of my own Nen. I had to take my time and build the strength of the sword up.

On the fifth day the hardened steel began to gain some luminescence so I knew it was ready to use in a fight and sparred a many of the demon warriors. Though they weren’t overly strong, my weapon held up against their steel, and I was happy with my gains. 

Time moved more slowly on the side of Limbo as well. At least while Illyana was there it did. She said that weeks spent in the world could be days or mere minutes in the real world. But on the fifth day we decided we had spent enough time there. It didn’t help that one of the boys from class got a little too attached to one of the demon girls and some drama happened. 

A life-threatening plague of robot zombies ended, we were waved off by the Demon King Belasco as we headed back to where we entered the world. Since Illyana could enter the world at one place, then leave Limbo to be spat out in our world somewhere else, we had to enter where we had exited to get back to the school. 

It took some time, but too be honest I wasn’t too much in a hurry to get back in the real world. For the first time in a long time I had a real adventure I had no idea of. Whether this was canon or not was unknown, but a part of me always feared something like this. If I ran into a situation I had no idea of, would I sink or swim? I felt like this time I flew through it, and hoped the next time I would as well. 

I knew that a bigger part of me didn’t want to go back because of Jean as well. She had been getting closer to me during my time in Limbo. Interested in my construction of the Soulsword she would watch me as I gathered power and tried to understand the elusive energy. Hesitant, I could tell she wanted to know more about the memories she was missing, but was also scared to find out. She didn’t relapse anymore, despite how many times I was tempted to accidentally hit her head, and I came to terms with the fact that it wasn’t time yet for a full on Phoenix awakening. 

We got to the location where we had entered the world and instead of leaving where we had fallen high up in the air, Illyana opened a portal at ground level. Making another one of her giant white discs we traveled through the dark inbetween of the two dimensions. A portal opening ahea, we could see the exit to the school as kids in school uniforms ran outside.

“Looks like we didn’t miss much,” Jean said, nervous as we approached. 

“Or there's an ice cream truck outside,” I offered. “If so, I want cookie dough.”

“Oh my god,” Hope said. “Sherbert for me.”

“Sherbert? What are you, an old lady?” Lyra asked. “I want some chocolate.” The others laughed and said their own orders, comfortable with one another after days in the odd place. 

“You going to miss your demonic beau?” I asked the one boy. I had actually started to like the trio. 

“I will make her dad accept us,” he said.

“Ha! Good luck with that,” I said. “Either way, I’d find a good plastic surgeon, cus you both would make some ugly ass kids.”

“Hey,” he said, frowning. The other two boys cackled a laugh and slowly the girls joined in. The disc we were on slowed down in front of the portal and Jean was the first one through. As I jumped out into the school the noise of alarms going off was all around us. Kids talking, fear in the air, teachers trying not to panic, we joined the streaming kids outside. No one noticed the disheveled or lack of school uniforms as we escaped out of the school. As we ran outside my quest finished. 

Marvel World Quest 6: Complete

Protect Lyra Talbot

Rewards:

Viltrumite Form +1%

Lines of ambulances, police cars, and barricades set up, there were already news screws on scene. If this happened at Peter Parker’s school I doubted this would get much attention. Since this was where the Richie Riches of the world laid their heads though, I knew it would become national news. 

The kids were bussed to a local hotel conference hall, everyone was accounted for and statements were taken. Apparently we were gone for all of about 5 minutes. The kids from class that had escaped on a roof were found and more chaos ensued after it got out I might have anatagonized the terrorists a little by calling them girl scouts. 

“Are you an idiot?” One of the police detectives asked. We were in a smaller office conducting an “interview.” I played along while I waited. 

“I’m sorry, I really am,” I said. “Calling them a boy band didn’t come to me until later. I mean, it was right there. You had the pretty boy, the little brother blue guy, the average one, and the hairy one. I swear, I’ll do better next time.”

“Weston!” One of the detectives barked. “This is serious. There could have been major repercussions form your actions. Now, I want to hear it all again. What possessed you to antagonize them?”

“They were interrupting Miss Black’s class,” I said in a huff. “I spend that time daydreaming about her. I know she is a little older, but you should see her-”

“Stop, this is complete bullshit. I want to hear the real reason,” one said. “None of this holds water. What makes you think you can start-” A knock happened at the door. The man frowned but got up to reveal my favorite suit. The detectives left, spouted some jurisdictional bullcrap, and Agent Colson was then walking back in. Taking the detective’s spots he sat across from me.

“Are you an idiot, or something?” Colson asked. 

“You know, I let those guys get away with asking that because they don’t know what I can do,” I said, my smile cracking slightly. “How would you like me to make it so that chair becomes a part of your ass indefinitely?” 

The threat worked and his Haki showed fear. He kept on though. “Why is it that everytime I have a super powered issue, you’re involved? You still fly around the city like you don’t have a care in the world.”

“I don’t,” I said with a laugh. “As you and Fury have explained to me, I am not a mutant. I am a normal person like the rest of them. Maybe I should do a PSA for the people of New York. Tell them I’m just like them, but then some ooze came my way.”

“Weston, this is serious. I have six diplomats children, twelve parents that own multi-billion dollar companies, and a couple of kings and queens calling me asking about their kids.”

“That sounds like a you problem,” I said, already bored of this. “How can I help it if I have super powers? I did what I was supposed to. Saved Ross’ granddaughter. If it was such a worry they should have pulled her out. Or maybe these parents shouldn’t have all their eggs in one basket. That place is one giant bomb away from ruining the world econonmy.”

Colson drummed his fingers on the desk, thinking. I could tell he agreed with me. But the parents had demanded answers. He was there to get them from me. “What happened?” 

“So, there I was, sitting in Chemistry. Wondering how I could come up with a pickup line for Ms. Black. Something about “I know we have Chemistry together already” or something. Alarm goes off. Shaggy the big brown cat, papa smurf, and a couple other guys appear.”

“Any idea who they were?”

“Sabertooth,” I said. “That was Shaggy. Not sure on the black haired psychic. I think Jean called the Blue Man Group reject the Betrayer.”

“And the other?”

“No idea,” I said. I wasn’t about to out Remy Lebeau, Gambit. He was part of an assassin’s or thieves guild. It had been so long I couldn’t remember which. 

“What next?” Colson asked. 

“Well I told them this great one liner about being in a boy band.”

“I heard it was girl scouts,” Colson said, holding back a smile. 

“Don’t believe everything you hear. I showed them some sweet ninja moves and…” 

—

“Despite some hiccups,” Professor Xavier said. “Thank you for your efforts, Weston.”

“No prob,” I said with a shrug. We were in an actual hotel room. Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean, and the professor there, we were wrapping up the whole drama of the event. Wolverine and Cyclops were actually close by at the apartment and had been the ones to chase off the Marauders not long before we came back out the portal. 

The ever vigilant Cyclops was a complete wreck, as he doted over Jean. I frowned, annoyed that despite my efforts I found myself in a love triangle. It helped that I was the only one aware of the third point of the triangle though. I pushed my feelings for the girl away. 

For so long I didn’t understand what people saw in Jean in the Comics. Now I found myself in the same situation with the schizophrenic psychic. I always knew red heads were trouble, just never how much trouble. 

“Next time, I want you to kick that Sabertooth’s ass,” Wolverine growled as he chewed on his cigar. “Fucker’s slippery.”

“I thought you fought him,” I said, trying to push thoughts of the woman out of my head. 

“No, that blue bastard shot out some smoke and they disappeared in the sewers,” Wolverine said.

“How the fuck are there so many sewer access points?” I mumbled. That was always the excuse. Probably one of the main reasons they didn’t have fights like this in the middle of nowhere.

“No idea,” Wolverine grumbled. “But good to see you are using your training.”

“What training?” I asked. 

“Getting your ass beat by me,” Wolverine laughed. 

“That sounds really gay,” I assured him. “I don’t rememebr that at all. “

“Well you’ll get a reminder of it soon. You’re back with me,” he said, a wide smile on his face. 

“Oh yeah?” I asked, unable to fight my own smile as I eyed Cyclops. “Sick of me?”

“No,” Cyclops lied. 

“After review,” Professor X cut in. “I’ve decided to give you more leeway. Despite your methods, you do what is asked of you. We want to extend a full membership into the X-Men to you.”

“I get to be part of the team?” I asked, a genuine smile on my face. “But I’m keeping my dick, right?”

“For the last time, yes,” Professor X said as Wolverine guffawed. “When we get back to the school, you may begin your training on the Blackbird.”

“Awesome,” I said. “What’s my rank? Do we have ranks? Do I get to call new guys anything? What’s the pecking order? Do we have weird distinctions like the Hellfire Club?” 

“No on most of those, but we should,” Wolverine said.

“We can discuss all that later,” Professor X said. “For now, we have to gather the students.”

“For…an ice cream social?” I asked, ice cream still stuck in my head for some reason. I was a little disappointed there wasn’t a truck waiting for us with all the police cars. I felt like that was a missed opportunity on their part. Then again maybe they were forced to stay back. It would be funny as hell to see pictures on the news of officers getting ice cream while they had a hostage/terrorist situation going on. 

“We need to limit our own involvement in this,” Professor X said. Apparently now that I was a full member, he didn’t much care if I knew of the inner workings. “Ms. Grey, yourself, and Illyana will not need to come back here anymore. It would be best if the less than…public worthy items were hidden from those involved.”

At first my mind went to maybe he watched me being a little familiar with Morgan. Then I realized he meant everything.

“You’re erasing us from their memory?” I asked, taken aback. I had forgotten he did those sorts of things to non-mutants. 

“It’s for the best, Weston,” Cyclops said.

“You agree with this too?” I asked Jean. More than a little disgusted. A very small part of her did, but a bigger part wanted to say no. But this Jean was too timid to say that.

“Seriously?!” I said, not meaning to yell but doing so anyway. I looked at Wolverine. “And you’re okay with this? Aren’t you missing memories?”

“The professor and I have talked on this extensively,” Wolverine grumbled. “I see his points.”

“Let me guess, for mutant kind?” I asked, the professor. He stared at me, unafraid to have this conversation. I guessed he had it with many over the years. “Professor, come on.”

“Weston, you are young. Persecution for mutants has been going on for decades. Do you think this instance is isolated? No, I have seen the equivalent dozens of times. When they happen there is a distinct spike in crimes against mutants. It is better for everyone-”

“Fuck everyone,” I said. “Professor, come on. I look up to you.” I almost made a joke about him being shorter than me in the wheelchair but didn’t. I filed it away for later. “You have such a calling. Helping the minority. Good for you. Gold stars all around. But ripping away memories is never the answer. We erase enemies, not memories.” I sighed and pulled out my sword. 

White light came out out of my body directed to my hand. Like smoke sucked into my palm the sword appeared, shined bright and condensed to form the slightly glowing blade. “I learned to make this in Limbo. If I didn’t go there, I never would have figured it out. Now I’m stronger.” 

I pointed the sword to where I could feel the kids from class. “Each one of them is stronger because of what we went through. Yes, they saw some things they shouldn’t. We all do though. Kids killed in streets, drug overdoses, so much shit. So much shit these kids are insulated from because they don’t have to live in the real world. Now this moment, this defining event happened to them, and will help make them who they are supposed to be. It may seem small to you, but each one of them changed out there.” n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

I could feel that Xavier wasn’t convinced. “One of them is a mutant,” I said. 

“Who?” He asked, genuinely worried for the individual. I felt his psychic fingers move across my brain, but kept my mind focused as I kept him out.

“See, you’re looking at the forest and only focusing on the few specific trees you want. Not the whole forest,” I said. I let out a sigh and pulled the Soulsword back into me. The white energy shot into my body and I turned around. “I want to be in your club, but not bad enough to ruin the memories I’ve made with these people.” I didn’t give Jean a look as I left the hotel room. 

Annoyed, I walked down and followed the Haki of my friends. Unsure if they would remember me the next day I found that most of them were being picked up. “Hey, Hopium,” I said, waving at the dark haired girl. She stopped getting into the car and smiled wide. Shutting the door she jogged over. Wrapping her arms around me she gave me a big hug.

“Hey Peston,” she said.

“Ha,” I said. “How long did that nickname take you?”

“Longer than I’d care to admit,” she mumbled, smiling up at me. The smile disappeared as she frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I said. “See you at school tomorrow, alright?” 

“Good,” she said, rolling her eyes she released me and walked back to the car. 

“Hey,” Morgan said as she walked over. She had her backpack and glasses back on. 

“Hey yourself, gorgeous,” I said. We hadn’t really been alone since our makeout session, but she still found me funny. I doubted the relationship could be salvaged if the professor did wipe her memory.

“What about me? I’m gorgeous, right?” Lyra asked, smiling wide. 

“Only when you’re green,” I said. 

“Oh my god, don’t remind me. The other boys kept their mouths shut, but I don’t know…”

“Just have your general of a grandpa threaten them,” I said.

“No way, my mom is the only one that knows what I can do,” she said.

“You might…want to talk to her about that,” I said. 

“Crap, there she is,” Lyra said. “See you Weston. Thanks for watching over me, or whatever.”

“I don’t think you needed it,” I assured. She smiled wide at me and got in the car. I doubted that any of them put it together that I wasn’t coming back to school.

“You’re not coming back, are you?” Morgan asked.

“Are you psychic?” I asked, eyeing her. She laughed but shook her head. “I live in the area. I’ll stop by, alright?”

“You promise?” She asked. Hope blooming in her.

“Of course, we still need our date,” I said. She giggled and bit her lip. I was about to do what she was thinking but she jumped as someone honked. 

“Crap, that’s my dad’s driver,” Morgan said. “Can you stop by tomorrow?” She asked, hiding a smile as she lifted her heavy pack. I could tell she was able to hide some demon robot parts in there. 

“I think I can swing that,” I said, nodding. “After school?”

“Okay,” she said. “I’ll even skip tutoring.” 

“I feel honored,” I said as she moved to the car. 

I turned around to head somewhere else. “Hey, Happy, mom couldn’t make it?” Morgan asked. I took a step and stopped, her words registering in my brain slowly. I turned back around as the door shut. In the front seat was a bigger man with black hair. He very well could have been Happy. The personal driver to Tony Stark. 

“Fuck,” I cursed, annoyed how blind I had been. She was Tony Stark’s daughter. There had been more than a few kids with fake names at Calhoun. Tony Stark was a celebrity, it wasn’t surprising his shy daughter of a kid wouldn’t be interested in that. And her mom was a stripper, that actually held up with canon a little since he was such a playboy. She probably took her mom’s name to go to school. 

Morgan’s driver drove off and I cursed myself for not seeing it earlier. Mentally telling myself to not freak out and I could call her the next day I headed away from the hotel. My thoughts dark, I walked down the street to find a place to liftoff, but was stopped once more.

“Hey,” a familiar white haired girl said. I turned to see Felicia Hardy walking over to me from the edge of the building.

“Oh no, a robber,” I said. “I don’t have any money, but you could steal my innocence.” 

“Hardy har har,” she said. “What the fuck happened there?” 

“Nothing you need to worry about,” I said. “Just some villain drama.” She frowned, not getting the answer she wanted. “What?” I asked. 

“Nothin,” she mumbled. “Just annoyed. My dad pays a lot of money for me to go here, and there is still crap like this going on.”

“Poor you,” I said as sarcastically as I could manage. “You’re fine, pussy cat. You haven’t pissed off near enough people to warrant someone coming after you.” I began to walk back down the street. I could feel she was annoyed, and normally I would be all for hitting on her, taking her out to make her feel better, but at the moment I couldn’t care less. 

Around so many rich kids. Their spiritual energy reeked of sorrow and privilege. Treating this whole thing like it was the end of the world. People would bitch, money would be spent for guards, probably mutant ones if I was to guess. I knew how much the elite liked their super powered protectors.

The whole situation had reminded me of what Midnight went through in MHA. Wearing a mask, she was one of the few truly good elite. Letting out a sigh I knew it wasn’t these kid’s faults, but how many of them would grow up to be the type of people Midnight fought against?

Stuck in the bubble of the private school for over a week, I decided it was time to visit those that truly struggled. Finding a good spot to fly away I headed downtown to my favorite arachnid duo.