Disclaimer: All X-Men characters, concepts and ideas are copyrights of Marvel Comics, and 20th Century Fox. The storied are of my own wild imagination, and are not in any way purposed to depict any of the character's actual sexual orientations or doings. That said, please don't sue me! Thanks~ and enjoy:
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Toshio thought he looked okay. Hell, he probably looked better than many people off the street, he thought, peering critically at his image that appeared in the mirror. He wore a quizzical look, and a mop of midlength Jap-style hair that reached past his ears and tickled. Instinctively, he blew away wisps of his bangs with his mouth, then continued down the image. He had pale skin, with a willowy body. He didn't have a 10 outta 10 body, but heck, he could see traces of six-pac abs coming through as he exhaled. Boy, the wonders of puberty.
A knock on the door jolted him from his reverie. "Hey, Tosh'! You ready or not? Gosh, even a girl's faster than you!" Jubilee sing-songed. Quickly, Toshio pulled on a tank top, jeans, and a jacket, and rushed out of his dormitory. Jubilee shot him a murderous glare, which Toshio deflected with an innocent glance. Then they were off to the dungeons.
Toshio was feeling, for a small part, excited. However, he was feeling a larger sense of dread. It always came to this: some test, some exam. And in the past, he always failed. He just wasn't good enough. But this time, he was determined to carry through. He would try his best, no matter the cost and no matter the outcome.
As they reached the dungeons, Toshio was boggled, as his eyes widened, and his mouth formed an "O" of wonder. Jubilee looked over at him and smirked. "I take it you haven't been down here before? I felt the same way as you, but I don't remember opening my mouth as wide as a bull-frogs'" Toshio shut his mouth, insulted, while Jubilee snickered.
Ms. Jean Gray entered the room to receive them, and Toshio groaned inwardly. <<I heard that, young man!>> she said, and Toshio groaned again. But Jubilee had already made the awkward moment pass. "Professor! What is the training and induction gonna be like, huh? Are we gonna need to dodge bullets, fight each other? Or what?"
Jean smiled at Jubilee's eagerness. "Well, Jubilee, becoming one of the X-men is going to be no easy feat. First, we shall have to put you in a simulation, inside the danger-room, to determine your mutant power, and it's full scope. This part will be a little scary, as you will have to face it alone." Toshio's feeling of dread deepened, and he thought Jean smiled a little too happily. >.<
He detached himself from the two women, and took a brief tour of the danger room. It was hUgE! The corridor that had led them there was like an ant's tunnel in comparison. Actually, now that he thought of it, the huge underground chamber, was just like a giant ant's home, with minute passages, and this large engorged chamber, where the hungry, fat queen resided. Involuntarily, he shuddered and looked at Professor Jean Gray. Blegh!
Jean had concluded her introduction, and motioned for Toshio to join them. "The simulation will begin in 5 minutes, so I suggest you all get properly suited up. You can don helmets or armour, to your tastes. You will both take the test at the same time, but for each of you, it will be completely different, based on your past experiences. While both of you will be technically in the same room, the simulation will make it seem you are alone. So, don't be too intimidated by it, children. Okay, get ready then!" as Jean swooshed away to some hidden chamber. Toshio traced her trail, and saw a small observatory high in the wall above them. The glass was frosted, so he could only see silhouetted of its occupants, but he only saw the shadow of a sitting man... ...
The room darkened, and Jubilee said "Gosh Toshio, you even day-dream at this time! Now you won't have enough time to get your suit... ..." her voice was fading, and the room became pitch black. "Jubilee?!" Toshio shouted fearfully, but there was no response. Oh joy, the simulation had started. He took a deep breath.
Sudden, bright lights flooded the room, but he found that he wasn't in the danger room anymore. He was... ... in the canteen? What nonsense was this? Students were getting their food, eating cheerfully. It seemed utterly normal and mundane. But as he walked towards them, all the students stopped chattering, stopped eating, and turned to look at him. Then their voices began "that's the queer" "gay"... ... "fuckin' fag"
Toshio covered his ears. This was becoming all too real for him. Somebody shoved him, and he fell on his back. He looked up to see Jubilee, scorn plainly worn on her face. Toshio started crying. "You too, Jubilee?"
"Aww... look at the faggot cry," she said, and threw her piece of bread at him. It hit him on his chest and bounced away. Then the other students joined in. It began with pies and fruit, but then degenerated to cutlery, plates, knives, as students found the implements that did most hurt and caused most grief.
"Stop, stop!" Toshio cried weakly, fending off flying projectiles with his hands. He started to rise. He was gonna fight back, show those kids. But as he stood, he saw Spike in front of him, cradling a massive war axe. This was becoming too bizarre, too personal. His mind wheeled back to who know's when, when he had faced such a similar scene, enacted by different people.
He saw Spike raise the war axe proficiently. Suddenly, a feeling of strange calm, and peace washed over him. Time seemed to slow, as Spike hefted his gargantuous weapon. Toshio felt more alert, more alive then he had ever felt. Spike swung the axe, and Toshio thrust himself back wards, raising one hand in a pushing motion. "FUCK!" he yelled, willing, willing, willing... something to happen, to save him. He closed his eyes tightly, expecting the axe to cleave him into two any moment. But nothing happened.
Opening his eyes, he saw a hazy layer between him and Spike. The war axe had tried to cleave this barrier, and astonishingly, became stuck. Toshio sat on the floor, dumbfounded. People still prowled outside his little bubble of multi-colored protection, but their voices seemed muted. He suddenly became aware of his nicks and cuts from the cutlery. Before his eyes, they started to heal, although the pain was excruciating. Aah! He breathed, a pained expression on his face. It was becoming too much to take, but abruptly, the room went pitch black again, and he returned to the safe tranquility of the danger room (oh, the irony)
He sat at the far end of the room, almost against a wall, and on the other side, Jubilee was still engaged in her simulation. It didn't look good. She was against the wall now, hands in front of her, seeming to plead with invisible assailants. Without thinking, Toshio pushed himself off the floor, rushing toward her, wanting to help alleviate her pain. But a familiar sense of paralysis overcame him. "fuck, you, professor! Can't you see she needs help??"
Jeans voice was stern and unforgiving, "She has to go through this, just like you did. She has to overcome her inner demons, to achieve her peace. Now wait, and watch," As he did, Jubilee seemed to slump against the wall, but suddenly, she sprang up, hands weaving the air in an intricate incantation. Huge ribbons of electric sparks flew out from her in all directions, and the sound was like fireworks, magnified ten times. Toshio's eyes watered with pride. His friend was awesome! If there had been any assailants she faced, they were now probably burnt to a crisp. This suddenly made him think of potato chips. "Hmm..."
But Jubilee had already been released, and the two of them ran to each other, hugging each other gladly. "You were awesome, Jubilee!" "really?" she asked gleefully. "I really showed' em didn't I?" They both started laughing hysterically.
Back in the control room, Professor Charles Xavier smiled benignly at their reactions. "Well, Jean, they both passed their simulations with flying colours, showing a surprising depth and grasp of their talents. Seems stress does wonders to performance!" Jean smiled, and said, "I'm glad both of them passed, especially Toshio,"
Back in his dorm, Toshio fell into a deep, peaceful sleep, not bothered by his nightmares ... ever again.
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How how how?? Lol, please enlighten me of your thoughts on my composition! I know there's not enough *ehem, but well, I thought this would be exciting enough =) wanna leave me a note? Email me at toshioboy@yahoo.com ... thanks! And thanks to all the positive (and negative) comments =D.