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Rogue's outstretched hand, covered in a leather glove, hung in the air like an unanswered invitation.
I stared at it, processing what had just happened. These three weirdos had just shown up, chased me around, and then invited me to join their team. Well, my answer might not be what you expect.
"Fuck no???" I responded, my face contorting in confusion.
"I knew you would see it my wa... huh?" Rogue cut herself off mid sentence as she registered what I had just said.
"First of all, I don't know what you expected from me, but I'm a thief, not a hero. Remember?"
"Well, I know that, but I was a supervillain too before I joined the X-Men! People can always change, sugah." Rogue replied, her voice taking a tone of understanding.
"Look, that's very sweet of you to say, but I'm really good. I'm happy with my life the way it is, and I don't really feel a need to join some superhero team." I said as I got up and dusted off my ass. Filthy New York rooftops, I swear to God.
"Cole, sweetie, it ain't just the team we're offering here." She said, walking closer as I observed the other two behind her, both looking amused. "Chances are, with these powers manifesting, you're gonna be hunted down. Same as us. We're offering you shelter at Xavier's School for Gifted youngsters. It's an offer for safety, a life without persecution."
"Persecution? What persecution?" My eyes darted back to her as she spoke.
"Oh. We didn't tell you, did we." She gave me a small smile as she tilted her head like she was about to deliver an emotional blow.
"Cole, you're a mutant."
...Ohhh shit.
Unknown POV:
I removed the helmet as the mechanical whirring of Cerebro died down around me slowly. I sighed and closed my eyes. He had rejected the offer. I had hoped he wouldn't, considering what the future may hold in store for him. Then again, we couldn't simply force him to accept refuge with us. He had to come of his own accord.
I heard the doors to Cerebro's chamber open behind me with a hiss.
"Professor," Came a voice I had grown very accustomed to over the decades. "Did the boy accept?"
"I'm afraid he did not, Hank." I responded, turning my wheelchair around to face my blue-furred friend.
"I see. That's a shame. His abilities are truly fascinating. Working with him to understand his potential would have been extremely enlightening." Hank responded, his disappointment tangible.
"He still may choose to accept our offer eventually, old friend. Especially if what I believe will happen comes to pass." I assured him as we exited the chamber together, travelling down the hall towards my office.
"What do you mean, Professor?" Hank asked, opening the door for me as we entered.
"Erik won't sit still, not this time." I answered with a sigh.
"I don't understand. Magneto doesn't just pick anyone for his Brotherhood. The boy would need to be truly talented in order to gain his attention." Hank spoke as he sat in one of the counseling chairs across from my desk.
"Cerebro finally locked in information on his signature earlier." I began as I took my place on the other side of the desk. "Cole Mercer, 17. Potential Mutant Classification: Omega Level."
Hank's eyes widened as he took in the implications of my statement.
After a few moments, he spoke softly, still reeling from the revelation.
"The boy is in danger."
"Indeed, old friend." I answered, looking out of my window at the mansion's grounds where students played peacefully, without fear of persecution or threat. "Grave danger."
Cole's POV:
Rogue and the others had left shortly after, but not before giving me her number and informing me that their help was ready if I ever required it. I, on the other hand, was still trying to get my thoughts in order as I rode the bus home. I was a mutant. The revelation had hit me like a freight train. It all made sense.
How my powers suddenly appeared when I was about to die. The way they felt so natural yet foreign at the same time.
I had heard of mutants. Public sentiment on them was divided. The bleeding hearts of the world wanted them to be treated with dignity and respect, like any other human. The bleeding cunts of the world wanted them locked up and experimented on, like they were lab rats.
And now, I was one of them. I had heard of anti-mutant gangs that existed. Friends of Humanity, and their likes. And now, if I wasn't careful, they would be after me.
I just sighed as I stared out the window at the passing New York Skyline.
I need to let out some steam.
(7 hours later, downtown Brooklyn, 8pm.)
"And then they tell me, 'You're a mutant'. Like, thank you for destroying my entire perception of reality with one sentence. Fuck you and your pretty southern face and that goddamn accent." I said as I rifled through the bank's safe, speaking to the only conscious guard left in the place, that I had tied up next to me.
"Mmm, mmh mm mhmmm" He responded through the gag I had put in his mouth.
I sighed as I looked at him. "Yeah, you're right. I'm being a dick. It's not her fault. If anything, those three are helping me." I shook my head as I put the last of the money in my duffle bag.
"Alright, uh..." I looked at his nametag. "Joe. I'm gonna leave you here, okay? They'll find you in the morning and you'll be fine."
"Mmm mh mhhhmmmm" He responded as he wiggled around a bit.
"Shhhh, it's alright." I said as I crouched down and put a gloved finger to his lips. "I'll miss you too, Joe. But you know what they say, if you love em, let em rob the bank and get away with it."
"Romancing a tied up security guard? That's low, even for you." Came a female voice from behind me.
I smirked as I slowly stood up, turning around to face her.
"Aww. Is someone jealous?" I teased Ghost Spider, who stood on the ceiling in front of me with her arms crossed.
"You wish, bozo." She said as she dropped to the ground, landing in a crouched pose.
"You know, I've had a bad day. Any chance I could just get a freebie?" I asked, taking in the situation and combat environment as I spoke.
"After the shit you pulled yesterday? Fat chance."
"Hey, that's tough talk from someone that almost killed me!"
"Well, still doesn't make leaving me unconscious on a rooftop in the New York winter okay!
"I gave you my jacket! Speaking of which, can I have that back? I really liked that jacket."
"I already burnt it." She responded with a teasing tone in her voice.
I gasped, and then ran at her, swinging my right arm at her head. "I GAVE YOU THAT OUT OF COMPASSION!"
She ducked under my swing, before dropping to her knee and trying to swipe my legs out from under me. "And I burnt it out of irritation. Score settled!"
I jumped over her leg sweep, doing a frontflip and bringing my leg down in a dropping overhead kick, which she blocked with her arms. She then fired some webs, hitting me in the chest with an insane amount of force and launching me back into the wall behind me. She then followed up with more webs that webbed me to the wall.
"The hell was that!?" I yelled, struggling against my restraints.
"Well, seeing as you got new powers, I decided to upgrade my arsenal as well. Impact webs. They hit like a punch, don't they." She laughed as she watched me struggle.
"They sure do. However, speaking of new powers..." I said, eyes crackling with electricity under my makeshift mask.
Ghost Spider's costumed eyes went wide as she leapt back and away from me, just as my entire body released electricity like an explosion. The webs evaporated around me as I dropped to my feet, Ghost Spider eyeing me with annoyance. I raised my arm and aimed at her, electricity arcing between my fingers.
"Checkmate, bi-" My sentence was cut short by a foot hitting me in the face at mach fuck. I slammed into the safe door, before collapsing into a heap on the ground. I groaned as I looked up to see a blue and red costume standing next to Ghost Spider. Oh shit... it's the original.
"Sorry if I'm interrupting, but I just thought I'd 'swing by' and see what the commotion was." He spoke, chuckling to himself as we both groaned at his pun.
The situation had just gone from bad to really bad. Handling Ghost Spider was one thing, but the original Spider-Man? This guy dealt with world ending threats like it was another Tuesday.
I started scanning for ways out. Anything but direct confrontation, because this was a fight I wasn't going to win. Not yet, at least. My hand slowly slipped behind me into my belt, trying to grab a smoke pellet.
"Don't even think about it." He spoke, seemingly already aware of what I was attempting. Damn, he was good.
He just walked up to me, crouched down and got in my face.
"I already deal with one flirty thief that gets away every time. I'm not letting mini-me over there deal with the same thing for the next decade." He said, pointing at Ghost Spider.
"Hey!" She protested to the nickname, but he just cut her off.
"You, my friend, are going to jail. Blame Black Cat for the lack of forgiveness in me. Oh, and yourself. Committing crimes and all that. Now, let's get you in a ce-"
The world turned to a blur, and next thing I knew, I was on a rooftop in what seemed to be Queens.
"Hey bud! You're lucky I got there in time, eh?". A silver haired dude stood in front of me.
I just held up a finger at him, telling him to wait as I knelt over, pulled up my mask till my nose and threw up off the side of the building.
"Ugh, gross!" Another voice came from beside me.
"Eh, it's a normal reaction when you suddenly go from 0 to near supersonic speeds for the first time." The silver haired dude's voice chimed in.
Once I was done, I wiped my mouth and looked back at the people standing there.
A silver haired guy roughly my age stood there, alongside a scarlet haired girl with a scowl.
"...What in the fresh hell just happened?"
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