Canon Fodder

CHAPTER 395 HELP

They were in the stairwell. Three girls radiated something I hadn’t felt much before. Well not since my haki started to sense emotions anyway. Now I understood it as domination, or something similar. The three girls were bullying someone. Too bad for them it was someone close to me. Since my Haki range was so high after practicing in Invincible World it was simple to monitor specific people. I was glad I decided to keep an eye on the quiet blonde. 

I heard them talking as I approached. Felicia following behind me. “You’re just like her, aren’t you?” The main bully said. She was actually getting off on this whole thing. “Like mother, like daughter. Whores one and all.” 

Morgan Leanne took the abuse. Her Haki was pure depression and shame. I wasn’t much for letting bully’s go though, so I ran up the stairs four at a time until I was at the landing with all of them. 

“Aren’t you all supposed to be at class?” I asked, eyeing the ringleader. She was beautiful, as most girl bullies were. Brown chestnut hair she had a perfect body that allowed her to get away with crap like this.

“What’s it to you?” Ringleader girl asked.

“It’s-” 

“That was rhetorical,” she said, rolling her eyes. My anger flared, but before she could say anything more the ringleader noticed Felicia walking up the stairs behind me. Rather than drag this out she rolled her eyes and walked past me to the stairs. 

I was tempted to let it go, but the feelings going through Morgan made me at least give a warning. As the girl stepped past me my hand touched her shoulder, shooting Sparks into her. She cried out in pain as all the nerves in her shoulder were set aflame with as much pain as I could muster. 

“Oh god, are you okay?” I asked, bending down to help her up. She gasped and stood, ripping her hand away. “Man, what happened there? I’d hate for it to happen again.” Where my hands touched her arm more pain shot through her. She cried out again, ripping herself away from me and stumbling down the stairs. 

Her lackeys giving me a fearful look, the ringleader glared at me as she moved out of sight. “That was weird,” I said. “Wonder what hit her.” With a shrug I walked over to Morgan. She stared at me wide eyed, but no one could tell what I had done. I asked, “Are you alright?”  

“I…yeah,” she said with a frown as she noticed Felicia there. I turned to face the popular girl. 

“Oh sorry,” she said as she realized she was intruding. She ran up the stairs to go to class, her Haki all over the place again. I knew she had more questions, but I wasn’t in the mood to answer them. Instead I focused on someone I actually cared about. 

The blonde girl somehow looked cuter all flustered. Her glasses low on her nose, cheeks red, and a little disheveled she was lost for words for a moment as she stared at me.

“I uh…need to get to…class,” she mumbled as she walked up the stairs. 

“Do you though?” I asked, as I followed. “Seems like you’re dealing with some crap.” I left the words open to interpretation as she walked. Her Haki changing from one second to the next, I decided to help her along. Grabbing her hand I dragged her into the closest door, which happened to be a bathroom. She got scared for a moment but allowed me to lead her. Once we were in the surprisingly clean restroom I released her. 

Angry and sad she stepped away to stare at the mirror. Her hands on the sink I let her go through whatever thoughts she needed to as tears began to fall down her cheeks. 

“My mom’s a stripper,” Morgan admitted angrily as she turned to face me. “At least she used to be.”

“So…?” I asked, confused why that was so upsetting. 

“So?!” Morgan yelled very uncharacteristically. “I’ve been tormented all school year about it since some people found out.”

“Like that girl?” I asked, referencing the bully ringleader. 

“Like her! Fucking bitch,” she mumbled. “Our parents work together. Supposedly her dad knows all about how my mom ‘trapped’ my dad with a kid. I’m 17 years old, almost 18. Why couldn’t this crap have come out after high school is over? Now I have to deal with this drama. I lost friends because of this. Everyone says I’m going to be just like my mom!” 

“A stripper?” I asked, perking up. I was fine with strippers, that was for sure. “Is it like in your blood?” I asked, genuinely interested. “Do you walk by a flag pole or fireman pole and get the urge to spin around it and take off your clothes? Is it hard to resist the urge? Or like a werewolf during a full moon where they can’t fight it? You just rip your clothes off and have to do a dance routine.” 

She stared at me for a long moment. Then she cracked a smile and started laughing. Full on belly laughs that turned into snorting like a pig. Which only made the snorting worsen as she tried to stop, but couldn’t stop laughing. Beginning to struggle for breath I smiled as she slowly but surely composed herself. 

Letting out a sigh she straightened up, wiping a few happy tears from her eyes. “See I…don’t know how you did it. Do it. You make me feel better.”

“Good,” I said, crossing my arms in front of me. It was hard to resist kissing her, but the bathroom was never the place for that. 

“No, I’m serious,” she said. “I’ve been dealing with this drama for months. Kind of just, got quiet and took it. Hell, it wasn’t until you forced me to sit with you that anyone talked with me.” 

I shrugged. “What can I say? You think I’m funny,” I said.

“I do,” she said, giggling again. She stared at me for a moment. “I uh, I’m sorry. We should get to class.” She began to walk toward the door, but I grabbed her arm. Stopping as she stared at me I smiled at her. 

“Don’t think you’re getting away from our date,” I said. “Especially not now that I know your lineage.”

“Oh my god,” she said. “I would never-”

“Go on a date?” I asked, frowning. 

“No-no I’d love to, I just-”

“Good, no take backs,” I said. “Tonight. You and I. Date night.” 

She opened her mouth, closing it and opening it like a goldfish. But then blushed and nodded. “Perfect,” I said. Turning to walk out, but this time she stopped me. Grasping my shirt she pulled me back a little and got on her tip toes to kiss my cheek. I didn’t turn my face so it was on my lips. That was something you led up to. Smiling wide I asked, “What’s that for?” 

“Just because,” she said cutely and walked past. I followed, watching the skirt shake as I did. I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe she did know some moves. But as we stepped out of the bathroom I found who I knew was there. 

“Ms. Black,” I said, putting a smile on my face. “Sorry, Morgan here was-” 

“I don’t want to hear it,” she said. “Ms. Leanne, please go to class. You, detention.” I opened my mouth to retort but let out a long tired sigh as I left myself resigned to my fate. 

—

“Why did you join the X-Men?” I asked the very beautiful Miss Grey. We were in the auditorium of the school with a couple of other kids. I was the only one in detention though. Forced to sit up front I had thought I got in trouble for being in a girl’s bathroom with a student. Apparently it was because Morgan’s bully whined that I hurt her. Despite not being able to show them a bruise or anything, Miss Grey/Black took it upon herself to give me detention anyway.

“There are students here,” she said through gritted teeth as she graded papers a few seats away. 

“I’m a student,” I reminded. “Come on, they’re working on other stuff.” There were a few students in back practicing for the school play. Another couple that were expected to hang out there with the detention teacher until someone picked them up. They worked on homework or sat on their phones. 

Jean Grey sighed, but continued to grade her papers. “I tell you what, you tell me one of your secrets, I’ll tell you one of mine,” I said. Her pen stopped immediately. Slowly looking up from the sheet she eyed me for a moment. 

“The truth?” She asked. 

“You could just try to rip the truth out of me if you wanted,” I retorted.

“No, I wouldn’t,” she said. I rolled my eyes but nodded. 

“Of course the truth,” I said. “But I believe in equivalent exchange. I answer with as much detail as you do.”

“Fine,” she said with a huff. Setting her pen down, the beautiful red head turned in the auditorium seat to face me. “What has changed with you?”

I knew it was coming as soon as I made the offer. Luckily I had been working on my story. That way if any psychics tried to delve I would have it ready. “I have no fucking idea,” I said. Her mouth scrunched together in anger. “I’m serious. I woke up that day those weeks ago, and it was like my eyes opened for the first time. Everything I could do simply clicked into place. I feel stronger, faster, smarter. More confident. I don’t know everything that changed with me thanks to that chemical spill, but I think I’m finally wrapping my head around it.” She frowned, and I could feel it wasn’t enough.

“It’s like being born,” I said. “My body changed on a molecular level. Having grown a new limb that was my power. I was fusing things together without meaning to because I didn’t know what I was doing. Then it all made sense one day and I learned how to walk, talk, and not shit myself.”

I could see her working through it and knew it was enough for her. I smiled wide as I repeated, “Why did you join the X-Men?” 

She hesitated but locked eyes with me. “When I was young, my mutation awoke. Telekinesis to start. Making things float with barely a thought. Then…reading minds. I answered unasked questions and learned quickly to not delve into the minds of people. But my parents thought I was possessed. They called the church, instead the professor showed up,” she let out a sigh, sitting back in her seat as she faced forward.

“And?” I asked.

“And…why were you bloody and beat up this morning?” She asked. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“Ugh,” I said, not used to being on the end that wanted answers. “I already told you that.” 

“I know, and you actually believe your answer,” she said. “So I want the truth.”

“Fiiiine,” I said. “But if you want the full truth, I get all my questions answered.”

“We will see,” she said with a small smile, so I told her about the drama of the Hand. I left out why exactly Elektra needed my help specifically. There was sensei-student super secret privilege that I couldn’t break. But told her what I could remember of what happened the night before. 

“This didn’t happen,” she said when I began explaining their weird god they worshiped. 

“It did,” I said.

“No, I-we-people would have heard about this,” she said.

“No, you wouldn’t have. How many times must I say, secret-ninja-organization,” I said. “What? Did you really think that only mutants can have drama?”

“Well no, but still, a power struggle like that. I thought I would have noticed something,” she said.

“Vampires are real too, do you know about them?” I asked. 

“No, they’re not,” she said.

“Yes, yes they are,” I said, laughing. “You have psychic fucking powers, and you don’t know anything about the world around you? The X-Men aren’t the only crime fighters out there. Theres a lot of drama going on everywhere. Demoness in Hell’s Kitchen, Blade fighting vampires, ninjas, ass-” 

“Who?” She asked. 

“Blade, he’s a half-human half-vampire,” I said like it was common knowledge. “You really don’t know about any of this?” She slowly shook her head, realizing that I was telling the truth. I hadn’t met the vampire hunter, but I had noticed some signs that the undead existed. I was curious how I could help the badass hunter out and maybe score some vampire specific bonuses since I had the Dead Man Walking skill. 

“Jean, there’s a whole world out there. Hell, a whole universe. You should really learn to keep your ear to the ground more. Mutants have it hard, but so do most people. I haven’t seen any world ending threats yet, but they will come. Are you sure you want to be the school teacher when they do?” 

“What do you mean?” She asked. 

I considered not risking it, but she was gorgeous. It was hard to say no to her. I had been giving hints in all of my worlds, I wondered if a few more could hurt. 

“I can see it, you know?” I asked as I stared at her. “Your strength. Everyone around us has energy. I call it spiritual energy. Its uniform throughout the body unless you know how to use it. Centered at your stomach I can feel it in all of them…including you. But yours is different.”

“Different how?” She asked, licking her lips I could feel her get a little scared. 

“Let me guess how it went,” I said. “Xavier showed up, used his mind fuckery on you, and said you are strong. Stronger than even he could manage.”

“How did you know that?” She mumbled. 

“Because I can feel it. Hidden away in your energy. Like the volume is turned way down on your body, but I can sense the potential there. Every time you use your telekinesis or telepathy it feels weak. Like you struggle with the most basic tasks. You’ve barely delved into my mind. You say it isn’t right, but who says so? God or whoever gave you this gift. Why not use it? I fly everywhere I can. It’s a part of me. You shouldn’t fear that strength, Jean. You should accept it. Let the beast out otherwise you’ll lose control of it when it breaks out.”

She sat in silence for a long while as she stared at me. Her Haki all over the place I turned to face forward and let her do her thing. I always hated the X-Men comics, how they dealt with Jean anyway. She was the strongest mutant in the world. Or at least had the potential to be. But they did the whole Frozen angle. Fear the power, save the person, instead of feed the power, let the person be themselves. 

If I was sent to these worlds to do whatever the hell I wanted, then this was one of them. Helping her through this, or at least being the voice of reason as everyone else told her to hold back. Curious where this would lead, I let the conversation die out. Content with the work I had done that day.