Date: Mon, 01 Dec 2003 14:37:47 +0800
From: toshioboy@yahoo.com
Subject: X-men Chronicles: Toshio part 3

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:

====================

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.

====================

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.