Categories > Movies > X-Men: The Movie > Daddy's Girl
Daddy's Girl
Chapter 3: Ambush
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The halls of the Capitol in Washington DC were a lot more active than usual as some of the top ranked committees met to discuss a topic of growing importance amongst the nation and the world as a whole. Members from both the House and the Senate were present in the main chamber of the historic structure, each of them led by a man named Senator Edward Kelly. And the topic of the hour...Mutants.
And at the main podium of the chamber, a young woman with fiery red hair and an aura of intelligence and calm was talking to some of the most important men in the world. She was Dr. Jean Grey, a mutant and an activist who had a lot at stake here in convincing this people of her cause.
"As you all know, most living things have a complex molecule of sugar, phosphorous, and nitrogen bases called DNA. Present in every single cell of the body, DNA is the blueprint for which an organism is constructed. It can be as simple as a single cell or as complex as a human. But sometimes, changes occur in the DNA sequence that exhibit new and unforeseen phenotypes. Now usually, these changes occur slowly and over the course of many generations. We call these changes mutations and the individuals they affect, mutants. However, on some occasions, these changes can happen in a single generation, manifesting an entirely new range of genetic anomalies that tend to spur the evolutionary growth of a species. And this is where our current issue lies...A coming generation of new mutants in human DNA that usually manifest around puberty. This process is ongoing and it is a natural part of evolution."
Then, as Jean Grey hit the button on her laptop to continue with her presentation, Senator Kelly stood up to voice his comments on this overly simplified version of what he considered to be a much more complicated issue.
"Dr. Grey, I understand there is a rather large array of scientific backing to this so called 'natural' phenomenon as you put it, but I hardly think this is helping us with the current controversy at hand."
"Yes sir, I know," said Dr. Grey, maintaining her poise and demeanor, "But in order to best debate this issue, I feel it is necessary to understand the nature of..."
"Understanding is one thing, Doctor. Policy is another," said Edward Kelly as he stood up to address his fellow congressmen, "Now we've all heard a lot about what mutants are, but I haven't heard a lick about some of the individuals that these mutations affect and the potential harm they could do to our society."
Dr. Grey could see that this was causing some chatter amongst the audience and in full view of TV cameras no doubt. Yet despite this, she tried to maintain an aura of reason.
"With all due respect, Senator," said Dr. Grey calmly, "I feel it is a bit rash to generalize mutation as a purely harmful force. There have been studies that have..."
However, the prominent Senator didn't let her finish.
"Rash you say?" said Senator Kelly as he picked up a rather thick file and opened it, "Well then why don't you tell me and my fellow legislators about a few certain individuals that I managed to get a little info on. For instance, there is a young girl from Chicago who can, if this data is accurate, walk through walls. Now that's quite an ability. And what's to keep someone like that from marching into the Federal Reserve and helping themselves to a little hard earned American tax dollars?"
This caused more chatter as Senator Kelly began to put the young doctor on the spot, continuing with his muckraking on mutants, some of which Dr. Grey knew personally.
"There's also a record here of a young man who turn his skin into a super hard carbon steel alloy and attain the strength of a hundred men. Now say that young man gets involved with the wrong people or simply has a bad day. What's to stop him from going on a rampage through the nearest town?"
"Senator, it's a bit unjustified to go so far as to make accusations to people who haven't yet done any harm to anybody," argued Dr. Grey.
"You're right, Ms. Grey. But the purpose of my proposed mutant registration act is to keep detailed lists of each and every mutant within our boarders and exercise judicial force if and only if it is necessary. Because I don't know about you, but having the ability to walk through walls, turn into some super strong colossus, or manipulate fire is pretty dangerous to simply leave unchecked."
"A regular human with a bomb or a gun can cause the same level of destruction, yet they are no more scrutinized than any other individual. I've read that bill senator. I know what it does to the status of mutants. And to lump all these individuals that could potentially do so much to help humanity is..."
"Help humanity?" scoffed Senator Kelly as he took out another page from his file, "Why don't we go over a few more of these little genetic jewels as you call them and let the public decide just how 'helpful' they can be."
More activity echoed through the halls as Senator Kelly led the charge against the mutant phenomenon. And in the audience, a single man bound in a wheelchair watched on as one of his prized students was assailed on all fronts. To him this was no longer a hearing. This was like the Salem Witch Trials all over again.
He was Professor Charles Xavier, the founder and headmaster of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. The title was somewhat deceptive, for gifted would be an understatement in reference to some of the individuals he worked with.
They were mutants, many of which would be deeply effected if some of these policies become law. A lot of them were only children and had no way of influencing this unjust hysteria. And as hard as he fought for them, sometimes it felt as though he might as well have been fighting the ocean.
With a heavy sigh, he wheeled himself out of the chamber and into the halls to get some air, but as he passed by a few windows with metallic fixtures, he felt a sudden force direct his chair in the other direction.
Then suddenly, a new voice made its presence known and it was a voice that Xavier knew all too well.
"They set this up, you know," said a calm and sophisticated tone, "It was doomed from the start."
"Erik. I had a feeling," said Xavier as he was face to face with an old friend whom he had fallen out with many years ago.
"Still as intuitive as ever, Charles," said Erik Magnus Lensherr, a fellow mutant who had the power to manipulate electromagnetic fields was also an activist...Only for him, his views were a bit less amicable to say the least.
Erik was an old man who had seen a lot of tragedy in his illustrious life. Having lived over 60 years in this world, he had endured the horrors of the holocaust and all the pain and loss that came along with it. He bore gray hair and a face ravaged by the winds of time. But to call him weak was to invite a terrible retribution. For this man was the exact opposite of what one would call weak.
These two men seemed like polar opposites. One promoted peace. The other promoted war. Yet there was still an unspoken bond of friendship between them. Yet it was clearly a friendship that had been strained by a schism of great disagreements.
"They'll never accept us. This, of all things, should prove it," said Erik, maintaining his hold on Xavier's chair.
"They're driven by irrational fears," reasons Xavier, "Mutants are a powerful force. The public needs time to digest them."
"Oh Charles, can you really be that naïve?" said the old man, "Just look at what that feeble senator is doing to your student. He's practically setting this country up for a declaration of war against mutants."
"And it is for that reason that we must resist such views," argued Xavier, not skipping a beat, "War is never the answer. You of all people should know this."
"That, Charles, is where you and I differ," said the old holocaust survivor as he released his friend's chair and flung it back in the opposite direction, "Delude yourself all you want, but humanity is on a crash course with disaster. The day may come when you and your beloved students find yourself in the middle of a battlefield and they'll have to make a choice...To fight or to die."
"That's a day I intend on preventing, Erik," said Xavier in a determined tone as he watched his old friend turn his back and walk away, "Nobody has to die. Not if reason wins out over fear."
"It is a day humanity and mutant kind cannot avoid," said Erik as he left the sight of his naïve friend, "For this generation and the generation to come, the strong must prevail. And if you leave this building with nothing else, just remember one thing, Charles...That day may come sooner than you think."
With those ominous words, Erik Lensherr made his leave and Charles Xavier was left to ponder his predicament. Not only would he have to fight human fear, but apparently he'd have to deal with mutant fear as well. It was a heavy burden for a man bound in a wheel chair. But with stakes so high and a world on the brink, he would not stop fighting. He owed it to the children of the coming generation to stand strong.
"I hope not, Erik. I honest to God, hope not."
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In the chilly air of the Canada, the final bell sounded at a local high school. There were flurries in the air and the wind was growing strong as waves of students filed out through the doors and onto busses, cars, and whatever other means they had to get home.
There was a plethora of casual chatter and socializing. The world of high school had plenty of groups and clicks to go around. Yet for one fateful soul, this incessant chatter was the last thing she wanted to be a part of. And while everybody hooked up and filed out, she hung back along front entrance to the school and simply kept to herself.
It was a ritual that Laura Howlett was all too accustomed to. She would simply hang back, keep to herself, and watched the rest of her fellow peers go by. She was never one to socialize much. Sure, she had tried, but it wasn't something she was very good at. She had a reputation of being a loner.
On the surface, she seemed so normal. Hell, she should have had plenty of friends. She was attractive, intelligent, and a good listener. She didn't wear freaky clothes or hang out with gangs. In fact, half her wardrobe consisted of Harley Davidson apparel. Yet despite this, she kept to herself, wanting nothing more than to be left alone.
There were very few instances of her really chatting with anybody. There were even fewer instances of her having any friends. Naturally, this sparked speculation about her and because of her enhanced senses she couldn't help but pick up on them.
Some said she was a drug addict, some said she was a freaky recluse, and others just said she was schizophrenic or something. It was enough to try her volatile temper and there had been a few occasions where she had gotten into fights. But thankfully she managed to control herself enough to keep from whipping out her claws and eviscerating the nearest living thing.
It was a difficult environment for young Laura. She was a mutant in a sea of human bigotry. Now that mutants were in the news regularly, she had all the more reason to keep to herself. But that didn't bother her. After all, she didn't need to fit in anyways. She did just fine on her own.
As the last bus left, Laura saw a familiar Chevy pull up into the school. Knowing exactly who it was, a smile formed on her face as she stepped up the beat up vehicle.
"Hey there little lady. Need a lift?" said Logan with his trademark wolfish grin.
"I guess I could use one," said Laura with a smile as she opened the door and got in, "It sure beats walking home in this weather."
"Canadian snow, never underestimate it," said Logan as he stepped on the gas and drove off onto the main roads.
It was a common occurrence for the both of them. When Logan got a break at the shop, he'd come to pick his daughter up from school. He knew she didn't like the busses all that much and this way was faster anyhow. Plus, it put a smile on her face to see her daddy after a hard day.
Only on this particular day, it was a bit different.
"So are we gonna talk about it or are we gonna have to go through the same argument again?" said Logan, getting right to the point.
"I take it my counselor called," sighed Laura, who had hoped that she could avoid this issue.
"Yep. That's three times in six months," affirmed Logan, "And every time it's the same thing. 'You're daughter is exceptionally bright and a very well endowed student. But she appears to have problems working with others and making friends and I'm just concerned.'"
Laura couldn't help but laugh at her father's mockery of her nosy counselor. It seemed as though any student who happened to be a loner was subject to scrutiny. Then again, this wasn't the first time something like this had come up. School had been remarkably troublesome when it came to teachers calling Logan to voice their concerns about Laura's reserved nature.
"So does that mean we have to go to another conference?" she muttered.
"Next Friday at nine. And this time, she wants us both there," answered Logan.
"Wonderful," she sighed.
The snow continued to pick up as they father/daughter duo made their way down the back roads of the Canadian wilderness. It was a little shortcut they often took since the highways were usually a mess in this weather. Plus, the scenery was really nice too, especially during this time of year.
But for the most part, things remained silent between them. Logan knew that his daughter was not a social person. It was just one of the many things she picked up from him over the years. Sure, he didn't mind, but there were times when he was concerned for her. She didn't have any friends and she didn't socialize well. It just worried him as a parent.
"So what are you going to say to her this time?" asked Laura, breaking the silence as she turned back to face her dad.
"Same thing as always, I guess," shrugged Logan, "I'll tell them that my little girl is just a loner. If that's how she wants to be, then that's okay. It's just when she gets into fights that I get worried."
"Yeah, I know how you feel about that," she said, shifting her gaze, "You're still not mad at me for breaking that guys jaw, are you?"
"He tried to grab your ass to win a twenty dollar bet," said Logan with a humored grin, "If you hadn't done it, then I would have. And trust me, I wouldn't have stopped there."
"Glad you're more understanding than my principal," said Laura with a slight chuckle, "I almost got suspended for that."
"Hey, just be glad that kid's father didn't press charges. But aside from the fights, I think ya should try a little harder this time around to make some friends. That way, we don't have to go to these lousy parent/teacher conferences."
"I know, I know," said Laura with a sigh, "I just...Making friends isn't as easy as they make it out to be. Everybody already thinks I'm a freak. I even heard somebody say that I was bipolar or something."
"Just give me their names and you'll never hear from them again," grinned Logan.
"I appreciate that, dad, but it doesn't make things any easier. Every teacher I've had since elementary school has railed me on this. Everybody I meet sees me as some outsider. If they knew I was a mutant, it would probably be even worse. But honestly, I could care less. I just..."
Laura's face continued to sink as she found herself unable to finish. As much as she disliked people railing her for being a loner, she knew it was true in some ways.
But Logan was quick to reassure her in as best a way he could, casting her a smile that seemed to lift her spirits.
"Hey, it's okay, darlin'. I know it's hard," he said with empathy in his tone, "The world ain't fair. Hell, it's a downright hassle at times. But I want you to remember one thing, Laura...You be proud of who you are. Don't ever let anybody tell you that the person you are isn't right."
"So then why does everybody keep talking about me like I'm some sort of mental patient?" asked the teenage girl.
"That's because they just don't understand you. And they don't understand you because you don't let them in. So of course people are gonna speculate. Now that's not to say it ain't stupid, but it's there and ya gotta understand it."
"I just want them to leave me alone."
"I know. Believe me, I know," said Logan as he reached over and placed his hand on his little girl's shoulder, "But sometimes, ya just gotta step outside the box every now and then. Show the world that you're a great gal with a lot to offer. I know because after what you've given me, anybody would be lucky to have you as a friend."
"That's because you're my big, burly daddy," grinned Laura, playfully rubbing her father's burly facial hair, "And honestly, that's all I need."
Such words got Logan to smile. It was always very important to him that he maintain a close relationship with his daughter. She was everything to him. She was his whole world.
Yet she still considered him her best friend. And for two people who had enormously complicated lives, that was really all they needed.
"You're really something, ya know that kid?" said Logan with a proud grin.
"Hey come on! I'm fifteen, dad! When are you going to stop calling me kid?"
"Laura, I could be old, wrinkled, and on dialysis and you'd still be a kid to me. But I guess ya don't have to worry about that because..."
BANG!
Suddenly, the peaceful ride was shattered by the sound of a large tree limb falling down right in the middle of the road. Instinctively, Logan hooked the wheel in an effort to avoid it, but it was too late.
The sound of hard metal being warped by the impact echoed through the trees as Logan, who wasn't wearing a seatbelt, was flung right through the windshield and out onto the hard pavement below. Laura, who had been buckled up, had the wind knocked out of her as her head smashed onto the dashboard.
Letting out a deep grunt, Logan returned to his feet. It was a remarkable recovery since he had been doing 50 and most other people in crashes like that would be either dead or crippled. But for him and his healing factor, he just cracked his neck and let the wound on his forehead heal as he made his way back to the mangled truck to check on his daughter.
"Laura? Laura are you..."
Suddenly, he heard a roar through the trees that resembled that of a raging grizzly on speed. And before he could get to his little girl, he was pounced upon by a large, furry man with animal-like claws for hands.
"The Wolverine!" he growled as he stood triumphantly over Logan's downed form, "At last!"
"Bad move bub!" spat the angry Wolverine in response as he kicked him off.
Back with Laura, her healing was quick to kick in as well, the cut on her head healing over quickly as she came to. Looking out the window, she saw some furry humanoid creature attacking her father. In addition, she could also smell gas fumes and as any daughter of a mechanic would know, that was a clear sign that it was time to get out.
"Dad? Daddy!" she yelled as she drew her claws and cut the seatbelt to shreds.
Back outside, Logan was still busy with his burly attacker. Apparently, throwing him around wasn't enough. He was every bit as resilient as he was, making it clear to him that this had to be a mutant of some sort.
"You're comin' with me, pal!" yelled the raging attacker as he grabbed Logan and tried to choke him to death.
"Who...Are...You?!" he yelled, his claws popping out of his knuckles as he tried to fight this raging madman off.
"Name's Sabretooth. And we've got big plans for you!" he growled as he tightened his grip on the Wolverine's neck.
"Leave him alone!" came a loud yell as Sabretooth suddenly felt something pounce him from behind.
"Raaahhhhhh!"
With the same feral determination as her father, Laura wrapped her arms around Sabretooth's neck and tried hold on while she choked him into submission. It caused him to release her father and fall backwards, almost losing his balance in the process. With her claws drawn, she plunged them both into his shoulder, causing him to let out another angry howl.
"AHHHHH! YOU LITTLE BITCH!" he yelled as he grabbed her by the arm and threw her back into a truck.
"Oh no! You did NOT just call my daughter a bitch!" yelled a now raging Wolverine, setting aside the pain in his neck and focusing entirely on his new mortal enemy.
"Bring it on little man!" growled Sabretooth, "I ain't leavin' here without one of you!"
"Then you ain't leaving!"
In a feral rage, Logan charged the raging mutant, slashing at him with everything he had. But as his name implied, Sabretooth had the reflexes and speed of a predatory feline and returned his blows with swipes of his own. He nearly tore off his shirt with only a couple blows, but Wolverine just kept fighting on, determined to make this asshole pay.
"You're making this too easy for me, Wolverine!" growled Sabretooth as he held his nemesis in a firm grapple.
"How do you know that name?!" he demanded.
"Ha! I know a lot more than you think!" he grinned, "Too bad you won't live long enough to hear it all."
Sabretooth's size and strength was beginning to catch up with Logan as he felt himself falling to the pavement under the force of his grip. He kept pushing back, letting out angry growls of determination in the process.
Then, as his eyes fell upon his now downed daughter, who looked as though she had been knocked out from being thrown into the twisted metal of the mangled truck, his priorities shifted as he looked back up at the raging mutant before him.
"Laura..."
Suddenly, Sabretooth was tripped by a sweep kick and thrown to the side. This allowed Logan come to his daughter's aid, wasting no time in picking her up and getting her away from the truck, which if his senses were any indication was about to blow at any minute.
"ERR! NOW YOU'RE DEAD WOLVERINE!" yelled Sabretooth as he prepared for another attack.
Then suddenly, the air around him began to pick up and the next thing he knew, he was surrounded in a strange tornado of wind that acted like a barrier of sorts. Taking I a few whiffs of the cold air, he got an all too familiar scent as he turned back towards the opposite end of the road to see two figures standing in the distance.
"X-men! I should have known!" he growled as he attempted to fight through the wind and capture one of his targets.
"Easy Sabretooth," said one of the figures in the distance with ebony skin and white hair, "You need to chill."
With an angry growl, the feral mutant continued to fight. But the other figure beside her, who was wearing a strange visor, delivered the final blow.
"Time to end this," he said as he touched a button on the mysterious spectacles.
Then, a burst of bright red energy surged through the air and sent Sabretooth flying. Logan's claws were still drawn and his daughter was still in his arms. He didn't know who these new guys were, but if they wanted him and his daughter, he'd fight them until there was nothing left of him.
However, he would not get that chance as the mangled truck seemed to finish to the job.
"Get away from the truck!" yelled one of the figures, "It's going to..."
But it was too late. The next thing Logan heard was a deafening blast that sent a shockwave all throughout the area. Instinctively, he covered his daughter's body with his, bracing her from any harm.
And finally, as fire erupted from the truck and the smoke cleared, everything went dark.
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BOOM! IT HAS BEGUN! REVIEW!!!
Chapter 3: Ambush
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The halls of the Capitol in Washington DC were a lot more active than usual as some of the top ranked committees met to discuss a topic of growing importance amongst the nation and the world as a whole. Members from both the House and the Senate were present in the main chamber of the historic structure, each of them led by a man named Senator Edward Kelly. And the topic of the hour...Mutants.
And at the main podium of the chamber, a young woman with fiery red hair and an aura of intelligence and calm was talking to some of the most important men in the world. She was Dr. Jean Grey, a mutant and an activist who had a lot at stake here in convincing this people of her cause.
"As you all know, most living things have a complex molecule of sugar, phosphorous, and nitrogen bases called DNA. Present in every single cell of the body, DNA is the blueprint for which an organism is constructed. It can be as simple as a single cell or as complex as a human. But sometimes, changes occur in the DNA sequence that exhibit new and unforeseen phenotypes. Now usually, these changes occur slowly and over the course of many generations. We call these changes mutations and the individuals they affect, mutants. However, on some occasions, these changes can happen in a single generation, manifesting an entirely new range of genetic anomalies that tend to spur the evolutionary growth of a species. And this is where our current issue lies...A coming generation of new mutants in human DNA that usually manifest around puberty. This process is ongoing and it is a natural part of evolution."
Then, as Jean Grey hit the button on her laptop to continue with her presentation, Senator Kelly stood up to voice his comments on this overly simplified version of what he considered to be a much more complicated issue.
"Dr. Grey, I understand there is a rather large array of scientific backing to this so called 'natural' phenomenon as you put it, but I hardly think this is helping us with the current controversy at hand."
"Yes sir, I know," said Dr. Grey, maintaining her poise and demeanor, "But in order to best debate this issue, I feel it is necessary to understand the nature of..."
"Understanding is one thing, Doctor. Policy is another," said Edward Kelly as he stood up to address his fellow congressmen, "Now we've all heard a lot about what mutants are, but I haven't heard a lick about some of the individuals that these mutations affect and the potential harm they could do to our society."
Dr. Grey could see that this was causing some chatter amongst the audience and in full view of TV cameras no doubt. Yet despite this, she tried to maintain an aura of reason.
"With all due respect, Senator," said Dr. Grey calmly, "I feel it is a bit rash to generalize mutation as a purely harmful force. There have been studies that have..."
However, the prominent Senator didn't let her finish.
"Rash you say?" said Senator Kelly as he picked up a rather thick file and opened it, "Well then why don't you tell me and my fellow legislators about a few certain individuals that I managed to get a little info on. For instance, there is a young girl from Chicago who can, if this data is accurate, walk through walls. Now that's quite an ability. And what's to keep someone like that from marching into the Federal Reserve and helping themselves to a little hard earned American tax dollars?"
This caused more chatter as Senator Kelly began to put the young doctor on the spot, continuing with his muckraking on mutants, some of which Dr. Grey knew personally.
"There's also a record here of a young man who turn his skin into a super hard carbon steel alloy and attain the strength of a hundred men. Now say that young man gets involved with the wrong people or simply has a bad day. What's to stop him from going on a rampage through the nearest town?"
"Senator, it's a bit unjustified to go so far as to make accusations to people who haven't yet done any harm to anybody," argued Dr. Grey.
"You're right, Ms. Grey. But the purpose of my proposed mutant registration act is to keep detailed lists of each and every mutant within our boarders and exercise judicial force if and only if it is necessary. Because I don't know about you, but having the ability to walk through walls, turn into some super strong colossus, or manipulate fire is pretty dangerous to simply leave unchecked."
"A regular human with a bomb or a gun can cause the same level of destruction, yet they are no more scrutinized than any other individual. I've read that bill senator. I know what it does to the status of mutants. And to lump all these individuals that could potentially do so much to help humanity is..."
"Help humanity?" scoffed Senator Kelly as he took out another page from his file, "Why don't we go over a few more of these little genetic jewels as you call them and let the public decide just how 'helpful' they can be."
More activity echoed through the halls as Senator Kelly led the charge against the mutant phenomenon. And in the audience, a single man bound in a wheelchair watched on as one of his prized students was assailed on all fronts. To him this was no longer a hearing. This was like the Salem Witch Trials all over again.
He was Professor Charles Xavier, the founder and headmaster of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. The title was somewhat deceptive, for gifted would be an understatement in reference to some of the individuals he worked with.
They were mutants, many of which would be deeply effected if some of these policies become law. A lot of them were only children and had no way of influencing this unjust hysteria. And as hard as he fought for them, sometimes it felt as though he might as well have been fighting the ocean.
With a heavy sigh, he wheeled himself out of the chamber and into the halls to get some air, but as he passed by a few windows with metallic fixtures, he felt a sudden force direct his chair in the other direction.
Then suddenly, a new voice made its presence known and it was a voice that Xavier knew all too well.
"They set this up, you know," said a calm and sophisticated tone, "It was doomed from the start."
"Erik. I had a feeling," said Xavier as he was face to face with an old friend whom he had fallen out with many years ago.
"Still as intuitive as ever, Charles," said Erik Magnus Lensherr, a fellow mutant who had the power to manipulate electromagnetic fields was also an activist...Only for him, his views were a bit less amicable to say the least.
Erik was an old man who had seen a lot of tragedy in his illustrious life. Having lived over 60 years in this world, he had endured the horrors of the holocaust and all the pain and loss that came along with it. He bore gray hair and a face ravaged by the winds of time. But to call him weak was to invite a terrible retribution. For this man was the exact opposite of what one would call weak.
These two men seemed like polar opposites. One promoted peace. The other promoted war. Yet there was still an unspoken bond of friendship between them. Yet it was clearly a friendship that had been strained by a schism of great disagreements.
"They'll never accept us. This, of all things, should prove it," said Erik, maintaining his hold on Xavier's chair.
"They're driven by irrational fears," reasons Xavier, "Mutants are a powerful force. The public needs time to digest them."
"Oh Charles, can you really be that naïve?" said the old man, "Just look at what that feeble senator is doing to your student. He's practically setting this country up for a declaration of war against mutants."
"And it is for that reason that we must resist such views," argued Xavier, not skipping a beat, "War is never the answer. You of all people should know this."
"That, Charles, is where you and I differ," said the old holocaust survivor as he released his friend's chair and flung it back in the opposite direction, "Delude yourself all you want, but humanity is on a crash course with disaster. The day may come when you and your beloved students find yourself in the middle of a battlefield and they'll have to make a choice...To fight or to die."
"That's a day I intend on preventing, Erik," said Xavier in a determined tone as he watched his old friend turn his back and walk away, "Nobody has to die. Not if reason wins out over fear."
"It is a day humanity and mutant kind cannot avoid," said Erik as he left the sight of his naïve friend, "For this generation and the generation to come, the strong must prevail. And if you leave this building with nothing else, just remember one thing, Charles...That day may come sooner than you think."
With those ominous words, Erik Lensherr made his leave and Charles Xavier was left to ponder his predicament. Not only would he have to fight human fear, but apparently he'd have to deal with mutant fear as well. It was a heavy burden for a man bound in a wheel chair. But with stakes so high and a world on the brink, he would not stop fighting. He owed it to the children of the coming generation to stand strong.
"I hope not, Erik. I honest to God, hope not."
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In the chilly air of the Canada, the final bell sounded at a local high school. There were flurries in the air and the wind was growing strong as waves of students filed out through the doors and onto busses, cars, and whatever other means they had to get home.
There was a plethora of casual chatter and socializing. The world of high school had plenty of groups and clicks to go around. Yet for one fateful soul, this incessant chatter was the last thing she wanted to be a part of. And while everybody hooked up and filed out, she hung back along front entrance to the school and simply kept to herself.
It was a ritual that Laura Howlett was all too accustomed to. She would simply hang back, keep to herself, and watched the rest of her fellow peers go by. She was never one to socialize much. Sure, she had tried, but it wasn't something she was very good at. She had a reputation of being a loner.
On the surface, she seemed so normal. Hell, she should have had plenty of friends. She was attractive, intelligent, and a good listener. She didn't wear freaky clothes or hang out with gangs. In fact, half her wardrobe consisted of Harley Davidson apparel. Yet despite this, she kept to herself, wanting nothing more than to be left alone.
There were very few instances of her really chatting with anybody. There were even fewer instances of her having any friends. Naturally, this sparked speculation about her and because of her enhanced senses she couldn't help but pick up on them.
Some said she was a drug addict, some said she was a freaky recluse, and others just said she was schizophrenic or something. It was enough to try her volatile temper and there had been a few occasions where she had gotten into fights. But thankfully she managed to control herself enough to keep from whipping out her claws and eviscerating the nearest living thing.
It was a difficult environment for young Laura. She was a mutant in a sea of human bigotry. Now that mutants were in the news regularly, she had all the more reason to keep to herself. But that didn't bother her. After all, she didn't need to fit in anyways. She did just fine on her own.
As the last bus left, Laura saw a familiar Chevy pull up into the school. Knowing exactly who it was, a smile formed on her face as she stepped up the beat up vehicle.
"Hey there little lady. Need a lift?" said Logan with his trademark wolfish grin.
"I guess I could use one," said Laura with a smile as she opened the door and got in, "It sure beats walking home in this weather."
"Canadian snow, never underestimate it," said Logan as he stepped on the gas and drove off onto the main roads.
It was a common occurrence for the both of them. When Logan got a break at the shop, he'd come to pick his daughter up from school. He knew she didn't like the busses all that much and this way was faster anyhow. Plus, it put a smile on her face to see her daddy after a hard day.
Only on this particular day, it was a bit different.
"So are we gonna talk about it or are we gonna have to go through the same argument again?" said Logan, getting right to the point.
"I take it my counselor called," sighed Laura, who had hoped that she could avoid this issue.
"Yep. That's three times in six months," affirmed Logan, "And every time it's the same thing. 'You're daughter is exceptionally bright and a very well endowed student. But she appears to have problems working with others and making friends and I'm just concerned.'"
Laura couldn't help but laugh at her father's mockery of her nosy counselor. It seemed as though any student who happened to be a loner was subject to scrutiny. Then again, this wasn't the first time something like this had come up. School had been remarkably troublesome when it came to teachers calling Logan to voice their concerns about Laura's reserved nature.
"So does that mean we have to go to another conference?" she muttered.
"Next Friday at nine. And this time, she wants us both there," answered Logan.
"Wonderful," she sighed.
The snow continued to pick up as they father/daughter duo made their way down the back roads of the Canadian wilderness. It was a little shortcut they often took since the highways were usually a mess in this weather. Plus, the scenery was really nice too, especially during this time of year.
But for the most part, things remained silent between them. Logan knew that his daughter was not a social person. It was just one of the many things she picked up from him over the years. Sure, he didn't mind, but there were times when he was concerned for her. She didn't have any friends and she didn't socialize well. It just worried him as a parent.
"So what are you going to say to her this time?" asked Laura, breaking the silence as she turned back to face her dad.
"Same thing as always, I guess," shrugged Logan, "I'll tell them that my little girl is just a loner. If that's how she wants to be, then that's okay. It's just when she gets into fights that I get worried."
"Yeah, I know how you feel about that," she said, shifting her gaze, "You're still not mad at me for breaking that guys jaw, are you?"
"He tried to grab your ass to win a twenty dollar bet," said Logan with a humored grin, "If you hadn't done it, then I would have. And trust me, I wouldn't have stopped there."
"Glad you're more understanding than my principal," said Laura with a slight chuckle, "I almost got suspended for that."
"Hey, just be glad that kid's father didn't press charges. But aside from the fights, I think ya should try a little harder this time around to make some friends. That way, we don't have to go to these lousy parent/teacher conferences."
"I know, I know," said Laura with a sigh, "I just...Making friends isn't as easy as they make it out to be. Everybody already thinks I'm a freak. I even heard somebody say that I was bipolar or something."
"Just give me their names and you'll never hear from them again," grinned Logan.
"I appreciate that, dad, but it doesn't make things any easier. Every teacher I've had since elementary school has railed me on this. Everybody I meet sees me as some outsider. If they knew I was a mutant, it would probably be even worse. But honestly, I could care less. I just..."
Laura's face continued to sink as she found herself unable to finish. As much as she disliked people railing her for being a loner, she knew it was true in some ways.
But Logan was quick to reassure her in as best a way he could, casting her a smile that seemed to lift her spirits.
"Hey, it's okay, darlin'. I know it's hard," he said with empathy in his tone, "The world ain't fair. Hell, it's a downright hassle at times. But I want you to remember one thing, Laura...You be proud of who you are. Don't ever let anybody tell you that the person you are isn't right."
"So then why does everybody keep talking about me like I'm some sort of mental patient?" asked the teenage girl.
"That's because they just don't understand you. And they don't understand you because you don't let them in. So of course people are gonna speculate. Now that's not to say it ain't stupid, but it's there and ya gotta understand it."
"I just want them to leave me alone."
"I know. Believe me, I know," said Logan as he reached over and placed his hand on his little girl's shoulder, "But sometimes, ya just gotta step outside the box every now and then. Show the world that you're a great gal with a lot to offer. I know because after what you've given me, anybody would be lucky to have you as a friend."
"That's because you're my big, burly daddy," grinned Laura, playfully rubbing her father's burly facial hair, "And honestly, that's all I need."
Such words got Logan to smile. It was always very important to him that he maintain a close relationship with his daughter. She was everything to him. She was his whole world.
Yet she still considered him her best friend. And for two people who had enormously complicated lives, that was really all they needed.
"You're really something, ya know that kid?" said Logan with a proud grin.
"Hey come on! I'm fifteen, dad! When are you going to stop calling me kid?"
"Laura, I could be old, wrinkled, and on dialysis and you'd still be a kid to me. But I guess ya don't have to worry about that because..."
BANG!
Suddenly, the peaceful ride was shattered by the sound of a large tree limb falling down right in the middle of the road. Instinctively, Logan hooked the wheel in an effort to avoid it, but it was too late.
The sound of hard metal being warped by the impact echoed through the trees as Logan, who wasn't wearing a seatbelt, was flung right through the windshield and out onto the hard pavement below. Laura, who had been buckled up, had the wind knocked out of her as her head smashed onto the dashboard.
Letting out a deep grunt, Logan returned to his feet. It was a remarkable recovery since he had been doing 50 and most other people in crashes like that would be either dead or crippled. But for him and his healing factor, he just cracked his neck and let the wound on his forehead heal as he made his way back to the mangled truck to check on his daughter.
"Laura? Laura are you..."
Suddenly, he heard a roar through the trees that resembled that of a raging grizzly on speed. And before he could get to his little girl, he was pounced upon by a large, furry man with animal-like claws for hands.
"The Wolverine!" he growled as he stood triumphantly over Logan's downed form, "At last!"
"Bad move bub!" spat the angry Wolverine in response as he kicked him off.
Back with Laura, her healing was quick to kick in as well, the cut on her head healing over quickly as she came to. Looking out the window, she saw some furry humanoid creature attacking her father. In addition, she could also smell gas fumes and as any daughter of a mechanic would know, that was a clear sign that it was time to get out.
"Dad? Daddy!" she yelled as she drew her claws and cut the seatbelt to shreds.
Back outside, Logan was still busy with his burly attacker. Apparently, throwing him around wasn't enough. He was every bit as resilient as he was, making it clear to him that this had to be a mutant of some sort.
"You're comin' with me, pal!" yelled the raging attacker as he grabbed Logan and tried to choke him to death.
"Who...Are...You?!" he yelled, his claws popping out of his knuckles as he tried to fight this raging madman off.
"Name's Sabretooth. And we've got big plans for you!" he growled as he tightened his grip on the Wolverine's neck.
"Leave him alone!" came a loud yell as Sabretooth suddenly felt something pounce him from behind.
"Raaahhhhhh!"
With the same feral determination as her father, Laura wrapped her arms around Sabretooth's neck and tried hold on while she choked him into submission. It caused him to release her father and fall backwards, almost losing his balance in the process. With her claws drawn, she plunged them both into his shoulder, causing him to let out another angry howl.
"AHHHHH! YOU LITTLE BITCH!" he yelled as he grabbed her by the arm and threw her back into a truck.
"Oh no! You did NOT just call my daughter a bitch!" yelled a now raging Wolverine, setting aside the pain in his neck and focusing entirely on his new mortal enemy.
"Bring it on little man!" growled Sabretooth, "I ain't leavin' here without one of you!"
"Then you ain't leaving!"
In a feral rage, Logan charged the raging mutant, slashing at him with everything he had. But as his name implied, Sabretooth had the reflexes and speed of a predatory feline and returned his blows with swipes of his own. He nearly tore off his shirt with only a couple blows, but Wolverine just kept fighting on, determined to make this asshole pay.
"You're making this too easy for me, Wolverine!" growled Sabretooth as he held his nemesis in a firm grapple.
"How do you know that name?!" he demanded.
"Ha! I know a lot more than you think!" he grinned, "Too bad you won't live long enough to hear it all."
Sabretooth's size and strength was beginning to catch up with Logan as he felt himself falling to the pavement under the force of his grip. He kept pushing back, letting out angry growls of determination in the process.
Then, as his eyes fell upon his now downed daughter, who looked as though she had been knocked out from being thrown into the twisted metal of the mangled truck, his priorities shifted as he looked back up at the raging mutant before him.
"Laura..."
Suddenly, Sabretooth was tripped by a sweep kick and thrown to the side. This allowed Logan come to his daughter's aid, wasting no time in picking her up and getting her away from the truck, which if his senses were any indication was about to blow at any minute.
"ERR! NOW YOU'RE DEAD WOLVERINE!" yelled Sabretooth as he prepared for another attack.
Then suddenly, the air around him began to pick up and the next thing he knew, he was surrounded in a strange tornado of wind that acted like a barrier of sorts. Taking I a few whiffs of the cold air, he got an all too familiar scent as he turned back towards the opposite end of the road to see two figures standing in the distance.
"X-men! I should have known!" he growled as he attempted to fight through the wind and capture one of his targets.
"Easy Sabretooth," said one of the figures in the distance with ebony skin and white hair, "You need to chill."
With an angry growl, the feral mutant continued to fight. But the other figure beside her, who was wearing a strange visor, delivered the final blow.
"Time to end this," he said as he touched a button on the mysterious spectacles.
Then, a burst of bright red energy surged through the air and sent Sabretooth flying. Logan's claws were still drawn and his daughter was still in his arms. He didn't know who these new guys were, but if they wanted him and his daughter, he'd fight them until there was nothing left of him.
However, he would not get that chance as the mangled truck seemed to finish to the job.
"Get away from the truck!" yelled one of the figures, "It's going to..."
But it was too late. The next thing Logan heard was a deafening blast that sent a shockwave all throughout the area. Instinctively, he covered his daughter's body with his, bracing her from any harm.
And finally, as fire erupted from the truck and the smoke cleared, everything went dark.
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