You do know the Danger Room... don't you?
X-Men - Time
X-Men Danger Room Hist1 - Newcomers' Dodgeball
X-Men Danger Room Hist2 - Explaining the Missions
X-Men Danger Room Hist3 - The Strange Device
Tuesday, the 21st of September
Vlad entered the Danger Room for the second time that day, already feeling as if he'd spent enough time in there for one day, but he wanted to show the newcomer. "Here it is, you can program it to do votever you need," he explained.
"What do you mean?"
Michael asked. He glanced around at the plain grey, steel panels covering the walls. It looked just like the hallway outside, and he was supposed to train here? He didn't believe it and would have been angry, had he also not been observant enough to hear the word, 'program.' "How can I program this room?"
Korvka came in to see Vlad there, and suddenly Michael's quest made sense. Vlad was just the kind of guy to show the new giant to the training facility. She'd come in with enough time to hear Michael's question and, assuming that Xavier was still in the control room, decided to ask him. "Professor!" she called, her alto accent booming across the steel to double back a few times. "I just got a new veapon and Michael vonts to train. Could you program a decent scenario for us?" she asked, looking down to her compact, spring-loaded scythe. Looking up to her brother, she grinned and said "Votch." She pulled the grip, making the shaft longer, about 4 feet now. Then she pushed a button on the side and out popped a curved and razor sharp blade, holding in her hand now a one-handed scythe.
Vlad's eyes bugged for a moment when he saw his little sister's new weapon. "I know better than to stick around for this," he said with a little grin. "I've spent enough time in here today for one day, I'd think. Nice to meet you Michael. Korvka, go easy on him," he said. He then walked out to
X-Men Hall Complex, ruffling Korvka's wildly curly hair as he went by.
"Um...I'm not sure how comfortable I will be with this. Not that I'm scared of your weapon by any means,"
Michael said eying the blade. "In fact I have never fought a woman, and don't wish to. I wouldn't want to hurt you miss." He backed away slightly, making sure to face her. It seemed that chivalry wouldn't matter here right now and that he may have to fight a girl for the first time. He would just have to try and make sure he didn't hurt her.
Korvka pulled her head away from Vlad's heavy hand, but didn't actually seem very annoyed. Instead she propped her scythe against her hip and the floor and began pulling her hair back into a ponytail, listening to Michael as he spoke. When he mentioned hurting her, Korvka let out a loud laugh and picked up her one-handed blade. "You are not vith regular humans now, remember that. I know ven I'm over-matched, but don't count that it'll be you," she replied cockily with a smirk on her face.
"Yes Korvka, I'd be happy to let you and Michael train. Michael, welcome to the Danger Room. You're about to be tested, good luck!"
Xavier's voice came from over the intercom.
The room then changed almost instantly to a well lit cave, sconces on either side of the long, twisting tunnel walls and crags of rock. The ceiling was low, not too low for the average person to stand in, but to someone as tall and big as Michael, his size would prove a disadvantage.
Michael's eyes went wide as the room changed around him.
This is new, he thought. He quickly looked around the cave to get a better understanding of where he was. He quickly realized that his height granted Korvka an advantage. He wouldn't be able to move as quickly, so he would have to rely on his strength more. He sniffed the air, and it smelled just like the room did before. "So, we didn't teleport so this must be some sort of hologram then? And you seem to have broken one of the warrior's rules: never underestimate your opponent," he said as he got into a low fighting stance.
I don't like this, but she's my only sparring partner. I just have to take it easy and not hurt her, he thought.
"As it appears you have too,"
Korvka retorted as she began to back into the cave, stepping quickly to put distance between herself and the large boy. Holding her mace in her right hand, Korvka flattened her palm and instantly a large vine began to grow from the center of her hand. It was thicker than a wild grape vine and instantly huge thorns began to grow on it just out of Korvka's reach. When she was done, she held a scythe in one hand and a vine whip in the other. Lifting her whip hand, she swung the thorny vine towards Michael's thigh.
"I have done no such thing, that's why I waited for you to attack first,"
Michael said with a smile. He swung his right arm down to block the whip from entangling his thigh, instead allowing it to wrap around his forearm. He reached to grab the whip with his left hand, if she didn't do something quickly, he would be able to take the whip away completely.
Korvka's grin was apparent in the flickering of the torchlight. She used her scythe to hack the vine in half shortly after her fist. The thorns were poisonous and would not harm him terribly but if pricked they would quickly cause swelling and intense itching. Touching her hand to the cave wall and beginning to grow a vast amount of the twisting vines towards her opponent, creating a barrier between she and Michael. Along the floor they shot towards the large man's feet, doubling over themselves in tangles until a whole patch of them separated Korvka from the Michael.
Michael quickly unraveled the whip from his arm. He noticed the vines heading towards his feet, but with his arm suddenly itching he couldn't think.
I don't want to have to pull out my trump card just yet, he thought while scratching his arm. He realized that his arm was beginning to swell, and grinned. "Mild toxin eh? I have a cure for that," he said as he backed away from the oncoming vines. He ignored his itching arm and took off his shirt.
Time to makes this more interesting, thought as he slipped his shoes off. He crouched down close to the floor of the cave and let out a bellowing cry. His whole body convulsed as his change began. His already muscular body began to grow to immense proportions as the hair on his body grew to cover it completely. His nails became long dark claws as well as his face changing to resemble that of a bear. In truth, he was a were-bear and now was a war machine. If he stood on his hind legs, he would be close to 9 feet tall and covered in muscle. He let out a roar and charged the wall of vines.
Watching the scene unfold, Michael's transformation took
Korvka by surprise. She had never seen such powers before, but she was not caught off guard for more than a second. Immediately, she recognized the ursine qualities Michael now possessed and was ready to try and trick his better senses. In her hand, she grew what looked to be a flowering shrub, covered with white blooms; cestrum nocturnum, easily one of the most fragrant flowers she knew. She took careful aim and lobbed the bunch towards Michael's nose, hoping to confuse his keen sense of smell to allow her time to back further into the cave without him following immediately. Just to make sure, Korvka began running backwards, ever with her eyes on the werebear, and shot bloom after bloom from her open palms. Soon, the cave was covered in gardenias, lillies, orchids, and jasmine and smelled quite strongly.
Michael's forearm no longer itched or was swollen due to his healing factor while in this form, but he still stopped short as the shrub came at him. It fell, limply, at his forelegs. He sniffed the air as the cave grew more and more colorful with flowers.
Is she fighting me with flowers? Does she think I have ADD or something, he thought. He shook his head as all the different smells assaulted his nose.
Whoa, this is new, better breathe through my mouth. He let out another roar as he continued his pursuit, moving rather quickly.
With her feet firmly planted and her right hand fiercely clutching her new scythe,
Korvka decided it was time to use it. Placing her palm against the wall of the cave, thick roots began taking over, winding and snaking along the floor until they came to a head and a large tree began to grow diagonally across the cave's breadth, branching out and blocking Michael's passage. She knew it would stop him for a moment or two, enough for her to maybe sink that curved blade into some part of her opponent's fur.
Michael saw the tree growing across the cave and smiled to himself. He crashed into it with a tremendous amount of force and gripped it tightly with his claws. If the force of his charge didn't dislodge the tree from the wall, surely his immense strength would allow him to rip it out of the ground. Even though his keen observational talents normally helped him in all situations, he somehow missed the flash of Korvka's blade in the torchlight.
Korvka's eyes went wide when the werebear gripped her tree and, with some effort, managed to heave it away. Had the roots been able to sink into the rock further it might have proved more difficult a task, but since the cave floor was hard stone, her tree roots were prevented from penetrating the rock too much and the tree ripped up. Michael was near her, his great arms around the tree and his side facing her. Without much time to think, just reacting, Korvka took a few steps away from him down the tunnel and then began to sprint towards the large form of the bear. Though she was short, she figured that she could possibly bring the large form down further and aimed a slice at Michael's knee.
Michael let out a roar of pain as the blade of her scythe sliced into his knee. He dropped the tree and dropped back down to all fours. He saw Korka being so close and took the opportunity to swipe at her with his huge hand. He made sure not to use his claws as he didn't want to seriously hurt her.
Delighted though she was that her scythe sunk neatly into Michael's knee,
Korvka was now dangerously close to her opponent. The tree fell with a loud crash that echoed down the hall and she tried to scramble away, dislodging her weapon from his flesh. As his retaliatory swipe came at her, she was not quick enough to avoid it and his paw connected with her side. She went flying back and collided with the cave wall, finally crumpling into a heap. Her scythe flew out of her hand as she hit and she immediately shot a vine out towards it, bringing it back in her grasp. However, all of this took some time and she was not prepared for another attack, if one was to come.
Michael saw his opportunity and took it. He lunged for his opponent aiming to simply pin her down. His knee was still in pain, but his healing factor was taking care of it rather quickly. He simply didn't want to hurt her, only to prove he was a formidable foe not dominant.
Korvka felt a heavy paw on her shoulder, keeping her on the floor. However, in her hand was her new, lightweight, durable weapon that she intended to mark him with more than just once. Her heart was beating quickly, sweat forming at her brow and she struggled to try and raise her arm, gritting her teeth with the effort. When she realized she couldn't, she went for her second best option. Angling her palm towards Michael, she began to grow a long jagged stick, looking as if it had been broken off a sturdy tree. Focusing her energy to keep the thing growing forward instead of pushing her hand back when it met with resistance, Korvka hoped that the makeshift spear would penetrate the werebear's tough hide.
Michael felt the branch as it began to pierce his side and quickly used his other hand to grab her wrist and twist it, both dislodging the spear and aiming her palm elsewhere. His knee was healed completely, but now his side was in pain. He roared in Korvka's face, only inches away. If she could she would have smelt the sandwich that he had only a half hour ago.
Crinkling her nose at the scent of Michael's roar,
Korvka struggled against his grasp. With one paw on her shoulder and the other smashing her hand, she only had her feet left to her, and she'd never tried to grow anything using her feet. However, the length of the werebear's body was too long to aim a kick at his most sensitive parts so she began kicking at him wherever she could reach, which was probably about his sternum, still gripping her scythe though it was currently useless.
Michael began laughing inside his own mind.
She's a fiesty one that's for sure. She has lost and is still trying to fight! I better stay on her good side, he thought. He quickly snapped his jaws at her face, not to actually bite her, but to prove that he won. He then simply let her up and lazily made his way back to his clothes. He picked up the tattered remains of his pants and showed them to Korvka and made a little grunt.
Please understand what I'm trying to say, I'm kinda naked under this fur and need some pants!
"VOT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?"
Korvka asked hotly as she saw Michael ambling off. Angrily, she got to her feet quickly and grew a heavy hunk of wood, chucking it shortly after at his skull. "You quit?" she asked incredulously. Just what she needed, for some newcomer to assume that he'd won just because his big brute strength had her on the ground. "Next time, I'm making thorns come out of every part of my body, asshole!" she retorted as she walked past him, clicking her scythe back into place. "Xavier, this new one needs to be taught how ve fight here," she said towards the sky. Then, with a flip of her ponytail, Korvka disappeared out of the Danger Room and into
X-Men Hall Complex.
The Danger Room went back to its placid, dormant state, the grey panels returning. The voice of Xavier was then heard. "Michael, though Kovka's display was somewhat less than polite, she brings up a good point. Assuming that a fight is over before your opponent has exhausted all their resources can be insulting. From now on, let me decide when the fight is over, all right?"
Michael watched in confusion as Korvka stormed out of the Danger Room.
But...I could have killed her. I...I just don't understand, he thought to himself. Xavier's words seemed far off to him as he still crouched with the remains of his pants in his hands. He stood up and stretched a little bit. His body began to shrink and return to his normal human form, naked as he was. He picked up his shirt and held it above his privates as he picked up his shoes. "I am sorry, but I felt that I won. I guess that was arrogant of me. Any way I could get some pants to that I could try and apologize to her?" He looked around awkwardly hoping for some sort of assistance. His stomach growled angrily as the energy drain from his change hit him. "And maybe a pizza?"
Xavier, having read what Michael thought, replied as follows. "Do not underestimate my students, Michael Moonfrost. You are strong, but so are they. Your plans to apologize are warranted. As for pants and pizza, you'll have to give me a moment," he said and his voice trailed off.
Michael nodded to himself and went and sat over against the wall nearest the door. He began to think about the whole fight, realizing that Korvka was indeed a formidable opponent. He just didn't want to actually hurt a woman, so he held back.
Xavier wheeled in after a moment or so had passed. To anyone who hadn't seen him before, the fact that he was in a wheelchair might have deluded them into thinking that he was less powerful than he really was, but the stern and authoritative expression would have discouraged such thoughts. However, there was a twinkle in his eye and the slightest makings of a smile that would have made Michael feel very welcome. "Hello, Michael. I am Professor Xavier, the headmaster of the School for Gifted Youngsters. I don't know how well these will fit you but another of our residents also happens to be a large man and has agreed to lend these to you. I believe you have already met, his name is Vladimir, also the brother of your sparring partner," he said, tossing Michael a pair of baggy basketball shorts, grey in color. "As much as I would love to have introductions, I'm afraid it is rather late in the day, Mr. Moonfrost. Retiring to your dormitory would be best for now," he suggested with a little nod.
"I guess we will have to continue this discussion in the morning then,"
Michael said as he, awkwardly, slipped on the shorts while still trying to cover himself. His stomach suddenly had a sharp pain which reminded him of the strain on his body that he just had. "Um...is there a kitchen near my dorm? Shifting back and forth like that takes a lot of energy. I need some food...bad." He quickly slipped his shirt on over his head and put his shoes back on.
Xavier averted his eyes when Michael was pulling on his clothes. "Yes, there is a kitchen on the third floor down the East Hall. If you have any trouble, I'm sure that there are still students awake there. Good night, Michael, and welcome to the X-Mansion." With that, Xavier caused his wheelchair to propel itself out of the room.
Michael watched as the man left and glanced around the room once more.
I believe I will end up spending a lot of time in this room, he thought. He smiled to himself and walked out into the
X-Men Hall Complex, hoping to be able to apologize to Korvka at some point.
Stumble!