Extremes #9: Day of Extremities

	"I can't stand it anymore!" a person, seemingly in agony, cries out in
pure torture.
	Through the main hall of the Boy's Dormatory, of the Massachusetts
Academy, Alex Davidson, leaps into action, running to the source of the
anguishing wail. He magnetically glides down the stairs, refusing to be
thwarted by the action of actually racing down all fifty, for sake of
time. Reaching the bottom, Alex confronts an ocean of teams, coming from
non other than his best friend, Drew Ebon.
	"Waaaa!!" Drew sobs.
	Realizing his impulsive stupidity, Alex screams, "You idiot! When you
yelled, I thought someone was in real trouble. How do you explain this
preadolescent behavior?!!"
	Drew whimpers, looking up toward his confidant, with a lamentable look.
	"Drew, don't even think I'm falling for that poor pitiful act you
always put on every time you get into trouble!"
	"Don't yell at me, I've got a headache," Drew recomposing himself.
	Alex sighs, "I give up. Anyway, noodle-brain, why're you crin'?"
	As thoughts reenter Drew's mind, he starts to whimper once more, "Well,
-sniff-, I just can't stand being in this school. I need to be around
others. I miss my friends way too much, I . . ."
	"We've only been here just a couple of days. How can you be already
depressed about leaving home?"
	"I get depressed easily. You know that."
	"And why we're at it, why are you suddenly saddened when yesterday and
the day before, you were beaming with placidity?"
	"I don't know."
	"You . . . don't . . . know?"
	"Nope."
	Alex lifts up the coffee table and slams it upon Drew's head, making
him fall to the ground.
	"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!"
	Breathing heavily, Alex stares at his fallen comrade.
	"Hey, that hurt!" Drew yells.
	"It was meant to!" Alex scolds.
	"Why you little  . . . !" Drew grunts, releasing a telekinetic blast
from his hands at Alex.
	"You're gonna pay for that!"
	Alex and Drew start fighting with their uncanny abilities, ravaging
everything in the way of the carnage.
	"Do they always act like this?" Everett asks Paige, both of them appear
suddenly.
	She replies, "Afraid so."
	"They're going to get expelled before their first week here."
	"Tell me about it."
	
	"Alex, it's time for our first exercise in the ‘Danger Grotto, ‘" Drew,
dressing in his room for the session, says to Alex through a telepathic
link. "You'd better get ready."
	"Fine!" Alex yells, already dressed. "He'd better be out of that mood
he's been in since this morning."
	"Well, what are you waiting for?" Drew asks, standing at the doorway of
Alex's room. "Let's go."
	"You know something, Drew? You're really getting on my nerves."
	"Good," Drew sticks out his tongue.
	"You are so childish!" Alex walks over to Drew.
	"Childish?! Well at least I'm not some barbarian like the person I'm
staring at right now. You're the one who almost broke my arm, trying to
magnetically seize me."
	"Barbarian? You're the one who almost destroyed the whole school!"
	"That was an accident."
	They stand in silence, staring into each other's eyes. They begin to
laugh.
	"I'm sorry, Alex, I shouldn't have yelled at you."
	"It's okay, Drew. I'm sorry for getting into so many fights with you.
Truce?"
	"Truce. Now let's go to the Grotto."
	"Yeah," he says, both running out of the door.

	Withing the depths of the Academy, lies three sub-levels. On the first
sub-level, Jubilation Lee walks hastily to the Medical Room.
	"I told Mr. Cassidy I would watch over Gareth today. I am so late! It
seems as if all time is going berserk."
	Jubilee gasps from loss of breath when she enters the Medical Lab.
	"Poor guy," she thinks. "Ever since the Inner Circle incident, he's
been in a near comatose state. We don't even know anything about him
either. We only know his name."
	Jubilee walks over to the young boy, Gareth Williams, who's lying still
upon one of the beds, oblivious to the outside world, and sits next to
him.
	"Who are you, Gareth?"

	"Where are they? We're going to be so late!" screams Paige, walking on
the school grounds, heading over to the Danger Grotto. 
	"Sorry we're late!" Drew wails, waving to her.
	"Well, you should be. Do you know how long I've been waiting?"
	"No, actually. Are we that late?" asks Alex, looking at his watch. "The
time's one o'clock. The exact time we were supposed to be here."
	"Really?" Paige says in puzzlement. "I could've sworn that I've been
waiting here for an hour, which to me was one o'clock. Strange."
	"Yes, " Drew says.
	"Oh, well, let's go!" yells Alex, running into the gigantic chamber
that is the Danger Grotto. "I want to do some training.
	Paige laughs and starts to run also, but Drew stops her, reaching out
for her shoulder.
	"Paige, hold up. You do know that Alex and I are only staying here a
few weeks, right?"
	Distraught encases Paige's sweet face. "What? Really? Why are you going
so soon?"
	"Well, we thought it would be better not to stay here as long as we
could, but that doesn't mean we aren't on the same team anymore. Alex
and I are going to act as scouts, looking for other younger mutants.
There are some very young children out there who's gotten their powers
before when they were supposed to. Those children need our help. Alex
and I . . . we're going to be still a part of Generation X, just not
around any of you. We'll come back sometimes though, and we'll see each
other. Whenever there's a problem, you can contact us and we'll be there
when you need us. I promise . . ."
	"Hey, you guys!" screams Alex. "I'm not getting any younger here so
come on!"
	Drew and Paige lock eyes for a moment and then start racing to the
Grotto.


This is where is story splits. The first ending is not the origianl, but
the second is. 
The original version will lead off into a whole new story.


	Within it is a place filled with life, as trees, grass, flowers, and
other naturales. A total realistic room for the students of the Academy
to harness their superior-like powers. The Danger Grotto is to
thoroughly discipline them to harness and domineer the powers that they
each have been given. Because of recent confrontations with Sean
Cassidy, the headmaster of the Massachusetts Academy, and the students,
technology of higher standards have been run throughout the Grotto. Ms.
Frost, the headmistress, has also confronted Sean on this matter. An
authentic nature atmosphere cannot fully help the students harness their
power unless they use each other as ‘target practice.' Within the walls
of the chamber, there are holographic projectors. In the natural
landscape, holographs will be used for the students' betterment. Along
with the holographs there are robots, which are ‘covered' by the
holographs, that emit the same powers as those they are imatation.
Fortunately, the system is run on a danger free mode in which no one can
get hurt, except for the robots.
	"You guys ready?" Paige asks as they all draw closer to one another,
back to back, near the center of the training room. "No telling what Ms.
Frost or Mr. Cassidy has planned for us. To tell you the truth, this is
really my first time to actuallt train in here myself. Guess we're on
the same level here."
	"Right," Drew says, preparing for what's to come.
	"This might be an individual session, so we'll probably be split up if
it is."
	"Alright, Paige," Alex joins the conversation.
	"Drew Ebon, you are mine!" yells a sinister voice behind him.'
	Turning around he sees a woman, looking similar to that of an X-Man
named Jean Grey-Summers, hovering in the air as fire surround her.
	"Fill the power of the Dark Phoenix!"
	The ‘Phoenix' holds her hand out as a claw, acting like the woman's
arm, comes forth, in the same fire surrounding her. The claw grips Drew,
but suprisingly, the fire doesn't burn. Realizing the truth that the
fire is made up of telekinetic energy, Drew manipulates the psionic
energies and hurls them back at its owner.
	‘Com'on, birdie, show me what you got!" he yells a psionic blast at the
Phoenix.
	
	"Wow, Drew's doing prett good," says Alex.
	"Yeah," Paige remarks. "I wonder why they put him against the Phoenix
though."
	"Why?"
	"The Dark Phoenix is pure psi-energy. One of the X-Men's most netorious
villains. They oculd hardly beat her, but in actuality, they didn't. She
killed herself. I wonder if Drew can handle this."
	"Don't worry about your friend! I'll take care of you!" someone yells
as a plasma blast hurls at Paige and Alex.
	"Havok!" screams Alex, remembering his captor.
	"Alex, block his blasts with your magnetic shield! I'l ltake care of
him!"
	"Oh, you really think you can get me, hayseed?"
	"I . . . HATE . . . TO BE CALLED . . . HAYSEED!!!"
	Paige Guthrie, also known as Husk, charges after the computerized
Havok. Before he can react, Paige sheds the skin on her right arm,
revealing a rocky substance. She plunges her fist into Haovk's face,
knocking him over.
	"Alex, now!"
	Letting down his magnetic shield, Alex Davidson, Syntex, encases the
weakened Havok in a magnetic lock. By doing this, the artificial Havok
dissappears.
	"What happened with Havok?"
	Wiping her forehead, Paige says, "The session is over with Havok. Once
finished, the holographs disappear."
	"Oh."

	"I think I like the flame effect that the Phoenix is using. I know!
I'll just manipulate my psionic energy's appearance to be in the form of
flame," Drew thinks to himself, as his psionic energy flows all around
him in the form he wished, and then saying aloud, "Now, Phoenix, feel
the power of Ebon. Ebon Tidal Wave Blast!"
	The blue-shaded psionic flame disperses his body and covers the
Phoenix. The bright flame of the Phoenix dies away and the holograph
dissipates.
	"That sure was awsome, Drew!" yells Alex, magnetically hovering the
place where Drew's opponet once was. "Cool new effect, too."
	"Thanks," Drew breathes deeply. "I saw you two in action, also. You
make a great team."
	Alex blushes at the choice of words given off by his friend.
	"Yeah, well, Generation X is based upon teammwork. I tell you
something, though," she says walking out of the structure with Drew,
"it's very hard to get Jubilee to be in the teamwork gig."
	"Yeah, I can believe it!" Drew laughs.
	Alex walks behind them, frowning.
	"Perkup, Alex," comes Drew's telepathic call. "I'm sorry, Paige and I
have been friends for a while and you two haven't. Don't blame her for
being like this okay. You have a girlfriend back home, remember?"
	"Drew, there's something I've got to tell you," Alex says as they all
go through the front door. "Katie and I . . . well . . ."	
	"Broke up?"
	"Yeah, but how did you know?"
	"That's not important. Anyway, don't fret, everything will turn out
fine, okay? We'll be back in Tullahoma in no time."
	"Do you want to go back?"
	"I'm not sure, Alex. I really like it here at the Academy, but I do
miss my other friends, as I'm sure you so as well."
	"Yeah, I understand. I do guess that we should be looking for more
mutants though. A lot of people could get hurt. Those kids need us."
	"See ya, Paige," Drew says as he and Alex leave Paige to go to their
dorm living room. "Well, Alex, I don't know if we're going straight home
after our training here."
	"Really?"
	"Ms. Frost said to me the other day that she thought we should go to
Muir Island."
	"Muir Island? That sounds familiar," Alex says scratching his head.
	"Yes, it's run my Moira Mactaggert. The ‘British X-Men' are over there
as well."
	"Excalibur, right?"
	"Right. Anyway, they've just built in their own Cerebro over there. The
only way to work the thing is there's a psi-based mutant there, and
there aren't any, so . . ."
	" . . . so Ms. Frost thought that we should go over there to help them
out? Sounds cool."
	"Yeah. We would also be going there with the Academy's younger league."
	"Younger league?"
	"We don't see them often because they live in a tree house in the
Danger Grotto."
	"Isn't that a little bit . . . dangerous?"
	"Not really, since the room is equipped with sequrity locks. One of
them is Franklin Richards . . ."
	"Hey, I've heard of him. He's is the son of Reed and Susan Richards,
right?"
	"Right, but how did you know that?"
	"My father told me about him."
	"Oh. The other two are Leech, who can ‘cut-off' anyone's mutant power
by being near them, and Artie, who projects astral images of what he
thinks. It's the way that he talks. They need supervision, and since
Generation X is so busy, they hardly have time to watch over them.
Franklin's powers are so strong that he needs to be in a calm
environment."
	"Any you wouldn't call this one?"
	"No, not really. We also want to know the limits to his powers. Muir
has a lot of technology that could help us. So, what do you think? You
want to go to Muir Island?"
	"Sure! What about Gareth?"
	"Oh, he'll be comin along, too. It doesn't look as if he's going to wak
up any time soon anyway. It's be better if he were taken there to be
cared for."
	"Have Mr. Cassidy or Ms. Frost found anything on him yet?"
	"No, but he did have a wallet. He had a card in there that said his
birthplace was in Anchoracge, Alaska."
	"Alaska?! So why was he in New York?!"
	"We don't know, but we've did try to look for any relatives but we
couldn't find any."
	"So his parent might be dead. And if that's the case, he probably went
to an orphanage. It could've been near New York."	
	"You know something, Alex, I think you might be onto something. I'll
give this information to Mr. Cassidy later tonight. Ahhhhhh!!" Drew
screams, holding his head.
	"Drew, what's wrong?!"
	"Jubilee . . . something's wrong?"
	"What do you mean?"
	"A got a psionic cry from her. Something's happened to her. We've got
help her!"
	Drew's psionic energies envelope him and with his mighty telekinetic
power, he flies down the stairs.
	"Hey, hold up. Where is she?" Alex asks over the stair balcony.
	"The first sub-level of the Academy. Alex, get movin'!"
	Alex magnetically flares his body and jumps over the balcony. They fly
as fast as they can with their little knowledge of their powers.
	"We don't have time for this!" Drew screams. "I sense Jubilee right
below, so . . . I call upon the psionic energies that are mine to
command!"
	Drew aims his hands at the ground as surging telekinetic force propels
from them to his target, creating a gigantc hole.
	"Alex, collect the debris!"
	"Right!" he says doing so.
	Drew jumps down thorugh the hole and says, "Okay, guy or gal, what've
you done to Jubilee?"
	Clearing the smoke with but thought, Drew looks down in horror.
	"Jubilee! She unconscious!  Alex, go get the others! You'll pay for
that -gasp- Gareth?!"
	"Yes! Her energy was very fulfilling!" Gareth hovers in the air.
	"Oh, no! Madelyne's influence on him still hasn't withdrawn from him."
	"Wrong! I'm my own person now! I'm not gonna let anyone tell me what to
do anymore. I'll punish all those who have hurt any one else! They'll
pay for what they've done. I'm not going to let any more people get
harmed! Do you hear me?"
	"Yes, Gareth," Drew says, coming closer to him, "but what will vengence
solve? Nothing. Do you really want to become like those you fear?
Gareth, please, don't do this."
	"Why should I listen to you?  I can't trust you and I can't trust
anyone!"
	"Then I'll prove it. I've let my telekinetic shield down, allowing me
to get hurt by your powers. Gareth, with your powers, you can do a lot
of good in this world, or you can use them for hatred. Don't let hatred
consume you. Together, all of us can make a differece. Will you join
us?"
	"Uhh . . . yes," he says weakly.
	"Now, rest, you'll need your strength."
	Drew uses his psionic power to make Gareth go to sleep and then his
telekinesis carries Gareth back to his bed.
	"Drew, what's wrong?" asks Emma Frost as she, along with the rest of
Generation X, come dashing through the hole.
	"It's okay, Ms. Frost. Everything's taken care of."
	"Jubilee!" Everett screams, picking Jubilee and laying her on one of
the other beds.
	"What happened?" asks Monet.
	"Let's just say that Gareth had a little relapse from the dark side."

	Next issue . . . Drew, Alex, and their new mysterious friend, Gareth,
go to Muir Island and meet Excalibur, the X-Men of Britain . . .and the
Extremes are finally born!