Marvel Retold: X-Men, Part Six
[Scott moves in front of the unconscious Professor X]
Scott Summers: The Professor did more for me in five minutes than you ever did! I’m not letting you hurt him!
Jack [advancing]: You had yer chance, kid. You ’n’ me, we coulda had it all: money, fame, all the tri-tips we could eat. I should’a known you were too SOFT t’keep up wi’ me. S’too bad, but this’s how it ends fer you.
[Scott shields Professor X, turning away from Jack]
[15 seconds later, Scott glances up. Jack is still laboriously moving forward]
Scott: You… okay, Jack?
Jack: Shaddap! I’m’a… nnngh… kick… RRRRG
Scott [standing]: Your new diamond body… it’s heavier, isn’t it? Slower!
Jack: NRRAARRRR WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU
Scott [laughing]: Always going on about how tough and hard you are! And now look at you. You’re the hardest man in the world. But that means nothing if you can’t avoid THIS:
[Scott walks over, plants a finger on Jack’s forehead and pushes. Jack topples over with a thundering crash, still struggling to move.]
Jack: Dammit, kid! Stand me up so’s I can BEAT you!
Scott [checking on Xavier]: Y’know, Jack, I looked up to you. I admired you. I wanted to be strong, like you. But you never taught me anything. You never had a nice thing to say.
[Scott hunkers down over Jack’s supine body, staring him in his face]
Scott: I wanted you to be my father. But you weren’t even my friend. I may be a slow learner, Jack, but at least I got there eventually. And… I hope you do too.
[Scott pats Jack’s head, leaves the room pushing Xavier’s wheelchair, as sirens sound.]
Jack: Hey! HEY! Where y’goin’? You better… kid! Uh… wha’sis… SCOTT! Scott, c’mere! I… I’m sorry! Lissen! Hey, we c’n… let’s start over! We’ll, uh… we’ll go play Pac-Man or sumpin’! Scott! SCOTT! YOU GOTTA FEED MY FISH FOR ME
[Later, at Xavier’s mansion]
Scott: How are you feeling, Professor?
Professor X: I’m very much improved, Scott, thank you for asking.
Scott: Sir, what’s going to happen to Jack?
Prof X: Well, I believe he’ll be transferred to the Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. facility, where, if I understand it correctly, his diamond form will be studied, between rounds of staring at a photograph of you while Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s In the Cradle” plays on loop.
Scott: Harsh. What’s our next move?
Prof X: Cerebro has identified a young mutant in Long Island who needs our help. But first, your room.
Scott: I get a room?
Prof X: Of course! Did you think I was going to leave you to fend for yourself on the street?
Scott: I… thought I’d get a job and find a place to rent.
Prof X [leading Scott through a hallway]: Scott, this mansion is now Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters. But it’s also a safe haven for all mutants. More and more of us appear every day and suffer distrust, persecution and raised prices at local boba outlets. My goal is to prepare the world for the time when we can all live together in peace. You’re here to learn how to live among humans by mastering your mutant abilities so they will learn that they have no reason to fear you. It’s a full-time job, and you can’t focus on that if you’re working at Walgreen’s.
[They arrive at a closed door.]
Prof X: Thus: your room.
[Scott opens the door and enters, examining a well-appointed, natural wood bedroom with a window overlooking the front yard of the estate.]
Scott: Professor… this is beautiful. I don’t know what to say.
Prof X: That’s all right Scott, I’m a telepath; I know EXACTLY how you feel. I’ll just leave you to settle in. [Xavier turns, wheeling down the hallway.] We’ll leave for Long Island tomorrow morning.
Scott: … can I put up my Hatsune Miku posters?
Prof X [telepathically]: Ask your mother.
[sizzling sounds]
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT STORY ARC, TRUE BELIEVERS
