The Wilder Side

Chapter 5

Eclipse

Jericho confidently walked down the hall towards the training room. She had clearly won James Buchanan Barnes over with her charm and savvy ways and she could tell Steve felt left out. Basking in her newly acquired discovery, it became Jericho's new goal to win over each Avengers, not including Steve or Natasha. She knew they didn't really like her very much. Besides, Jericho liked the annoyed look Steve made whenever he saw Bucky and Jericho bonding.

"This thing is too tight. I feel like I'm suffocating," Jericho complained as she tugged on her new X-Men suit that apparently Hank had made the day they began to pester her about joining the team.

"It's the same as everyone else. We're representing, Jiji, remember that," Bobby whispered. Jericho frowned but didn't say a thing as she continued to pull at the yellow and dark blue suit.

They entered the training room and Steve stood tall with another man. As the mutants neared, they came to a clear stop.

"X-Men, this is Scott Lang. He will be your leader on overseas missions."

Jericho looked to the man standing next to the captain. He gave a childish wave and smiled.

"Each of you will start off in the simulator to determine your strength and skill," Steve said as he gestured to the machine behind them. It was similar to the one the mutants trained in back home.

"X-Men, step inside," Steve said. Kitty grinned and grabbed onto Jiji's hand before dragging her to the simulator. Everyone else followed and they stood together waiting patiently. Soon, the globe like thing dimmed and they couldn't see anyone outside the simulator.

"One by one, state your alias," Steve's voice rang over the microphone.

"Iceman."

"Pyro."

"Rogue."

"Shadowcat."

"No name."

Everyone turned to Jericho and she shrugged.

"I never got a name because I'm not technically an X-Men."

Steve sighed.

"Just come up with one."

Jericho groaned and frowned. She was never good at coming up with anything on the spot. Things like this needed thorough thinking, a black coffee, and three notepads.

"Eclipse! Her name is now Eclipse!" Kitty said and Jericho glared at her.

"What kind of bloody name is that-"

"Perfect, Jericho you are now Eclipse," Steve said, not really caring. Jericho crossed her arms and huffed.

"Great. I'm named after a stupid Twilight book now."

"Okay, X-Men, let's begin."

They waited as the machine came to life. The simulator began. It showed a battlefield in a field against a herd of strange-looking robots. The mutants looked around with curious eyes until they landed on their enemy. Bobby was the first to respond.

"Holy shit!" Bobby roared and immediately, the mutants scrambled in fear. Jericho and John were suddenly cornered between scraps of metal and a mechanical robot that seemed very keen on killing them. In a state of panic, Jericho grabbed John and they both disappeared into a shadow.

Steve watched as the two reappeared again out of Bobby's shadow.

"That is cool," Sam Wilson whispered from beside Steve. The captain flinched, he didn't expect anyone next to him. But when he turned back, he saw all of the Avengers had joined him to see the mutants evaluation. He rolled his eyes when he saw Tony offering Clint some popcorn.