The Wilder Side

Chapter 3

"Storm... help..." John's pleads were strained as he called out to his mentor.

Ororo looked up and glared at the young girl.

"Jericho, let go of John! You're going to break his neck!" Ororo said and Jericho immediately let him go, his body hitting hard against the concrete. He groaned out in pain and curled up in a ball, calling out with fake cries.

Ororo sent her out of the bunker and Jericho's tour of the school ended. She didn't want to be around the Avengers anymore and wanted to go find Logan and make him take her to the movies. But instead, she sat outside in the scorching sun. Steve had told her more members of his team would be arriving soon, including the creator behind it all, Nicholas Fury. The director wanted to speak with Professor X. Jericho hissed at the sun and tried to find some shade.

"What do your parents think about you being a mutant?" Tony Stark asked her as he approached. Jericho narrowed her eyes at him.

"What's it to you?" She snapped back. Tony didn't take offense and shrugged.

"A lot of parents aren't too thrilled to find their child has some wacky power. I've seen cases where abuse has taken place, common between mutants. I was just curious," he responded calmly. Jericho stared at the grass beneath her.

She knew a lot of parents didn't know how to handle when their child began to show symptoms of a mutation, especially since they were so out-casted by the rest of the community. She had seen it first hand with Bobby's family. They wanted to be okay with it, but they weren't. Jericho doubted they would ever accept their son's uniqueness. Bobby's brother most definitely did not like them, that much was seen during their last visit to the Drake household.

"My family is back in my homeland. A little village called Mawlynnog, residing in the northeast of India. It's beautiful there, but in a tight village like that, everyone knows everything about everyone. So when I suddenly disappeared between a shadow and was found crying in the dark, everyone knew I was one of them. An extramundane being, they called me. I think that was being nice though. Words like freak, monster, and abomination were thrown around, but never in my presence. My parents didn't know what to do. They isolated themselves from me in general."

"I'm sorry."

"Why? I'm glad they did that. I wasn't abused, sold or bullied... I was merely ignored. It could've been a whole lot worse."

"It still sounds bad."

"Don't worry your tiny head about it. Logan found me 2 weeks later and bought me here. I now have control over my mutation and one day, despite their ignorance towards me, I would like to go back to India soon to see my parents. It's been about 8 years since I've last seen them." Tony Stark was about to make a comment on Jericho's tale, but he never got to. She suddenly stood to her feet when she heard an unfamiliar engine approaching the school. A black van with tinted windows stopped right in front of the entrance of the school.

A man stepped out, decked in a trenchcoat and eye patch. He looked around with and stopped when he saw Stark with Jericho. He slammed the door shut and approached them.

"I assume they agreed to help with the program, Stark," the man said. He looked to Jericho, who only frowned at him.

"Is this one of the participants?" He asked. Tony was about to neglect when Jericho scoffed.

"Bite me."

The mutant turned on her heels and stalked to the mansion, passing Hank and Charles on the way.

"No amount of churros is worth hanging around the Avengers."

~

Jericho knew she would be called to the professor's office again. She just had to wait for the call. She laid around in her dorm and was still as Kitty painted her nails a deep red.

"I was offered to join the program..." Kitty started. Jericho glanced at her and hummed.

"I'm assuming you said yes."

"Of course. It's a chance to make a difference," Kitty mused and began to blow on her friend's nails to dry the polish. Jericho hummed again.

"I'm not joining," she said when she saw a familiar gleam in Kitty's eyes.

"But Bobby, Rogue, and I are all going! And maybe John will join us too," Kitty continued excitedly. Jericho narrowed her eyes.

"I'd rather spend my days eating pretzels with Logan instead of running around battlefields," she grumbled. Kitty was in a deep speech about why Jericho should join when a knock was heard at the door. Jericho sighed. This was the call she expected. As she opened the door, Hank looked at her with pity in his eyes.

"Sorry, Jericho."

"Just lead the way, McCoy."

This time, when she arrived at the professor's office again, she was beyond annoyed. She just wanted a peaceful Saturday in her dorm listening to the new records John had bought with her friends and a bucket of popcorn. Yet here she was, facing the director of the Avengers and Professor X.

When she entered, the same man from outside was there, looking as angry as ever. The other Avengers were there but Jericho noticed two new people.

One was a blond man with sunglasses on his head. He had a bow swung over his back and stood next to Natasha.

The other man stood next to Steve and the first thing she noticed was his metal arm that caught the sunlight beaming through the window. His hair stopped by his shoulders and it covered most of his face but Jericho could see his bright blue eyes. They were the brightest eyes she had ever seen, even debunking Bobby's. She suddenly felt intimidated by everyone in the room.

"Jiji, this is Director Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. He would like to tell you more about the program you will be participating in-"

"I never said yes."

"Just hear him out," Charles said and Jericho grunted. Nonetheless, she slumped down in a chair next to the professor and stared back at the director.

"Jericho Kaur, my name is Nicholas Fury and I want to tell you about M.U.D."

*unedited*