X-Men: The Gifted Ones

40. HANK MCCOY'S' CLASSROOM, XAVIER MANSION, WEST CHESTER, NY

Hank normally looked forward to his afternoon robotics class. He loved giving the children a sense of awe and wonder as the parts they assembled went from wheels and sprockets to moving objects. He was teaching the students how to build a small electric motor today. The goal was to create a car that would gather up assignments and carry them to the front of the class.

Maybe one day, they would design jets...or powerful intelligence tools like Cerebro.

He didn't notice young Jason Stryker with a devious smile on his face. Jason had been upset at Hank for shutting him out of his room for the past few nights. How could Hank explain he wasn't there? He wasn't about to explain where he had been spending some nights, if only to get a reprieve from his young guest. He knew Polaris would never tell, but had Jason pried into his mind, or her mind, and found out? He thought it was likely. Jason seemed to despise Polaris when he had usually liked her before.

Hank only focused on explaining the way the engine worked. "You see here, the way the alternating current works is by..."

The children started laughing and Hank paused, uneasy. What was so funny?

"Who's big and blue and hairy too?" Shiro taunted.

"Beast is big and blue and hairy too!" the class replied in unison.

"Who's got feet that can throw poo?" Tyson sang, picking up the next verse.

Hank looked around in horror. How could they do this? Why would they? Shiro had always said he wanted to be like Hank when he grew up!

The class chanted, "Beast's got feet that can throw poo!"

"Sound off!" Allison shouted.

"Blue ass!" the class sang.

Ororo joined in, "Sound off!"

"Blue balls!"

Something wasn't right. Hank scanned the class in horror and realized that all the children are laughing except Jason. Hank suddenly realized he was in an illusion. None of it was real. He felt relieved that none of his students were actually singing such a wretched song about him. Jason was sitting at his desk, smiling and not saying a word.

"Jason! That is enough!" Hank cautioned. He glared at Jason and instinctively bared his teeth. Hank regretted it immediately. Normally, Jason went to him when he was upset, and now Hank had all but threatened the boy.

"That's what you get for visiting her," Jason glared, letting Hank know what he knew. "You don't sleep much in her room, either. She thinks you're in there right now. Go to her, and you'll laugh when you see what she's doing!"

"You're lying, Jason! Enough!"

Jason only replied by laughing maniacally. Enough is enough, Hank fumed inwardly. The boy has got to be stopped!