2 Chapter 2: Getting Some Info

Both Gunnar and Tatsumi approached the Capital gates standing possibly fifteen feet high. As they walked through the gates, five-story tall buildings stretched as far as the eye could see. And high on a ridge a dome towered over the city. Everyone was hustling and bustling around. It almost seemed like San Francisco to Gunnar when he and a team of his fellow X-Men had to deal with the mutant Avalanche.

"Oh man! The Capital's even bigger than I thought!" Tatsumi said as they both walked into the hive of civilization. "If things work out here, I can just buy the village."

"Tch! If you saw the cities back from where I'm from, you'd probably be too overwhelmed," said Gunnar.

"Well anyway, I better get to the barracks. Maybe we can both enlist."

"Thanks but no. Besides, I do better working alone. Still, I might get some information there so I guess I can tag along a little longer ."

The boys made their way to what Gunnar assumed to be a recruiting office with a shield and two swords crossed over it along with two flags with the same emblem. "Just you wait here, Gunnar. In a few moments, I'll be going in as a nobody and come back out as a somebody. With someone with my skills, I just might make due as a captain!" Tatsumi said with confidence. To Gunnar, it seemed more like overconfidence. But this seemed too fun to pass up to watch.

With a smile on his face, Gunnar nodded replying, "Yeah sure, go ahead kid. I'll just wait here and see you get the promotion." As Tatsumi went in, Gunnar shook his head and chuckled. "Ohh, this ought to be good." He then leaned against the wall of the building and waited.

-A few moments later-

Tatsumi gets thrown out of the recruitment office as Gunnar chortled. "Hey, can I at least take the test?!" Tatsumi asked the guy who threw him out.

"There's a depression going on! I've got more applicants than I can handle! I'm not gonna waste a spot on some stupid kid!"

"Huh? A depression?"

"Now get out of here!" The man then slammed the door leaving Tatsumi on the ground.

"Let me guess, they thought you weren't cut out for captain?" Gunnar asked sarcastically, still leaning back on the wall near the entrance.

Tatsumi sighed as he hung his head down, his arms folded in his lap. "Maybe I can stage a kidnapping and save the day in time," he muttered. The mutant clone rolled his eyes as he sighed in annoyance.

"Listen kid, did you honestly think that the military would just give you the position of captain like that? Everyone knows you got to start from the bottom, then work your way up to the top. The world doesn't always just hand you a solution to your problems in an instant. That's why we work for it, you dumbass."

Tatsumi agreed in disbelief. "Yeah, you're right. It'd be too obvious anyway."

"Hellooo!" said a female voice. Both Gunner and Tatsumi turned around to look to see a blond woman about Gunnar's age standing right behind him. Her hair was blonde and short with a voluptuous chest. What she wore, for lack of a better word, was revealing; a black tube top, detachable sleeves, pants, boots and a scarf around her neck. "What's with the long face, little guy?" she asked Tatsumi looking down at him. "It'll be alright. Big sis is here to cheer you up."

Gunner looked at Tatsumi who looked aghast at her big bosom. "I think I love this place," he said weakly.

"Try to focus here, buddy."

Gunnar raised an eyebrow in disbelief and shook his head. He very much doubted she came here to help them out. "And uh, who are you?" he asked her.

The blonde looked up to to see Gunnar. "The name's Leone," she said, holding out a hand to him to shake. "And who might you be, handsome?"

Gunnar looked at her hand for a moment, then took it smiling. "The name's Gunnar. The idiot staring at your tits is called Tatsumi."

"Dude!" he heard Tatsumi exclaim.

Gunnar's smile turned into a smug grin as he shook Leone's hand. He couldn't put a finger on it but there was something about Leone that seemed…animalistic, aside from her seeming cheerful and friendly. But Gunnar wasn't a complete idiot to fully just trust someone on the spot. "Let me guess..." Leone asked as the handshake was finished. "You both came here from the countryside in search for fame and fortune, didn't you?"

"He came here for fortune and fame." Gunnar explained, pointing at Tatsumi to emphasize his point before gesturing to himself. "I only came here for answers. I'm a stranger around these parts and I'm looking for some answers about what this place is exactly."

"How'd you know that?" asked Tatsumi as he got up.

"I've lived here for a long time." Leone continued as Gunnar folded his arms and listened. "By now, it's easy to spot a new face."

"Mhmm, I bet it is," said Gunnar, half convinced that that was true.

Leone then looked over to Tatsumi. "Hey, I know this secret to becoming an officer in the army super quick."

"Tell me!" Tatsumi said earnestly.

"You really wanna know?"

Tatsumi eagerly nodded his head.

"Oh, please do tell us this oh-so important secret." Gunnar asked in a sarcastic tone.

"Well, first you gotta treat me to lunch." Leone said smiling.

Gunnar frowned. "I knew this was just a scam," he thought to himself. "Seems like this bitch is just trying to look for an easy meal." He decided it was best to look elsewhere. "Well I'm sure Tatsumi can help you out there," he said to her. "I, on the other hand, am going to find what I need to know somewhere else, or rather from someone more…official."

'Official' was the best term he could put it. He would just tell Tatsumi that this was just a lie, but he figured he might as well just have to learn this the hard way. It wasn't any of his business anyway. "I guess I'll leave you two at it then. Tatsumi, catch ya later. Leone, it was nice meeting you. Take it easy." He then strolled off, unaware that he was being checked out by Leone as he walked away.

As Gunnar continued to walking through the marketplace, he could see the people looking at him strangely, muttering to one another and staring at him. "Probably should've grabbed some extra clothes," he thought to himself. "Then again, I'd still be looking strange to them."

Just then, Gunnar heard a voice from behind him, crying out "Someone stop him! He stole my necklace!" He turned into the direction behind him and saw a hooded man a few ways behind him trying to make his way through the crowd of people in a hurry. The mutant waited for just the right moment and when the man got closer to him, WHAM! Gunnar gave the guy a hard elbow to the face, knocking the man down on his ass.

The crowd gasped at what they saw with surprise expressions on their faces as Gunnar faced the man still on the ground, towering over him. "I believe you have something that doesn't belong to you," he said to the crook as he held out his hand. "Let's just make it easier for the both of us and just hand that necklace over, pal."

The hooded man was getting up as if he was about to hand the necklace over to Gunnar, then suddenly reached for a knife from his belt and stabbed him in the abdomen. There were gasps and screams from the crowd gathered around them. Gunnar flinched as he grabbed a man's arm, then looked at him pissed off look on his face. "And that-", he said to the thief in a threatening tone, "-is going to cost you big-time, little shit." Gunnar lifted his right arm, extended the middle metal bone claw from his hand, and stabbed the thief into his right shoulder.

The thief cried out in pain as he let go of the knife still in Gunnar's abdomen and clenched his stabbed shoulder. Gunnar then grabbed the thief by the throat as he removed his bladed claw from the thief's' shoulder and held it near his throat. "Last chance, asshole!" he said to the robber, his tone even more threatening. "Hand over the necklace or die right here, right now!"

The thief, struggling with the pain, had a fear in his eyes taking notice that the man in front of him wasn't dead or afflicted at all. He willingly handed the necklace over to the mutant hero as Gunnar sheaved his bladed claw and took it, his other hand still on the man's throat. Once he had the necklace in his possession, Gunnar threw the thief down to the ground. "Wise choice," he said.

The thief, still looking up at the X-Man with fear, asked him "What the hell are you?!"

"I'm complicated," was Gunnars' only reply to him.

Just after he said that, two of what Gunnar assumed were the city guards, had just made their way to the middle of the crowd. "He's all yours!" Gunnar said as he gestured to the thief on the ground clenching his wounded shoulder. The guards helped the thief up and took him away. As they did, Gunnar took out the knife from his abdomen, allowing his healing factor to take over. He then tossed the knife to a random kid in the crowd, saying to him "Here you go, kid! A little souvenir for ya!"

Gunnar turned his attention to the people around them. Holding up the necklace, he declared "Will the owner of this necklace please come forward and claim it?" Just after he said that, a long haired blonde woman, possibly in her mid to late thirties, stepped forward from within the crowd holding up her hand.

"That would be me, sir," she said. "Thank you so much, young man." She took the necklace from him but then noticed the wound on his abdomen. "Oh dear lord! I'm so sorry for what that man did to you! Please, let me take you to the nearest doctor."

Gunnar held up his hand to her in refusal. "Thank you, ma'am, but that won't be necessary," he said to her. "Besides, I've suffered worse injuries than this. I think I can be able to manage for the rest of the day, but thank you anyways."

"Even so, is there any way I can thank you for your noble deed?"

"Not really. Not unless you can explain to me what this...place is."

"I'd be happy to assist you in what you want to know. Have you anywhere to stay for the night?"

"Well, honestly no. I just got here and, again, I'm not all too familiar with this city. Or this country for that matter."

"If you come back with me, you're more than welcome to stay the night. At least until you know what to do or where to go next."

As kind as an offer like that was, Gunnar knew all too well about being wary of strangers. Especially if they're being nice to you. He remembered well the people back home in his universe and how they treated his kind. "Thank you all the same ma'am, but I don't think that'll be necessary."

"It will be no trouble at all! We have plenty of guest rooms and it doesn't look like you're completely prepared to pay for lodging anywhere in the Capital. At least allow us to wash that stain out of your clothes."

Gunnar thought it for a moment. She had a fair point. If he went with this woman, he could be at least able to get a spare change of clothes and hopefully, like she mentioned, be able to understand what kind of world he's found himself in. After considering it, he nodded his head in saying, "All right, lead the way."

The crowd cleared the way for the both of them as Gunnar followed the woman to the carriage that was waiting for them, guarded by two other guards who wore the same attire like the other guards. A carriage ride later, they arrived at her home; a mansion three stories high and roughly thirty feet wide.

Once through the doors, they were both greeted by who Gunnar assumed was her husband and daughter. "Welcome home, dear," said the husband to his wife as their daughter ran up to greet her with a hug. He then turned to look at Gunnar with a funny look on his face. "I don't believe we were expecting any entertainment tonight. Who is this young man?"

The daughter looked up from her embrace with a curious look on her face as well. "Oh I'm so terribly sorry!" the mother said just realizing she had forgot to ask for his name. "I didn't get your name, mister...."

"Gunnar. Gunnar Logan Howlett," the mutant exchanged a firm handshake with her husband. "This outfit is...just something I usually wear for my line of work."

"Hmm. What kind of work would that be, may I ask?"

"…security."

The wife then interjected. "Mr. Howlett here was brave enough to save me from being robbed this afternoon." She explained the situation that happened in town and the husband seemed very relieved that Gunnar stepped in to help stop the thief.

"It seems we're indebted to you, Mr. Howlett," the father said with a smile painted upon his face "Thank you for stopping that crook from stealing my wife's jewelry."

"It's no problem at all, sir," said Gunnar holding a hand up. "Just doing what was right."

"Allow me to show you to where you may stay for the night," said the wife. Gunnar politely nodded his head to the father as he allowed himself to be escorted up a small staircase to one of the large fancy guest rooms with a queen sized bed. "If you need to wash up, you are more than welcome to use the shower in the room just behind the bed," she said to him. "I'll send one of my servants to bring you a fresh pair of clothes and I'll have your clothes washed if you just leave them in front of the bathroom door. If you're feeling hungry later tonight, you're more than welcome to join us for dinner."

"Thank you ma'am. That's very kind of you," said Gunnar. The woman of the house gave him a little bow as he did so in return, then she left the room. When she did, Gunnar made a bee-line for the bathroom for a clean shower. He pulled back his hooded mask to reveal his rugged face in the mirror. He rubbed the a hand through his dark marine-cut hair, looking back at his reflection with his dark brown eyes. He could see that is five o'clock shadow was starting to show around his goatee. "Looks like I'm about due for another shave," he muttered to himself. "If they even do have razors in this universe." He closed the door behind him as he made himself ready for a good washing.

As he finished up with his shower, Gunnar stepped out of the bathroom to find a clean pair of clothes laid out on the bed for him, his costume assumingly taken to be washed. Once dressed, he made his way down to the large and spacious main living room with a small square table sitting in the middle near a small fireplace.

Sitting in one the seats was the father who raised a glass of whiskey to welcome him. "Ah Gunnar! I hope the clothes were to your liking," he said to him.

"It's something I didn't expect to see actually." Gunnar replied. He wasn't expecting these kind of clothes to be in this universe like his.

"Beg your pardon?"

"Never mind." Gunnar took a seat in the chair next to the father. The father poured a second glass of whiskey for the mutant and offered it him. Gunnar accepted the glass as he thanked him. He was already in his mid-twenties anyway so he figured he should just a glass or two. Soon after, the wife came in with a tray of snacks for the three of them to enjoy.

But just as they were about to help themselves, Aria came into the room with the two guards from earlier. "Ahh there's our little Aria," said the father. "How was your late night ride, dear?"

"It was another lovely night, father," said Aria.

"Our daughter enjoys a small ride around parts of the town," the mother explained to Gunnar.

"Forgive me for asking this, but isn't it a little dangerous to be out and about at this time of night?," Gunnar asked suspiciously.

"We always make sure she travels with sufficient escort. And we always have her stay away from only the worst parts of the town."

Still not convinced, Gunnar gave an understanding but not wholly convincing 'uh-huh' nonetheless less as he took a gulp of his alcoholic beverage. "Anyway,-" Aria continued on as the guards took their position near the fireplace on each side of her, "-I brought someone along so he could stay the night until he could land himself a job at the capital." She turned to the hall entrance and called in the person she picked up. Gunnar could footsteps entering the room and in walked a familiar brown bushy haired shrimp.

"Tatsumi?"

The kid looked just as surprised as he did when he saw the X-Man sitting with the family. "Gunnar?!"