Issue #3

Ian woke up early in the morning, as he usually did, but today was a bit different. Ian woke up with enthusiasm. He sat up from his bed and grabbed his weight, ready to keep on the grind. But as he lifted it, he noticed that something was quite different about it.

" Huh? This feels... Lighter. It's not as heavy as it was yesterday." Ian commented. As he lifted up the weight, he noticed not only was it a little easier to handle, but he even noticed his arms were a little bigger than before. Which to him meant progress. Ian's always been described... Well as a runt, a beanpole. " Haha!" Ian chuckled with glee. A feeling of joy filled him completely to the brim. There was hope, maybe he could never walk on his. But he could make his life a little bit better, even if only slightly.

Ian quickly got to work, repeatedly curling the dumbbell. As he lifted the weight, he found it he wasn't getting tired as fast.

" Heh Thirty already? Heh! I can do more." Ian chuckled. He continued lifting the dumbbell well past his former best. Thirty, forty, fifty with ease. It wasn't until Ian got to sixty where his arm started to struggle with the weight in his hand. " Gaaah! Come on, ye weak basterd. Ye can do it."

Ian tried to keep going but was forced to drop the weight due to his exhaustion.

He felt a throbbing sensation in his arm and knew he might have over done it a bit.

But he was determined. Determined to make a difference. So, he picked it up again and got started on his left arm. Repeating the process.

" Whew, I did it. This is gonna be so epic. Just watch." Ian exclaimed. He turned and looked at his clock and sighed. " Time for classes again. Great." Ian spoke. His excitement briefly retreating. He reached over for his canes and pulled himself to his feet.

Ian quickly, as quick as he could anyway, got up and ready for school. Once he was done, he hobbled out of his room and towards the elevators.

" Putting the handicapped kid, a floor above his classes. What a great idea." Ian complained. He got into the elevator and took it down to the floor below.

Later.

" Alright, class. Take out your homework and we can get started." Bobby Drake spoke. He was the teacher responsible for the math classes.

The class groaned and everyone started shuffling around for their bags.

Ian reached down and pulled out his homework and placed it on the desk. Meanwhile behind him, Julian and the others were complaining again.

" Dude, this sucks so much. I didn't understand any of it." Julian complained.

" Maybe if you would pay attention, you wouldn't have that problem, Julian." Cessily told the boy.

" Yeah, but I was paying attention and I still didn't understand half this math crap." Julian replied.

" Yeah, it was kind of a bummer." Brian huffed.

" Hey, what about you, Ian. Did you think the homework was hard?" Cessily asked.

Ian turned and looked at the girl and shook his head.

" No, it was pretty easy. It only took me about ten minutes." Ian told the girl.

" See, Julian?" Cessily spoke. She turned to Julian and smirked at the boy in what she thought was triumph, but this only agitated Julian.

" Oh of course, the cripple's a nerd too. Who would have guessed." Julain joked.

" No, it was just common sense. I mean if you took the time to write down notes, Julian and actually used the textbook you'd have an easier time understanding it. It's pretty simple. I could help you out if you needed it." Ian told the boy. Despite being a bully, Ian still offered to help Julian out.

" I don't need your help cripple." Julian replied.

" Julian! Don't worry about him, Ian. He's just jealous he can't do it and oyu can." Cessily spoke up. She glared at Julian again and then turned back to Ian and smiled. " You know, I'd be happy to have your help. I mean, when I need it." Cessily spoke.

" Uh, sure Cess. I guess I could help. But I thought you were better at math than I was?" Ian asked. He didn't mind helping, but he was confused on why someone who was smarter than he was at math would need his help.

" Hey! Quiet back there!" Bobby shouted.

Ian and Cess both looked back towards the front of class, while Julian just yawned.

Later.

" Alright, I'll be around to pick up your homework sheets and pass out the new ones. Make sure to do it. Once again, we'll be having a test tomorrow and the homework will be the setup. So, make sure to ask questions and use your textbook as much as possible." Bobby explained. He then began going around the room collecting the homework sheets.

" Mr. Sinclair well done, once again." Bobby stated as he picked up the boy's sheet.

" Thank you, sir." Ian replied.

" Kiss ass." Julian remarked.

Ian twitched slightly and Bobby glared at the boy.

" So, Julian, cussing in class that's detention." Bobby spoke.

" WHAT?" Julian exclaimed.

" And I'm sure you have your homework done too, right?" Bobby asked.

Julian turned and hid his face in embarrassment.

" No." Julain groaned.

" I see. Well then it looks like you'll have time to make it up today. After class is over, I expect to see you here." Bobby told the boy. One thing he disliked in his class was bullies, and for the entire school Julian was one big problem.

" Yes sir." Julian replied.

Ian secretly laughed whil Julian was being berated by the teacher. It was good to see Julian get what was coming to him.

After finishing his lecture, Bobby resumed picking up homework, Julian however, wasn't finished with Ian.

He leaned over and grabbed Ian's shoulder hard.

" You little, punk. You did that on purpose. That's okay, just remember who the king is." Julian told the boy.

" Yeah, sure. I'll make sure to remember ye." Ian shrugged Julian off and turned back to the front.

" Hey Ian, want to walk to class together?" Cessily asked.

" You want to come with me?" Ian asked.

" Sure." Cessily replied. She nodded her head and Ian just stared at her.

" Okay, I don't see why not." Ian replied, not seeing the harm in having someone to talk to.

After being given his homework, Ian got up and left the classroom with Cessily.

" Dude, what's her problem?" Julain asked his boys.

" Dude, for someone who claims he's some kind of chick magnet, you sure are blind." Brian told the boy.

" What does that mean?" Julian asked.

Brian shook his head and got up from his seat to leave.

" Brian? Wait up man." Julian shouted as he and Santo both got up to follow.

Ian and Cessily bot walked towards their next class together, which just happened to be Mr. McCoy's class.

" So, what's up?" Ian finally asked.

" What do you mean?" Cessily asked herself.

" Well, I mean... Why aren't you walking with Julian and the others? You usually go to class with them." Ian asked the girl. He had never had a problem with Cessily, in fact outside of Megan, who talked friendly with everyone, Cessily was the only other person who ever took the initiative to speak with him.

" Well, I guess I got bored with Julian. By the way I want to apologize for him. I know he can be a bit of.... Well, a total jerk. But he really does have a good heart." Cessily explained.

" Oh yeah?" Ian asked. " Well, he certainly doesn't seem to have any place in his heart for me. But I thank ye anyway. For being nice to me that is. I think besides Megan, you might be the only person in the entire school who actually talks to me. So, thanks." Ian told the girl. To him it was nice that he had someone to talk to. Especially since the only ones who ever actually check up on him are the teachers, which in a way is them just doing their jobs, and Megan.

" No problem. And like I said don't worry about Julian. He'll come around eventually." Cessily replied.

Ian smiled and the two continued to their classroom.

Mr. McCoy's science class.

" Welcome students. It's good to see you all again." McCoy spoke. " Now, that everyone's here, let us all turn our pages to page forty-seven of our textbooks." Hank exclaimed.

Ian loved McCoy's class more than any of the others. Hank always brought a certain excitement to his lessons and Ian enjoyed it thoroughly.

After class was over Ian said his goodbyes to Cessily as he wouldn't see her again until English class with Scott, which would be after his lunch period.

Ian walked out of his classroom and began heading to his room, since he still couldn't use the danger room like everyone else, he had a free period to do whatever he wanted.

" I wish I could use the danger room... But at least now I have something to do with my free time other than watching Tv and playing games." Ian exclaimed. He smiled brightly, closing his eyes for a brief moment, and accidentally bumped into someone.

" Hey, watch where you're going!" When Ian looked up it was Julian he had hit.

" Oops! Sorry, Julian!" Ian replied.

" Sorry's not gonna cut it cripple." Julian's eyes flared green, signaling his use of his powers, and he started to levitate.

" Whoa, Julian... Now calm down a minute." Ian told the boy. He started inching backwards to avoid any further confrontation with Julian, who he was certain he couldn't beat.

Julian in turn shot a wave of green energy at Ian's feet causing the boy to stumble backwards.

" HAha! Look at you, cripple. Come on. Can't you defend yourself?" Julian asked.

" Julian, knock it off man. I'm serious." Ian stumbled again to keep himself up. ' He wouldn't really knock me over, would he?' Ian wondered. He wasn't sure. He knew Julian was a jerk, but he didn't think he'd intentionally hurt him. Unfortunately for Ian, Julian wasn't the only thing he had to worry about at the moment as his eyes were steadily turning blue, meaning that right now his disease was attacking.

" JULIAN! KNOCK IT OFF!" Cessily shouted at the boy. She ran up behind Ian and stood in front of him.

" What? Cess, he hit me." Julian exclaimed.

" Come on, Julian really? He hit you. The boy who can barely walk hit you." Cessily stated bluntly. She was unamused by Julian's antics this time as they both knew how serious. " Julian seriously just knock it off." Cessily demanded.

" Hmph, fine." Julian replied. He lowered himself back to the ground and pouted. " Whatever, do as you please." Julian spoke. He turned and started walking away, but not before throwing more gust of energy at Ian.

Ian saw the attack and tried to move, unfortunately the moment he stumbled away, his right leg broke.

" AHHHH!" Ian screamed in pain as his leg collapsed under him.

Julian and Cessily both watched in horror as Ian fell towards the ground.

He stuck his hands out to try and catch himself, but he still hit the ground hard, and his other leg broke from the force.

" Ian!" Cessily shouted and ran to help the boy, while Julian and the others watched. She kneeled down next to Ian and grabbed him.

" Oh fuck! Oh fuck! I'm gonna be in so much trouble." Julian exclaimed.

" What is going on out here?!" Scott came running out of his office when he heard the shouting. " Ian!" Scott ran over to the boy and grabbed him up off the ground. " What happened here?" Scott asked. He took one look at Julian and how his face was in shock and knew he was involved someway. " Cessily get to class, Julian you are to wait for me in my office." Scott told the boy.

He ran downstairs with Ian in his arms and into the medical lab, where Hank had gone after his class was over.

" HANK! WE GOT AN EMERGENCY!" Scott shouted.

Hank jumped down from the ceiling and after taking one look immediately snatched Ian from Scott's arms. He ran with the boy and placed him down on one of the operating tables and started taking x-rays of the broken legs to see how bad the damage was.

" How bad is it?" Scott asked.

" Bad scott. I'm gonna need to perform surgery. I need you to go get Kitty. I'll need her help and Emma's too." Hank told the man.

" Okay." Scott replied.

" How did this happen? I don't think he's ever had problems with his condition before." Hank asked.

" I'm not sure. But I'll tell ya what. I'm about to find out." Scott told the man. He raised his hand to his ear and radioed to Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost to report to the medical bay immediately. " I'll be right back." Scott spoke.