Chapter 156: The Test

Leading Gwen away from the school, before Mike could say anything, Gwen lowered her head and said, "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry? Why would you say sorry?"

Mike looked down at Gwen.

Gwen's head dropped even lower and she said, "I got you into trouble."

"Trouble?" Mike laughed and said, "Sometimes it's trouble that comes to you, and ..."

Mike squeezed his eyes at Gwen and said, "It's not even a problem for me."

Gwen looked up at Mike and let out a long, breath when he didn't get angry.

Mike touched Gwen's head and suddenly said, "What did you call me when you were arguing with that little fat boy?"

Gwen looked up, a little uneasy, and said, "W-well...."

Mike hadn't asked her to call him Daddy, and she thought he didn't like it.

"Call me again, I like it."

"Ah!"

Gwen looked at Mike in surprise and when she saw him looking at her gently, her eyes flushed and she whispered, "Dad, Daddy."

"Ha ha!"

Mike laughed happily and picked Gwen up in his arms, kissed her face and said, "You're finally calling me!"

Gwen smiled, kissed Mike's face too, and said sweetly again, "Daddy!"

"Ha ha!" Mike laughed happily, touched his head with Gwen and said, "Come on, let's go home."

"Yeah!"

Looking back at the school, Mike grunted softly.

What a shitty school, with teachers like that!

Next term they'd let Gwen change schools, so she wouldn't come to this shitty school, and there weren't many days left in the term anyway.

Speaking of which, Christmas is coming up.

Mike clenched his chin and thought about how to make the most of it.

After all, it was the first time Gwen had spent Christmas with him.

...

Academy

Hank McCoy was sitting on his desk in his room, scribbling and sketching with a few pieces of paper.

There was a knock at the door.

Hank McCoy stopped what he was doing, marked his work, pressed his forehead and turned his head, "Come in!"

The door slid open and Charles came in.

"Hank!"

Charles shouted, went to his partner's side, leaned gently against his desk and said, "How's it going?"

Hank McCoy said in an unpleasant voice: "You think this is easy? And you need to have enough room for it."

Charles thought for a moment and said, "How about underground? Underneath the school!"

Hank McCoy mused and said, "Yes, but it would be a big job to build it underneath."

Charles thought for a moment and said, "I'll think of something, you just need to draw up a design for the ground floor."

"No problem." Hank McCoy nodded, then smiled and said, "I haven't finished the final design yet, but I've made a miniature 'brain' based on the concept we discussed earlier."

"A miniature one?"

"Yes!" Hank McCoy said with some excitement, "If this works then it means our idea works and I will continue with the final design, if it doesn't then there is no point in me continuing."

Charles nodded and mused, "That's right ... eh?"

Seeing Hank McCoy giving himself a strange look, Charles froze.

"Well what? Go ahead and try it!"

Hank McCoy rubbed his hands together, his eyes glowing with a look that made Charles cringe.

"Go!"

Hank McCoy grabbed Charles, "Go and try!"

He was always so quick to act when it came to experimentation.

A few moments later, the two men arrived on the roof and Charles saw the miniature 'brain' in Hank McCoy's mouth.

"This is a small radar I used to make, which I have modified to become the 'brain' I have now."

Hank McCoy explained as he picked up a helmet with many antennae attached to it and placed it on Charles' head.

"I made it in a hurry, but it's functional and should be fine."

Rushed? Should?

Charles stared at Hank McCoy, squeezed out a smile and said, "Why don't you wait until you're sure ..."

"It's not too late, I'm turning on the 'brain'!"

Not waiting for Charles to finish his sentence, Hank McCoy, whose hands were faster than his mouth, opened the 'brain' and said to Charles, "Use your powers!"

Charles looked stunned and concentrated on cooperating with his opponent.

In an instant, he felt his senses stretching rapidly as one person after another appeared in his mind.

A few seconds later, Hank McCoy switched off his 'brain', looked at the frozen Charles and said nervously, "Well?"

Charles cocked his mouth, drool escaping from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes began to spin wildly.

Could something have gone wrong?

Hank McCoy froze, his face instantly turning pale.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Charles burst out laughing, hugged Hank McCoy and said, "Hank! You're a genius!"

Hank McCoy froze, hammered Charles twice and said, "You're an asshole!"

That just really scared him.

Charles laughed, let go of him and said, "Come on! Let's drop what we're doing, we've got to get ready for Christmas, Jean and Ororo are waiting for us, let's go shopping first."

Hank McCoy pushed up his glasses and nodded with a smile.

...

Christmas trees, Christmas stockings, Christmas lights...

All sorts of Christmas stuff were brought home by Mike and then worked on with Gwen.

"Daddy, have some water!"

Gwen brought a glass of water to Mike.

Mike took it and smiled like a flower.

What a nice girl.

"What would Gwen like as a present?"

Mike asked casually.

Gwen cocked her head for a moment and hugged Mike, "I like anything from Daddy!"

Look at that!

What a good girl! She's such a sweet little coat!

If it had been Clark and the others, they would have been yakking about it all over the place!

Thinking about the three of them, Mike sighed.

I wonder what they're doing now. ...

"Dad?"

Mike looked over at Gwen and said, "I forgot to tell you, you have a brother."

"Brother?"

Gwen blinked and said, "Where? How come I don't see them?"

"You'll see later, they have something to do now."

"Oh!"

Gwen nodded, looking forward to it but a little worried, "What if they don't like me?"

"No, they won't!" Mike said with certainty, "They'll like you, and if they don't, I'll kick them out!"

Gwen giggled and said, "No, that's not right!"

Squeezing Gwen's face, Mike put his glass of water down and said, "Let's get on with it!"

"I'll help Daddy!"

Gwen held up her hand.

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