Chapter 4- Dawn of the Lynx
Half an hour later, she was done. Exhaling loudly, she plopped onto a chair but still, she was proud of her labour. The plates were so clean you could use them as a mirror.
“Ready for a little session?” she heard “the master of torture” from behind her. “uh-oh” she had feared it, and indeed, he was wearing his uniform.
It’d been a while since he got to train someone and it took him till now to notice that he missed it. Looking forward to educate/ torture someone (to Wolverine, there is no difference)…
“Uhmm…” Europe stood there in front of him, tipping her chin with her index finger.
Annoyed he threw up his hands, “What is it, kid?”
Europe still stood there, shifting from one foot to the other… “I’ve got nothing to wear, Wolverine”
“I wouldn’t say that!” he said, pointing to the room where she had slept during the last days.
With a puzzled expression on her face, she turned around and checked out for herself. Indeed she found something in her cupboard. “hew” she grinned and took out the black uniform. She looked at curiously and after a few seconds, she decided, that she liked it. Quickly she got rid of her old clothes and pulled over the new coat. “Now that’s what I call a cool outfit” she looked at herself in the mirror.
The cap which covered her eyes reminded of Wolverine’s, except for the smaller ears… they looked more like the ears of a… a … lynx. There was a glove for the one black glove for the right arm and the left one was covered from the costume. The body only covered the left shoulder and her abdomen showed. Mostly it was black, there was only her left thigh that was covered with white material. The coolest thing was the “X-Men” symbol around her neck. It fitted just great, like made for her… Europe looked at herself in the mirror, turning around once in a while.
As she grinned goofy to her reflection, she suddenly remembered impatient Wolverine outside and she ran out of the room.
Wolverine had been leaning against the door frame which lead outside with arms crossed. Sure he had been scolding the girl mentally…
There was a reason why he preferred living here, outside the city. Far away from other people. Here, he was on his own he didn’t have to talk. It was giving him an interior relieve to be so close to nature at it’s best.
This was his sanctuary. Within the woods or just here on this abandoned landscape there was a certain feeling within him, that told him that he was … free.
Well, at least as free as you can be when you have a life like Logan.
Training here was always better than in the danger room. It was more natural and Wolverine liked it that way. Of course, there was nothing wrong with where he was with the X-Men, but this place was more home to him than anywhere else.
Ever since he had come back from “there”, he had been looking to rebuild the puzzle once called his life. That turned out to bee harder than he thought it would be and it takes time, “keeps you busy” Logan used to say. But he had all the time in the world… that they had made damn sure of. And now it was his turn to make them pay.
But that was far in the future, for now, he was just feeling content looking at this place and feeling somewhat like home.
“Ahem” Europe cleaned her throat to get Wolverine’s attention.
She had been observing him standing there, like a lonesome wolf. He didn’t look annoyed then, more like far, far away.
“At least” he grumbled and tossed his back off the door frame he’d been leaning against.
He just wanted to glance at “Proven” for a sec before they got outside, but something caught his eye- and his mouth dropped open. For a little of a sec Europe thought, he was checking her out…
She grinned mentally ~oh well, at night, all cats are grey~ She looked down herself and decided that she really looked like a cat.
Wolverine turned back to the door and ragged her “Looks more like s’me Yynx te me! Now gettcha ass in gear!!”
So “Lynx” rolled her eyes “like I didn’t see that one coming” and she followed her “Alpha-wolf” outside.
It was a tough session, she had to admit after a while. And indeed Wolverine didn’t make it easy. Shooing her through the woods, climbing up all sorta rocks, jumping over gulfs and crawling through puddles of mud.
“You wanna kill me?” she huffed as she finally caught up with him. Wolverine stood there, heavy breathing himself. Lynx put both hands on her knees, bending forward trying hard not to pass out…
“Just checkin’ how ya ‘d do after that lil’… time out o’yours” he grumbled and started running again.
“So?” She asked, getting up again.
“Ya better not ask!”
And again, the girl rolled her eyes and to follow Wolverine back to the house.
She was at the verge of falling over her own feet but there was no way of giving up. No way! She followed Wolverine and threw a quick glance at the environment. Even now, that she was so exhausted, she still liked this spot.
When Lynx finally arrived back home, Wolverine was already waiting for her. Emptying a big box with all kind of imaginable weapons. All of em were sparkling silver-like. Wolverine glanced at her and saw that question marks in her eyes.
The girl bent down and looked closely at all the different knives, daggers, sticks and… handcuffs?
“Didcha ever have te deal with any o’ this?” Wolverine asked her seriously
Lynx stood up again, dusting off her knees and studying the gizmos once more. She put her hands on her hips and grinned somehow goofily…
“What now?” he carped “yes or no answer!”
“Well,” she grinned now wickedly “…actually about those handcuffs…” she started but burst out into laughter instead. (^^indication ^^)
“Those kids” Logan grumbled annoyed and shook his head. Swiftly he tossed her a long white stick and waved her to follow.
“Attack me!” he ordered all of a sudden.
Poor Lynx wondered but tried her best to do so but … no chance! Whatever she tried, Wolverine seemed to know it already, sending her back to the ground each time.
She tried again, faking to toss the stick against his chest but in fact she attempted to pull his legs form under him. Of course, Wolverine knew it. In the sec that she lost her tight grip around the stick, he grabbed it quickly and made her crash hardly on the ground-again. He knelt down over her, releasing with a cruel sound his weapons, he held them close to her Lynx’s throat.
Her heart stopped beating for one. The girl’d never been in a position like this- not even in the danger room. If Wolverine was someone else, a foe, he could have killed her without a hitch… and now she was looking right into his dark eyes…
She wasn’t sure, but again Wolverine seemed to be far away. Maybe he was fighting someone else? She thought.
“That’s gonna happen If ya nat 100% in’o a fight. Un’erstand?”
Still looking at those Adamantium-razors inches from her throat, Lynx just nodded her head lightly.
“Good” with what the blinking metal disappeared again and Wolverine held out his hand to help his student up again.
“Again!”
Graceful and rapid she reached for the weapon again, this time, trying to be better.
They started slow. He taught her to handle the weapon in any kind of position: with both arms, only one, with arms and legs and finally without any arms at all.
Lynx wondered how he could be such a good fighter, who had taught him all this stuff. And why?
She was a quick leaner, Wolverine hadn’t forgot that since their time back at the mansion. From all the students, she had been the one that wanted to do another run when the others were begging for dismissing. She was ambitious and eager. She wanted to learn, a feature that could be really helpful. Students like her didn’t mind getting pushed to the limit-they wanted it. He also remarked that she hadn’t lost any of her agility since then, if he pushed the right buttons now, Lynx would be soon in her old shape-and even more.. she’d be stronger, faster and more agile that she’d ever dreamt of. She’d become a very useful instrument and the X-Men could need any help they could get.