Weapon Nine

Disclaimer: I don't own this.

Chapter 1

(Ebony P.O.V)

Thump. Thump. Thump. A regular heart beat. If I had been normal, not only would my heart be beating wildly, but I would have stopped punching ages ago. I wasn't normal, that was the point. I wasn't even human. I was a mutant, and a strong one at that. I was a feral. I wasn't going to stop until I had nothing left to punch.

Whack! The punch bag buckled. Whack! The chains holding it to the ceiling were creaking now. Whack! Crack! The chains snapped. The bag fell to the floor.

"Ebony!" My dad called. "They're here!"

I wasn't even sweating. There was no need for these visitors to know what I'd been up to.

"Be right up!" I called from my place in the basement. I'd fix the bag later.

I stepped over it and up the stairs to the closed door. Opening it I entered the kitchen. Then I walked into the hall to see dad greeting two men. The eldest was baled, and in a wheelchair. The other had light brown hair and red tinted sunglasses.

"Hello, I am Professor Charles Xavier. This is my colleague, Scott Summers." The old guy introduced.

"Bit dark to be wearing sunglasses." My dad said menacingly to Scott.

Scott bristled. "You?" he asked, I detected a hint of fear in his voice.

It was then that I recognised him. He'd been in the cage next to mine on the island.

"Relax." Dad said. "I no longer work for Stryker."

"I wouldn't be here if he did." I said a smirk on my face as I felt my eyes change colour, like they always did. My eyes were usually dark brown, bordering on black, but when I came close to another mutant I almost instantly had the same power as them. Then my eyes turn purple. I already had Scott's power, now I had a new type of telepathy to play with. A more powerful type too.

I could see Scott was curious. So was the Professor. They obviously thought I was actually related to dad, like most other people did. In reality I was adopted.

"I wouldn't be hiding her if I was." Dad said nodding to me, "Victor Creed." He held his hand out to the Professor to shake. "And this is my adopted daughter, Ebony. Why don't you come in? You said on the phone you wanted to talk." He led the way into the sitting room and sat on the couch. I sat next to him.

The Professor positioned his chair so that he was opposite us, and Scott took the arm chair next to him. I could see how tense he was. He obviously didn't like being this close to dad.

"Well, Ebony, it's really you we are here to talk to." The Professor said.

"What about?" I asked.

"Well I have created a school for mutants. A safe haven for them if you would. We are here to offer you a place there."

"I know about your school. I didn't come along the last time, what makes you think I'll come this time?" I queried.

"The last time?" The Professor asked.

"Yeah, on the island. I knew where the others were going, I just decided I didn't want to be apart of it."

"Wait, you were on the island?" Scott asked, "Were you, by any chance, in the cage next to mine?"

"Bingo." I drawled. "So you finally recognised me, huh?"

"Hey! You knew I couldn't see you!" Scott retorted. "But where did you go? I was worried about you."

I laid a hand over my heart. "Touching." I said jokingly. "I separated from the group, wandered round, and, after a while, found him." I jerked my head towards dad. "We got out together."

"And we've been a family ever since." Dad finished. Though we both knew that that was the abbreviated version of events.

"So, a school for mutants?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, it's a chance for you to be with others like yourself." The Professor answered.

I smiled, "No one's quite like me." I said. And I was well aware of the truth of my statement. I had all types of mutant powers, though the feral powers were my favourite. But I wasn't just a mutant, but a witch too. There was also the fact that I had eighteen weapons on me at all times. The adamantium that coated my bones also coated the three claws, on each hand, that came out of my knuckles. As well as the swords that extended from my wrists and the claws that came from my fingers and thumbs. All as a result of the experiments run on me as a child. Nineteen if you counted the wand.

I looked at dad and he nodded his head. It wasn't as if he could stop me ay way. Holding out my right arm I let the sword out, and then I pulled it back in. Then I let out the claws in my fingers and thumb. Once they were back in I let out the claws from in between my knuckles. My personal favourites. I drew them in, slowly.

"They're like…" Scott mumbled.

"Like?" I pressed.

"We know someone, his names Logan. He's suffering from amnesia," The Professor said, "and he has those claws."

"Looks like you've met Jimmy." Dad said.

"Jimmy?" Scott asked laughing.

"Yeah, my brother," that sobered him up, " If I'm right, then he's the one who let everyone out of the cages, and from the description ebony gave me of him, I am."

"I'll never tell him that I owe him. I'll never live it down." Scott said.

"Like I said, he has amnesia. He can't remember anything about his life." The professor said.

"So that's why he hasn't tried to kill me all these years." Dad laughed.

"How many times have I said this? You two take sibling rivalry to a whole new level." I groaned.

"Loads." Dad replied.

"It seems that being a feral runs in the family." The Professor mused.

"I already go to a school." I said.

"What?" Scott asked, surprised at the sudden change of subject.

"I said, I already go to a school. One I'm happy at. I have friends there." I said. And besides, I bet their school didn't have moving staircases like Hogwarts did. There was also the fact that Harry, Ron and Hermione wouldn't be there.

"Well, if you ever change your mind," The Professor handed me a card, "give us a call."

Dad then showed them out.

The card read 'Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.' It also had a phone number and an X in a circle.

"So, a school for mutants huh?" dad said coming back in, just as my black cat, Asmodeus, jumped up onto my lap.

"Yep. Probably not as fun as a wizarding school though. I mean Hogwarts has a poltergeist!"

"Are you sure that's not you?" dad teased about my Telekinesis.

"One hundred per cent," I said, while absentmindedly petting As and making him purr. "We pull pranks together."

He laughed, "Well at least you have friends. Dead friends, but friends."

"Hey! He's the only dead friend I've got! The rest are alive!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah! Hermione, Ginny, Harry, Ron, Fred and George." I answered. "Wow, that's a small group."

"Maybe you should socialise more. Talk to the other chasers on the team."

"They hang out with people who really dislike me." I shook my head.

"What about the Slytherins?"

"Hate them all."

"Ravenclaws?"

"Too snotty, to me anyway."

"Hufflpuffs?"

"Too quiet and calm."

"The other girls in the dorm?"

"The only decent one is Hermione. Then there's Ginny in the year below."

"I give up. It seems that six friends, seven if you count the dead guy, are all you seem to need."

"The school letters should be coming soon."

"That's what I hate about this time of year, the plane journey."

"I could teleport us this year."

"That narrows it down to one. OK, but discreet. We can't have Stryker find out."

"I know dad. Now, I have a punch bag to fix."

"Again?" he asked exasperated.

I just laughed.