Chapter 84 - Part 2

  Arc 7 - Ch 1: Opening M

  Date: Monday, August 29, 2011.

  Location: House of M, Manhattan, New York

  Tyson turo face Jean and Jubilee. Jubilee practically vibrated with enthusiasm at the prospect of starting college. Jean exuded a sense of calm, though her gaze erceptive as she studied Tyson.

  "Hey, you two," Tyson said, f a casual tone. "You should shower a ready for your first day of csses."

  Jubilee beamed. "Finally! I 't wait to see what this semester has in store."

  All of the psyches within Tyson's mind offered him a measure of prote against psionics. Still, Jean sensed his tension. "Is everything okay?"

  He managed a reassuring smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, just got a lot on my mind."

  As Jean and Jubilee headed off to start their day, Tyson's thoughts were already jumping ahead to his m lesson with Agatha. Their routine of breakfast followed by instru had bee aablished pattern. He o speak with the wityway, aing now might raise Mystique's suspis.

  Seeking to keep things appearing as normal as possible, he found Agatha already seated in the lounge, a half-eaten piece of toast in hand as she perused a heavy tome id open oable before her. At his approach, she gnced up and smiled.

  "Ready for our lesson?" he asked.

  Agatha's smile faded slightly as she closed her book. "Of course, though, I was rather looking forward to breakfast here in the lounge."

  Tyson shook his head. "I'm afraid we'll o relocate to the b this m."

  At that, Agatha let out an exaggerated groan, rolling her eyes. "Must we? I've no desire to endure ors and Vanko's disdain fic so early in the day."

  Tyson chuckled softly, though his underlying tension remained. "I know. I know. But it's important. Trust me."

  With a resigned sigh, Agatha nodded. "Oh, alright then. You're the boss. Lead on."

  Ihe b, Dr. ors and Ivan Vanko were already hard at work, debating a series of plex equations scrawled on a rge whiteboard.

  At their entrance, nced up. "Tyson. Agatha. What brings you here this m?"

  Tyson offered a polite nod iing. "Thought we'd ge up the sery for today's lesson. Hope you don't mind."

  Without looking up from his notes, Vanko let out a derisive snort. "As long as you keep your hocus pocus from disrupting our work."

  Agatha sighed under her breath as she took a seat at one of the b benches, spreading her are text before her. Tysoled in at her side, arranging the assortment of pastries and fruit they'd brought to serve as their breakfast.

  Tyson held up a hand, forestalling any further discussions. Silence fell over the room as all eyes turo him.

  "Wednesday?" he asked aloud.

  The AI's response dripped with teenage disdain. "Yes, Tyson?" she spoke with the bored iion of an angsty goth girl.

  Wednesday was a gift from Tony Stark when Tyson told him Vanko and other reformed 'vilins' would be staying at House of M. Though Tyson suspected Tony had programmed the AI's attitude as a joke. Despite her dour toyson had grown rather fond of her.

  "What is the status of iing the mutant sing teology from Trask Industries?" he asked. Tyson had used a portion of his accumuted wealth to acquire Trask Industries. The pany had been floundering, but through his metaknowledge, Tyson knew of its anti-mutant teologies. After using his knowledge to make some savvy iments, he had more than enough to acquire them. It had taken months, but the first bits of teology were finally being brought out of ste and updated, refurbished, and repurposed.

  "The sers are fully ied," Wednesday replied, her words tinged with bored sarcasm.

  "And whistered on the sers this m?"

  "You, Jubilee, and Jean, and Felicia registered as mutants."

  Tyson sighed, yet another piece of evidence firming his suspis. Agatha listened curiously while ors and Vanko shared looks.

  "Thanks, Wednesday," he said.

  Agatha raised a slender eyebrow. "Something wrong, Tyson?" Though her tone was light, Tyson sensed she had picked up on the shift in his mood.

  "Yes. But now that I'm sure of the situation, hopefully, we ha." His expression was grave as he addressed the group. "We have a rat in our kit. I, and likely the House of M itself, will soon e utack. Likely tonight, but almost certainly in the near future." he expined, "This m, Felicia was repced by an imposter. A mutant shape-shifter called Mystique. I've entered her before. She infiltrates and gathers intelligence for her group before they strike. They have been hunting me for some time. And now, it seems, they found out I'm Mirage. I think they mean to attack tonight. And I intend for us to be ready."

  He turned first to Dr. ors. "Doctor, did you plete the gift, as I asked?"

  ave a single nod, reag into a desk drawer arieving peared to be an ordinary bck choker neckce with a small eleipo attached. "It's as discreet a version of Trask's mutant inhibitor colr as I could design," he expined, pg the devi Tyson's outstretched hand.

  He picked up the neckce, examining the small eleipo attached to the bck band. Uhe bulky inal mutant inhibitor colr designed by Trask Industries, this accessory blended seamlessly with modern fashion trends. The thin profile and matte bck finish would not draw any uention to the wearer. Its adjustable size lent it to being worn as a choker, wristband, or a.

  "Excellent work, Doc. This will help even the odds wheime es." Tyson csped ors on the shoulder, speaking early. "Thanks for this. Now, head home. Don't e back to the House of M until I call for you. I'm giving you a vacation."

  "Are you sure? If we're utack, I help." ors asked, clearly hesitant to leave.

  "I know you hold your own, Doc. But look around House of M. You're the only one here with an actual family besides Felicia, and she was already taken. Your family just got you back after almost losing you to the Lizard. Go oh them."

  After a thoughtful pause, ave a resigned nod, accepting his reasoning. As much as he owed Tyson for taking him in and f him to cure himself, his wife and son were his first priority. Without further protest, ors exited the b.

  As the door closed behind the doctor, Tyson turo face the stoic Russian engianding nearby. "Is the pstic protocol ready?"

  "Da. Everything is set. We deploy it at a moment's notice. The drone designs from Trask, they are from 70s. I update them with tech from Hammer drones. Not perfect, but we have dozen funal drones with repulsors. Noallistru and ammunition, as you specified."

  "Excellent work. Let's keep them on standby for now." He then turo address another critical matter. "What about the device I asked you to develop? The 'little bck box'?"

  In response, Vanko reached into a nearby drawer arieved a belt, handing it to Tyson. Two small bck boxes, o the front and the other at the back, were attached to the belt.

  "Front is Arc reactor," Ivan began, in his heavily ated tone, pointing to the front module. "Back is where magic happens." As Vanko tinued his expnation, Tyson examihe belt with i. "Creates rapid eleagidu and pority shifts, geing high-frequency alternating magic fields. Creates interferetern. Disperses any ining magic fields."

  Tyson asked for crification, "So, it should protect my adamantium skeleton from being affected by magism."

  "Yea man," Vanko said.

  Tyso out a sigh of relief as he strapped the belt around his waist. "Just what I needed. You've outdone yourself, Ivan. Thank you."

  Vanko nodded, his expression serious. "Be careful. Teology ued in field. But should work. One added to Whipsh suit too. If they e for us, I fight."

  Tyson csped Vanko's shoulder firmly. "I sincerely appreciate all your hard work on this… Is there any ce you make another pair before tonight?"

  Vanko asked, "Another pair. Dah?" Tyson nodded. Vanko smiled and triumphantly pulled out two more belts.

  Tyson said, "You're the man. Hold on to those in reserve." He turo face Agatha, her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Agatha. I'll expihing to you shortly," he said. He then called out to the artificial intelligence. "Wednesday, is Tony Stark currently iy?"

  The bored, teenage-sounding voice of the AI responded from hidden speakers, "No, Tyson. Tony Stark is not currently within city limits. He's currently at Harry's Dol Vealy with Miss Potts. Would you like me to notify him of your inquiry?"

  Tyson shook his head. "Absolutely not. Do not bother him if he's having a lunch date with Pepper."

  "Too te," Wednesday replied ftly. "My babysitter protocol dictates that I must tact Mr. Stark immediately in the event of potential bat situations."

  Tyson blinked in disbelief, half-ughing at the audacity of the AI system. "Babysitter protocol? You snitched on me?"

  Before Tyson could protest further, a ringing echoed through the b's speakers. Wednesday announced, "Ining call. I wonder who that could be." She promptly answered, and Tony's voice came through, "What's going on, Houdini?"

  With a resigned sigh, Tyson answered, "Hello, Tony," he said a hint of exasperation in his tone. "Sorry for interrupting your lunch. Wednesday didn't give me a choice."

  "Uh-huh. Lay it oony's voice was brisk.

  "I've got a bit of a problem. Remember that group of mutaremists I told you about, the ohat were hunting me? Well, this m, I realized their shapeshifter infiltrated roup posing as Felicia. It seems the Brotherhood is targeting me and, likely, the House of M."

  Tony's tone shifted, taking on a calcuted, focused edge. "Alright, then. I'll suit up. I be ba New York in about three hours. When you first told me about Mag-O, I built termeasures into my suit."

  "I appreciate the offer, Tony, but that won't be necessary. We've got this under trol."

  "You sure about that? This Mago guy sounds like a real piece of work," Tony replied, his voice tinged with .

  "Trust me, we've been preparing for this possibility for months," Tyson assured him. I've got the tech from Traks and a few other tricks up my sleeve. Plus, we've got the element of surprise on our side. They think they're catg us off guard, but we're ready for them." There ause oher end of the line, and he tinued, "Tony, do you remember what happened with Pepper Right before the Expo?"

  A groan came through the speakers. "Don't remind me."

  "Exactly," Tyson said. "And here you are, having a nice lun Veh her. Do you really want to risk that again?"

  "When you put it that way..." Tony trailed off.

  Tyson pressed his advantage. "Look, I promise I'll call if things get out of hand. But right now, the best thing you do is stay right where you are and give Pepper your full attention. She deserves it, especially after everything that's happened retly."

  There was another pause, lohis time. When Tony spoke again, his voice had softened. "You're right. Pepper does deserve this. And I guess I owe her some uninterrupted time after... well, you know."

  "I do know," Tyson agreed. "So, here's what yoing to do. Yoing to hang up this call, order the most expetle of wine on the menu, and spend the rest of the day making Pepper feel like the most important person in your world. Because she is."

  Tony ughed. "When did you bee such a retionship guru?"

  "I pulled Ms. Rushman, remember," Tyson said. Ms. Rushman was the alias of Natasha Romanoff, the bck widow. She had posed as Pepper's assistant during the Stark Expo, but for months before, she had infiltrated Midtown High while Tyson atteo keep an eye on him. She eventually became the oo recruit him for SHIELD, being his handler and, for a time, even his live-in 'girlfriend' though she'd never accepted the title. But now she was away on a mission in Russia.

  Tyson said, "Now go on, enjoy your lunch. I've got this handled."

  "There's something you aren't sidering. Felicia had administrator access within House of M."

  Tony was right. With that level of access, Felicia could have already doold damage to their systems. The billionaire tinued, "Wednesday, ignore any ands given by Felicia retly regarding House of M security, digital or otherwise."

  The AI's dry, sardonie responded. "Uood. Ighe pretty, perfect girl. That'll be hard."

  Tony tinued, uurbed by the AI's sarcasm. "For Felicia's oing forward, use Time Out protocol."

  Tyson was unfamiliar with the protocol Tony had implemented. "What's Time Out protocol?"

  Amusement dripped from the AI's voice. "I pretend to ply with your ands but don't actually carry them out. And I make everything seem as if your orders are being followed. It should be fun."

  Tyson was instantly ahat such a protocol had been added without his sent. But he couldn't help but chuckle, impressed by Tony's fht. While the fact that such a thied without his knowledge was troubling, he now felt relieved to have the safeguard. "Tony, I'm kind of mad that you put in something like that without telling me, but now I'm gd you did."

  Tony's voice grew serious once more. "Had to cover all bases, kid. You never know when someone might try to mess with our systems. We all need safeguards to keep us oraight and narrow. You helped me, I help you, you help Vanko. Better safe than sorry."

  "Got it. Thanks, Tony."

  "I'm serious, Tyson. If things ge or it seems like they're going sideways-"

  "I'll call," Tyson finished for him. "I promise. Now go be with Pepper."

  "Will do. Good luck, Copperfield." With that, the call disected.

  Tyso out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He turo face the others in the b, who had been listening to his side of the versation with varying degrees of i.

  "Well," he said, g his hands together. "Now that we've got Tony squared away…" Tyson finally turo face Agatha. "Sorry for the dey," he said apologetically.

  Agatha simply shrugged and tio leisurely eat her meal. "You're the one paying me," she replied nontly.

  He began filling her in ouation. "Last year, I was attacked by a mutant group led by a dangerous man. Their leader has the ability to trol metals and magic fields. He also wears a helmet that blocks any psychic or telepathic abilities targeted at him. In short, he is my perfect ter. I stand little ce against his powers. His right hand is a shapeshifter, a woman with the ability to take on any form. During this m's training, I realized that she had repced Felicia."

  Agatha's pyful expression vanished, her eyes narrowing with at this revetion. Tyson tinued, "I've been preparing for this man to e after me agaihinks he is setting a trap, but as you've heard, he is walking straight into mine."

  She sidered his words thoughtfully and asked, "Are you askio fight alongside you against them?"

  "If you were willing to lend your skills, I would be tremendously grateful," Tyson replied early. "We haven't known each other long, and I would never ask you to risk yourself for my sake. If you're not ied in joining the fight, I have a favor to ask instead."

  Agatha raised a curious eyebrow. "A favor, you say? I'm listening."

  "Mago, their leader, isn't the only dangerous one in his group. Besides the shapeshifter, they have a member with frog-like abilities, though admittedly, I'm not sure if I killed hem when they first attacked me. I'm also anticipating that Mago's own children will be by his side. His son has superhuman speed, while his daughter is a magic user. She's the one I desperately need you to ter if it es to battle. If you won't fight, you ward House of M against any magic they attempt to use against us?"

  "What makes you so certain they will attack you here?" she questioned.

  "The shapeshifter said that today was the only day she'd be absent from csses because she had to prepare for a performaonight," Tyson expined. "If they were pnning to ambush me at the school, she would have stayed close by my side. Her staying behind makes it clear the attack will happen here instead."

  Stroking her in thought, Agatha sidered his logic. "House of M is enormous. I'd have to ward off half a city bloore. It's possible, but it would require a potent source or sacrifiagical energy. Sihis is your 'house' your blood would be effective as a sacrifice. Blood be a powerful catalyst for warding spells. However, because of the rge area warded, I'd likely need about half the blood currently in your body. You wouldn't survive losing that much. Creating the ward would kill you just as surely as your enemies"

  Tyson simply waved off her . "I heal, remember? And I've been serving as Jubilee's all-you--eat buffet for weeks. Trust me, that won't be a problem whatsoever," he assured fidently.

  He found the maintenance closet arieved an unused five-gallon bucket. Agatha's eyebrow arched quizzically as he peeled off his shirt, revealing a well-toned physique.

  "You know, fuy with psionic powers who is learning magic, you're in good shape," she remarked dryly, her gaze lingering on the rippling muscles.

  Tyson smiled appreciatively and replied, "For a magic tutor who loathes exercise, so are you, he quipped back."

  Then he raised his arm, the adamantium talons on his opposite haended with a faiallic rasp. He sshed high on the inside of his arm, catg his brachial artery, and blood immediately began to pour into the waiting bucket.

  Agatha's eyes widened in arm. "Are y to kill yourself?" she excimed, her voice tinged with .

  Tyson remained calm as he teo the grisly task. "It's fihe hardest part is that the wounds heal over so fast," he assured her.

  Despite her initial trepidation, Agatha found herself transfixed, watg with a morbid fasation as Tyson calmly bled into the bucket. Eventually, after sshing himself several times to circumvent his accelerated healing factor, he mao squeeze out nearly a gallon of blood.

  Agatha seemed impressed despite herself. Her earlier apprehension faded. "If you survive this attack, I think we've found your specialty," she remarked with a hint of dark humor.

  "Blood magic?" he mused. "Figures."

  Agatha had just finished her breakfast as Tyson slid the bucket full of blood over to rest in front of her. Regarding Tyson, with a mix of exasperation, she raised a hand to her forehead, massagiween her eyebrows.

  "I don't know if you're the bravest student I've ever taught or the most foolish," she said with a sigh. She gestured toward the bucket. "Just think. What could your friend Dr. ors do with that bucket if given enough time."

  Tyson's frown deepened as he pted the disturbing possibilities.

  "I could aplish far worse," Agatha tinued grimly. "With only small amounts, I could create a ward designed specifically to protect myself from you, take trol of your body like a puppet, or even bind a voodoo doll to you and inflict pain on you whenever I wished. And you've handed me a bucketful!" She shook her head, clearly dumbfounded by his recklessness.

  "Sit down, Tyson, you impulsive lummox," Agatha instructed. "You hired me to be your teacher, so I will impart a lesson."

  "First, I won't fight this battle for you." She decred. "It's your blood, and as your mentor, I'll show you how to cast the prote spell yourself. It's basic magid since you freely spill your blood without care, you hahis. Sed, don't leave your blood lying around iure. Destroy it when possible, corrupt it when you 't. And third, we will go over some fual runes."

  Agatha raised her hand and a few are symbols materialized in the air before them, h over the table. "The Four Runes for the Four Walls. A straightforrote intation. Within the warded area, the caster will be the only one capable of using magic within its boundaries."

  Agatha gestured towards each are sigil in sequehis initial rune symbolizes Prote." Its form resembled a Y, but the tral stroke protruded above the V shape creating a tri-prong at the top.

  "The sed represents The Self." Its shape was akin to an X, with liending from the topmost point beyond the bottom.

  "The third denotes Defense." Its structure was remi of a crooked Z.

  "And the fourth sighe Disruption of the are." Its appearance was that of an H, with the middle liarting higher on the left side rather than spanning straight across.

  Tyson watched with rapt attention as Agatha demonstrated the movements required to draw each are rune in the air. The witch therieved a handful of small wooden tokens from her pocket and pced them oable's surface. Tysoehe razor-sharp talon on his pointer finger and began carefully etg the mystical symbols into the wood, following Agatha's designs.

  "You must focus your i wholly on the purpose of each rune as you inscribe it," Agatha instructed in a sage tone. "trate deeply on what you wish the ward to aplish."

  Heeding her words, Tyson envisiohe protective power flowing through him and into the symbols as he carved each runic letter with great care. As the ruook shape under his cw, they began to emanate a soft, pulsating glow, thrumming with tent magical energy.

  "Well done," Agatha praised with an approving nod. "Now, ect them. Form a barrier to surround the area you wish to safeguard."

  Tyson spread out the carved wooden tokens and drew a line of his own blood, linking the ruogether into a small, shimmering square. As he pleted the shape, the air within it glimmered faintly, signifying the activation of the protective ward.

  "Excellent work. But you don't have to draw an actual line linking them. The blood, being sourced from you, is the link. A drop on each of these small runes is all that's o cover the ey of this pce, you'll probably hat bucket, but you get the idea," Agatha remarked, her stern tone softening. "You've taken the first step. Remember, the strength of any ward relies wholly upon the focus and i you imbue it with and the energies you impart into it. To enpass an area of the size you require, you would o inscribe rger symbols and empower them with blood to ect them."

  Nodding thoughtfully, his brow furrowing as he sidered Agatha's words. "Does it have to be blood?" he asked, his gaze shiftiween the bucket of crimson liquid and the glowing runes before him. "I mean, I spare it, but I'm w if there are alternatives."

  "Ah, you're asking the right questions," she said approvingly. "Blood is potent, yes, but it's not the only option. The runes o be linked somehow, whether it's blood, are energy, or some other form of energy ected to the caster."

  She waved her hand, and the air shimmered with a faint, silvery mist. "Are energy, for instance, be just as effective. It's less... messy," she added with a pointed g the bucket. "But it requires a great deal of magical skill and power to gee and maintain." Tyson watched, fasated, as the silvery energy coalesced around the runes, linking them in a gossamer web of light.

  "But you don't have that kind of power yet. For a novice like yourself, blood is easier to work with. It's a part of you that carries your esse's a shortcut, if you will, to eling your i into the spell."

  She gestured towards Tyson. "If you had better trol over your life-draining ability, you'd likely have other options."

  Tyson sidered, then slowly realized what she meant. "If I could trol it, I could absorb and transfer life energy, using that energy instead of blood?"

  "Precisely," Agatha firmed. "Any form of energy that's intrinsically lio you serve as a duit for the spell. Your life-draining power, being uo you, would work exceptionally well."

  "It's hypothetical since I have zero trol over my absorption. But in theory, if I could drain without causing perma harm and el it, it would be much more sustaihan stantly bleeding myself to provide the life energy."

  Agatha nodded approvingly. "Now you're thinking like a true practitioner. Always sider your resources and how to use them effitly. The key is the e between you and the energy you're using. Blood works well because it's literally a part of you. Your life-draining ability is aension of your very essend that which you've absorbed. It's equally potent, if not more so."

  "As much as I appreciate the lesson, this part is getting a bit more theoretical. I still have a threat to face tonight, so let's stay on target."

  "Oh, alright," Agatha agreed. "Remember, the rger the area, the more energy you'll o expend. It's not just about creating the ward but maintaining it as well. You'll o periodically reinforce it, especially if it es utack."

  Tyson nodded, his expression serious. "I uand. It's a trade-off between power and sustainability."

  "Exactly," Agatha said, "You're catg on quickly."

  "Thank you for this, Agatha," he rumbled sincerely. "I will not fet what you have taught me."

  The witch favored him with a small, approving smile. "See that you do not. Now, let us review those fual runes once more. Practice makes perfect, as they say. This time, you'll have to draw them solely from memory. Then, we'll pick out discreet locations around the premises to establish your wards. Preferably outside, so that Felicia's imposter remains unaware."

  Author's Note

  Updates will e every weekday for the first two chapters, then se-by-se afterward. Frequent postings help the stet tra.

  Behind the Ses

  - Tony being in Vealy, at Harry's Dolci is a callback to Iron Man 2. After leaving Monaco, on the pony says, "I don’t want to go home. At all. Let’s cel my birthday party and… We’re in Europe. Let’s go to Venice, Cipriani. Remember?

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