Not So Secret Society

Disclaimer - I don't own the X-Men or X-Men Evolution or any of its iterations.

This one-shot popped into my head as I was driving to work. It takes place the same afternoon as Day of Reckoning II. I'm sure the story has major holes in it - so sue me.

Paul waited at the burger shop for his friends to show up. The tables around him were abuzz with conversations about what happened in downtown Bayville earlier that morning. A huge robot rampaged through the city and a group of people, some of whom he knew, was involved in stopping it. The press had labeled the group mutants.

He smiled and waved when he saw Kurt and Scott walk in. They placed their orders at the counter and joined him at the table with their food. Scott also had a 'to go' ticket for the others who were hiding from the public eye for now. Scott thought to himself, "It could be a quite a while before we get any burgers like this again." Paul noticed they seem tired and wary, glancing about.

"Hey guys, thanks for meeting me here," Paul started. He noticed they were eating quickly and jumped right in. "I guess things are really hopping over at the Institute since all those most of the other kids turned out to be mutants and here you two are just normal guys caught up in all that."

Kurt and Scott looked at one another, surprised. Scott realized since he was at the mansion with the new students during the Sentinel attack, his picture had not been circulated around the news networks as a mutant - yet. Principal Kelly would be sure to correct that. Kurt had not been recognized as a mutant by Paul either since his human persona from the wrist imager did not match the blue fuzzy mutant on the TV screen.

Scott asked, "So what's up, Paul? Your call on my cell seemed urgent." Paul noticed Scott seemed very on edge but decided to present his idea anyway. "I guess I wanted to know if you guys would like to join me in forming a group to support these mutants. It was obvious to me in the footage that they were trying to protect people from that rampaging robot. The press spun the story about the mutants as monsters - but that robot was the real terror. I mean you guys lived with these other kids and you know them as friends. They wouldn't hurt humans like us, would they?"

Scott regarded his friend Paul carefully. Here was living proof of the Professor's dream. Scott had only known one side of the turbulent times that lay ahead. He was confident of the X-men's desire to live peacefully among normal humans. The unknown factor was whether the humans would accept mutants in return. The Sentinel attack didn't really win over a lot of people based on the news reports he's heard on the radio so far.

"So what are you proposing?" asked Kurt. Paul replied, "I don't know. I guess a group of normal humans who take a stand that we are not frightened by change or differences in genetics as long as things stayed peaceful."

"What is the name of the group?" Kurt asked while Scott kept checking for the to go order to be finished. Paul shrugged his shoulders answering, "I'm not sure and I was hoping you guys could help me here. I'm stuck with a really bad name and was looking to brainstorm some better ones. We need Bayville in the name because we're starting it here; that could change when we go national. I was thinking Underground would be cool - in case we need to help them hide from rabid mobs. But I'm stuck at getting a good acronym for T-shirts to get the group going. The only thing I've been able to come up with is Bayville Underground Mutant Society - but that comes out to BUMS. Maybe if we tried something like Society or House or something that sounded friendly."

Scott suggested, "How about Bayville Area - that gives you a BA to start." Kurt got really excited and finished it off, "And we can add Mutant Friends! Bayville Area Mutant Friends B-A-M-F BAMF! Now that's catchy!"

Scott and Paul looked at one another, then Scott burst out laughing. "BAMF! Kurt, you kill me. That's just too funny!" Scott noticed the order for the others was ready to go and stood up still chuckling. "Thanks, man, I needed a good laugh." Paul has scrunched his nose and said, "What kind of word is bamf?" Kurt tried to explain, "It's a noise you hear when...". Scott interrupted, "Look, Paul. Kurt and I really appreciate the invite and who knows - we might be in touch. Let's go, Kurt." Scott eyed the official looking Humvee that entered the parking lot and was checking cars and license plates in a slow fashion.

Paul was half listening to Scott as he repeated 'Bamf" to himself over and over - it did have a cool ring to it. It could really catch on and some good would come of it. Normal humans and mutants could coexist was the message he was trying to spread.

Scott dragged Kurt out the back entrance with the bags of burgers. Kurt kept yelling to Paul as he went outside. "The T shirts should be dark blue with golden yellow lettering. I want the first ten - no make that fifty you make! This could be big - mugs, lunchboxes, movie deals! Have your people call my people. We'll do lunch! Wait - we just did!" Paul's friends disappeared from view.

Paul then realized he forgot to tell them when the first meeting would be and ran outside to catch up to them. They were nowhere in sight and Paul's eyes teared up from some smoke that blew into his face. "Must be the exhaust from the grill chimney," he thought.

"I'll just catch them at school tomorrow." Bamf. It really did grow on Paul each time he heard it.

Please read and review - my first attempt at lame-o humor