All Marvel Characters are the property of Marvel. Jake and his family are my own creation. I'm not trying to make any money off this, I just love writing. So, if you want to write a fanfic involving Jake or his family, you need my permission first.

A year after the wedding, things were doing wonderfully. We were back in Phoenix. The family visited regularly, every holiday. They liked me a lot. A whole lot.
My identity crisis was done with, for good. I was a new kid.
Grandpa and Grandma had been sending Mom letter after letter. It had me curious. But I didn't say anything about it to her. Didn't want to sound impolite. I'd just have to wait and see.

It was a few days later that we were headed back to Tuscon. This was confusing. Sure, it was just summer, but we liked to visit them.
"Jake, we've got sort of a suprise waiting for you when we get there."
"Really? What?"
Josh then spoke up. "It's big, Jake. I know that much."
I didn't say any more about it. Neither did they. I really didn't mind waiting.

Grandpa and Grandma were both waiting for me. Grandpa had a big envelope in his right hand, and was smiling at my mother. I was curious.
"What's up, Grandpa?" He hid the envelope behind his back.
"Nothing." I smiled at him.
Just then Josh got out of the van. "Hi Grandpa," he said.
"Hi Josh. How's the comic business?"
Josh had just started his new hobby, drawing and writing comic books. He'd been working on his first sreies as of then, but he hadn't told me much.

I left a little later. My brother already had. I found him at his comic store, Comics 'R' Us, as he calls it. He was restocking the shelves.
"Oh, Hi. Jake. I didn't hear you come in."
"No problem, Josh. Anything good?"
"Yeah." He got that 'I'm-up-to-something-so-watch-out' look on his face. He reached uner the desk for a moment, and then pulled something out. It was a picture. Of me. It was drawn comic-style, my eyes glowing. I looked like a super-hero, like Captain America or something.
"Cool! You drew this?"
He nodded. I hugged him. "Thanks, man. I love it!"
He smiled. "Just come back later today. I'm unpacking a special shipment." He got that look again. And then I left.

When I got back to Grandma and Grandpa's, Mom and them were all inside, waiting for me.
"Hello, little thunderbird. Welcome back."
That was Mom. Oh, a thunderbird was a character in a Native American legend. It was about a bird whose call was thunder. I guess my powers made me something like that. Only I had power!
"Hi, Mom. How's..." I cut myself off. They were sitting at the table with a man I had never seen before.
"Hello, Jake." The man said.
"Who are you?" I started my powers. My fist glowed, and my eyes too. I was sort of scared.
"Calm down, Jake. My name is Aaron Davis. I run a group in New York that is interested in your membership."
"What, one of those mutant self-help groups. I ain't interested if it is."
"Jake!" my mother said. I sighed, cutting off my powers.
"No, Jake. I am the leader of the X-Men. Jake, how would you like to be the second ever X-Kid?"

I was shocked. The X-Men? Wow!
"Sure, mister...uh...Davis. I'd love to. But...I....start high school in a few..."
"It's taken care of. You'll be provided top-notch education through our computer, Cerebro."
"But, my family, I can't leave them."
Mom spoke up. "Jake, all those letters were from Mr. Davis. I had to be sure that he could provide all you'd need."
"But, Mom, I can't leave you." I ran to her, hugging her.
"I assure you, Jake. You can contact your mother and relatives anytime you wish."
That got me thinking. I had to give it some thought.
"Can you excuse me for awhile? I need to think."
"No problem," Mr. Davis said.

I left there, for my best thinking spot, the Tuscon Mall. I'll go to Metrocenter sometimes, but I like the one here.
I walked around the mall, walking in and out of bookstores, and the arcade, Penney's, trying to think about the X-Men.
Would I join?
Should I?
I kept thinking, as I walked along. But I finally decided, "Yes. I'm gonna be the X-Kid." And then I flew off, forgettong I was in the food court. I flew through an open door, and was gone.

"I'm in. I just gotta say my goodbyes. They all know, right?"
"Yes. They all know. But there's one more thing I need to know before I leave. You need a code name."
"Huh?"
"They call me Sprint. A code-name. A handle."
"Oh." I looked at my mother. And then, I walked over to the bookshelf, pulling out one on Native Legends. And then it hit me.
"Yes. I know."
"What?"
I showed him a picture of a bird seemingly made of energy, rising into the sky.
"My name. I know it."
I had found it.
"ThunderBird."

Another Portal - Back to the Void