Mike goes to Chicago

Thankfully, Mike had gotten accepted as a student at the University of Chicago with a full ride scholarship when he had applied there. One long bus ride later and he was no longer in the dreary state of Kansas but under the bright blue skies of Illinois. The city had been one of the cesspools of anti-mutant hate three years ago, but things were certainly changing - no doubt, Mike figured, due to the work put in by Worthington Industries.

He didn't know exactly where he would find Kitty Pryde. He knew that she was a student, having enrolled either three or two years prior. He knew that her best friend, Xi'an coy Manh, was a librarian and lived nearby with her much younger twin siblings. Also, he had just arrived - it would be pretty awkward and to seek out the two of them almost right away. He hadn't even settled in yet.

Well, since he had nothing better to do, he might as well head on to the university orientation.

While Chicago was a relatively peaceful city, free of superhuman antics, it was well known for being where Thor and Sif had stayed once. In addition, Mike believed that some low rent vigilante named the Night Thrasher had been active there. Either way, it was no New York City where the Fantastic Four - back when they were a group - had to defend it from any manner of threat. Or Los Angeles, where the likes of the Champions found themselves stepping up. Or even Canada, which was still under the purview of Alpha Flight.

Nope, the worst thing about Chicago was the Maggia presence. Old world gangsters once led by Lucino Nefaria, an old enemy of the X-Men, the Maggia had cells all across the globe. They had access to high grade weaponry and strange technology - which had once even allowed them to hold Washington, D.C. for ransom. Thankfully the X-Men had stopped them before the gangsters could bankrupt the USA.

Mike pushed the thoughts out of his head as he headed for the auditorium for the orientation.