Step 1: Find Pants

underground Mutant Community - Wyoming

Finlay, now awkwardly wearing the too-small hospital gown on his newly formed body, took a deep breath and ventured into the corridor. His first objective was to find the living quarters and, more importantly, some pants. He began walking with a peculiar gait, trying to mimic Johnathan's casual stride but coming off more like a toddler in oversized shoes.

Navigating the maze-like underground haven proved challenging. Finlay's memory of the tour was fuzzy, and he found himself doubling back and entering wrong areas more than once. At one point, he ended up in a storage room filled with cleaning supplies. He backed out quickly, muttering, “Nope, not here,” to himself.

People greeted him along the way, their expressions shifting from polite smiles to wide-eyed shock upon seeing “Johnathan” in such a state. One older mutant with the ability to manipulate electricity, named Marge, raised an eyebrow and asked, “Everything alright, Johnathan?”

“Oh, uh, yes. Just a, um, wardrobe malfunction,” Finlay stammered, trying to sound as authoritative as he imagined Johnathan would. “You know, laundry day and all that.”

Marge blinked but nodded slowly, obviously not convinced. “Alright then. If you need any help…”

“Thank you, but I’m good! Just on a...mission,” he added, trying to sound mysterious. He gave her a thumbs-up and continued on his way.

Finally, after several wrong turns and increasingly bizarre encounters, he found himself in the living quarters. His heart raced with excitement and nerves. Now all he needed were some clothes. He turned a corner and almost ran into Ben Taylor, the towering figure standing there looking slightly bewildered at the sight of him.

“Johnathan? What happened to you?” Ben asked, his deep voice filled with concern and amusement.

“Oh, Ben! Uh, just, um, testing out some new powers,” Finlay blurted, improvising wildly. “You know how it is, always pushing boundaries and, uh, shrinking clothes!”

Ben chuckled, shaking his head. “You need help, man?”

“No, no, I’ve got it all under control,” Finlay insisted, his voice a bit too high-pitched to be convincing. “Just looking for some, uh, emergency pants.”

Ben gave him a long, skeptical look but finally shrugged. “Alright, man. You do you. See you later.”

As Ben walked away, Finlay exhaled a huge sigh of relief. Now he knew exactly where Ben’s room was. He sneaked inside and rummaged through the drawers, finally finding a pair of pants and a shirt. They were way too big on his slender frame, but they would have to do. He didn’t bother with underwear, socks, or shoes, figuring he could make do without them.

Pulling on the oversized clothes, Finlay felt like a child playing dress-up. The pants were baggy and the shirt hung loosely, but it was a massive improvement over the tiny hospital gown. He stood in front of the mirror, trying to adjust the clothes and get a feel for his new body. Every movement felt strange and awkward, like he was a poorly constructed puppet.

He practiced a few of Johnathan’s mannerisms, recalling their interactions. “Don’t mess with my family kid, or I will end you,” he said to his reflection, attempting a confident tone but sounding more like a nervous teenager.

As he stepped out into the hallway again, he couldn’t help but laugh at himself. The whole situation was ridiculous, but it was also exhilarating. The thrill of the adventure outweighed his fear of getting caught, and he was determined to make the most of it.

The too-big pants threatened to slip down with every step, and his awkward movements drew puzzled looks from everyone he passed.