A young man with silver hair sat on his cot in a small cell staring at the
large armored door, a constantly tapping foot the only sign of his
impatience. A few years ago the cramped spaces combined with his natural
energy and impatience would have had him bouncing off the walls by now, but
much had changed in the last few years.
"Both the world and the people in it." He mused as his foot continued its incessant tapping against the steel floor. He sat for another ten minutes hoping that he would out last his captor, but the man who had put him in here was the epitome of patience, a trait common among immortal mutants. The silver haired prisoner rose with a groan from sitting so long and walked to the door and pressed the button on the voice box next to it.
"Yes?" The small box replied after a burst of static.
"Am I ever going to get out of here, or should I start decorating?"
The person on the other end laughed for a minute. Settling down he spoke clearly into the microphone and there by into the cell, "You know what I want. When your willing to fulfill your part of the bargain I will be perfectly happy to let you go, but until then I suggest you get comfortable."
Before he could reply the intercoms light flickered and died as the power to it was cut to stop any more interruptions. When he had first been placed in the cell he had entertained himself by pressing the button every minute and answering a made up jeopardy question such as, "Who is Mr. T?" After awhile, oh about a day of this, he found he only had three intercoms a day, so usually one was serious and the other 2 were made to entertain him for most of the day.
Laying down on the cot he decided to do one of his mental exercise. Closing his eyes he imagined every detail of the room, from the water tube hanging from the ceiling to the grate where food was pushed in, all of it. Once he was sure he had a clear mental picture he opened his eyes and compared the 2 for the split second that they existed at the same time. Perfect, in every detail the picture was perfect. He sighed and covered his face with his hands as a moan escaped his lips, "Jesus, am I ever going to get out of here?"
You're the one who put yourself in here to begin with.
Opening his eyes quickly he looked around the room hoping that there was someone else there and that he wasn't going crazy yet. But as always, as ever, he was alone. Staring at the ceiling he pleaded with the voice in his head, "Can't we just pretend that you don't exist yet and that I'm still sane? Please?"
Sorry man, but were past the point of no return. We've been in this cell for about a month.Tthe bad nutrition and boredom are making your mental barriers weaker that ever.
Sitting up in a blur he rose to his feet and shook his fist at the iron door, " He thinks he can break me, doesn't he? Well he doesn't know how tough a nut this is going to be to crack!"
Crack. Nuts. See, even your making crazy jokes now, but that's not what's important. What I think we really need to be discussing is when your going to buckle down and agree to his terms.
"Why should I?"
Because those are the only terms possible at the moment.
"How come none of the others started hearing voices huh? They went through the same stuff I did?"
Cause they let the Proffesor get rid of all the junk Weapon X pumped into them, while you took the money and ran. It also kind of helped that you were mentally damaged goods with a high opinion of yourself to begin with. But getting back to the task at hand-
"How bout not," Laying down again he shut his eyes and delved into his memory.
This isn't just a waste of time, its destructive. Why do you keep thinking about back then? You're Father? Sister? Friends? What?
If you don't learn from the past your doomed to repeat it, now shut up its starting.
Starting in the same place it always started he found himself running down the road towards school. "Stupid Mystique and her stupid secrecy." He mumbled as he ran a zigzag coarse.
He didn't mind running, it just seemed wrong that they got to ride in the spare car to school while he had to use his powers. Unlike Lances jeep the car was only big enough for three of them at any one time. Since Fred took up the whole back seat and Lance was the only one who could drive it was at first a toss up between him and Toad for shotgun. He had won the first couple of days being able to get ready and be in the car in 10 seconds flat, hell Toad probably had fun riding on the roof. It wasn't until Mystique saw them pull into the driveway with Toad hanging on for dear life with his tongue to the antennae that things got nasty.
"Why should I have to walk to school?" He demanded when Mystique told them the new seating arrangement; Lance driving, Fred back seat, Toad shotgun, You walk to school.
"Because I don't want anyone seeing Toad playing surfer during traffic. Do you have any idea what kind of attention you could attract doing that?"
He balked, "So its not going to get anybody attention if they see a blur running by day after day."
Toad had hopped up on the couch they were standing next to and butted in, "Yo, how come she don't have to go to school?" Pointing at Wanda.
Wanda looked up from tv and with a flick of her wrist flipped the couch on top of him from across the room. Mystique picked him up by the back of his shirt and held him at eye level, "Does that answer your question? Maybe you would like to take a few days off from school and entertain Wanda while the others are at school?"
Toad swallowed hard, "Naw, I'm cool."
"Good," she replied and threw the pint size member of the Brotherhood across the room where he caught himself and stuck to the wall before leaping into the kitchen. Mystique turned and picked up where she left off, "And you!"
Turning to Lance who was reading the latest issue of FHM magazine he'd stolen on the couch, "If you hadn't let that X men spy steal your jeep we wouldn't be in this situation."
Lance looked up, "We were kinda busy if you remember. And why would Tabby be a spy?"
Fred leaned in the doorway from the hall, "Yeah, the reason she left the X men was because she couldn't stand it there anymore than Lance could."
Mystique turned slowly back towards the couch with murder in her eyes but found the couch empty with nothing but the imprint of his body and a magazine in the air to show Lance's hasty departure. Mystique instead looked at Him, "to answer your question, when I said walking, I meant walking. No powers."
Running into the kitchen of the boarding house he stopped just to the right of the refrigerator and hit the wall as hard as he could. Toad who was standing nearby saw the look of surprise on his face when his fist went through the wall and into the living room, pulling his fist back he rubbed it and mumbled to himself, "Well that never happened before."
Toad, who had been standing next to the fridge on the other side opened it and got a pair of cokes and tossed him one, "Know just how you feel. At first I thought it was nice having someone paying the bills, but now Im startin to wonder if we weren't better off without her and her one man demolition team."
He popped the top of his can as Toad sipped his and stared into the black liquid as if looking for some answer. Toad had finished his and was now definitely worried about his friend, who had never had an open coke for more than a minute, hell he usually finished Toad's right after his and had time to get a new one for him before he noticed. Deciding that "Are you okay?" wouldn't be a great question Toad asked instead, "You gonna finish that?"
He looked up as if realizing that Toad was still there and handed him the coke before flying up the stairs yelling over his shoulder,"Nawyoucanhaveit.Youknowthatstuffsbad foryouanywayright?Especiallythisearlyinthemorning,you'llbeallhyperduringscho ol."
Toad stood there for a second, mentally deciphering the speed lingo before chugging the last coke and hopping out to the car where Lance was waiting behind the wheel and Fred in the back. He thought for a few seconds on what might be troubling his friend, besides his father's ex-minion and psychotic sister living with him under the same roof. The thought was soon pushed out of his head by a far more primal but insistent demand. Toad turned to Lance who was enjoying the smooth ride of the rental, but missed the power of his jeep and uttered the 4 words that drove the rock tumbler nuts every time they drove somewhere, "Man, I gotta pee."
He watched the car drive away after his friends had climbed in and gathered his books into a neat pile on the edge of his desk before shoving them helter-skelter into his book bag and speeding out the front door. He figured that even though the others had a 5 minute head start he would still beat them there and be waiting when they parked. He never even made it onto school grounds.
He was racing through the woods in the general direction of the school when his stomach did a flip flop stopping him dead in his tracks. It had been like this every other time he had come for Him, the silence, the sudden darkness. The woods suddenly became deathly quiet and the sky seemed to dim as his father floated into the clearing and appraised him. Magneto smiled, "Hello."
He took a few steps back as his father settled to the ground his cape coming to rest bare inches from the ground. Looking into his fathers eyes he saw neither the cold anger nor the quiet inquisitiveness he was so familiar with, instead his father seemed....pleased to see him. Mustering the courage to speak he replied as he had been taught, "Sir."
Magneto removed his helmet and set it to rest floating in the air next to him, "You did not expect to see me again did you?"
He swallowed and reviewed his answer before replying, "Not this soon anyway."
Magneto made a dismissive gesture and his son froze, expecting to feel his stomach explode at any second. Magneto noticed his heirs hesitation, "Ah yes the implant. We'll have to have that removed when this is over now won't we? I'm glad that Mystique didn't do anything foolish after our disagreement on asteroid M, I planned on her holding onto you as a bargaining chip, but you never know with Mystique, that's why I hired her."
"Your going to remove it?"
"In due time my son, in due time. I'm sure that she has some kind of tamper proof system installed, so we will have to wait until she is safely out of the picture before attempting a retrieval."
"So....where have you been?"
Magneto shook his head slowly, "That is of no concern of yours, all you need to know is that the greatest battle in human history is about to unfold. In size it will be insignificant, but it will touch every life on this planet in a way you cannot imagine. And I want you by my side during it."
"Me? But, why now?"
"You are my heir, my last great legacy, you will safe guard the great mutant civilization that we shall build together."
"What about Wanda?"
Magneto's face darkened at the mention of his daughter, "She is too angry now to see what is before us, the great responsibility placed on our shoulders. Here let me show you something," reaching into his cape he pulled out a small projector that hummed to life and a 3D image of a robot appeared between them. Even at only 1 foot tall it looked deadly as the weapons unfolded from its bodies and showed their uses.
"What is it?"
"A Sentinel," The image faded and the projector flew back into its hidden pouch inside Magneto's cape, "A man named Trask is now building a veritable army of these mutant hunters using technology stolen from SHIELD."
"You plan on destroying him?"
"No, not I. Though I will have a hand in it, the Brotherhood and X men shall battle his creation, lured there by my Acolytes. The battle shall be the birth cry to the world, announcing the presence of mutant kind to all humanity. When the world see's their greatest weapon laid low by the combined might of the peaceful X men and the ruthless Brotherhood they shall realize their folly and bow to their new masters."
"If I agreed to this, what would I have to do? I'm not going to get anybody killed, okay maybe Daniels, or Wanda, or Mystique, but nobody important."
Magneto smiled and shook the remote grenade in his sons stomach in an almost playful gesture that carried a clear message, "Oh don't worry. You will agree, and not because of any threat I could make towards your friends, life, or even your "liberty", but because you will see the reason in it."
Realizing that he had no real choice he decided to play hard to get until he had enough information, "How am I suppose to help?"
"Events will unfold as they will. When the battle starts you will find me and stay by my side until ordered otherwise, understood?"
"Yes, sir. But what about Mystique?"
"Your melodramatic, act." With that Magneto floated skywards and He waited until the birds began singing again and the sky turned to its normal blue tint. Looking at his watch he realized that what had felt like hours dragging by had only been 2.
"Screw school." He said to himself and ran for the Brotherhood house putting on his game face for what would be the literally life or death part he would have to play for the next few days.
Maybe I should have just come clean then and there.
She would have listened to you for about 1 minute before she had the others mopping your blood and guts off the carpet.
Not Mystique. Maybe Lance, or Fred, or Todd could have done something.
Like what? None of them are exactly skilled surgeons you know. Face it you did what you could at this point, if she felt backed into a corner she would have killed you out of spite.
Yeah but even when I did leave her a way out things didn't turn out exactly as planned.
Very true. Why don't we move on or go back to the real world, this freeze frame shit gives me the creeps.
Wanda was walking out of her room with a magazine when a blur flew by ripping the pages out by accident and shutting the door to her brother's room. Wanda looked at the newly bought magazine Mystique had gotten her before throwing the door open and throwing the magazine at him screaming, "CAN I OWN ANYTHING WITHOUT YOU RETARDS DESTROYING IT!"
He spun from the window where he had been peering into the woods behind the house, "What the hell is your problem?!"
She pointed to the ripped up magazine on his floor which suddenly flew into the air and started batting him in the face, "THAT'S MY PROBLEM! ALL I HAVE TO DO IN THIS STUPID HOUSE IS WATCH TV, READ MY MAGAZINES AND LISTEN TO YOU AND MYSTIQUE ARGUE ALL THE TIME!"
He slapped the offending magazine out of the air and trapped it under his foot where it flopped like a fish out of water, "IF YOU HATE IT HERE SO MUCH THEN WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE,HUH? JESUS, YOU'D FIGURE THAT AFTER GETTING OUT OF A MENTAL INSTITUE YOU'D GO TO HAWAII OR SOMETHING!"
Wanda's eye's widened at the mention of the mental institute and the whole house shook as her hands curled into fists at her side. Taking a step towards him Wanda whispered in a dangerous voice, "The mental institute you put me in?"
He swallowed realizing that they were the only ones in the house and that unless he made her stop screaming again she might bring the building down on them, "Me! That was father. Besides, you scared the shit out of me, and I was the one defending you to him."
"You could have tried to stop him."
He threw his arms into the air in exasperation, "I WAS 7 YEARS OLD WANDA! WHAT DID YOU WANT ME TO DO?"
"ANYTHING! CRY, YELL, SCREAM! ANYTHING BUT JUST STAND THERE AND WATCH THEM TAKE ME AWAY WITH A STUPID LOOK ON YOUR FACE!"
Relieved he had gotten her screaming again he yelled back, "FOR WHAT? SO THAT HE COULD PUT ME IN THERE WITH YOU? OR MAYBE IN SOME ORPHANAGE? I KNEW AFTER THAT HE WOULD EVENTUALLY, BUT NOT THEN! I'D ALREADY LOST MY SISTER, DID YOU EXPECT ME TO JUST LEFT HIM GO TO?"
"THAT INSTITUE WAS HELL!"
"YEAH, WELL SO WAS LIVING WITH A MAN WHO CONSIDERED HIMSELF THE EMPEREOR OF AN EMPIRE, EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T EXIST."
"YOU ASSHO-" Wanda's voice cracked from screaming and he ran to the kitchen.
Returning with 2 glasses of water he offered one to her which she snatched from his hand and drained. He took a seat at his desk folding his legs like a psychiatrist and asked her in a concerned voice, "Now where were we Wanda?" He ducked just into time and the glass shattered on the wall behind him.
Wanda stomped out of his room and into the hallway where she found her ripped up magazine still looking like it had gone through a shredder, but it was taped so that she could read it. Unsure of how to handle this bit of kindness from some one she hated she looked in her brother's direction she asked herself before shutting the door, "When did he become a human being?"
That night He played cards with Fred while Lance lounged on the couch and Toad watched the 10 channels that came in on their little tv. Lance shook the house making a piece of pizza fall from the ceiling and land on Fred's head giving him enough time to run around and look at his cards before Fred or Lance noticed. Toad was complaining about the channels when Mystique walked in commented in a sarcastic voice, "Well, I see your all hard at work building a brighter tomorrow."
Toad looked up from his beanbag chair, "Man were getting rigamortise sitting around here, there's nothing going on."
Mystique walked past him and stood next to the card table, "On the contrary, it appears our friend Magneto is up to something quite significant.," Seeing the only other female member standing in the doorway, "That's right Wanda, your loving father has made a bold move, he's abducted Wolverine."
Everyone looked at her in surprise, "Huh?"
Lance sat up, "Wolverine? That's crazy! Why would he want to do that?"
"Why indeed?" Turning to him she asked, "He's your father too, perhaps you can enlighten us?"
He put his game face on and hoped for the best, "Hey, Don't ask me. I don't know where he is or what he's doing."
Mystique stared at him for a second as if looking for some small sign that he was lying to her. Satisfied she turned and walked towards the window, "He actually snatched one of the X men, why? There's a larger strategy at work here, I can feel it. Now I'm forced to make my move."
Everyone stared at her wondering what she meant by that. She then turned and addressed them, "Tomorrow you will be ready to leave in full combat gear by noon. When I call you will make your way to the Xavier Institute where you will follow his orders without question, understood?"
Toad asked the question on everybody's mind, "Why should we listen to baldy?"
Mystique merely smiled and said before walking out the room, "The X men won't let Magneto keep Wolverine, so they will be preparing to free their comrade in arms as soon as possible. Whatever their doing I want you all involved so that when the times come we can strike at Magneto."
The next day they all sat in the living room dressed to go and waiting for the phone to ring. Toad was snacking as usual on the fauna that could be found buzzing around, while Fred raided the fridge in a last ditch attempt before they left. Wanda sat reading her torn to shreds magazine, fingering the medallion around her neck, and the last two members of the Brotherhood were playing a captivating game of paper, scissors, rock. When the phone rang He was over in a flash with the receiver to his ear, "Mystique's house of domination, how can we hurt you?"
Mystiques tired voice came in clear, "Must you say that every time you answer the phone?"
"Yeah. So is this the call or should we get ready for the Lakers game in 20 minutes?"
"Get over here now!"
"Yesm." Putting the receiver down he turned to the others and said, "Game time fellas."
They made there way to the Institute with Blob, Avalanche, and Scarlet Witch in the car and Toad hitching a ride with the speed demon. Once at the door they rang the bell and waited a second before it opened. Storm looked at them carefully before walking away, "Follow me." Was all she said.
As they followed her towards what he remembered was the elevator down to the lower levels where they fought the Juggernaught he leaned towards their leader and asked, "You think that's Mystique?"
Avalanche shrugged, "No way to tell, I guess we should just go along with the plan and hope she knows what she's doing."
Storm pressed a button opening the elevator door, This will take you down to the Danger room, don't try to get off anywhere else, understood?"
Everyone nodded for her benefit.
Before the doors shut she looked at each of them, "I know why you're here, and I can't say I agree with it. But, we appreciate your help." They all looked at each other in confusion for minute before they chalked it up to Mystiques plan.
Once they were on their way down everyone stood silently lost in their own thoughts, that is until Blob pulled them back to reality by letting one rip. Toad leaned against the wall laughing his head off while all the others waved their arms to get rid of the smell. Avalanche looked at Blob, "Jesus Blob, that could peal the varnish of a foot locker."
Even stoic Wanda remarked on it, "We didn't need to know the nature of that beast."
Blob blushed, "Sorry."
He looked at the little light thing that told them what floor they were on and saw that they were just about there, "Alright, were almost there, settle down. And Blob, if you do that again, do it near the X freaks okay?"
The elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open revealing a room with all the X men in it. Xavier sat near the door in his wheelchair, "Therefore, I'd like you to welcome your new teammates." The X men froze seeing them.
Nightcrawler was the first to say something, "You want us to work with them?"
"No way!" Shadow cat added.
"This is a joke right?" Rogue asked crossing her arms.
"Not a chance!" Spike said to the Brotherhood.
Shadowcat walked towards the Brotherhood until she stood next to Xavier, "Proffesor, your not serious are you? After what they did to us!"
He ran over and stood next to the pint sized X man and patted her on the shoulder, "Hey we won, you lost, get over it." And zipped away before she turned and swiped at where he had been.
Xavier raised his hands and spoke to both teams, "Look, I know this will be difficult for both of you, but despite your personal feelings we face tremendous odds going against Magneto, and we will be a much stronger team with there help."
Spike stood and walked past the others until he stood in front of them, "Why are you guys volunteering for this anyway? You don't like us anymore than we like you."
He looked at his rival and sneered, "We got our reasons."
"yeah," Toad chipped in, "Maybe its be kind to losers weak."
Avalanche sauntered up to Cyclops, "And from what I've seen it looks like you people could use a new team leader."
"Yeah?" Cyclops grabbed him by the front of his uniform, "Well guess what shakedown, you can have the job!" Shoving past the Brotherhood leader he walked towards the elevator throwing over his shoulder at Xavier, "I'm done with this!"
"Scott-"Jean said as she started to run after him before being grabbed by Xavier.
Xavier looked after the X men leader, "Jean. Let him go."
"Let him go?!" Jean asked incredulous, "Proffesor!"
Xavier looked at the closing elevator doors, "Time is of the essence, we must continue training, while you resume your efforts on cerebro. If we find Wolverine, we find Magneto."
The rest of the day was spent training in the Danger Room which the Brotherhood had to admit was impressive just as Avalanche had described it. That night they slept in the medical wing under Xaviers orders, careful to stay away from the X men up above.
"Man I'm starving!" Blob cried as he rubbed his paunch and sat on his bed which groaned under his weight.
"Me too, there ain't no bugs around here." Toad said exiting the bathroom.
Wanda turned to walk in but was hit by the breeze coming out and decided better of it, "I could use something to eat as well."
He jumped up from where he had been trying to unlock a cabinet full medical tape in the hopes of making a mummy, "Don't worry I'll buzz up and get us something to snack on." And he was gone zipping through the halls taking the stairs since for him that would be faster than the elevator and was in the kitchen 1 minute later after some searching.
Rummaging around in the fridge he found sandwich makings, chips in the pantry, and for Wanda a bowl of fruit. When he turned to put it all on a trolley for dishes that had been sitting next to the sink he saw the biggest, furriest, bluest, animal outside of a zoo standing there. "WHOA!", he yelled just about dropping everything, "Damn Wagner, when did you start taking steroids?"
Beast smiled, "I see you recognize the shade resemblance we share, but no I am not Kurt. Your,-" he rubbed his jaw for a second, "Well I can't remember your name exactly, but you were in one of my chemistry classes."
He stared, "Dr. McCoy?"
Beast smiled, "Yes."
Scooping everything onto the trolley he headed out the door,"WellitwasniceseEingyou againDr.McCoy,catchyoulater." And he was gone.
Beast stood for a second before it hit him, "That was the boy who blew up one of my lab sinks!"
Pushing the trolley down the hall he saw Rogue walk out of the living room and stopped to say hey, but before he could open his mouth she had walked by. Staring at her back for a second he yelled down the hall before turning the corner, "HEY ROGUE! NICE TO SEE YOU TOO!"
"Huh?" She replied returning from her erstwhile thoughts to see who had said her name and finding no one there.
He'd just pushed the button for the elevator when Kitty appeared next to him, "Why are you guys here?"
He smiled, "The pleasant company of course! Say hi to Rogue for me would ya."
She shook her head making the ponytail on the top of her head bob, "No really why are you here? We all want to know."
Deciding that this would be as good a time as any to mess with the X men he looked at her seriously, "Magneto. Were here to take out Magneto."
Kitty looked taken aback, "Your going to fight your own father?"
The elevator door opened and He pushed the cart in, "Yeah, I guess you could look at it that way."
Once the doors shut he leaned against the cart and started laughing hard enough to draw tears. Everybody thought they were using somebody else, Xavier thought he was using the Brotherhood, Mystique thought she was using the X men, and Magneto was using Him against them all. Wiping the tears from his eyes he stood straight and got ready to push the cart out. Remembering a quote from English class he spoke it to the scrubbed walls as he walked down them towards the Infirmary, "What twisted webs we weave when we deceive."
Wanda had been looking around for another bathroom besides the one Toad had desecrated when she heard her brother talking to himself walking down the hall. Looking out a doorway she saw him push the cart into the Infirmary and wondered who he was talking about, Mystique, Xavier, or himself?
The next day they were summoned to the Blackbird and told to strap in by Beast before he started the engines and launch procedure. Once they were on their way Beast rummaged around in a compartment before finding what he was looking for. Sliding the CD in a symphony began playing in tune with the sound of the jets engines. Wanda looked up from the floor where she had been staring, "Isn't this the Overture of 1812?"
"Yes," Beast replied surprised that one of the Brotherhood would recognize it.
Shadowcat turned and looked at the Scarlet Witch. Wanda looked at her in turn and answered her unspoken question, "My father use to listen to it."
He jumped in quickly his seat in the back hoping to relieve the mood, "Got anything by Deaf Leopard?"
Avalanche laughed and even Beast chuckled when everyone else in the jet asked, "Who?"
He waved his hands, "Way before your time!"
Once they arrived at the industrial section they fanned out and began looking for Magneto and his Acolytes, but to no avail. He zipped around doing a quick search of the surrounding area but found nothing. He leaned against the wall of a building as Avalanche walked out saying to himself, "Empty man I'm getting creeped out here." Blob followed him out shrugging when he saw the speed demons inquisitive look. Once there back was turned he couldn't help smiling to himself in anticipation of the coming battle. He followed the others but didn't see the look Wanda gave him in turn.
When they heard the explosion Beast was the first to move yelling, "Come on lets go!"
Avalanche ran after him with the others smiling, "Finally some action!"
"You have no idea." He said to himself as he ran in the opposite direction in search of Magneto past Wanda as she yelled, "It's a trap!"
He found his father at the top of a large abandoned business building with an archaic look to it. His father did not acknowledge his presence, instead he watched the battle unfold below them, while His attention was elsewhere, on the small figure of his sister who stood looking for them.
After a few minutes in which the Acolytes kept both teams occupied he saw Wanda begin in their direction, leaving a path of destruction in her wake which Brotherhood and X man followed easily.
"Their coming for us, and Wanda's leading the charge." He said as his father looked past him at the ground of the construction yard.
"She will just have to wait, its time to move this along." Raising his arms the very ground beneath the mutants opened up spilling them into the depths below. One figure seemed to have just barely made it before the ground fell away and now dangled on the edge. Wanda scrambled at the rocks in front of her as they fell away and looked to her father and brother who stood watching, as they had just stood watching so long ago.
He moved to run and help her but his father placed a restraining hand on his shoulder, "No."
He brushed the hand off and made to run, but he felt the lump of metal in the pit of his stomach twist, pulling the lines that strapped it to the wall of his chest. Refusing to even bend he looked at his father, "Why?"
His father merely watched until the rocks beneath Wanda gave way and she fell into the inky blackness below. Magneto leaned against the parapet with the air of a weary man, "Now go tell and me what you see."
"You said no one would be hurt!"
"They are alive I assure you, which is more than I can say for you unless you do as I say immediately."
He ran down the edge of the building and into the city until he stood above the hole. Looking down he saw his friends, his, enemy's, and even his sister look from the Sentinel that stood before them, to him with the same question in their eyes that he had when he asked his father, "Why?"
Unable to stand their looks he ran back to the building and up the side, "He's released the Sentinel."
"As I knew he would." Magneto motioned to the orbs below where his Acolytes had appeared. The orbs closed and flew into the distance as Magneto turned back to the construction yard, "And now the whole world will know of us." Raising his arms again his son was amazed to see the Sentinel and mutant teams rise up out of the ground on a floor of giant plate steel.
He looked on as the group slowly backed away from the advancing Sentinel and said to his father, "I didn't know you could do that?"
His father leaned even more heavily against the parapart, "Yes, but I am greatly weakened. You will have to defend me for a few minutes until I am strong again." He turned and smiled at his son, "I would trust no other to such an important task."
He smiled back as a plan began to hatch in the back of his skull. As the teams continued to back into the city and its more residential zone news copters began appearing, just one at first, but soon many were hovering and filming. The mutants threw everything they had at the metal monolith, but it just kept coming firing back at them. Blob was picking up another car to throw at it when the Sentinel shot some kind of green goo at him that hardened and trapped him. Spike who had been standing nearby turned to run but was hit as well by the sticky substance and caught.
He looked to his father who was watching passively and decided that he would do as he'd planned, father or no father. Looking back he saw the thing fly into the air and come crashing down hitting Rogue with the gun and catching her, but Shadowcat was able to phase through the second volley. Beast ran and jumped at the Sentinel to cover them but was caught by its steel claw, thrown in the air and hit with the green goo that hardened instantly.
When Toad and Nightcrawler took cover from the machine behind a building He saw Toad point to something in the sky, specifically the military choppers flying in. His father noticed too, "Not yet." He said and the choppers flew in every direction but towards the battle.
He heard someone coming up the stairs and raced over knowing that his father was far too occupied to notice either his departure or the sound. Looking down the steps he saw Wanda making her way up step by step with murder in her eyes and a swath of destruction at her back. He waited for her and she seemed at a loss for a second as to why he did not alert their father, but she soon resumed her steely gaze and steady gait until she stood right in front of him. He turned sideways giving her a clear path to their weakened father. Instead she leaned in next to him and whispered in his ear before she hit him with a hex bolt, "I guess I was wrong about you being human."
Magneto saw the Sentinel as it took off and came towards him but was distracted by the cries of pain emanating from his son. Dropping her brother in a heap on the ground next to her Wanda looked at him, "Hello Father."
Magneto still held one hand up keeping the choppers at bay and looked at her with the closest thing to panick she had ever seen him at, "Wanda! Not now!"
"You locked me away!"
"You gave me no choice, you couldn't control your angry."
"You haven't seen me angry, UNTIL NOW!" She hit with a hex bolt from both hands capturing his already weakened powers.
As the Sentinel rocketed towards them Magneto yelled to her, "WANDA RELEASE MY POWERS! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING!"
The Sentinel hovered in the air next to the building as the weakened and powerless master of magnetism pleaded with his daughter to release him. The Sentinel opened fire and Magneto ran and rolled finding cover behind a convenient crate. The sound of the Velocity filled both their ears as it opened fire on the Sentinel until Wanda focused her powers on the X men's jet yelling, "STAY OUT OF THIS!"
The jet flew back and the field around Magneto disappeared just in time for him to catch 2 missiles fired at him and sent them back to their point of origin, namely the Sentinel. The blast rocked the building and the Sentinel came crashing down blowing Wanda over the side and what looked like crushing Magneto beneath its now deadened body.
He had watched all of this from the floor and now lay their trying to move as the realization came to him, he was alone now. His blood family was now dead at its own hands and his foster family thought he was a traitor, he was completely alone now. The Velocity flew into the distance trailed by military choppers that couldn't hope to match it speed and he sent his prayers with them. 30 minutes later when Trask's people came to pick up the pieces of Sentinel that were scattered all over the roof they found him laying there. He could have run, but why? Where would he go? What would he do?
Why couldn't you have existed then?
You think that me being around would have gotten you out of there?
You seem hell bent on getting me out of this cell.
Lets not forget that this little bout of depression you had was what made it easy for me to come into existence, okay?
I'm tired of this. You wanna take a break?
And do what? Go see a movie? A walk? Get some pizza? Fine you take your break, I'm going to turn in for a little while.
He opened his eyes and looked at his watch, 4 hours total. It was a hell of a way to pass the time, but it was taking longer and longer to get through. Sitting up he saw that the guard or jailor or whatever had come by and slid a foam tray of food cubes through the slot in the door. Sitting down he began eating them one by one savoring the cardboard taste since it seemed to pass the time.
"Both the world and the people in it." He mused as his foot continued its incessant tapping against the steel floor. He sat for another ten minutes hoping that he would out last his captor, but the man who had put him in here was the epitome of patience, a trait common among immortal mutants. The silver haired prisoner rose with a groan from sitting so long and walked to the door and pressed the button on the voice box next to it.
"Yes?" The small box replied after a burst of static.
"Am I ever going to get out of here, or should I start decorating?"
The person on the other end laughed for a minute. Settling down he spoke clearly into the microphone and there by into the cell, "You know what I want. When your willing to fulfill your part of the bargain I will be perfectly happy to let you go, but until then I suggest you get comfortable."
Before he could reply the intercoms light flickered and died as the power to it was cut to stop any more interruptions. When he had first been placed in the cell he had entertained himself by pressing the button every minute and answering a made up jeopardy question such as, "Who is Mr. T?" After awhile, oh about a day of this, he found he only had three intercoms a day, so usually one was serious and the other 2 were made to entertain him for most of the day.
Laying down on the cot he decided to do one of his mental exercise. Closing his eyes he imagined every detail of the room, from the water tube hanging from the ceiling to the grate where food was pushed in, all of it. Once he was sure he had a clear mental picture he opened his eyes and compared the 2 for the split second that they existed at the same time. Perfect, in every detail the picture was perfect. He sighed and covered his face with his hands as a moan escaped his lips, "Jesus, am I ever going to get out of here?"
You're the one who put yourself in here to begin with.
Opening his eyes quickly he looked around the room hoping that there was someone else there and that he wasn't going crazy yet. But as always, as ever, he was alone. Staring at the ceiling he pleaded with the voice in his head, "Can't we just pretend that you don't exist yet and that I'm still sane? Please?"
Sorry man, but were past the point of no return. We've been in this cell for about a month.Tthe bad nutrition and boredom are making your mental barriers weaker that ever.
Sitting up in a blur he rose to his feet and shook his fist at the iron door, " He thinks he can break me, doesn't he? Well he doesn't know how tough a nut this is going to be to crack!"
Crack. Nuts. See, even your making crazy jokes now, but that's not what's important. What I think we really need to be discussing is when your going to buckle down and agree to his terms.
"Why should I?"
Because those are the only terms possible at the moment.
"How come none of the others started hearing voices huh? They went through the same stuff I did?"
Cause they let the Proffesor get rid of all the junk Weapon X pumped into them, while you took the money and ran. It also kind of helped that you were mentally damaged goods with a high opinion of yourself to begin with. But getting back to the task at hand-
"How bout not," Laying down again he shut his eyes and delved into his memory.
This isn't just a waste of time, its destructive. Why do you keep thinking about back then? You're Father? Sister? Friends? What?
If you don't learn from the past your doomed to repeat it, now shut up its starting.
Starting in the same place it always started he found himself running down the road towards school. "Stupid Mystique and her stupid secrecy." He mumbled as he ran a zigzag coarse.
He didn't mind running, it just seemed wrong that they got to ride in the spare car to school while he had to use his powers. Unlike Lances jeep the car was only big enough for three of them at any one time. Since Fred took up the whole back seat and Lance was the only one who could drive it was at first a toss up between him and Toad for shotgun. He had won the first couple of days being able to get ready and be in the car in 10 seconds flat, hell Toad probably had fun riding on the roof. It wasn't until Mystique saw them pull into the driveway with Toad hanging on for dear life with his tongue to the antennae that things got nasty.
"Why should I have to walk to school?" He demanded when Mystique told them the new seating arrangement; Lance driving, Fred back seat, Toad shotgun, You walk to school.
"Because I don't want anyone seeing Toad playing surfer during traffic. Do you have any idea what kind of attention you could attract doing that?"
He balked, "So its not going to get anybody attention if they see a blur running by day after day."
Toad had hopped up on the couch they were standing next to and butted in, "Yo, how come she don't have to go to school?" Pointing at Wanda.
Wanda looked up from tv and with a flick of her wrist flipped the couch on top of him from across the room. Mystique picked him up by the back of his shirt and held him at eye level, "Does that answer your question? Maybe you would like to take a few days off from school and entertain Wanda while the others are at school?"
Toad swallowed hard, "Naw, I'm cool."
"Good," she replied and threw the pint size member of the Brotherhood across the room where he caught himself and stuck to the wall before leaping into the kitchen. Mystique turned and picked up where she left off, "And you!"
Turning to Lance who was reading the latest issue of FHM magazine he'd stolen on the couch, "If you hadn't let that X men spy steal your jeep we wouldn't be in this situation."
Lance looked up, "We were kinda busy if you remember. And why would Tabby be a spy?"
Fred leaned in the doorway from the hall, "Yeah, the reason she left the X men was because she couldn't stand it there anymore than Lance could."
Mystique turned slowly back towards the couch with murder in her eyes but found the couch empty with nothing but the imprint of his body and a magazine in the air to show Lance's hasty departure. Mystique instead looked at Him, "to answer your question, when I said walking, I meant walking. No powers."
Running into the kitchen of the boarding house he stopped just to the right of the refrigerator and hit the wall as hard as he could. Toad who was standing nearby saw the look of surprise on his face when his fist went through the wall and into the living room, pulling his fist back he rubbed it and mumbled to himself, "Well that never happened before."
Toad, who had been standing next to the fridge on the other side opened it and got a pair of cokes and tossed him one, "Know just how you feel. At first I thought it was nice having someone paying the bills, but now Im startin to wonder if we weren't better off without her and her one man demolition team."
He popped the top of his can as Toad sipped his and stared into the black liquid as if looking for some answer. Toad had finished his and was now definitely worried about his friend, who had never had an open coke for more than a minute, hell he usually finished Toad's right after his and had time to get a new one for him before he noticed. Deciding that "Are you okay?" wouldn't be a great question Toad asked instead, "You gonna finish that?"
He looked up as if realizing that Toad was still there and handed him the coke before flying up the stairs yelling over his shoulder,"Nawyoucanhaveit.Youknowthatstuffsbad foryouanywayright?Especiallythisearlyinthemorning,you'llbeallhyperduringscho ol."
Toad stood there for a second, mentally deciphering the speed lingo before chugging the last coke and hopping out to the car where Lance was waiting behind the wheel and Fred in the back. He thought for a few seconds on what might be troubling his friend, besides his father's ex-minion and psychotic sister living with him under the same roof. The thought was soon pushed out of his head by a far more primal but insistent demand. Toad turned to Lance who was enjoying the smooth ride of the rental, but missed the power of his jeep and uttered the 4 words that drove the rock tumbler nuts every time they drove somewhere, "Man, I gotta pee."
He watched the car drive away after his friends had climbed in and gathered his books into a neat pile on the edge of his desk before shoving them helter-skelter into his book bag and speeding out the front door. He figured that even though the others had a 5 minute head start he would still beat them there and be waiting when they parked. He never even made it onto school grounds.
He was racing through the woods in the general direction of the school when his stomach did a flip flop stopping him dead in his tracks. It had been like this every other time he had come for Him, the silence, the sudden darkness. The woods suddenly became deathly quiet and the sky seemed to dim as his father floated into the clearing and appraised him. Magneto smiled, "Hello."
He took a few steps back as his father settled to the ground his cape coming to rest bare inches from the ground. Looking into his fathers eyes he saw neither the cold anger nor the quiet inquisitiveness he was so familiar with, instead his father seemed....pleased to see him. Mustering the courage to speak he replied as he had been taught, "Sir."
Magneto removed his helmet and set it to rest floating in the air next to him, "You did not expect to see me again did you?"
He swallowed and reviewed his answer before replying, "Not this soon anyway."
Magneto made a dismissive gesture and his son froze, expecting to feel his stomach explode at any second. Magneto noticed his heirs hesitation, "Ah yes the implant. We'll have to have that removed when this is over now won't we? I'm glad that Mystique didn't do anything foolish after our disagreement on asteroid M, I planned on her holding onto you as a bargaining chip, but you never know with Mystique, that's why I hired her."
"Your going to remove it?"
"In due time my son, in due time. I'm sure that she has some kind of tamper proof system installed, so we will have to wait until she is safely out of the picture before attempting a retrieval."
"So....where have you been?"
Magneto shook his head slowly, "That is of no concern of yours, all you need to know is that the greatest battle in human history is about to unfold. In size it will be insignificant, but it will touch every life on this planet in a way you cannot imagine. And I want you by my side during it."
"Me? But, why now?"
"You are my heir, my last great legacy, you will safe guard the great mutant civilization that we shall build together."
"What about Wanda?"
Magneto's face darkened at the mention of his daughter, "She is too angry now to see what is before us, the great responsibility placed on our shoulders. Here let me show you something," reaching into his cape he pulled out a small projector that hummed to life and a 3D image of a robot appeared between them. Even at only 1 foot tall it looked deadly as the weapons unfolded from its bodies and showed their uses.
"What is it?"
"A Sentinel," The image faded and the projector flew back into its hidden pouch inside Magneto's cape, "A man named Trask is now building a veritable army of these mutant hunters using technology stolen from SHIELD."
"You plan on destroying him?"
"No, not I. Though I will have a hand in it, the Brotherhood and X men shall battle his creation, lured there by my Acolytes. The battle shall be the birth cry to the world, announcing the presence of mutant kind to all humanity. When the world see's their greatest weapon laid low by the combined might of the peaceful X men and the ruthless Brotherhood they shall realize their folly and bow to their new masters."
"If I agreed to this, what would I have to do? I'm not going to get anybody killed, okay maybe Daniels, or Wanda, or Mystique, but nobody important."
Magneto smiled and shook the remote grenade in his sons stomach in an almost playful gesture that carried a clear message, "Oh don't worry. You will agree, and not because of any threat I could make towards your friends, life, or even your "liberty", but because you will see the reason in it."
Realizing that he had no real choice he decided to play hard to get until he had enough information, "How am I suppose to help?"
"Events will unfold as they will. When the battle starts you will find me and stay by my side until ordered otherwise, understood?"
"Yes, sir. But what about Mystique?"
"Your melodramatic, act." With that Magneto floated skywards and He waited until the birds began singing again and the sky turned to its normal blue tint. Looking at his watch he realized that what had felt like hours dragging by had only been 2.
"Screw school." He said to himself and ran for the Brotherhood house putting on his game face for what would be the literally life or death part he would have to play for the next few days.
Maybe I should have just come clean then and there.
She would have listened to you for about 1 minute before she had the others mopping your blood and guts off the carpet.
Not Mystique. Maybe Lance, or Fred, or Todd could have done something.
Like what? None of them are exactly skilled surgeons you know. Face it you did what you could at this point, if she felt backed into a corner she would have killed you out of spite.
Yeah but even when I did leave her a way out things didn't turn out exactly as planned.
Very true. Why don't we move on or go back to the real world, this freeze frame shit gives me the creeps.
Wanda was walking out of her room with a magazine when a blur flew by ripping the pages out by accident and shutting the door to her brother's room. Wanda looked at the newly bought magazine Mystique had gotten her before throwing the door open and throwing the magazine at him screaming, "CAN I OWN ANYTHING WITHOUT YOU RETARDS DESTROYING IT!"
He spun from the window where he had been peering into the woods behind the house, "What the hell is your problem?!"
She pointed to the ripped up magazine on his floor which suddenly flew into the air and started batting him in the face, "THAT'S MY PROBLEM! ALL I HAVE TO DO IN THIS STUPID HOUSE IS WATCH TV, READ MY MAGAZINES AND LISTEN TO YOU AND MYSTIQUE ARGUE ALL THE TIME!"
He slapped the offending magazine out of the air and trapped it under his foot where it flopped like a fish out of water, "IF YOU HATE IT HERE SO MUCH THEN WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE,HUH? JESUS, YOU'D FIGURE THAT AFTER GETTING OUT OF A MENTAL INSTITUE YOU'D GO TO HAWAII OR SOMETHING!"
Wanda's eye's widened at the mention of the mental institute and the whole house shook as her hands curled into fists at her side. Taking a step towards him Wanda whispered in a dangerous voice, "The mental institute you put me in?"
He swallowed realizing that they were the only ones in the house and that unless he made her stop screaming again she might bring the building down on them, "Me! That was father. Besides, you scared the shit out of me, and I was the one defending you to him."
"You could have tried to stop him."
He threw his arms into the air in exasperation, "I WAS 7 YEARS OLD WANDA! WHAT DID YOU WANT ME TO DO?"
"ANYTHING! CRY, YELL, SCREAM! ANYTHING BUT JUST STAND THERE AND WATCH THEM TAKE ME AWAY WITH A STUPID LOOK ON YOUR FACE!"
Relieved he had gotten her screaming again he yelled back, "FOR WHAT? SO THAT HE COULD PUT ME IN THERE WITH YOU? OR MAYBE IN SOME ORPHANAGE? I KNEW AFTER THAT HE WOULD EVENTUALLY, BUT NOT THEN! I'D ALREADY LOST MY SISTER, DID YOU EXPECT ME TO JUST LEFT HIM GO TO?"
"THAT INSTITUE WAS HELL!"
"YEAH, WELL SO WAS LIVING WITH A MAN WHO CONSIDERED HIMSELF THE EMPEREOR OF AN EMPIRE, EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T EXIST."
"YOU ASSHO-" Wanda's voice cracked from screaming and he ran to the kitchen.
Returning with 2 glasses of water he offered one to her which she snatched from his hand and drained. He took a seat at his desk folding his legs like a psychiatrist and asked her in a concerned voice, "Now where were we Wanda?" He ducked just into time and the glass shattered on the wall behind him.
Wanda stomped out of his room and into the hallway where she found her ripped up magazine still looking like it had gone through a shredder, but it was taped so that she could read it. Unsure of how to handle this bit of kindness from some one she hated she looked in her brother's direction she asked herself before shutting the door, "When did he become a human being?"
That night He played cards with Fred while Lance lounged on the couch and Toad watched the 10 channels that came in on their little tv. Lance shook the house making a piece of pizza fall from the ceiling and land on Fred's head giving him enough time to run around and look at his cards before Fred or Lance noticed. Toad was complaining about the channels when Mystique walked in commented in a sarcastic voice, "Well, I see your all hard at work building a brighter tomorrow."
Toad looked up from his beanbag chair, "Man were getting rigamortise sitting around here, there's nothing going on."
Mystique walked past him and stood next to the card table, "On the contrary, it appears our friend Magneto is up to something quite significant.," Seeing the only other female member standing in the doorway, "That's right Wanda, your loving father has made a bold move, he's abducted Wolverine."
Everyone looked at her in surprise, "Huh?"
Lance sat up, "Wolverine? That's crazy! Why would he want to do that?"
"Why indeed?" Turning to him she asked, "He's your father too, perhaps you can enlighten us?"
He put his game face on and hoped for the best, "Hey, Don't ask me. I don't know where he is or what he's doing."
Mystique stared at him for a second as if looking for some small sign that he was lying to her. Satisfied she turned and walked towards the window, "He actually snatched one of the X men, why? There's a larger strategy at work here, I can feel it. Now I'm forced to make my move."
Everyone stared at her wondering what she meant by that. She then turned and addressed them, "Tomorrow you will be ready to leave in full combat gear by noon. When I call you will make your way to the Xavier Institute where you will follow his orders without question, understood?"
Toad asked the question on everybody's mind, "Why should we listen to baldy?"
Mystique merely smiled and said before walking out the room, "The X men won't let Magneto keep Wolverine, so they will be preparing to free their comrade in arms as soon as possible. Whatever their doing I want you all involved so that when the times come we can strike at Magneto."
The next day they all sat in the living room dressed to go and waiting for the phone to ring. Toad was snacking as usual on the fauna that could be found buzzing around, while Fred raided the fridge in a last ditch attempt before they left. Wanda sat reading her torn to shreds magazine, fingering the medallion around her neck, and the last two members of the Brotherhood were playing a captivating game of paper, scissors, rock. When the phone rang He was over in a flash with the receiver to his ear, "Mystique's house of domination, how can we hurt you?"
Mystiques tired voice came in clear, "Must you say that every time you answer the phone?"
"Yeah. So is this the call or should we get ready for the Lakers game in 20 minutes?"
"Get over here now!"
"Yesm." Putting the receiver down he turned to the others and said, "Game time fellas."
They made there way to the Institute with Blob, Avalanche, and Scarlet Witch in the car and Toad hitching a ride with the speed demon. Once at the door they rang the bell and waited a second before it opened. Storm looked at them carefully before walking away, "Follow me." Was all she said.
As they followed her towards what he remembered was the elevator down to the lower levels where they fought the Juggernaught he leaned towards their leader and asked, "You think that's Mystique?"
Avalanche shrugged, "No way to tell, I guess we should just go along with the plan and hope she knows what she's doing."
Storm pressed a button opening the elevator door, This will take you down to the Danger room, don't try to get off anywhere else, understood?"
Everyone nodded for her benefit.
Before the doors shut she looked at each of them, "I know why you're here, and I can't say I agree with it. But, we appreciate your help." They all looked at each other in confusion for minute before they chalked it up to Mystiques plan.
Once they were on their way down everyone stood silently lost in their own thoughts, that is until Blob pulled them back to reality by letting one rip. Toad leaned against the wall laughing his head off while all the others waved their arms to get rid of the smell. Avalanche looked at Blob, "Jesus Blob, that could peal the varnish of a foot locker."
Even stoic Wanda remarked on it, "We didn't need to know the nature of that beast."
Blob blushed, "Sorry."
He looked at the little light thing that told them what floor they were on and saw that they were just about there, "Alright, were almost there, settle down. And Blob, if you do that again, do it near the X freaks okay?"
The elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open revealing a room with all the X men in it. Xavier sat near the door in his wheelchair, "Therefore, I'd like you to welcome your new teammates." The X men froze seeing them.
Nightcrawler was the first to say something, "You want us to work with them?"
"No way!" Shadow cat added.
"This is a joke right?" Rogue asked crossing her arms.
"Not a chance!" Spike said to the Brotherhood.
Shadowcat walked towards the Brotherhood until she stood next to Xavier, "Proffesor, your not serious are you? After what they did to us!"
He ran over and stood next to the pint sized X man and patted her on the shoulder, "Hey we won, you lost, get over it." And zipped away before she turned and swiped at where he had been.
Xavier raised his hands and spoke to both teams, "Look, I know this will be difficult for both of you, but despite your personal feelings we face tremendous odds going against Magneto, and we will be a much stronger team with there help."
Spike stood and walked past the others until he stood in front of them, "Why are you guys volunteering for this anyway? You don't like us anymore than we like you."
He looked at his rival and sneered, "We got our reasons."
"yeah," Toad chipped in, "Maybe its be kind to losers weak."
Avalanche sauntered up to Cyclops, "And from what I've seen it looks like you people could use a new team leader."
"Yeah?" Cyclops grabbed him by the front of his uniform, "Well guess what shakedown, you can have the job!" Shoving past the Brotherhood leader he walked towards the elevator throwing over his shoulder at Xavier, "I'm done with this!"
"Scott-"Jean said as she started to run after him before being grabbed by Xavier.
Xavier looked after the X men leader, "Jean. Let him go."
"Let him go?!" Jean asked incredulous, "Proffesor!"
Xavier looked at the closing elevator doors, "Time is of the essence, we must continue training, while you resume your efforts on cerebro. If we find Wolverine, we find Magneto."
The rest of the day was spent training in the Danger Room which the Brotherhood had to admit was impressive just as Avalanche had described it. That night they slept in the medical wing under Xaviers orders, careful to stay away from the X men up above.
"Man I'm starving!" Blob cried as he rubbed his paunch and sat on his bed which groaned under his weight.
"Me too, there ain't no bugs around here." Toad said exiting the bathroom.
Wanda turned to walk in but was hit by the breeze coming out and decided better of it, "I could use something to eat as well."
He jumped up from where he had been trying to unlock a cabinet full medical tape in the hopes of making a mummy, "Don't worry I'll buzz up and get us something to snack on." And he was gone zipping through the halls taking the stairs since for him that would be faster than the elevator and was in the kitchen 1 minute later after some searching.
Rummaging around in the fridge he found sandwich makings, chips in the pantry, and for Wanda a bowl of fruit. When he turned to put it all on a trolley for dishes that had been sitting next to the sink he saw the biggest, furriest, bluest, animal outside of a zoo standing there. "WHOA!", he yelled just about dropping everything, "Damn Wagner, when did you start taking steroids?"
Beast smiled, "I see you recognize the shade resemblance we share, but no I am not Kurt. Your,-" he rubbed his jaw for a second, "Well I can't remember your name exactly, but you were in one of my chemistry classes."
He stared, "Dr. McCoy?"
Beast smiled, "Yes."
Scooping everything onto the trolley he headed out the door,"WellitwasniceseEingyou againDr.McCoy,catchyoulater." And he was gone.
Beast stood for a second before it hit him, "That was the boy who blew up one of my lab sinks!"
Pushing the trolley down the hall he saw Rogue walk out of the living room and stopped to say hey, but before he could open his mouth she had walked by. Staring at her back for a second he yelled down the hall before turning the corner, "HEY ROGUE! NICE TO SEE YOU TOO!"
"Huh?" She replied returning from her erstwhile thoughts to see who had said her name and finding no one there.
He'd just pushed the button for the elevator when Kitty appeared next to him, "Why are you guys here?"
He smiled, "The pleasant company of course! Say hi to Rogue for me would ya."
She shook her head making the ponytail on the top of her head bob, "No really why are you here? We all want to know."
Deciding that this would be as good a time as any to mess with the X men he looked at her seriously, "Magneto. Were here to take out Magneto."
Kitty looked taken aback, "Your going to fight your own father?"
The elevator door opened and He pushed the cart in, "Yeah, I guess you could look at it that way."
Once the doors shut he leaned against the cart and started laughing hard enough to draw tears. Everybody thought they were using somebody else, Xavier thought he was using the Brotherhood, Mystique thought she was using the X men, and Magneto was using Him against them all. Wiping the tears from his eyes he stood straight and got ready to push the cart out. Remembering a quote from English class he spoke it to the scrubbed walls as he walked down them towards the Infirmary, "What twisted webs we weave when we deceive."
Wanda had been looking around for another bathroom besides the one Toad had desecrated when she heard her brother talking to himself walking down the hall. Looking out a doorway she saw him push the cart into the Infirmary and wondered who he was talking about, Mystique, Xavier, or himself?
The next day they were summoned to the Blackbird and told to strap in by Beast before he started the engines and launch procedure. Once they were on their way Beast rummaged around in a compartment before finding what he was looking for. Sliding the CD in a symphony began playing in tune with the sound of the jets engines. Wanda looked up from the floor where she had been staring, "Isn't this the Overture of 1812?"
"Yes," Beast replied surprised that one of the Brotherhood would recognize it.
Shadowcat turned and looked at the Scarlet Witch. Wanda looked at her in turn and answered her unspoken question, "My father use to listen to it."
He jumped in quickly his seat in the back hoping to relieve the mood, "Got anything by Deaf Leopard?"
Avalanche laughed and even Beast chuckled when everyone else in the jet asked, "Who?"
He waved his hands, "Way before your time!"
Once they arrived at the industrial section they fanned out and began looking for Magneto and his Acolytes, but to no avail. He zipped around doing a quick search of the surrounding area but found nothing. He leaned against the wall of a building as Avalanche walked out saying to himself, "Empty man I'm getting creeped out here." Blob followed him out shrugging when he saw the speed demons inquisitive look. Once there back was turned he couldn't help smiling to himself in anticipation of the coming battle. He followed the others but didn't see the look Wanda gave him in turn.
When they heard the explosion Beast was the first to move yelling, "Come on lets go!"
Avalanche ran after him with the others smiling, "Finally some action!"
"You have no idea." He said to himself as he ran in the opposite direction in search of Magneto past Wanda as she yelled, "It's a trap!"
He found his father at the top of a large abandoned business building with an archaic look to it. His father did not acknowledge his presence, instead he watched the battle unfold below them, while His attention was elsewhere, on the small figure of his sister who stood looking for them.
After a few minutes in which the Acolytes kept both teams occupied he saw Wanda begin in their direction, leaving a path of destruction in her wake which Brotherhood and X man followed easily.
"Their coming for us, and Wanda's leading the charge." He said as his father looked past him at the ground of the construction yard.
"She will just have to wait, its time to move this along." Raising his arms the very ground beneath the mutants opened up spilling them into the depths below. One figure seemed to have just barely made it before the ground fell away and now dangled on the edge. Wanda scrambled at the rocks in front of her as they fell away and looked to her father and brother who stood watching, as they had just stood watching so long ago.
He moved to run and help her but his father placed a restraining hand on his shoulder, "No."
He brushed the hand off and made to run, but he felt the lump of metal in the pit of his stomach twist, pulling the lines that strapped it to the wall of his chest. Refusing to even bend he looked at his father, "Why?"
His father merely watched until the rocks beneath Wanda gave way and she fell into the inky blackness below. Magneto leaned against the parapet with the air of a weary man, "Now go tell and me what you see."
"You said no one would be hurt!"
"They are alive I assure you, which is more than I can say for you unless you do as I say immediately."
He ran down the edge of the building and into the city until he stood above the hole. Looking down he saw his friends, his, enemy's, and even his sister look from the Sentinel that stood before them, to him with the same question in their eyes that he had when he asked his father, "Why?"
Unable to stand their looks he ran back to the building and up the side, "He's released the Sentinel."
"As I knew he would." Magneto motioned to the orbs below where his Acolytes had appeared. The orbs closed and flew into the distance as Magneto turned back to the construction yard, "And now the whole world will know of us." Raising his arms again his son was amazed to see the Sentinel and mutant teams rise up out of the ground on a floor of giant plate steel.
He looked on as the group slowly backed away from the advancing Sentinel and said to his father, "I didn't know you could do that?"
His father leaned even more heavily against the parapart, "Yes, but I am greatly weakened. You will have to defend me for a few minutes until I am strong again." He turned and smiled at his son, "I would trust no other to such an important task."
He smiled back as a plan began to hatch in the back of his skull. As the teams continued to back into the city and its more residential zone news copters began appearing, just one at first, but soon many were hovering and filming. The mutants threw everything they had at the metal monolith, but it just kept coming firing back at them. Blob was picking up another car to throw at it when the Sentinel shot some kind of green goo at him that hardened and trapped him. Spike who had been standing nearby turned to run but was hit as well by the sticky substance and caught.
He looked to his father who was watching passively and decided that he would do as he'd planned, father or no father. Looking back he saw the thing fly into the air and come crashing down hitting Rogue with the gun and catching her, but Shadowcat was able to phase through the second volley. Beast ran and jumped at the Sentinel to cover them but was caught by its steel claw, thrown in the air and hit with the green goo that hardened instantly.
When Toad and Nightcrawler took cover from the machine behind a building He saw Toad point to something in the sky, specifically the military choppers flying in. His father noticed too, "Not yet." He said and the choppers flew in every direction but towards the battle.
He heard someone coming up the stairs and raced over knowing that his father was far too occupied to notice either his departure or the sound. Looking down the steps he saw Wanda making her way up step by step with murder in her eyes and a swath of destruction at her back. He waited for her and she seemed at a loss for a second as to why he did not alert their father, but she soon resumed her steely gaze and steady gait until she stood right in front of him. He turned sideways giving her a clear path to their weakened father. Instead she leaned in next to him and whispered in his ear before she hit him with a hex bolt, "I guess I was wrong about you being human."
Magneto saw the Sentinel as it took off and came towards him but was distracted by the cries of pain emanating from his son. Dropping her brother in a heap on the ground next to her Wanda looked at him, "Hello Father."
Magneto still held one hand up keeping the choppers at bay and looked at her with the closest thing to panick she had ever seen him at, "Wanda! Not now!"
"You locked me away!"
"You gave me no choice, you couldn't control your angry."
"You haven't seen me angry, UNTIL NOW!" She hit with a hex bolt from both hands capturing his already weakened powers.
As the Sentinel rocketed towards them Magneto yelled to her, "WANDA RELEASE MY POWERS! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING!"
The Sentinel hovered in the air next to the building as the weakened and powerless master of magnetism pleaded with his daughter to release him. The Sentinel opened fire and Magneto ran and rolled finding cover behind a convenient crate. The sound of the Velocity filled both their ears as it opened fire on the Sentinel until Wanda focused her powers on the X men's jet yelling, "STAY OUT OF THIS!"
The jet flew back and the field around Magneto disappeared just in time for him to catch 2 missiles fired at him and sent them back to their point of origin, namely the Sentinel. The blast rocked the building and the Sentinel came crashing down blowing Wanda over the side and what looked like crushing Magneto beneath its now deadened body.
He had watched all of this from the floor and now lay their trying to move as the realization came to him, he was alone now. His blood family was now dead at its own hands and his foster family thought he was a traitor, he was completely alone now. The Velocity flew into the distance trailed by military choppers that couldn't hope to match it speed and he sent his prayers with them. 30 minutes later when Trask's people came to pick up the pieces of Sentinel that were scattered all over the roof they found him laying there. He could have run, but why? Where would he go? What would he do?
Why couldn't you have existed then?
You think that me being around would have gotten you out of there?
You seem hell bent on getting me out of this cell.
Lets not forget that this little bout of depression you had was what made it easy for me to come into existence, okay?
I'm tired of this. You wanna take a break?
And do what? Go see a movie? A walk? Get some pizza? Fine you take your break, I'm going to turn in for a little while.
He opened his eyes and looked at his watch, 4 hours total. It was a hell of a way to pass the time, but it was taking longer and longer to get through. Sitting up he saw that the guard or jailor or whatever had come by and slid a foam tray of food cubes through the slot in the door. Sitting down he began eating them one by one savoring the cardboard taste since it seemed to pass the time.