(OK first off... lets get a few things straight. A) I'm a bad speller, so if you don't like it, tough. But I just put it through a spell check so… B) I have a tenancy to put A/N's in the middle of my stories. Sorry I think its annoying when ppl do that to but I do... like my biggest complaint in life, is complainers... and I complain about everything... especially when X-Men is canceled to put on a stupid transformers marathon... The crappie transformers might I add. Sorry I had a moment C) I OWN NO CHARICTERS... Except for the exceptional few... maybe. D) WAAAAAAAY OUT OF CHARICTER... I think And E) Well I can't think of anything right now... but I might put on in the middle of my story, so... anyway... injoy...enjoy?... :S W/E...)
This One Time... At Summer CampIt was a dark and stormy night.
No seriously, It was!
Ororo Munroe sat quietly in the armchair in the corner of the living room reading her book, 'The Once Future King'. It wasn't a book she would usually read, but the professor had recommended it to her, so she was now reading it. All of a sudden there was a knock at the door. Ororo didn't want to get up and answer it because she was the only one there and her mother always told her not to answer the door when no one else is there. She looked outside and sighed. 'Its probably someone who just got stranded in the storm.' She thought. She bookmarked her page, set it down on the table and headed for the door. When she opened it she gasped.
"I'm sorry." Toad said, leaning on the doorframe and passed out. Storm caught him before he hit the ground and dragged him into the living room, closing the door with her foot. She put him onto the couch and took off his soaking wet jacket. 'I don't believe I'm helping him.' She thought. 'I should just through him outside and let him fend for himself.' Ororo looked at him and sighed. 'But I can't do that. Its not nice.'
"Toad?" She said, grimacing at him for a second. She didn't want to touch him, but if she wanted him to wake up, she'd have to. "Toad wake up!" She said tapping his face.
"Mortimer." He said, becoming semi conscience
"What?" She asked, not knowing what he said.
"My names Mortimer." He said again, a bit louder. "And I'm sorry. About last time. I was only following orders. I didn't know what I was doing was wrong. Its just the way I was raised." He slowly opened his amphibian looking eyes and looked at her.
"How did you survive that anyway?" Toad laughed slightly before having a coughing fit. When he calmed down he looked at her and smiled a bit.
"I'm a lot stronger than I look." Toad looked down at his glove-covered hands and smiled. "You know, I didn't really have a choice to join Magneto. It was either that or starve to death."
"What do you mean?" Storm asked confused.
"After I was born, my mother took me to a near by forest and left me there. I would have died if it hadn't been for Magneto. He raised me, ever since I was a baby. I never new anything else. When I found out what you were actually trying to do, I thought it was possible. I want to help you." Ororo looked at him doubtfully. "Give me a chance." He said. "Give me a chance to do something right. I never had one before." Storm laughed slightly. Toad put his head down in disappointment and picked up his jacket to leave again.
"Wait." Toad turned around and looked at her. "You can stay here. I'm sure the professor would like to have you hear. But note this. If you're lying the professor will know." Toad smiled and nodded.
"I know." Toad said. "Magneto told us all a lot about him."
"Figures." Storm stood up from her crouched position on the floor and walked up to him. "Are you hungry?" Toad nodded. "Come on, I'll get you a change of cloths and get you something to eat." She led him to one of the empty rooms on the second floor and opened the door. "This will be your room, unless the professor has other plans for you. You can change in here. There are cloths in that closet that should fit you. You are about Scott's size. Scott keeps some of his cloths in here. He won't mind. He doesn't wear them anymore anyway." Toad nodded. After Storm left the room and closed the door, he took of his other jacket and shirt and took out a grey hoodie with a zipper in the front and an X symbol on it that said, 'Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.' He laughed. He took out a pear of black sweats that had now elastic at the bottom (I hate those) and where a few inches to long. But other than that it fit. He took his wet cloths and hung them in the bathroom that was connected to the room and went back downstairs. He followed the only noise in the house to the kitchen and sat down on a stool by the kitchen island. Storm turned around and jumped dropping a bunch of plates in the process. Toad leapt across the island so that he was lying on his stomach on it and caught the plates before they hit the ground. One of the plates missed his hand so he lashed out his charred tongue and rapped it around it just before it smashed. He then placed that on in the sink and handed her the other ones.
"Sorry." He said. "I'll wash that one after." Storm just stood and stared at him in amazement. Never had she seen anyone react that fast. He ducked his head when he noticed that she was staring at him and she shook her head to snap herself out of it.
"How did you do that?"
"Do what?" He asked, "Walk in here quietly or catch the plates." Storm thought about that a minute.
"Both."
"I'm not wearing any shoes and when you've lead a life like mine you need fast reflexes." Toad said. She went over to the fridge and made two sandwiches and handed him one.
"Does it hurt?"
"Can you be more specific with your questions?" Storm laughed.
"Sorry, your tongue."
"It did. But it's better now. It's still charred from the bolt, but it doesn't hurt as much." Toad laughed. "Oh and by the way, it croaks."
"What?" Storm asked confused.
"You asked if I knew what happens to a toad when it's struck by lightning. It croaks." Storm started laughing. Toad finished his sandwich first, having swallowed the whole thing whole, and sat watching Storm eat hers.
"When we were fighting, and you said my skin was perfect. You where implying that your was horrible weren't you?" Storm asked. Toad nodded. Storm smiled. "Its not that bad."
"Other people don't seem to think so." Toad picked up her now empty plate and his and washed the two plates and the one that he had touched with his tongue and put them away.
"That's because other people don't look that close at what's really there." Toad smiled. But it was hidden from her view because he had his back to her. When he turned around he saw that she wasn't there. 'Huh?' He thought. He went into the living room, and saw her reading 'The Once Future King.' He started laughing again. "What?" She asked. Toad shook his head.
"Nothing, Its just that I read that when I was younger."
"How old where you?"
"I was 14 I think. Magneto sent me to stay with one of his friends for a year or two. They made me go to summer camp, even though I didn't want to. I think he thought I needed my yearly dose of religion and nature." Storm laughed.
"What happened? By the look on your face it doesn't look like you had a good time."
"I didn't. I was always picked on and beat on because I was different. I did have a friend there though. His name was Marti Tantoes. He was a mutant to. One night the other four people in our cabin took us outside in the middle of the night and dragged us thought the mud to the girl's side. They tied us to a tree and started beating us and yelling at us. Then they left us there. A bunch of girls where watching through their cabin windows. The only one that came out of the cabin was this beautiful girl. She came up to us and started laughing at us for about ten minutes. When she stopped laughing she went up to Marti and cut him loose first after he promised to give her the rest of his camp money. Then she came up to me and looked at me. I told her I had no more money. She looked at me and smiled and said it was ok and she let me go anyway. She was really nice. We actually spent the rest of the summer hanging out. Just the three of us. She got bugged by all he friends for hanging out with the camp freaks, but she didn't care. I'm not sure if she was a mutant to or not. I never asked."
"What was her name?" Storm asked, setting her book down again.
"I think it was Aurora, or something. She looked a lot like you actually. Except she had brown hair." He looked down sheepishly. "And she wasn't as nearly as beautiful as you." He mumbled so she could barely hear him.
"So... Mortimer...You got a last name?" She asked, trying to change the subject.
"Toynbee." He said. "What's your name?" The thought about giving him a false name, so that he wouldn't recognize her name, but she decided against it.
"Ororo Munroe." Toad looked at her in shock.
"It was you. Wasn't it?" He said. "At the camp." Storm nodded slowly. Toad didn't know what to say. "You know, I never thanked you for helping me."
"It was no problem." Toad laughed.
"Wow... talk about a small world huh?" He laughed, and then yawned.
"You want to go to bed its ok. The others won't be back until noon tomorrow." Storm said. Toad smiled and went up to his room.
"HE'S WHAT?!?" Scott yelled. "Have you forgotten that he tried to kill us?"
"He's different now Scott." Storm said. "He didn't know that Magneto's machine killed people."
"That's no excuse. He should have known better."
"Better than what Scott. It was the way he was raised. He didn't know anything else." Storm said. "He knows what he did was wrong."
"Yeah, who told him? You?"
"Look, you don't know him. He's a really nice guy."
"And you know that how?"
"Look. I met him a long time ago. When we were teenagers. I met him at the summer camp my uncle owned. Some boys where picking on him and his friend Marti so I stuck up for him. We became friends after that." Storm said, storming past him. "And even if you don't trust him. We can get Jean or the Professor to read his mind. I have to take him to the professor anyway." She called over her shoulder.
"Mortimer?" Storm called, knocking on his door. She waited a few moments for him to answer it, but got no response. "Toad?" She opened the door, and saw him just exit out of the washroom. He wore a black sleeveless T-shirt, with a brown jacket over top, and the same black pants. He also had a necklace around his neck that had a pendant of a dragon on it.
"Where did you get that pendant?" Storm asked.
"I didn't steal it if that's what you're implying." He said. Storm shook her head and put her hands up in mock surrender.
"No, I wasn't implying anything. It's just that it's a really beautiful pendant. I wanted to know where you got it."
"I don't know where I got it." Toad admitted. "Magneto said I was wearing it when he found me. So I would say it belongs to my mother. Or my father. What ever."
"I was wondering if you were up to seeing the professor. Scotts in a tuff about you being here because you tried to kill us. But, none of us were hurt, so. He should calm down. I think he's mostly pissed off about you sliming Jean." Storm laughed. "We both had a good laugh about that afterward. She said it tasted like unwashed underwear." Toad laughed.
"Wonder how she knew that one." Toad said laughing. "Yes, I'll go see the professor. To answer your question." Toad followed her to the lower levels of the institute to where the professor was waiting for them.
"Ah, Mortimer Toynbee isn't it?"
"Yes, sir." He said.
"Its a pleasure to meet you." Charles said, "My name is...."
"Charles Xavier." Toad finished for him. "Magneto told me about you. Didn't have many nice things to say though." Charles extended his hand to shake Toads hand. Toad shook his hand and smiled. "Its nice to finally meet you."
"Would you mind if I... well read your mind?" Charles laughed. "No pun intended." Toad smiled.
"Sure, what do I have to do?"
"Just kneel down in front of me here, and try to relax." Toad did as he was told and the professor put a hand on each side of his head, but wasn't touching him. A bunch of images went through his head, of Mortimer's mothers disgusted look, boys picking on him, calling him names like Mutie Mortie, and teen-age... Storm??? The professor took his hands away and set them on the armrests of his wheel chair. He looked back and fourth between Storm and Toad. "You two know each other?"
"We met at summer camp one year. We were four-teen."
"Did you find anything out?" Charles nodded.
"He's Ok to stay here." Charles said. Toad looked at him.
"Did you see anything in there I don't know about?" Toad asked.
"No." Charles said.
"Ok, you do know I was raised by Magneto right? I do know when someone is lying." Toad said. "What did you see." Charles sighed.
"I don't want to tell you because your mind is mentally unstable at the moment. You're confused about things and I don't want you to do anything rash."
"I won't do anything rash. I am rash free. There's no rash." Toad thought about what he had just said and burst out laughing. So did Storm. "I won't do anything stupid." Toad said. "What did you see? I'll be fine. Trust me."
"I saw your mother." Toad nodded.
"I figured." Toad said. "What does she look like?"
"Well, she's got black hair, blue eyes, she was pale. Her name is Cassandra Telensky." Charles said. He then straightened his back and raised his head as if he just realized something. "And your fathers name is Walter Telensky."
"How do you know that?" Storm asked.
"I met them at a wedding social a few years ago." Toad looked at him. "They told me their son died at birth."
"I would have, if it hadn't been for Magneto." Toad said, "Why don't I have the same last name as them?"
"I don't know. I haven't talked to them in a few years, but if you want I can try to get them to come down here." Toad nodded.
"Ok." Toad said, "But tell them why. If they don't want to see me. Then they shouldn't have to go through the trouble of coming here." Charles nodded.
"I'll try to contact them tonight." Charles said. "Now, Storm, I believe you showed him to a room. I would like you to spend today getting to know the grounds. Storm would you show him around. It will also give you some time to catch up." Storm nodded.
"Come on Toad." Storm said. "I'll introduce you to the rest of the gang."
"Oh and Toad, If you would like, I could order you a uniform. Like your last one if you wish." Toad nodded.
"I'd like that." Toad followed Storm upstairs.
"So what do you want to see first? The game room, the ranch, the pool?"
"You have a pool?" Toad said rolling his eyes. "I can just picture a pool in this place." He said laughing. "I think I'll skip that one. I don't like water. Especially wet water."
"Well what other kind is there?" Toad thought about it a moment.
"Non-wet water? Anti-wet water?" Toad shrugged. Storm laughed.
"Ok, were skipping the pool." Storm said, they continued walking down the hall. "Do you want to see the ranch?"
"Sure. Lead the way mon chere." Storm looked at him in shock.
"You speak French?"
"And German." Storm looked surprised.
"So... Have you ever done anything special? Like done a play or anything?"
"Once." Toad said. "Well I wasn't in it. But I directed it. And it was a movie. You might have seen it. It was called Mutilation." (Another one of my fanfictions not an actual movie!)
"I love watching behind the scenes things. There so funny to watch."
Storm stopped laughing as well from picturing this guy hanging there. Storm lead him into a room that had a bunch of stalls with a bunch of different coloured horses in them.
"So... Do you mind me asking you all these weird pointless questions?"
"There not pointless... go ahead."
"Ok..." Storm thought a moment. "Oh this is the ranch by the way."
"Nice." He went over to the black one in the middle. He looked up at it and it looked back at him. "What's this ones name?"
"His names Sullieman. No one ever goes near him though."
"Why not?" Toad went to go put his hand on the horses nose.
"Don't do that!"
"Why not."
"He doesn't like people touching him. He'll freak out and could kick you in the head." Toad looked at the horse. He could sense the beast's strength and defiance. He looked into the horse's eyes and the horse looked back. Toad then slowly put his hand on the horses nose. Storm covered her eyes, waiting for the this to rear up and kick Toad with its front hooves. But it never did. She looked back and saw that Toad was petting Sullieman's nose. "Wow.... that's a first." Storm went up to put her hand on Toads shoulder, but the horse stuck his nose in between them. "I guess he likes you." Toad laughed.
"I guess so."
"Looks like you got your own horse. Since no one else can get near him." Storm said. "Do you know how to saddle a horse?" Toad nodded and opened the gate to the stall. He took the blanket that was draped over the gate and looked at Sullieman.
"Easy." He said as he walked slowly up to the horse. The horse didn't do anything. He put the blanket on. He then took the saddle and walked up to the hose again. "Easy now." He said as the horse started to shuffle its feet around. He put the saddle on with out any trouble, and made sure it was secure. "Should I see if I can ride him."
"See if you can get on his first!" Storm laughed. Toad looked at the horse and put his hand on the horse's neck.
"Good boy." He put one foot in the hoop thingy that you put your foot in! (Me no to smart!) Then lifted his leg up and swung it around so that he was sitting completely on the horse. "Good boy." He said taking the rains and patting his neck. Storm shook her head.
"You're going to regret this." She said. She opened the gate for him. Surprisingly the horse stayed where it was, waiting for Toads command. Toad kicked the horse's side slightly, as not to scare it and Sullieman started walking. "You can go out that door there." She said walking towards a bigger door than the one they came in. She opened that one to and the horse walked out.
'Professor?'
'Yes Storm?'
'Look out your window... you'll never believe this!' The professor did as he was told and saw Toad sitting atop Sullieman's back, and he was completely in control.
"Well I'll be." He said. His students all looked out to.
"Woe, who is that guy?"
"Looks like a frog."
"Toad." The professor corrected. "And his name is Mortimer."
'Storm see if Toad can get Sullieman to jump over the bar things.' (Again... me no to smart) The professor and his students watched as Toad turned the horse around so that he was facing Storm and then looked over at the bar things. He got this sadistic look on his face for a moment. He pulled back on Sullieman's rains so that both of Sullieman's hooves went up in the air and then went back down. He turned the horse around and went to the end of the fenced area. He then turned around again so that he was facing his obstacle. He stood up slightly and got Sullieman running. Sullieman jumped over the first one. Then Toad stood up on the horse, holding onto the rains with one hand and had the other hand in the air as if he where skate boarding. 'Bit of a show off isn't he?' The professor asked. Storm watched in horror as Sullieman jumped over a second bar and Toad went flying off, landing on his stomach a couple of feet in front of where Sullieman was running towards. Toad lifted his head off the ground and shook it trying to get his vision back. He heard Storm and a few of the students yell something and he looked over and saw that Sullieman was charging at him. His eyes widened. There was no time to get out of the way. So he did the first thing he could think of. He covered his head with his hands waiting for the blow. But it never came. When he looked up Sullieman was standing over him and was nudging him with his nose. He let out a sigh of relief. He then rolled over onto his back and started laughing so hard he thought he was going to die from laughing pains. Storm ran up to him to see if he was ok.
"Are you Ok?" She asked. He tried to stop laughing but he couldn't. "You ass. You scared me half to death." He finally stopped laughing, and put his hand on his stomach.
"Oh... now I have... all sorts of pain." He said, taking deep breaths.
"Yeah you would have had more than that kind of pain if he hadn't have stopped!" Toad sat up slightly leaning on his elbows.
"Why do you care?" Toad asked. "I thought you didn't like me."
"I never said that." Storm said.
"So you do like me?" Storm looked around.
"Just get up and put your demon horse away." Sullieman snorted at her as if he understood. Storm stormed off. (no pun intended) Toad looked at her as she walked away, then looked at Sullieman.
"Woman." He said, and shook his head. Sullieman stomped his hoof in agreement. "Can't live with them, can't live without them." Toad shook his head and got onto Sullieman again. He looked up and saw some of the students cheering at him. And then saw the professor. He didn't look to impressed. He gave Charles an apologetic look and took Sullieman back into the stable. When he finished putting all the things away where they belonged he went up to the living room, and saw Charles, Scott and Storm looking at him with disappointment. Storm and Charles where disappointed that he had pulled a stunt like that. Scott was just flat out pissed that he was there.
"Mortimer," Charles started.
"I know I know, I won't do it again." Toad said, knowing exactly what he was going to say.
"Not only that, I am disappointed in you. You could have gotten seriously injured. I don't think that Jean and Hank need anymore patients in the med lab." Charles said. "And also. I was wondering. You seemed to handle Sullieman very well. Would you like to keep him?" Charles asked. "He needs to be taken care of, and he doesn't seem to let anyone other than you near him."
"I think its because I'm part animal.... well... reptile anyway. All animals tend to like me... I don't see why... I hate them. With the exception of Sullieman. I'd love to take care of him."
"Good, Just don't pull another stunt like that again. And also... how old are you Mortimer?"
"Toad."
"Sorry, How old are you Toad?"
"28." He said simply.
"Have you had any schooling?"
"I've never been to school but I have taken a few training courses."
"What kind of courses?"
"I specialize in Chinese Martial Arts, and Gymnastics. And I have also taken a few other things too, Like Tai Kwan Do. (A/N... Excuse my spelling....) And Kick Boxing." Charles nodded.
"Mor... Toad... Would you like to teach here at the school. You could teach some of the students some things you know. Like you could be a Martial arts instructor or a gymnast teacher." Storm laughed at the brief image of toad in tights and covered her mouth.
"I could teach Martial arts." He said. "The equipment is easier to find." Toad said. "I still have my things... at... the lair.... Damn...."
"That's alright Toad, I had Logan go to Magneto's old place and pick up your stuff. He said it shouldn't be to hard to find them." Toad rolled his eyes, and Storm laughed a bit. At that exact moment Logan walked in holding two bags and had a sword and a bo strapped to his back. (A/N... for those of you whom are extremely stupid a bo is a big long stick used in martial arts.) Logan put the bags onto the floor, none to gently and groped the sword and bo onto the floor as well. Toad gave him a dirty look and picked up his bo.