Come Blow Your Horn, Part 3/3

By Mice

An auditorium is filled with impressionable (and hungry) men and women. They have gathered to witness a rivalry that will come to a bloody end. Plus, it was the annual Friends of Humanity Pancake Breakfast with all proceeds going to Timothy Beauchamp, recovering in the hospital from a mutant attack (supposedly).

Graydon Creed took over center stage next to a gagged Lucky Floyd to loud applause.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Friends Of Humanity. This shall be no ordinary pancake breakfast. My old friend, Miss Floyd will finally repay her debt to all the trouble she has caused us." He goes down to the girl to make sure she's awake, and she is quite and he whispers to her. "Sorry, Miss Floyd. You've been a thorn in my side too long.." He returns his attention to his attentive audience. "Mr. Goddard, read off the list of charges to which Miss Floyd is charged with."

"Lucille "Lucky" Eugenia Floyd: You are charged with being a threat to humanity through your genetic background. You have also
perpetrated material from the Friends of Humanity files and given them to one Charles Xavier. This very morning, you attacked three of my men using
your mutant powers. How do you plead?

Klaus McQueen looked down from his high perch in the auditorium. Lucky is a mutant? Why didn't I see it before? And she's been working with Xavier this whole time?

Lucky's voice pierced the room with pride. "I plead guilty to helping all of humanity, not just pick and choose, you mutie-wanna-be's." She turned her head up to Graydon Creed and spat on his forehead.

That's my girl! Klaus thinks, remembering all the spit training she's had with her seven brothers.

Graydon Creed wiped off the spit. "Kill her off. Then, there will be pancakes."

The mob cheered eagerly and Lucky was taken up to a high platform. "Let's see if cats really do land on their feet!" one of the men with his face
and arm brutally clawed yells out.

"Ya see, dude, that's the scum we normal people have to fight!" says the man keeping Klaus McQueen under tight guard.

"Yeah, normal people..." His voice trails off as his conscience is left with guilt. He stares up to Lucky who is trying her best not to cry,
but he can see her face; red and puffy. Through her bravado, he can tell she's terrified. Suddenly, without warning, Lucky Floyd is dropped.

Klaus's wings opened on instinct, breaking his bonds. He dove down to catch his best friend and nearly grabbed her hand before it changed into a cat's paw.

Once she was finished changing, there was a large, black panther with yellow eyes, growling on the stage. Klaus landed next to her. A few of the FOH and mob advanced but then moved back as the panther swatted a tthem.

The crowd, in cowerdice, choose to flee instead of fight.

Graydon Creed disappeared as well. Presumably, to find pancakes.

"Ah, you're waking up!" Klaus smiled at the human form of Lucky as the sun went down.

"Mmmrph?" She looked around to the natural surroundings. "Where are we, McQueen?"

"We're at Wesley Heights Park. You've been out for quite some time. Does that...change...take a lot out of you?"

"I changed forms?" She looked nervously down at her non-existing clothes except for a white shirt that clung tightly on her. "Oh shit..."

Klaus laughed out loud and gave her a hug. "Yes, you did, and you were beautiful." He kissed the top of her head.

"And, if I recall, you're not exactly Mr. Straight Genes, either, you Warren Worthington Wanna-Be!"

He blushed for a bit before looking into the face of total acceptance. "Yeah, well, I guess now you know why Claudia and I broke up."

"I never liked her. You were too good for her."

"Oh, opposed to what? She was one of the only people who could put up with me..."

"Not true! I've put up with you since first grade, McQueen! AND, I can tolerate the fact that your homo-superior, like moi!" A smirk ran
across her face.

"Too true, Lucille." It was his turn to smirk. "Your middle name is Eugenia? You told me you didn't have one!"

"Oh, I wouldn't be talking, Klaus Hilary!" Her smile grew brighter with every insult, as did Klaus's.

"So, Floyd. Where do we go from here?"

"Well, McQueen, you can join the underground. We need help." She looked over to his uncertain face. "You'd be good, and you wouldn't
believe the fringe benefits! You could still write for the paper, and we get to work with each other more, and we do make an unbelievable team."

"Well, if the boss doesn't mind that we totaled the story-"

"He's one of the underground, too."

"Wayland Summers is pro-mutant?"

"He's a cousin of one or something..." She grinned and held out her hand. "So, is this a yes, partner?"

"What the hell." The shook on it. "It's a promise."

"Great! Let's get the hell out D.C.!"

"My thoughts exactly!"

"Especially, considering that tomorrow, we'll be wanted felons, fleeing from the law..."

His grin faded. "WHAT?"

The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship.