Author's Note: First off, thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! It is just a huge honor that you took time out of your day to read something that I wrote. I literally get all giddy when I see that there's a new review, and have to spend a few moments bouncing excitedly around my bedroom. However, I know you didn't come to hear me talk, so I'll keep this brief. This is a clarification. Someone said in the reviews that Haddy should feel used and stupid for being set up. I had no idea what they were talking about, so I looked over the last chapter, and I'd phrased several sentences really odd.
The X-Men were talking about the setup of how the room was built and how the Professor had practically made it impregnable. Sorry about that. Also sorry for posting so late last night. My parents forgot to tell me that they'd signed me up for some more courses so I was whisked away for the day to Economics, then Government, then Systematic Theology. Anyways, On with the story...
Haddy walked forward, but she wasn't entirely sure whether she was doing the walking, or if the Professor was making her move. The sound that emanated from the computer was similar to that of a bee, and smoke wafted through the air. It didn't take a computer genius to know that was not supposed to happen.
She glanced over the edge, glad she hadn't looked down when she had been swinging over it. It was a long ways down. She'd better not trip.
"Unlock the doors, Pietro." that was the Professor saying that, though. His words, her voice. It felt strange, sort of like the feeling you got when someone stands behind you, looking over your shoulder.
"Oh, I'll unlock them. After I finish with this, that is. Is the Professor in your head, fish? Too scared to use mine for fear he'll wreck his precious computer, but he's not so afraid of yours, is he? Maybe you should pick a different side, kid. One that actually cares. Not that we especially like you or anything. You're sort of annoying. But, you know, mutants gotta stick together."
"You want me to join you?" she asked incredulous.
Pietro yawned and continued his work one handed. "That was the basics of what I just said, yes."
"Why would I do that? The whole thing that really started this was you guys beating me up in the hall. Why would I join you?"
He turned around again. "Because we don't snoop around in your head."
She looked down at her feet. What he said was true, she supposed. Would she be better off with them?
Haddy. The Professor. She flinched at the stab of pain.
What? she asked. What do you have to say about this? He's not entirely wrong you know. She bit her lip. She hadn't meant to say the last part, but it had just slipped out with the rest of her thoughts.
A feeling of genuine sadness washed over her; the Professor's. From the moment Logan brought you here, we never meant to hurt you. We probed your mind, first to protect ourselves, and then to protect you. If you wish to leave, there is nothing holding you back, I can't make you stay, but please, the futures of other mutants, people like you, depend on what happens in this moment. Don't let him destroy that computer.
"So, fish, what is it?"
"No," she whispered.
"Huh?" Pietro looked surprised.
"I said no. I'm not interested."
Pietro shrugged. "Fine. Stay with the geeks, what do I care?"
Haddy lifted a shaking hand until it was level with the back of Pietro's head, then turned her face away. A flash of hot white, and a beam of light shot out of her hand, whipping her thoughts around and combining them into one controlled force. It crashed into Pietro, sending him spiraling out of his chair.
"So, that's what you do," he said, rising to his feet and gingerly touching a bloodied lip. "Good to know."
He charged her and rammed into her shoulder, swaying her balance.
"What's the matter? Can't catch me?" he taunted.
She spun around and lifted her hand, but he'd already crashed past her again.
"Come on, you can hit me. It's not too hard. Oh, wait." He smirked and shot past her again, but this time she was ready.
She held her hand down, shooting the energy and creating a deep rut in the floor. At the speed he was going, Pietro couldn't stop and tripped forward, sending himself sprawling with enough momentum to send him sailing into the door at the end of the walk way. She braced herself for another attack, but he seemed to have hit his head hard enough to knock himself unconscious. All the same, she didn't trust him one bit.
You've done well, said the Professor. Congratulations.
She glanced at the computer. What now? she asked.
There is a large blue circle on the screen in front of you. Do you see it?
Haddy stared at the screen, which was covered in more icons than she could even begin to count. Uh, no.
Here. He lifted her hand and touched an icon in the bottom left hand corner. The door at the end of the hall sprung open and Logan charged through, stumbling over Pietro.
Evan chuckled and Logan shot him a death glare. Then, with a light blur, Pietro disappeared.
"He's getting away!" said Evan, jumping into action.
Beast put a hand on his shoulder. "He's already gone. Let him leave."
"But-"
"But nothing," Logan said. "He's right."
Beast looked a bit taken aback. "Logan, I'm quite proud of you. Normally, I'd expect you to be leading the charge."
He lifted one side of his mouth in a smirk. "No," he said. "Vengeance is best served... cold."
Bobby saw an obscure, fast moving figure and grinned. Pietro. He brought up a large wall of ice in front of the figure, then chuckled as Pietro ran into it before toppling off the balcony, dazed.
"Huh?" said the white haired boy, looking up.
The young X-Men waved teasingly at him and Bobby pointed at his feet, which Amara had cemented to the floor.
"Going somewhere, Maximoff?" he asked.
The older X-Men, along with Haddy and the Professor, rounded the corner a couple minutes later to the sight of the new recruits grinning at their collection of mutants.
"Looks like you missed one, Logan. Luckily for you we managed to catch him That could have turned out a lot differently. I bet you wish that you'd brought us along now, don't you?"
Logan snarled at them, then sighed. "They're never going to let me hear the end of this one."
"So, what do we do with them now?" asked Amara.
Logan was about to suggest some ideas, but the Professor responded first.
"Let them go."
"What? But, Professor, they-"
"What they did was wrong, but I don't believe they'll be doing it again." He looked at each one of them for affirmation.
Lance looked away in an expression of almost shame. Tabitha glowered at the ground. Pietro seemed annoyed by the whole thing. The blob just looked angry, but that wasn't much of a change. Todd was the one who elected to be their spokesman.
"Yeah, we won't be doing this again. Just let us go!"
Professor X signaled the X-Men to release them, which they did, if not a bit unwilling.
"I'm out of here," Said Pietro, jumping to his feet. "Great idea, Todd. Next time, leave the thinking to those with brains, okay?" he said, before shooting off.
Todd mumbled something under his breath and hopped out the door, Blob behind him. Tabitha followed suit, shoving her hands in her pocket and walking out.
Lance walked towards the door, then turned around. "Kitty..."
Kitty crossed her arms. "I don't want to hear it, Lance. Just go."
He looked at his feet. "I just wanted to say sorry."
Kitty stuttered, not having expected that. "Well-well... Well, I don't forgive you. I don't think... I... Uh. Oh, fine, Lance. I forgive you. But, I swear, if you ever..."
"I'd better go," he said, turning on his heel. "See you at school."
Several of the new recruits made kissing noises as Lance left and Kitty balled up her fists and glared at them. "Would you cut that out?"
Then, with the last of the Brotherhood out the door, Each of the X-Men looked dismally at the mess they would have to clean up the next day, and, finally, all went back to bed.