Shifting Sands
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "Never EVER go out and tell someone to buy spinning tops of doom"
****
And after that load of angst last chapter, lets have some comic relief before we go back to the story, hmmm?
***
Chapter 7 - The ways of the Teenager (TM Ray Crisp)
****
A few days past and there was still no sign of Max...to make matters worse, Tabby had also mysteriously vanished, leaving only a note explaining that she was visiting her mother in Rehab and wouldn't be back for a while. Warlock was still pretty depressed over the whole 'Max-issue' and it was this sadness that had made a few of the teens decide to act. As soon as Forge was on one of his visits (which were a little more fequent now he was dating Ororo, everyone had to admit), Bobby, Ray and Kurt cornered him.
"Can Warlock stay here tonight? He needs cheering up, badly", said Bobby.
Forge considered this....his well behaved alien teenager with THOSE three?.....Warlock would never be the same again.
"I don't know.....", said Forge.
"It means you'll have an EMPTY house", added Kurt, "vith no one else but..."
"Okay", said Forge quickly, "that's a plan, a GOOD plan"
"What's a good plan?", asked Ororo, walking up and eyeing them all suspiciously.
"Warlock staying here", said Forge, "all night, not in MY house...".
Ororo blinked a few times, before grinning.
"Yes, i agree, very VERY good idea".
As the pair walked off, Ray blinked.
"Did i miss something?"
*****
"Come ON Tommy, you can do better than that!"
Sidney paused in her normal patrol of the tunnels, turning into a wider, more open space in the sewers. There, Morph had made himself into a volley ball next..his head poking out of the middle. By some miracle, the Morlocks had found a ball, with which Tommy (a bizare looking girl who's skin and hair had a rainbow effect) and Artie (an even bizarer pink-skinned young boy) were playing volleyball. Sidney arched an eyebrow and took a seat next to Evan and Torpid.
"What are they doing?", she asked.
Torpid put her hands into fists and made jabbing motions.
"They're having a tournament", Evan translated.
"Oh boy", said Sidney, "joy and fun....Caliban's gonna throw a hissy fit".
As Artie bopped the ball across the Morph-net, Tommy sneezed, suddenly making herself two-dimensional and falling to the ground. Artie bounced up and down, an image of a victory party appearing above his head. The ball meanwhile, bounced off the wall and headed back to Morph, who changed into his natural shape, grabbing it in his hands.
"See, i said i'd liven this place up", he said cheerfully.
Tommy sat herself up, and popped back into her true form, Artie dancing around her, showing an image of him, king of all things volleyball!
"Okay, okay, don't rub it in", she said, crossing her arms.
"What on Earth...", hissed Caliban, walking in.
"HEY, pale, tall and gruesome!", said Morph, "wanna play some V-Ball?"
Before giving Caliban time to answer, Morph threw the ball at him, it bouncing off his head and landing on top of Evan. The ball made a hissing sound, before deflating. Artie hung his head, a tombstone image appearing.
"Oh, don't be down, kiddo!", said Morph, "i'm SURE we can grab another ball. I'll just pop up to the surface and get you one!"
"We jussst can't go waltzing around in the open. Ta, la, la!", said Caliban, waving his arms in the air for epmthasis.
Sidney gave a snort.
"Ohh say Tra la la again", she said, "from you, it's funny".
Caliban gave her a look that would freeze a volcano.
"Fine, go ahead, be hunted, ssssssee if i care", he said.
"Awwww, you love us, really, Cal!", said Sidney, flinging an arm over his shoulder.
"I hate you with the fire of a thousssand sssunssss", said Caliban, brushing off her arm.
"Oooooh somebody's craaaankyyyy", sang Morph, "i know how to cheer you up. Lets play charades!"
Caliban blinked, very slowly, before turning and walking away.
"How about muscial chairs?", tried Morph, "hide and seek?....oh you're no fun. You're just bitter"
Caliban replied with a snort. His life had certainally become a lot less peacefull since Sidney and Morph had arrived on the scene.
****
Back at the Mansion, Hank arched an eyebrow as he saw Ororo tip-toeing towards the door, a night-bag slung over her shoulder.
"Where are you going?"
Ororo stopped dead, turning to give him a smile.
"....Out?".
Hank arched a brow as Ororo gave him the best inocent person expression she could.
"You're going to see Forge, aren't you?!!!".
Ororo thought fast.
"...Nooooooooooo", she said, "i'm going to....see a movie".
"With an overnight bag?", said Hank, pointing at it.
Ororo looked at her bag, then at Hank.
"It's a really long movie".
"You lie!", said Hank, shaking his head, "Tut tut, Ororo, what a bad example you set for the children".
"Screw the children!", said Ororo, "i'm a woman, i have needs!".
Hank backed away sightly before chuckling and patting her on the head.
"Of COURSE you do", he said, slipping a mug into her bag without her noticing, "you go and....have fun".
Ororo gave him a suspicious look before shrugging and leaving. Hank gave a slightly evil giggle, oh this was going to be FUN!.
****
Meanwhile, Warlock was sitting in the common room with Kurt, Bobby and Ray. They had place in front of him every possible thing a teenage boy could wish for. Amongst which, there was a games console, a few of Bobbys 'special' magazines, and a whole pack of Gut Bomb burgers, which Kurt was eyeing hungrilly.
"Okay, little Warlock, dude", said Bobby, "you need to learn how to be like us...before you become a drone".
Ray flung his arm around Warlock and moved his other arm through the air.
"The ways of the teenager".
Warlock blinked, looking at Ray's hand.
"Query: What are we looking at?"
Kurt sighed, shaking his head.
"Ve are looking at a time vhen you can be a teenager, vhen you can be.....rebelious".
Warlock gasped, backing away.
"But...but Self doesn't WANT to be rebelious!", he squeaked, "Self-Carer is good to Self, why would Self wish to disobey him?".
"Because", said Bobby as patiently as he could, "you are a teenager, and that is what teenagers do. You rebeled aginst your REAL father".
Warlock gave him a flat look.
"Self's father was a physcopathic killer", he said, pointedly, "there is a SLIGHT difference".
Kurt squealed happily, patting Warlock on the back.
"SARCASM!", he said proudly, "that's more like it! You're better already!".
Warlock raised an eyebrow.
"Self was being sarcastic?", he said, then gave a small smile, "Self feels...elated..happy".
"That is the feeling of newly found freedom!", said Ray, "go you!".
****
Forge smiled as he closed the oven door again, 10 more minutes and he'd have a wonderfull meal. And to think, he had actually COMPLAINED when his mother taught him how to cook, hah!. Little did he know what a goldmine it would eventually be. He glanced up as he heard the door knock....weird, Ororo HAD a key. He walked over to it opening the door...no one was there. With an arched eyebrow, he stepped outside slightly to see what he heck was going on....if it was those damn kids again....He didn't get very far from the front door when he was tackled by Ororo, who had been hiding around the corner, giving him a kiss.
"Hey!", said Forge in shock, "you nearly gave me a heart attack...hello, by the way".
"I know", replied Ororo, giving him a hug, kissing him again.
"You never want to talk anymore. There's no 'hello, Forge, how was your day?'".
"Hello, Forge, how was your day?", said Storm before kissing him again.
"It was good", said Forge with a smirk, "just got better".
"Good" replied Storm, "We done talking now?".
"Yes, Dear", replied Forge, "but there IS a meal wait..."
"It can wait", said Storm dragging him inside and closing the door.
Unbeknownst to the pair, Ororo had been followed. A large blue furry head popped up from the bushes. Hank grinned and sat back to wait for a while, after a few minutes, he got up and walked across the lawn, stopping and knocking on the door. No answer. He gave it a good few pounds, before knocking 'shave and a haircut' continuously. THAT worked. A few seconds later a none-too-happy-looking Storm answered the door in her nightgown. Hank gave her an inocent smile.
"Oh i'm sorry", he said, "did i wake you two up?".
"Nooooooooo", said Ororo through gritted teeth, "what do you want?".
"I believe i dropped my periodic table mug into your bag by mistake", said Hank sweetly.
Storm looked at him as she she wished him to die a thousand fly deaths. She narrowed her eyes and disapeared into the house, returning a few minutes later with a mug.
"There", she hissed, "now LEAVE. Go, go NOW!".
"Okay, okay, seesh", said Hank, rolling his eyes and walkng away, wincing as the door slammed shut.
He hid in the bushes for a liiiittle while longer before giving a childish giggle and going to the door again, kocking once more. It wasn't long before Forge appeared, clad in a T-Shirt and boxers looking as angry as Ororo had done.
"What is it NOW, Hank?", he said as patiently as he could.
"Sorry, been a mix up", said Hank, grinning, handing the cup back to Forge, "this is Charles' mug, not mine".
Forge looked at the mug, then back at Hank.
"....Okay then", he said, "Goodnight, Hank".
As he started to close the door, Hank put a furry foot in it, stopping it.
"So, how've you been?", he asked, grinning like a demented schoolkid, "got any new patents recently?".
Forge looked at him, unblinking.
"I will PAY you to leave".
"Oh, don't mind me", said Hank, "just come for a little chat is...all?".
He glanced up at the sky, some VERY angry thunderclouds were forming. He gulped and backed away from the door.
"Okay, okay, i'm going!", he said, "you don't have to be so blantantly mean about it!".
With that, Hank walked away grinning when he heard the door close again. This was SO much fun. He hadn't had this much fun since he was in school. He waited a few more minutes, then went back to the door, knocking it. This time, he got no answer, well, there was an easy solution to THAT.
"I know you're in theeeerrreee", he said in a sing song voice through the letter box.
There was an electronic beeping sound from a garden knome sitting on the lawn. Hank blinked at it...that was...odd. Natural curiosity took over from common sense and Hank walked over to it, giving it a poke. Nothing happened. Hank furrowed his brow and poked the knome again, pressing in it's hat. The knome's eyes glew red for a second, before lazer beams shot out from them, scanning the lawn. Hank screamed and leapt into the air and over the beam, landing by the door and pounding on it frantically.
"Forge, turn the security system off!", he said through the letter box, "come on, HELP!!!".
"Sorry can't hear you", came Forge's voice, "i'll just turn on the sprinkler system".
Hank blinked. The sprinkler system watered the lawn. HE was on the lawn.....he was in trouble.
"No, no, no, Forge don't do that", he begged, "i'm SORRY, i'll leave you and Ororo alone now, i promise!".
Too late. The spinkler system started up, turning off the lazer-beam knome, but soaking Hank's fur through. It was then that Hank realised the knome wasn't the problem. A tiny thundercloud hovered above his head. He winced at it.
"I suppose i deserve this", he said, yelping as a tiny thunderbolt hit him, "OOWWW!", quit it!!"
Zzzzaaaap!
"I said QUIT IT!", said Hank, trying to run away from the little cloud, "stop it or i'll tell Charles where you REALLY went tonight".
His bluff worked, the cloud disipated. He sighed, trudging back to his car and getting in, soaking the seat in the process, well, that was JUST great. Muttering to himself about the injustices of the world, he started her up and drove off back to the Institute.
****
Don't ask me where that chapter came from..i really don't know. That was just some bizareness to give you a break from the story...okay to give me a break from writinbg the depressing serious stuff. Tee hee, it was fun! Do review, until next time..
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "Never EVER go out and tell someone to buy spinning tops of doom"
****
And after that load of angst last chapter, lets have some comic relief before we go back to the story, hmmm?
***
Chapter 7 - The ways of the Teenager (TM Ray Crisp)
****
A few days past and there was still no sign of Max...to make matters worse, Tabby had also mysteriously vanished, leaving only a note explaining that she was visiting her mother in Rehab and wouldn't be back for a while. Warlock was still pretty depressed over the whole 'Max-issue' and it was this sadness that had made a few of the teens decide to act. As soon as Forge was on one of his visits (which were a little more fequent now he was dating Ororo, everyone had to admit), Bobby, Ray and Kurt cornered him.
"Can Warlock stay here tonight? He needs cheering up, badly", said Bobby.
Forge considered this....his well behaved alien teenager with THOSE three?.....Warlock would never be the same again.
"I don't know.....", said Forge.
"It means you'll have an EMPTY house", added Kurt, "vith no one else but..."
"Okay", said Forge quickly, "that's a plan, a GOOD plan"
"What's a good plan?", asked Ororo, walking up and eyeing them all suspiciously.
"Warlock staying here", said Forge, "all night, not in MY house...".
Ororo blinked a few times, before grinning.
"Yes, i agree, very VERY good idea".
As the pair walked off, Ray blinked.
"Did i miss something?"
*****
"Come ON Tommy, you can do better than that!"
Sidney paused in her normal patrol of the tunnels, turning into a wider, more open space in the sewers. There, Morph had made himself into a volley ball next..his head poking out of the middle. By some miracle, the Morlocks had found a ball, with which Tommy (a bizare looking girl who's skin and hair had a rainbow effect) and Artie (an even bizarer pink-skinned young boy) were playing volleyball. Sidney arched an eyebrow and took a seat next to Evan and Torpid.
"What are they doing?", she asked.
Torpid put her hands into fists and made jabbing motions.
"They're having a tournament", Evan translated.
"Oh boy", said Sidney, "joy and fun....Caliban's gonna throw a hissy fit".
As Artie bopped the ball across the Morph-net, Tommy sneezed, suddenly making herself two-dimensional and falling to the ground. Artie bounced up and down, an image of a victory party appearing above his head. The ball meanwhile, bounced off the wall and headed back to Morph, who changed into his natural shape, grabbing it in his hands.
"See, i said i'd liven this place up", he said cheerfully.
Tommy sat herself up, and popped back into her true form, Artie dancing around her, showing an image of him, king of all things volleyball!
"Okay, okay, don't rub it in", she said, crossing her arms.
"What on Earth...", hissed Caliban, walking in.
"HEY, pale, tall and gruesome!", said Morph, "wanna play some V-Ball?"
Before giving Caliban time to answer, Morph threw the ball at him, it bouncing off his head and landing on top of Evan. The ball made a hissing sound, before deflating. Artie hung his head, a tombstone image appearing.
"Oh, don't be down, kiddo!", said Morph, "i'm SURE we can grab another ball. I'll just pop up to the surface and get you one!"
"We jussst can't go waltzing around in the open. Ta, la, la!", said Caliban, waving his arms in the air for epmthasis.
Sidney gave a snort.
"Ohh say Tra la la again", she said, "from you, it's funny".
Caliban gave her a look that would freeze a volcano.
"Fine, go ahead, be hunted, ssssssee if i care", he said.
"Awwww, you love us, really, Cal!", said Sidney, flinging an arm over his shoulder.
"I hate you with the fire of a thousssand sssunssss", said Caliban, brushing off her arm.
"Oooooh somebody's craaaankyyyy", sang Morph, "i know how to cheer you up. Lets play charades!"
Caliban blinked, very slowly, before turning and walking away.
"How about muscial chairs?", tried Morph, "hide and seek?....oh you're no fun. You're just bitter"
Caliban replied with a snort. His life had certainally become a lot less peacefull since Sidney and Morph had arrived on the scene.
****
Back at the Mansion, Hank arched an eyebrow as he saw Ororo tip-toeing towards the door, a night-bag slung over her shoulder.
"Where are you going?"
Ororo stopped dead, turning to give him a smile.
"....Out?".
Hank arched a brow as Ororo gave him the best inocent person expression she could.
"You're going to see Forge, aren't you?!!!".
Ororo thought fast.
"...Nooooooooooo", she said, "i'm going to....see a movie".
"With an overnight bag?", said Hank, pointing at it.
Ororo looked at her bag, then at Hank.
"It's a really long movie".
"You lie!", said Hank, shaking his head, "Tut tut, Ororo, what a bad example you set for the children".
"Screw the children!", said Ororo, "i'm a woman, i have needs!".
Hank backed away sightly before chuckling and patting her on the head.
"Of COURSE you do", he said, slipping a mug into her bag without her noticing, "you go and....have fun".
Ororo gave him a suspicious look before shrugging and leaving. Hank gave a slightly evil giggle, oh this was going to be FUN!.
****
Meanwhile, Warlock was sitting in the common room with Kurt, Bobby and Ray. They had place in front of him every possible thing a teenage boy could wish for. Amongst which, there was a games console, a few of Bobbys 'special' magazines, and a whole pack of Gut Bomb burgers, which Kurt was eyeing hungrilly.
"Okay, little Warlock, dude", said Bobby, "you need to learn how to be like us...before you become a drone".
Ray flung his arm around Warlock and moved his other arm through the air.
"The ways of the teenager".
Warlock blinked, looking at Ray's hand.
"Query: What are we looking at?"
Kurt sighed, shaking his head.
"Ve are looking at a time vhen you can be a teenager, vhen you can be.....rebelious".
Warlock gasped, backing away.
"But...but Self doesn't WANT to be rebelious!", he squeaked, "Self-Carer is good to Self, why would Self wish to disobey him?".
"Because", said Bobby as patiently as he could, "you are a teenager, and that is what teenagers do. You rebeled aginst your REAL father".
Warlock gave him a flat look.
"Self's father was a physcopathic killer", he said, pointedly, "there is a SLIGHT difference".
Kurt squealed happily, patting Warlock on the back.
"SARCASM!", he said proudly, "that's more like it! You're better already!".
Warlock raised an eyebrow.
"Self was being sarcastic?", he said, then gave a small smile, "Self feels...elated..happy".
"That is the feeling of newly found freedom!", said Ray, "go you!".
****
Forge smiled as he closed the oven door again, 10 more minutes and he'd have a wonderfull meal. And to think, he had actually COMPLAINED when his mother taught him how to cook, hah!. Little did he know what a goldmine it would eventually be. He glanced up as he heard the door knock....weird, Ororo HAD a key. He walked over to it opening the door...no one was there. With an arched eyebrow, he stepped outside slightly to see what he heck was going on....if it was those damn kids again....He didn't get very far from the front door when he was tackled by Ororo, who had been hiding around the corner, giving him a kiss.
"Hey!", said Forge in shock, "you nearly gave me a heart attack...hello, by the way".
"I know", replied Ororo, giving him a hug, kissing him again.
"You never want to talk anymore. There's no 'hello, Forge, how was your day?'".
"Hello, Forge, how was your day?", said Storm before kissing him again.
"It was good", said Forge with a smirk, "just got better".
"Good" replied Storm, "We done talking now?".
"Yes, Dear", replied Forge, "but there IS a meal wait..."
"It can wait", said Storm dragging him inside and closing the door.
Unbeknownst to the pair, Ororo had been followed. A large blue furry head popped up from the bushes. Hank grinned and sat back to wait for a while, after a few minutes, he got up and walked across the lawn, stopping and knocking on the door. No answer. He gave it a good few pounds, before knocking 'shave and a haircut' continuously. THAT worked. A few seconds later a none-too-happy-looking Storm answered the door in her nightgown. Hank gave her an inocent smile.
"Oh i'm sorry", he said, "did i wake you two up?".
"Nooooooooo", said Ororo through gritted teeth, "what do you want?".
"I believe i dropped my periodic table mug into your bag by mistake", said Hank sweetly.
Storm looked at him as she she wished him to die a thousand fly deaths. She narrowed her eyes and disapeared into the house, returning a few minutes later with a mug.
"There", she hissed, "now LEAVE. Go, go NOW!".
"Okay, okay, seesh", said Hank, rolling his eyes and walkng away, wincing as the door slammed shut.
He hid in the bushes for a liiiittle while longer before giving a childish giggle and going to the door again, kocking once more. It wasn't long before Forge appeared, clad in a T-Shirt and boxers looking as angry as Ororo had done.
"What is it NOW, Hank?", he said as patiently as he could.
"Sorry, been a mix up", said Hank, grinning, handing the cup back to Forge, "this is Charles' mug, not mine".
Forge looked at the mug, then back at Hank.
"....Okay then", he said, "Goodnight, Hank".
As he started to close the door, Hank put a furry foot in it, stopping it.
"So, how've you been?", he asked, grinning like a demented schoolkid, "got any new patents recently?".
Forge looked at him, unblinking.
"I will PAY you to leave".
"Oh, don't mind me", said Hank, "just come for a little chat is...all?".
He glanced up at the sky, some VERY angry thunderclouds were forming. He gulped and backed away from the door.
"Okay, okay, i'm going!", he said, "you don't have to be so blantantly mean about it!".
With that, Hank walked away grinning when he heard the door close again. This was SO much fun. He hadn't had this much fun since he was in school. He waited a few more minutes, then went back to the door, knocking it. This time, he got no answer, well, there was an easy solution to THAT.
"I know you're in theeeerrreee", he said in a sing song voice through the letter box.
There was an electronic beeping sound from a garden knome sitting on the lawn. Hank blinked at it...that was...odd. Natural curiosity took over from common sense and Hank walked over to it, giving it a poke. Nothing happened. Hank furrowed his brow and poked the knome again, pressing in it's hat. The knome's eyes glew red for a second, before lazer beams shot out from them, scanning the lawn. Hank screamed and leapt into the air and over the beam, landing by the door and pounding on it frantically.
"Forge, turn the security system off!", he said through the letter box, "come on, HELP!!!".
"Sorry can't hear you", came Forge's voice, "i'll just turn on the sprinkler system".
Hank blinked. The sprinkler system watered the lawn. HE was on the lawn.....he was in trouble.
"No, no, no, Forge don't do that", he begged, "i'm SORRY, i'll leave you and Ororo alone now, i promise!".
Too late. The spinkler system started up, turning off the lazer-beam knome, but soaking Hank's fur through. It was then that Hank realised the knome wasn't the problem. A tiny thundercloud hovered above his head. He winced at it.
"I suppose i deserve this", he said, yelping as a tiny thunderbolt hit him, "OOWWW!", quit it!!"
Zzzzaaaap!
"I said QUIT IT!", said Hank, trying to run away from the little cloud, "stop it or i'll tell Charles where you REALLY went tonight".
His bluff worked, the cloud disipated. He sighed, trudging back to his car and getting in, soaking the seat in the process, well, that was JUST great. Muttering to himself about the injustices of the world, he started her up and drove off back to the Institute.
****
Don't ask me where that chapter came from..i really don't know. That was just some bizareness to give you a break from the story...okay to give me a break from writinbg the depressing serious stuff. Tee hee, it was fun! Do review, until next time..