The disclaimer telling you that I don't own X-Men Evolution characters has been run over by a bus. In this sequel to "Fire Drills are Fun," The gang takes a joyride in a school bus. Okay, when did I lose control of this story line?
The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round
Risty (AKA Mystique) folded her arms. I can't believe I'm doing this! She thought. But someone has to watch these morons and make sure they don't get into trouble! Well, at least maybe I can spend some time with my son. She looked at Kurt's sleeping face next to Tabitha. "Is he okay?" she asked, concern in her voice.
"He's fine," Tabitha gently stroked his sleeping face in her lap. "He just slipped and fell. Poor baby. Now all of you jerks be nice to him when he wakes up! If we have to be nice to Kitty the least you guys can do is be nice to Blue!"
At this the guys groaned. "Promise me!" She glared.
"Okay okay we promise," Todd grumbled. "But if he starts anything all bets are off!"
"Tabitha vas…?" Kurt's eyes opened and he looked around. "Where are we?"
"On the bus dummy," Todd rolled his eyes. "Sheesh!"
"Huh?" Kurt looked around. "You stole a bus?"
"We're only borrowing it," Pietro told him. "Relax!"
"Wait a minute," Kurt began to panic. "We gotta get back to school!"
"Why?" Pietro asked.
"Because they'll miss us! We might get caught! Or get detention or something!" Kurt tried to reason with them. "What if they send the police after us?"
"Don't worry I think we can take them," Fred nodded.
"Oh mien gott," Kurt moaned. "I've been kidnapped by maniacs!"
"Relax Blue and enjoy the ride!" Tabitha laughed and gave him a hug.
"Tabitha this is not funny," Kurt whined. "Do you have any idea how much trouble we could get in? How much trouble I could get in? I just got off probation! I'm going to end up waxing the X-Jet for the rest of my life!"
"Waxing the what?" Arcade asked.
"He means the school van," Tabitha quickly covered. "It's a nickname."
"Hey how can you get grounded if we kidnapped you?" Pietro asked.
"He's got a point Blue," Tabitha giggled. Then she whispered softly into his ear. "And it's not like you can port out in front of Risty and Arcade here."
"You have a point," Kurt gulped.
"On your left we can see the Bayville car wash," Fred was having a ball driving and playing tour guide. "Home of the Super Sudsy Wash. On your right we see the famous Tito's Taco Stand."
"Or what's left of it," Lance quipped as he pointed out the Going out of Business sign. It looked deserted.
"Aw man I loved that place," Fred pouted. "It was the all you can eat burrito night that really made it special."
"Well that explains why it only lasted a few months," Pietro grinned. "Hey is anyone hungry? Besides Blob I mean?"
"I could go for something," Todd nodded.
"Let's rock and roll and party on!" Lance laughed. "YEEHA! Next stop! Burger King!"
"Hey Blob can you pop a wheelie with this thing?" Pietro asked.
"Hang on!" Fred laughed as the bus speeded up.
"We're gonna die," Kurt groaned.
Arcade was bouncing along on the seat next to Todd. "Aw man this is so cool!" He laughed. "I gotta hang with you more often!"
"Hey look," Pietro pointed at a guy driving a corvette. "Let's drag race that guy!"
"I don't think that's a good idea," Risty gulped nervously. Too late. Fred had given the driver an intimidating glare and the next thing they knew they were tearing off down the street at high speed. It ended when they turned a corner and the back of the bus knocked the corvette into a fruit stand.
"YES!" Fred raised his fist in triumph.
"I'm going to be deported I know it," Kurt moaned.
They soon parked at Burger King and went inside. "I gotta use the ladies," Risty looked a little green and wobbled away.
Kurt was having problems of his own. "Look I'll pay for Tabitha's meal but there is no way I am paying for the rest of you lunatics!"
"Don't worry," Arcade pulled out a wad of cash. "I'll take care of it. My folks are loaded. Eat whatever you want! Least I can do for the ride!"
"Thanks man!" Todd brightened. "You're all right!" After ordering a ton of food and making the fry cook faint from the workload they went to the table.
Risty came back from the bathroom. Actually she had snuck her way out to the phone and disguised her voice to sound like the school bus depot's head mechanic. She decided that she didn't want the police to get involved so she had reported to the school and other authorities that the bus was not stolen, merely at the garage. She grabbed a stray burger at the table and nibbled on it. Well at least I don't have to eat the cafeteria food today, she thought to herself. Now how am I gonna get these idiots off the streets?
"Okay guys," Lance said. "You all know the drill after you eat. Toad you and Arcade are in charge of grabbing all the ketchup and mustard packs. Get salt and pepper too. Freddy you're in charge of paper napkins. Pietro and I will get toilet paper from the bathroom. Tabitha you and Risty hit the ladies room and Blue…better come with us and be a lookout."
"Oh I get it," Arcade brightened. "It's like a scavenger hunt or something!"
"Or something yeah," Todd whistled.
"Cool!" Arcade motioned for Todd to join him. They went off on their errands.
"I am not helping you goons steal anything!" Kurt hissed.
"Lighten up Kurt," Risty turned on him. "I mean it's not like they're stealing the register money. You aren't going to do that are you? I mean I draw the line at that!"
"Don't worry," Pietro held up his hands. "Strictly fun and games."
"No!" Kurt shook his head. "Stealing is stealing!"
"Listen furball," Pietro hissed. "Some of us don't have a rich dude looking out for us! In the real world things like running water and toilet paper are luxuries!"
"Vas?" Kurt's eyes widened. "Then how do you…?"
"You don't wanna know," Lance groaned.
"Come on Blue just stand guard okay?" Tabitha batted her eyes. "Please?"
"No! No can do! I won't do it!" Kurt shook his head.
Ten minutes later Kurt was nervously looking around outside the restrooms. "Will you guys hurry up in there?" He groaned.
Lance handed him a huge stack of toilet paper. "Here, now port to the bus and dump it in and back before anyone sees you!"
"Fine," Kurt hissed as he took the paper. "But let me make this perfectly clear, I am only helping you do this for Tabitha's sake! That's it!"
"Fine you can be her blue knight in shining armor," Lance snapped. "Just do it."
Kurt made a face and teleported. He came back a few seconds later. "Congratulations," Lance sneered. "You are now a member of the criminal class."
"Oh shut up," Kurt grumbled.
Meanwhile in the girl's room Risty decided it was time for a little chat with Tabitha. "Tabitha darling," She asked in her most innocent voice. "How close are you with Kurt?"
"He's a sweetie! Why?" She asked.
"Oh no reason," She said. "Just curious. Are you two serious?"
"Oh I see where this is going," Tabitha smiled. "Sorry Ris, but I see right through your little game. Blue is spoken for!"
"Oh nonononono," Risty gulped. "I wasn't implying that! I was just…"
"Come on admit it," Tabitha winked. "You have a little crush on him don't you!"
"I most certainly do not!" Risty said hotly.
"You're jealous," Tabitha giggled.
"Please," Risty held her nose in the air.
"What is taking you so long in there?" Kurt whined from outside the door.
"Hey Blue guess what?" Tabitha opened the door and yanked him in. "Risty has a crush on you!"
"I do not!" Risty felt panic in her voice. "I was simply curious on her relationship with you that's all!"
"You have a crush on me?" Kurt gulped.
"NONONONONO!" Risty yelped waving her hands wildly. Oh lord, Risty thought to herself. I do not need this!
"Risty has a crush on me and I am standing in the girls bathroom," Kurt gulped.
"What's going on?" Pietro and Lance came in.
"Risty has a crush on Kurt!" Tabitha chanted.
"WHAT?" Pietro glared at Kurt. "You've got some nerve blue boy, especially when you have Tabby and you keep trying to get Kitty!"
"Hey you stay away from Kitty!" Lance grabbed his shirt. "Got it!"
"Put him down!" Tabitha shouted at him.
"He's crossed the line!" Pietro snapped. "I say we give him a swirly! That'll cool him off!"
"I don't have a crush on Kurt!" Risty yelled.
"Hey yo what's goin' on back here?" Todd and Arcade came in. "What's all the racket? It's a good thing Freddy's having a little talk with the manager right now or else the cops might be showing up!"
"Risty has a crush on Kurt," Pietro told him.
"Geeze Don't you have enough problems with women?" Todd snapped at him.
"Doesn't any of you care that we're in the girl's bathroom?" Kurt moaned.
"STOP IT!" Risty shouted. There was only one thing she could think of to save Kurt from a pounding. "I don't like Kurt I…I like…" Her eyes darted back and forth. "ARCADE!"
"What?" Arcade blinked and turned bright red.
"WHAT?" Everyone else in the bathroom was dumbstruck.
"Okay I admit it!" Risty groaned. "I have a crush on Arcade! I've been madly in love with you ever since I first laid eyes on you! I have a thing for computer geeks! They drive me crazy! Are you happy? Are you?"
"Yes I'm very happy," Tabitha smiled. "You can put Kurt down now Lance."
"Oh man," Lance dropped Kurt.
"I don't believe this," Pietro gulped. "He's your type?"
"I'm kinda stunned myself," Arcade blinked.
"You sly dog you," Todd elbowed him.
"Oh god I have never been so embarrassed in my life," Risty moaned.
"What did I ever do to deserve this?" Kurt moaned.
Several minutes later they finally returned to the bus. "So what took so long?" Fred asked.
"Please don't tell him," Risty hid her face in shame at the back of the bus.
"Oh you missed it Fred," Todd gleefully told him. "We all thought that Risty liked Blue boy over here, but in truth she's got the hots for Arcade!"
"He tells him anyway," Risty moaned. "Can we please just forget about this and move on with our lives?" The others giggled.
"Okay let's check out our haul here," Lance looked at the booty. "We have twelve rolls of toilet paper, a ton of condiment stuff, a box of straws, about two boxes worth of paper towels, a dozen paper crowns, several Lord of The Rings goblets and a couple dozen Big Kid's toys."
"Not bad," Tabitha nodded.
"Yeah and they threw in the goblets for free," Fred told them. "They literally begged me to take those!"
Arcade looked at the back of the bus and walked over to Risty. "Um, Risty can I talk to you?"
"Why not," Risty groaned as Arcade sat down next to her.
"Look Risty," Arcade scratched his head. "I like you and all. But just not in that way."
"Huh?" She looked slightly stunned.
"Now don't get me wrong! You're nice and not like other girls and I'm real flattered that you like me and all, but I …I just don't see you that way…yet. I'm sorry."
"Fine," She spoke in a monotone. "I'll just pick up the pieces of my life and move on."
"Can we still be friends?"
This was the most ludicrous situation she had ever found herself in. "Fine," She sighed. "No problemo."
"Great!" Arcade beamed. "Hey! So it's cool! Great!" He went back to his seat.
Pietro came back and sat next to her. "Okay why him and not me?" He pouted. "I don't get it! I'm more handsome, intelligent, faster, smarter, better…"
"I hate my life," Risty groaned to herself. "I hate my life…"
"Hey look there's the arcade!" Fred pointed out. "Should we?"
"YEAH!" Arcade and Todd bounced in their seats. They pulled in and went inside.
"All right arcade games!" Arcade rubbed his hands. "Challenge you to a game of Ultimate Frogger Toad?"
"You're on!" They both raced off.
"I wonder if they have any vending machines here?" Fred wandered in.
"Forget that Blob I'll challenge you to a game of skee ball!" Lance smiled.
"Come on Blue let's have some fun!" Tabitha dragged Kurt along. "Hey! Virtual Speedboat rides! I love those! Let's go!"
"Why not," Kurt groaned. "It'll be the last time I see the light of day anyway."
"I'm also a much better kisser than he is!" Pietro walked alongside Risty, still talking.
"I wonder where the shooting games are?" Risty hissed through clenched teeth.
"YEEEHA!" Tabitha yelled with glee as they played the game! "Faster! Faster!"
"Wipe out!" Kurt laughed as they kept racing.
"I can't believe it!" Arcade gasped. "I've never lost this game before!"
"Face it pal you just met the Master of all frogs!" Todd crowed.
"And I might add that I am much more mature and sophisticated than he is," Pietro continued as Risty tried to play the whack a mole game.
"Pietro…" Risty said dangerously. She then proceeded to whack him several times over the head with the foam mallet.
"Hey look at all the tickets I got!" Fred crowed. "I bet I get something cool with this!"
"Shut up," Lance frowned as he stared at his one ticket.
"Aww the ride's over already?" Tabitha blinked. "What a gyp! Well there's one way to remedy that." She made a small energy bomb.
"Tabitha no!" Kurt hissed.
Tabitha placed the energy bomb in the video game. It exploded and coins showered out. "What?" She looked at him.
"Hey what did you kids do to that game?" the arcade manager who looked more like a biker came up to them.
"Us? The stupid thing broke down," Tabitha folded her arms. "Not our fault all your games are cheap!"
"Shouldn't you kids be in school?" The biker snarled.
"Good idea, let's go…" Kurt tried to drag Tabitha away. The manager grabbed by the shirt.
"You a foreigner ain't you?" He sneered.
"So what if I am?" Kurt replied nervously. "I'm just visiting your lovely country."
"Hey! That's a German accent ain't it!" He hissed.
"Uh…yes," Kurt gulped. "Don't you like Germans?"
"No," The man's eyes turned evil. Then they widened in pain. "YEOW!" His pants dropped down to his knees, revealing happy face shorts. He dropped Kurt.
"Come on Blue let's go get help," She dragged him towards Fred and Lance but found they were running towards them. "What's going on?"
"We got into a slight disagreement with those gentlemen," Lance gulped pointing behind him. Half a dozen bikers were charging after them.
"We're gonna die," Kurt gulped. Then the lights went out. Kurt felt his arm being pulled by someone.
"Come on Furball," He heard Pietro's voice hiss in his ear, "Let's get out of here!"
"Get them!" A biker shouted. "Hey what's this slimy stuff on the floor?"
"RUN FOR IT!" Lance shouted.
They all raced out the door. Fred grabbed a dumpster and blocked the entrance so the bikers couldn't escape. They ran for the bus and got in. Fred accidentally knocked over all the bikers' bikes as he started to pull out of the driveway. They fell over like dominoes.
"Wow that was fun!" Arcade smiled.
"Yeah running for our lives is real thrilling," Kurt moaned. "Can we go home now?"
"Hey let's stop by my place!" Arcade said. "My folks are out of town so no one will bother us!"
"Your parents left you alone?" Risty asked surprised.
"No big deal," Arcade shrugged. "I'm used to it."
"Wow this place is huge!" Tabitha's eyes widened as they pulled in. "Okay it's not big like the mansion but it's nice!"
"Come on in and help yourselves to the fridge," Arcade let them in.
"You just said the magic words," Fred laughed. "Oh wow this place is stocked!"
"Hey let's make some popcorn and watch a movie yo!" Todd hopped up and down. "It's only two o'clock! We can hang for a while!"
"Nah," Lance looked around. "I'm not in the movie mood." They started to debate on what they were going to do. Kurt slunk off to the side. Tabitha followed him.
"Hey where are you going cutie?" Tabitha asked.
"I've got to get out of here!" Kurt grumbled. "School will be out soon!"
"So what's the rush?" Tabitha smiled. "Why cut short a great day?"
"A great day?" Kurt blanched. "This has not been a great day for me! First you kidnap me, then you get me involved in a hit and run, made me steal toilet paper, I was nearly beaten to a pulp twice, not to mention being dragged into the girls' bathroom! What makes you think that this has been a great day for me?"
Tabitha took his face in her hands and kissed him. After a minute he blinked. "This has been the best day of my life…" He kissed her back. "Well maybe I can stay for a few more minutes."
"That's the spirit," Tabitha smiled.
"I should really call the professor and let him know I'm all right," Kurt sighed.
"Whoa bad idea!" Tabitha held up her hands. "You know what will happen. Scott and the rest of the X-Men will come get you. There will be a huge fight and Arcade's house is gonna get trashed! Do you really want that?"
"Um…no…but…" Kurt started.
"So, that's settled," She dragged him back to the group.
"Rollerball!" Pietro stomped his foot.
"Prank phone calls!" Fred snapped.
"It's Arcade's house he should decide!" Todd told them.
"I don't really care what we do," Arcade shrugged.
"Hey let's decorate the bus!" Tabitha suggested. "I mean yellow is a nice color but it has been done to death!"
"Great idea!" Pietro perked up. "Got any paint in the garage?"
"Tons of it," Arcade smiled. "All kinds of colors too!"
"Let's do it!" Risty smiled. She hated to admit it, but that did sound like a lot of fun.
"Okay now we are going to vandalize a bus," Kurt sighed. "Why not?"
"Hey you don't have to stay if you don't want too," Todd gave him a glare. "It's not like we're forcing you to do anything!"
"Toad be polite!" Tabitha hissed.
"This is not good," Kurt grumbled.
*Kurt? Where are you? What's going on? *Jean's mental telepathy reached out to him.
"Oh this is really not good!" Kurt gulped. "Um…I have to go. Now. Really Tabitha I think I hear the others calling me!"
"Oh," Tabitha and the other mutants got the message. "I'll walk you outside and make sure you…uh get a cab. Be right back." She walked out with him. "Let me guess, Ms. Perfect?"
"Uh huh," Kurt gulped. * Jean I'll be right home in a few minutes. I'll explain everything when I get there! I promise! * "I really have to go."
"I understand," Tabitha sighed. "See you tomorrow?"
"If I'm not grounded for life," Kurt grumbled.
"Well if you ever need a place to crash you can always hang at the Brotherhood house," She told him.
"Something tells me I wouldn't exactly be welcome there with open arms, but thanks just the same," Kurt sighed.
Tabitha kissed him. "Bye Blue," She sighed.
"Bye," Kurt sighed before he teleported out leaving nothing behind but a faint smell of brimstone.
Tabitha walked back to the house. "Okay!" She put a brave face on. "Who's up for some painting! Who hoo!"
Soon they were all having the time of their lives painting the bus. Afterwards they watched videos and ate Chinese takeaway. Even Risty was having a good time. Then when they were sure the bus had dried they took Risty and went back to the school.
The next morning as Principal Kelly drove up he nearly had a heart attack when he saw a bus painted in psychedelic colors in his parking spot.
"Why me?" He hit his head repeatedly on the steering wheel. "Why? Why? Why?"
