just so you know, this may be the end of the speedy updates for awhile.
tomorrow i'm leaving town for a month and i'm unsure how much time i'll
have to write or what kind of computer connection there'll be. rest
assured, those who have been following the story, i will finish it and
moreover, i WANT to finish it. (dude, i wanna know what happens!)
i've also tried to be as faithful to pyro's aussie origins as possible. the slang is so cool but it's almost like a different language. as such, there are translations where appropriate. piotr's russian too.
another quick note to the x-men purists, i'm playing a little fast and loose with the whole magneto/trask/moreau thing (i know trask and moreau have never met, but i'm having them play together anyhow). why? retcon thy name is x-men: evolution. ;-)
* * *
Ah had ta believe Professor X would understand. He was always warnin' us not ta use our powers in public, not ta call attention ta ourselves. Ah looked at my reflection in th' gas station bathroom an' had ta laugh at that. Twenty minutes an' a pair o' scissors hadn't done much ta improve my look. Ah ran my hand over my newly-cut hair. Homespun punk. Ah felt only slightly less conspicuous than Ah had before with the burned parts. Ah'm sure Kitty would know what ta do with this. Felt a stab o' pain at the thought. Ah balled my hands into fists an' promised myself Ah'd see 'em again. Turnin' on the tap, Ah wet my hair an' left the bathroom.
Clothes were easy enough ta find, dryin' on a line in some poor slob's backyard. Ah felt bad. If Ah'd had any money Ah woulda left some. Even though the clothes weren't completely dry, the fabric still stung where it rubbed against my healin' skin. At least Ah looked less like Ah'd just stepped outta a bomb site. Ah looked down at my hands. It was too much o' a miracle ta expect gloves.
Boston wasn't as far away as it'd seemed back when Ah was at the Institute. The old way Ah used ta live seemed small ta me then. Ah was headin' for Genosha. Ah'd never even been ta Canada. Gettin' rides was old hat ta me an' Ah used the time ta think about what Ah needed ta do.
Problem: Ah needed ta get to the international terminal an' for that Ah needed a ticket Problem: Ah needed ta get outta the country an' for that Ah needed a passport. Problem: The name on the ticket should match the name on the passport. Problem: Once Ah got ta Genosha Ah had no idea where ta find Remy or Trask.
Ah decided ta take a page from Remy's book and wing it as much as Ah could. Had ta make a conscious decision not ta think about the last problem. Th' other three were big enough ta keep me busy for awhile anyway.
The airport was a terrifyin' crush o' people. Ah had ta force myself ta keep movin' forward. The crowd makes your job easier, Ah told myself.
Fact is, in an airport, people don't watch their things as well as they should. They get impatient waitin' for plans ta arrive, they get impatient waitin' in line, minds drift an' bodies follow. Ah stole a pale blue suitcase from an excited teenage girl 'bout my size. She was lookin' the wrong way at th' wrong time, her eyes intent on somethin' outside th' large plate glass windows. Ah was there and gone before she turned 'round. Went a little ways then ripped her ID tag off the bag.
The passport was tricky. Ah'm not proud 'bout the way Ah used my power ta stun a girl who coulda been me on a bad day, but Ah did it because there was nothin' else ta do. Ah made sure Ah was at the other end o' the terminal b'fore Ah opened the passport an' started memorizin' all th' information.
Kendall Miller. 8644 Cedar Parkway. Derry, New Hampshire. Born: June 10, 1985. Little girl smilin'. Yellow bedroom. Pictures of me with my arms around a boy who looked kind. Th' taste o' peppermint stick ice cream. Pull o' muscles in my back as she swam. Tired satisfaction at th' end o' a race. My event was th' 100 meter butterfly. Ache of shoulders. Nighttime in a neighborhood lake and that boy an' my...Kendall's...bathin' suit wavin' like a flag on shore an' his lips slidin' across mine an' his hands skimmin' down my thighs.
Ah closed my eyes as if it would squeeze out the memories. My stomach tightened with jealousy an' desire. Kendall was my ticket ta Genosha an' that's all, but Ah had ta stop myself from dippin' back into that memory.
The Air Genosha counter wasn't hard ta find. Tasteful shades o' blue an' green. Ah put on my best respectful face.
"Ah'm lookin' for standby."
"Adult fare?"
"Yeah."
The woman behind th' counter barely looked at me, just entered th' information into th' computer. "I have a seat available on flight 1189, leaving in two hours. Would you like to reserve it?"
It was all Ah could do ta stop myself from grinnin' like a fool. Seemed like things were finally startin' ta go right for a change. "Yes please." Ah felt like my feet were liftin' off the ground already. Thank god Kendall had a credit card just like any normal teenager.
"Do you have any bags?"
"Just a carry-on." She handed me the receipt and Ah signed it.
She gave me the ticket. "Gate 19. Have a nice trip, Ms. Miller."
His hands on my thighs. That smirk on his face.
Passport an' ticket got me through security no problem. The bag made me look like any other traveler. Ah did all this without breakin' a sweat, without fear. How much o' Remy had rubbed off on me in three days?
Flight 1189 ta Genosha was boardin' in thirty minutes. Ah took a seat in the corner o' the waitin' area and watched the passengers come an' go. Ah passed th' time makin' up stories 'bout 'em: here was th' family on th' vacation they'd saved for an entire year ta take, here was the elderly couple on their second honeymoon, here was th' gaggle o' girls lookin' for some Club Med-style action. Ah wondered what it must be like for them. Ah wondered if Ah'd ever get th' chance ta take a normal vacation.
It wasn't the first time Ah'd thought about a normal life, not that it was a realistic possibility with my powers, but maybe a normal mutant life. How many good years did anyone have? Years when they were really happy. Ah could remember snippets o' my childhood. That had been happy, just me an' Irene in th' house together, ramblin' around. Ah missed laughin' sometimes. Maybe that would never happen again. Ah'd gotten so used ta my dark costume that Ah wondered if Ah was stuck in the role forever. Ah was a freak by chance an' a freak by choice. Even then, with all my makeup washed away, Ah still caught people starin' at my hair.
Ah sighed. Couldn't blame them really. If the situations had been reverse Ah'd have been starin' too. Ah snapped open the fastenin's on the suitcase. Maybe that girl packed a hat...
Right about then, they made th' first boardin' announcement. Ah quit rummaging through the suitcase an' just listened with a growin' sense o' excitement. Ah tried ta dredge up all the information Ah had about Genosha. Unfortunately it involved rememberin' my time in Mrs. Ryan's ninth grade geography class. Mrs. Ryan had no tolerance for anyone different, which made her the perfect candidate ta teach high school. Ah'd spent most o' the year tryin' ta keep my head down. On the few occasions when Ah'd caught her eye, my answers had been correct enough, but she was always eyeballin' me, dyin' for me ta take a wrong step.
Genosha is an island nation off th' coast of Africa, not far from Madagascar. Its economy is strong an' technology-based. The standard o' livin' is high. The President o' Genosha is Madame Reneau.
All that information at my fingertips and none o' it helpful. My row was called. Ah rose, clutchin' the handle on my bag. My palms were beginnin' ta sweat. Ah scrubbed my right hand on my pants an' tugged my passport outta my pocket.
* * *
Dere was no one on de plane t' be de motherin' type so I got stuck wit' de job.
"Gambit, I want you to check on St. John," Mystique had said. Wanted not'ing more dan t' slump down in my seat and pretend I wasn't listening while Magneto and Mystique discussed t'ings. Somet'ing had happened, dat's sure. De look on her face was unmistakable. Since I was still on thin ice wit' Magneto dere was not'ing t' do but obey.
"Po-yee-yi (that stinks)," I muttered, just loud enough for dem t' hear. Being too contrite wouldn't do me any favors if dey expected a little resistance.
John was lying at de back o' de plane. I took de first aid kit from off de wall. "Comment ça va (how are you)?"
"In English, arse boy, in English," John gritted.
His shoulder wasn't bleeding anymore, but it still looked a mess. "No need t' be so charming 'bout it." I pressed de antiseptic wipe into his skin a little harder dan necessary. "You dyin' or what?" Grinned at him.
"How d'you think I feel, drongo (dope)? I'm bonzer (great), just bonzer."
Definitely time t' change de subject. "Why Mystique call you 'St. John'?"
He grimaced, alt'ough I wouldn't say if it be de pain or de name. "It's m'name. Makes me sound like a bloody lady boy (queer)."
"So why you let Mystique call you dat? Maybe you're sweet on her, neh?" De boy actually blushed. I finished cleaning de wound and wrapped it wit' gauze.
"C'n I ask y' something, Remy?"
"You can ask, but I'm not promising t' answer," I replied quickly, rememberin' dat it was de same t'ing dat Rogue told me when I asked her about de gloves. Wondered how many o' her habits I'd picked up.
"You and that girl, that x-man..."
"Don't know what you babblin' 'bout, John. Never met no x-man."
John laughed weakly. "Come off it, mate! Even Piotr knows you were runnin' around with that bird and he doesn't know Christmas from Bourke Street (he's a bit slow). What was her name again?"
"Dat your question?" I asked sourly.
"No. I wanted to know if you two had a naughty (had sex)."
"You really a child sometimes, John."
"I get it then," he said, his voice rising wit' mirth. "You flashed your gash (an invitation to have sex) and she turned y' down. Not quite the figjam ("Fuck I'm Good; Just Ask Me", a braggart) we all thought y' were."
Turned my back on de taunts. "He's feeling better," I told Mystique when I got back t' de front of de plane.
"So I hear," she said coolly. No trace of amusement in her eyes.
Threw myself into de seat in front of Piotr an' tried de best I could t' sleep. Was fitful at best and I woke up several times in de night. De third time it happened, I heard a low noise, like someone talkin' to demselves real quiet. But den another voice joined in. Craned my neck around t' see Magneto an' Mystique jus' as thick as t'ieves.
"How do you know that this Dr. Moreau can be trusted?" Mystique demanded.
Bit my lip t' keep from laughing, remember de H.G. Wells story. Any doctor named Moreau should consider a change in name or profession.
Magneto rubbed his forehead. He looked tired and old. "I do not know if he can, but it was he who contacted me regarding Trask, not the other way around. He appears to believe in our work."
"But will he do what we ask of him? He works with Trask."
"Works for Trask," Magneto corrected quickly. "There is a significant difference. One of Moreau's sons is a mutant and the other one has mutant connections."
Dey looked at each other for a long moment but said not'ing else.
Woke in de morning wit' sunshine piercing my eyelids an' my head jammed into de space between de seat and de window. Done my share o' flying in de past, all business-related, but never got tired of de feeling traveling t' another place.
Below de plane, water stretched out. Looked like a sheet of turquoise silk. In de distance, I could see land, a coastline.
"Are we almost there, bugor (boss)?" Piotr asked weakly, clutching his stomach.
"You been riding the porcelain bus, mate?" John asked. Miracle recovery you ask me. Personally liked him better rollin' wit' pain.
"Otsosi (blow me)," Piotr muttered.
"Shuddup, both o' you," Sabretooth snapped.
John pulled a face. "Guess he's not a morning person, eh Remy?"
"Don't drag me down wit' you, John." De sky was too wide and de sea was too blue.
"We arrive in Genosha in ten minutes," Mystique said. Though her voice wasn't loud, it cut t'rough de bickering immediately. "I have secured the lease on a house in Hammer Bay for our base of operations. You three will set up the internal systems: computer and security, while Victor takes care of external concerns. Then you will wait until you hear from either Magneto or I." Those spooky yellow eyes cut t'rough me. "That means remaining on the grounds."
Was already figurin' ways t' get outta dere fancy cage. Instead of answering, just leaned back in de seat, quietly whistlin' an old tune: Moi et la belle on aviait ete-z-au bal. On a passé les honky-tonks. S'en ont revenus lendermain matin le jour etait apres se casser. J'ai passé dedans la porte dans arriere... (My sweetheart and I went to a dance. We went to all the honkytonks. We came back the next morning at daybreak. I went through the back door...) Under my feet, dere was a rumbling as de landing gear came down.
i've also tried to be as faithful to pyro's aussie origins as possible. the slang is so cool but it's almost like a different language. as such, there are translations where appropriate. piotr's russian too.
another quick note to the x-men purists, i'm playing a little fast and loose with the whole magneto/trask/moreau thing (i know trask and moreau have never met, but i'm having them play together anyhow). why? retcon thy name is x-men: evolution. ;-)
* * *
Ah had ta believe Professor X would understand. He was always warnin' us not ta use our powers in public, not ta call attention ta ourselves. Ah looked at my reflection in th' gas station bathroom an' had ta laugh at that. Twenty minutes an' a pair o' scissors hadn't done much ta improve my look. Ah ran my hand over my newly-cut hair. Homespun punk. Ah felt only slightly less conspicuous than Ah had before with the burned parts. Ah'm sure Kitty would know what ta do with this. Felt a stab o' pain at the thought. Ah balled my hands into fists an' promised myself Ah'd see 'em again. Turnin' on the tap, Ah wet my hair an' left the bathroom.
Clothes were easy enough ta find, dryin' on a line in some poor slob's backyard. Ah felt bad. If Ah'd had any money Ah woulda left some. Even though the clothes weren't completely dry, the fabric still stung where it rubbed against my healin' skin. At least Ah looked less like Ah'd just stepped outta a bomb site. Ah looked down at my hands. It was too much o' a miracle ta expect gloves.
Boston wasn't as far away as it'd seemed back when Ah was at the Institute. The old way Ah used ta live seemed small ta me then. Ah was headin' for Genosha. Ah'd never even been ta Canada. Gettin' rides was old hat ta me an' Ah used the time ta think about what Ah needed ta do.
Problem: Ah needed ta get to the international terminal an' for that Ah needed a ticket Problem: Ah needed ta get outta the country an' for that Ah needed a passport. Problem: The name on the ticket should match the name on the passport. Problem: Once Ah got ta Genosha Ah had no idea where ta find Remy or Trask.
Ah decided ta take a page from Remy's book and wing it as much as Ah could. Had ta make a conscious decision not ta think about the last problem. Th' other three were big enough ta keep me busy for awhile anyway.
The airport was a terrifyin' crush o' people. Ah had ta force myself ta keep movin' forward. The crowd makes your job easier, Ah told myself.
Fact is, in an airport, people don't watch their things as well as they should. They get impatient waitin' for plans ta arrive, they get impatient waitin' in line, minds drift an' bodies follow. Ah stole a pale blue suitcase from an excited teenage girl 'bout my size. She was lookin' the wrong way at th' wrong time, her eyes intent on somethin' outside th' large plate glass windows. Ah was there and gone before she turned 'round. Went a little ways then ripped her ID tag off the bag.
The passport was tricky. Ah'm not proud 'bout the way Ah used my power ta stun a girl who coulda been me on a bad day, but Ah did it because there was nothin' else ta do. Ah made sure Ah was at the other end o' the terminal b'fore Ah opened the passport an' started memorizin' all th' information.
Kendall Miller. 8644 Cedar Parkway. Derry, New Hampshire. Born: June 10, 1985. Little girl smilin'. Yellow bedroom. Pictures of me with my arms around a boy who looked kind. Th' taste o' peppermint stick ice cream. Pull o' muscles in my back as she swam. Tired satisfaction at th' end o' a race. My event was th' 100 meter butterfly. Ache of shoulders. Nighttime in a neighborhood lake and that boy an' my...Kendall's...bathin' suit wavin' like a flag on shore an' his lips slidin' across mine an' his hands skimmin' down my thighs.
Ah closed my eyes as if it would squeeze out the memories. My stomach tightened with jealousy an' desire. Kendall was my ticket ta Genosha an' that's all, but Ah had ta stop myself from dippin' back into that memory.
The Air Genosha counter wasn't hard ta find. Tasteful shades o' blue an' green. Ah put on my best respectful face.
"Ah'm lookin' for standby."
"Adult fare?"
"Yeah."
The woman behind th' counter barely looked at me, just entered th' information into th' computer. "I have a seat available on flight 1189, leaving in two hours. Would you like to reserve it?"
It was all Ah could do ta stop myself from grinnin' like a fool. Seemed like things were finally startin' ta go right for a change. "Yes please." Ah felt like my feet were liftin' off the ground already. Thank god Kendall had a credit card just like any normal teenager.
"Do you have any bags?"
"Just a carry-on." She handed me the receipt and Ah signed it.
She gave me the ticket. "Gate 19. Have a nice trip, Ms. Miller."
His hands on my thighs. That smirk on his face.
Passport an' ticket got me through security no problem. The bag made me look like any other traveler. Ah did all this without breakin' a sweat, without fear. How much o' Remy had rubbed off on me in three days?
Flight 1189 ta Genosha was boardin' in thirty minutes. Ah took a seat in the corner o' the waitin' area and watched the passengers come an' go. Ah passed th' time makin' up stories 'bout 'em: here was th' family on th' vacation they'd saved for an entire year ta take, here was the elderly couple on their second honeymoon, here was th' gaggle o' girls lookin' for some Club Med-style action. Ah wondered what it must be like for them. Ah wondered if Ah'd ever get th' chance ta take a normal vacation.
It wasn't the first time Ah'd thought about a normal life, not that it was a realistic possibility with my powers, but maybe a normal mutant life. How many good years did anyone have? Years when they were really happy. Ah could remember snippets o' my childhood. That had been happy, just me an' Irene in th' house together, ramblin' around. Ah missed laughin' sometimes. Maybe that would never happen again. Ah'd gotten so used ta my dark costume that Ah wondered if Ah was stuck in the role forever. Ah was a freak by chance an' a freak by choice. Even then, with all my makeup washed away, Ah still caught people starin' at my hair.
Ah sighed. Couldn't blame them really. If the situations had been reverse Ah'd have been starin' too. Ah snapped open the fastenin's on the suitcase. Maybe that girl packed a hat...
Right about then, they made th' first boardin' announcement. Ah quit rummaging through the suitcase an' just listened with a growin' sense o' excitement. Ah tried ta dredge up all the information Ah had about Genosha. Unfortunately it involved rememberin' my time in Mrs. Ryan's ninth grade geography class. Mrs. Ryan had no tolerance for anyone different, which made her the perfect candidate ta teach high school. Ah'd spent most o' the year tryin' ta keep my head down. On the few occasions when Ah'd caught her eye, my answers had been correct enough, but she was always eyeballin' me, dyin' for me ta take a wrong step.
Genosha is an island nation off th' coast of Africa, not far from Madagascar. Its economy is strong an' technology-based. The standard o' livin' is high. The President o' Genosha is Madame Reneau.
All that information at my fingertips and none o' it helpful. My row was called. Ah rose, clutchin' the handle on my bag. My palms were beginnin' ta sweat. Ah scrubbed my right hand on my pants an' tugged my passport outta my pocket.
* * *
Dere was no one on de plane t' be de motherin' type so I got stuck wit' de job.
"Gambit, I want you to check on St. John," Mystique had said. Wanted not'ing more dan t' slump down in my seat and pretend I wasn't listening while Magneto and Mystique discussed t'ings. Somet'ing had happened, dat's sure. De look on her face was unmistakable. Since I was still on thin ice wit' Magneto dere was not'ing t' do but obey.
"Po-yee-yi (that stinks)," I muttered, just loud enough for dem t' hear. Being too contrite wouldn't do me any favors if dey expected a little resistance.
John was lying at de back o' de plane. I took de first aid kit from off de wall. "Comment ça va (how are you)?"
"In English, arse boy, in English," John gritted.
His shoulder wasn't bleeding anymore, but it still looked a mess. "No need t' be so charming 'bout it." I pressed de antiseptic wipe into his skin a little harder dan necessary. "You dyin' or what?" Grinned at him.
"How d'you think I feel, drongo (dope)? I'm bonzer (great), just bonzer."
Definitely time t' change de subject. "Why Mystique call you 'St. John'?"
He grimaced, alt'ough I wouldn't say if it be de pain or de name. "It's m'name. Makes me sound like a bloody lady boy (queer)."
"So why you let Mystique call you dat? Maybe you're sweet on her, neh?" De boy actually blushed. I finished cleaning de wound and wrapped it wit' gauze.
"C'n I ask y' something, Remy?"
"You can ask, but I'm not promising t' answer," I replied quickly, rememberin' dat it was de same t'ing dat Rogue told me when I asked her about de gloves. Wondered how many o' her habits I'd picked up.
"You and that girl, that x-man..."
"Don't know what you babblin' 'bout, John. Never met no x-man."
John laughed weakly. "Come off it, mate! Even Piotr knows you were runnin' around with that bird and he doesn't know Christmas from Bourke Street (he's a bit slow). What was her name again?"
"Dat your question?" I asked sourly.
"No. I wanted to know if you two had a naughty (had sex)."
"You really a child sometimes, John."
"I get it then," he said, his voice rising wit' mirth. "You flashed your gash (an invitation to have sex) and she turned y' down. Not quite the figjam ("Fuck I'm Good; Just Ask Me", a braggart) we all thought y' were."
Turned my back on de taunts. "He's feeling better," I told Mystique when I got back t' de front of de plane.
"So I hear," she said coolly. No trace of amusement in her eyes.
Threw myself into de seat in front of Piotr an' tried de best I could t' sleep. Was fitful at best and I woke up several times in de night. De third time it happened, I heard a low noise, like someone talkin' to demselves real quiet. But den another voice joined in. Craned my neck around t' see Magneto an' Mystique jus' as thick as t'ieves.
"How do you know that this Dr. Moreau can be trusted?" Mystique demanded.
Bit my lip t' keep from laughing, remember de H.G. Wells story. Any doctor named Moreau should consider a change in name or profession.
Magneto rubbed his forehead. He looked tired and old. "I do not know if he can, but it was he who contacted me regarding Trask, not the other way around. He appears to believe in our work."
"But will he do what we ask of him? He works with Trask."
"Works for Trask," Magneto corrected quickly. "There is a significant difference. One of Moreau's sons is a mutant and the other one has mutant connections."
Dey looked at each other for a long moment but said not'ing else.
Woke in de morning wit' sunshine piercing my eyelids an' my head jammed into de space between de seat and de window. Done my share o' flying in de past, all business-related, but never got tired of de feeling traveling t' another place.
Below de plane, water stretched out. Looked like a sheet of turquoise silk. In de distance, I could see land, a coastline.
"Are we almost there, bugor (boss)?" Piotr asked weakly, clutching his stomach.
"You been riding the porcelain bus, mate?" John asked. Miracle recovery you ask me. Personally liked him better rollin' wit' pain.
"Otsosi (blow me)," Piotr muttered.
"Shuddup, both o' you," Sabretooth snapped.
John pulled a face. "Guess he's not a morning person, eh Remy?"
"Don't drag me down wit' you, John." De sky was too wide and de sea was too blue.
"We arrive in Genosha in ten minutes," Mystique said. Though her voice wasn't loud, it cut t'rough de bickering immediately. "I have secured the lease on a house in Hammer Bay for our base of operations. You three will set up the internal systems: computer and security, while Victor takes care of external concerns. Then you will wait until you hear from either Magneto or I." Those spooky yellow eyes cut t'rough me. "That means remaining on the grounds."
Was already figurin' ways t' get outta dere fancy cage. Instead of answering, just leaned back in de seat, quietly whistlin' an old tune: Moi et la belle on aviait ete-z-au bal. On a passé les honky-tonks. S'en ont revenus lendermain matin le jour etait apres se casser. J'ai passé dedans la porte dans arriere... (My sweetheart and I went to a dance. We went to all the honkytonks. We came back the next morning at daybreak. I went through the back door...) Under my feet, dere was a rumbling as de landing gear came down.