I'M EXTREMELY SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG TO POST THE NEXT CHAPTER!!! I'VE HAD
A LOT OF END-OF-TERM TESTS TO DO SO DON'T THROW TOMATOES AT ME FOR THIS!!!!
*gets promptly thrown at with rotten vegetables* ACK!!! Grrrr....I TOLD you
not to do that!!! *a rotten egg gets chucked and lands on forehead*
YEEECH!!!! *immediately rubs it off* Hmph! Well...I also apologize for the
millions of grammar mistakes I've made in each chapter. The problem with me
is that I'm too lazy to correct them. *smiles sheepishly* You'll also find
that I take out and add in characters frequently in this story. Just like
right now. Mystique is GONE from this story and might reappear later. So
now a new principal reigns at Bayville High. I MIGHT add Wanda a.k.a.
Scarlet Witch, Pietro's sister. Would anyone explain to me what her powers
are? I'd appreciate the help. Oh and reviewer 'me'? Your question shall be
explained in another chapter later on. And thanks for asking because you've
now given me an idea for the chapter!!! Enjoy reading!!!!
"talking" = talking in a normal voice //thinking// = character thinking ~telepathy~ = talking telepathically
This chapter is dedicated to FukaiMori who I NOW properly thank for her review. She, besides Neva and destinydragon, are the few people who don't care whether or not Iris is a Mary-Sue. Bless you FukaiMori! And thank you very much!
Chapter 5: Locking
Three days and two nights had passed since Iris had gone back to school on Monday. She had been accepted into the Xavier Institute yet still had not integrated into the X-men family. Iris was abnormally mute whenever around with the X-men. She only answered in a few words when questions were directed at her, but besides those rare moments, she was a silent creature. Others misinterpreted her quietness as shyness and did their best to rope her into some group "fun".
Iris was working in her room, the door closed. Homework was spread out before her on her desk as she furiously finished the last equation for the math assignment. With a triumphant smile she leaned back feeling satisfied.
"Done!" she exclaimed feeling quite content. With all her homework out of the way she would now had about four hours of free time until lights out. Checking her agenda for any extra work she might've forgotten. Iris groaned, seeing as she still had some science pages to read.
"Okay then," she mumbled to herself as she looked through her knapsack. "Only a few pages to read. Only a few pages to read until you get to relax. Only a few....gulp..... hundred pages to read." She moaned. "It sure would be easier if I could just strangle that science teacher." Not finding the textbook anywhere Iris frowned and a disapproving cloud blue entered her eyes.
"Oh! Damn! Forgot that I had left it at school!" Iris smacked her forehead. "How could I be so stupid?"
Sighing, she got up to ask Scott to drive her to school as the science reading was due tomorrow. Looking through the tall, glass balcony doors, Iris noticed that it seemed like a perfect evening for a night walk. No clouds darkened the black sky, a quarter moon shone bright enough to cast shadows and stars twinkled, more clearer and greater in number at the Xavier mansion than in the city. A pale green of longing flashed through Iris's eyes.
//Hmm....it's a perfect night....and it'll only be half an hour walk to the school. Why bother Scott when I can get my book by myself?// mused Iris. //Alright then, I'll go. I'll just leave a note saying where I've gone in case they look for me.// Scribbling the note on a piece of paper, Iris left the mansion the most safest way. Jumping off the balcony.
Leaving the lights on in her room, Iris unlocked the balcony door and closed them, yet leaving them unlocked. Climbing onto the edge of the balcony wall Iris looked down at the ground below her.
//Okay then. This is no sweat. It's just three stories down. You've jumped even more than that before.// assured Iris to herself. //Besides you don't wanna disturb the others right?//
Iris knew she was lying to herself as the term for the crime she was committing was "sneaking out". Yet Iris felt suffocated inside the institute with the number of people it had in there. That seemed actually quite an exaggeration as there were plenty of rooms in the mansion, all of them extremely large, thus allowing Iris plenty of chance to hide herself for some solitude. Yet Iris could swear that Jean or Xavier were used their mind abilities to locate her then send one of the X-men to drag her off to some group activity. Iris knew that everyone was trying to be friendly to her and welcome her into the "family." But it just made want to scream with the pity evident on everyone's face for her unfortunate childhood. Smiles were forced around her and whenever roped into a conversation, the group talked politely about tedious things, as if afraid any harsh words said would break the "fragile" Iris.
Still deep in her thoughts, Iris jumped from the balcony sill and landed on her feet. Arms spread out to the side for balance and knees automatically bent to absorb the shock. Iris never wondered about the athletic tricks she could do, she always considered them as something she had picked up from lots of practice. Unscathed, Iris stood up and silently walked towards the front gates. She took off running after leaving the Institute's grounds.
* * * * *
Pietro slammed his book shut and looked at his watch.
//6:58, I'm gonna make it this time!// he gleefully gloated.
Doing his homework only took twenty seconds as usual, but nowadays instead of finishing it right after school leaving him plenty of time to cause trouble, he finished after seven. The reason was some stupid bet he had made with Tabitha over something ever so long ago that he had forgotten what it was about. Pietro had betted that if he won, Tabitha would have to piggy-back him to and from school for a month. Tabitha on the other hand, said that if she won then Pietro would have to do her house chores for three months, without using his powers. Pietro had agreed, truly believing that he would win. Yet to his dismay, he had lost. Now everyday after school Tabitha ordered him to do all these hard jobs for three hours straight, threatening to blow bombs up in his face when least expected if he didn't keep his promise. Hastily Pietro complied yet looked at Tabitha murderously when she wasn't looking.
//I'm gonna make it!!!// Pietro's mind sang as he zipped in a flash to the t.v. room. The sight that met him reversed his hyper mood.
"Fred!!! You again!!!" screamed Pietro. "Don't you have anything better to do???"
Fred was lying full-length on the sofa, his weight making it sag until a few inches from the floor. The floor and his stomach was littered with cracker crumbs, empty chip bags and other unidentified bits of food.
"And you ate all of the food....for the millionth time!!!!" complained Pietro.
"I was hungry" Fred said in a matter-of-fact tone and was flipping through the channels on T.V.
"ACK!!!!!!! You're hopeless Blob..." moaned Pietro and sped around the room in circles in frustration.
"Yo!" Todd greeted suddenly, leaping into the room. "Water's been cut down again by City Hall and I'm feeling so thirsty my SKIN'S becoming dry!!!"
"Duh! You're a frog Todd and frogs need lots of water," said Lance entering.
"I'm a toad, ain't any wimpy frog," snapped back Todd.
Pietro sighed. No t.v. to watch, all of the food gone, no running water and the cash flow was greatly lower since Mystique was now gone. Pht! This sure was the life wasn't it?
"One of us is gonna have to a job," Pietro commented. Everyone turned and stared at Fred.
Fred looked back at them in alarm. "What?!"
"Hey fattie. You're big and strong. Any thought about going into a freak show or some show-off strength contest or some labor job?" asked Todd, leaping onto the couch's backside.
At the words 'fattie' and 'freak' Fred's face turned red.
"Don't......call.....me.....FATTIE!!!!!" roared Fred as stood up suddenly and grabbed Todd by the throat to hang him in the air. Fred had that look of one intending to squish something disgusting.
"And...I'm...not...a...FREAK FOR THE LAST TIME!!!!!!!" screamed Fred at Todd's face and shook the smaller guy by the neck. The house shook slightly by the impact Fred's voice had on it.
"Hey, hey! Big guy," soothed Tabitha who had emerged from her room (Mystique's former room) to see what the trouble was. "Todd didn't mean anything right hon?"
Todd's face looked a neon blue now and all he could manage was to bob his head slightly.
"See there, he didn't mean anything. Now put Todd down Fred," commanded Tabitha. Fred didn't move a muscle. "Fred, put him down now," Tabitha said more firmly.
Fred unceremoniously dumped the younger boy on the floor. When his toes touched the ground, Todd immediately leaped out of the room, wheezing for breath. Pietro shook his head.
//Nothing to do here, might as well hit the streets.// Pietro thought. As Fred grumpily resettled onto the couch, Tabitha sashayed back to her room and Lance went to the phone, Pietro flew out of the front door into the night.
* * * * *
//I've made it!// Iris thought as she stumbled onto the school grounds. Running all the way to school was a very tiring job for Iris's body and she had developed a stomach cramp. Despite that she felt energized and...free.
//Yah! School's still open.// thought Iris as she entered the school through a side door.
She noticed that the lights were only turned on in one hallway. A janitor was listening to some music in his walkman while mopping the floor. He didn't seem to notice as Iris silently sneaked behind him then rush over to another hallway.
//Phew! Made it.// thought Iris. Not knowing whether or not she was allowed back at the school during closing time, she didn't want to take the chance to find out.
Quickly twirling her lock's combination, she opened her locker to find her science book. Taking it out, she quietly locked her locker. Peeking around the corner she found the janitor still mopping the floor. She tiptoed her way behind his back then rushed towards the exit. She grabbed the door and.......
Bumped into Pietro.
They fell back from the collision, rubbing their heads. Pietro was the first to notice the girl in front of her.
"You!" he snarled. "I still owe you a broken arm for that bloody nose you gave me."
"Oh yeah!" retorted Iris. "I'd like to see you try."
Pietro opened his mouth to say a reply when they both heard the squeak of the janitor's shoes coming their way.
"Quick! In here," said Pietro and grabbed Iris's hands to pull her into an empty classroom, not listening to her protests.
Closing the door he peered through the keyhole. He saw the janitor's hand opening the side door to look outside. The janitor peered curiously around and said, "Anybody there?"
With no answer the janitor closed the door then looked suspiciously at the classroom's closed door, the room where Pietro and Iris were. His hand reached towards the doorknob.
Pietro stumbled. "We've gotta hide!" he whispered frantically. He searched around the classroom for a good hiding place. Without much ado Iris grabbed him by the waist and hugged him to herself. Mist swirled around them and evaporated. The doorknob turned and the door was opened.
The janitor looked at the classroom and flicked on the lights. Only desks met his view with nothing else there. He stared hard and long at the classroom.
//Oh...God. Please make him go away.// prayed Iris silently as she focused her powers. Uncomfortably she noticed how her head was resting on Pietro's shoulder and how his hands wrapped tightly around her waist.
//Damn it! Just go old man.// Pietro thought angrily as the janitor kept on standing there and staring through them. //And how come he can't see us?// Pietro wondered. Iris's arms, hugging Pietro's body shifted nervously around his back.
After an agonizing three minutes the janitor put on his earphones, which he had just taken off, turned off the lights and closed the door. His runners tapped against the floor as he went away.
The two teenagers breathed with relief and hastily let go of each other and stepped away. Iris's eyes, closed in concentration now opened to show relieved dark tan.
"What just happened back there?" demanded Pietro.
"I cloaked ourselves with an illusion of invisibility," replied Iris as she stooped down to look through the keyhole. "He's gone, let's go."
They both gingerly stepped out of the classroom and reached for the side door. Pietro pushed against it, to find it locked.
"He's locked it!" said Pietro with dismay. They both whirled around to hear the janitor's whistling, saw the lights turned off, plunging the school in darkness then a door slamming and locked with a click.
They sprinted around the corner to another exit door and looked out of its windows. They saw the janitor's retreating back, walking to his car and watched as he entered it and drove away. Iris tried to open the door without any result. She turned towards Pietro, shocked.
"We're locked in the school!"
* * * * *
Rogue yawned. She and the other X-men sat grouped around the T.V., watching a love story. So far it was boring, stuffed with sickly romance and pathetic crying scenes. Surprisingly all of the other teenage mutants were riveted by it. Even the adults goggled at the screen, except Logan that was. He just sat on the couch and scowled at the screen, while cleaning some motorcycle parts. Thankfully, the movie ended.
//Thank God. Ah didn't think that movie would ever end.// thought Rogue grumpily. Kurt picked up a rented video from the ground.
Kurt winked. "Shall ve start on another movie?"
McCoy began, "It's nearly bedtime and you have schoo....." All of the kids groaned.
Xavier intercepted. "Well, it wouldn't do any harm for them to stay up late once would it?" The kids cheered. Kurt pushed the video tape into the VCR slot and clicked play. Everyone settled down to watch. Ororo bent over to Scott, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor.
"Scott could you get Iris please?" asked the African women.
"Uh....sure," said Scott and he rushed upstairs to do so.
//Oh man. I hope I don't miss much of the movie.// Scott thought impatiently. He knocked on the door and upon receiving no reply he twisted the doorknob. To his surprise it was unlocked as Iris's room was usually locked. Pushing the door Scott found the room empty.
//Huh, thought she was in her room.// thought Scott. Looking at her desk which was cluttered with homework, he saw a piece of paper that said in big, bold letters:
WENT TO SCHOOL TO GET SCHOOL TO GET TEXTBOOK. BE BACK AROUND 8:34
Scott looked at his watch. It said 9:00 p.m. He turned towards the door, planning on getting the adults.
//Stupid kid! She knows she's not supposed to be sneaking out!// Scott thought angrily. //And no one's allowed to be in the school after closing time. The place is locked.// Scott stopped for a second.
//She's new here.// the softer side of him spoke. //Just drive to the school and pick her up. No muss, no fuss. Iris won't do it again.//
//No! She's had enough time to fit in. Iris needs to take responsibility for her actions.// his harsher side proclaimed.
The softer side won. Scott went up to the older mutants and said he needed to pass by the store for some, "errrr......stuff." Everyone looked at him queerly, but he was given permission. Scott jumped into his car and sped into the night.
* * * * *
"Are you sure you've checked all of the windows and doors?" asked Iris to Pietro. Both of them walked side by side down the first floor's hallway, looking for an unlocked exit.
"Yes! I've checked all of them," said Pietro, annoyed. "That's the hundredth time you've asked me now."
"Just making sure. With your speedy powers you could've sped through all of the floors without checking a single one of them properly," replied Iris. She headed for the stairways.
"Where do you think you're going?" asked the exasperated Pietro.
"Upstairs. Besides, why should you care?" asked Iris suspiciously, eyes bursting into a deep, untrustworthy maroon. "One second you're threatening to break my arm then now you're like a worrisome nanny."
Pietro's eyes gleamed. "Thanks for reminding me." With lightning speed he reached forward, intending to push Iris against the wall. Iris was caught off guard and got slammed into the wall, making a human imprint into it. Dust from the collision rose up, engulfing Iris and Pietro.
Coughing Iris choked out, "Damn! Me and my big mouth. Any way I can save myself from being injured?"
Before Pietro could open his mouth, Iris pushed him against the opposite wall and kicked him in the stomach. He stumbled backwards, groaning and clutching his stomach. Iris ran up the stairs.
Gulping for breath Pietro zoomed after her. He halted at the top of the stairs to find the hallway empty. He padded softly through the moon-lit corridor.
"Come out, come out wherever you are," he taunted. He heard a soft clatter behind him, and zipped off in that direction. Veering around a corner Pietro caught Iris's left arm before she escaped. He grabbed her other arm and painfully twisted both of them behind her back. Then he dug his raised knee in-between her shoulder blades. She winced in pain and slowly bent to her knees from the pressure on her back.
"You can hide, but you can't run," whispered Pietro, bending his mouth close to her ear.
"True......I can't run......but I can fight," gasped Iris.
She snapped her head back hitting Pietro's who loosened his grip on Iris. She stooped forward, grabbed Pietro's wrists and flung him over her back with a grunt. Without bothering to look at him, she sprinted down the hallway and down the stairs to the main floor.
Pietro groaned and slid head-first, off the wall he had crashed into. He lied there, bruised and battered and groaned, "What happen to girls who just stayed at home and learned how to housekeep?"
* * * * *
Iris's heart pounded as she crouched in the shadows underneath the stairwells. Her science textbook now forgotten, she assessed her situation.
//What do you do when you're locked in the school with a boy who wants to kill you?// Iris questioned. //You can one, bash the boy up, two, hide until the school opens and pray nothing happens until then or three, find an exit and run like hell!!!//
Iris considered her options. //Number three! Best option of them all. Don't need for any injuries and I get to get out of here!// Out of habit, she looked at her wrist for the time then remembered she didn't have a watch.
//Memo to self, ask professor for one when return to mansion.// she noted.
"I'm baaaaaaack...." Pietro's voice echoed through the corridor.
Iris's body tensed immediately. She pressed against the wall, in hopes that she wouldn't be detected. While shifting her foot it touched an empty potato chip bag, creating a crackling sound that seemed to boom in the silent hallway. She stopped in her tracks, waiting to see for Pietro's reaction.
She didn't have to wait for long. A whirlwind burst around her and pushed her out of her hiding spot. She was thrown into the air a few feet, spinning like a top to land unceremoniously on her rump. Hair was disarrayed with eyes a swirling mass of confused aqua, dark blue and pine green. Pietro stood next to her, fists on hips and smirking.
"Love the new hairdo, did you just have it fixed?" he asked sassily. Iris lashed a leg out at Pietro's knees, but he was ready.
Grabbing it he pulled Iris up at waist level and spun her body around before flinging it a distance. She managed to recover quickly and did a handspring landing neatly on her feet, crouching. She did a cartwheel, moving away from Pietro and as he got ready to run at unnatural speed she covered him in fog. As it settled on him his muscles felt tired beyond belief and stiff. He tried to move a step and midway he stumbled and fell on his face. Raising his head he saw Iris peering down at him and grinning like a Cheshire cat, with mocking peachy orange eyes.
"You like the feeling of slowness?" she asked.
"I know this is an illusion," he said through gritted teeth. "And I'm gonna defeat it." He attempted to raise himself on his hands then slipped and fell again. He tiredly closed his eyes.
"For someone with revenge on mind you go waaay over the top," Iris commented as she leaned against the wall casually. "You say you're gonna give me a broken arm, but instead you smash me against the wall, give me sore back muscles and throw me into the air. You don't think you should do that to a proper lady now do you?"
Suddenly Pietro stood up, straight and tall. His laughing eyes gazed into Iris's surprised indigo ones.
"Hah! Thought you could defeat me by playing with my mind?" he jeered. "Make me think that I was tired and slow? Think again girl 'cause nothing is faster than Pietro Maximoff."
"Good speech," Iris said and took a step back slowly. "Can you defeat yourself then?"
In a blink of an eye where Iris stood was now another Pietro Maximoff. The real one blinked and grinned.
"In case you're wondering, I can catch on quickly. You've just simply cloaked yourself with another illusion of me."
"And another illusion of your speed," the fake Pietro replied doing five rotations in one second around the real one. "Can you beat yourself Piet?"
"I've always liked a good challenge," was the answer then Iris (cloaked as Pietro) was pushed harshly into the lockers before she could defend herself. Real Pietro grinned some more, standing several feet away from her.
"Come on now! I've hardly even touched you," he said. "Let's see what you've got."
Iris's image wavered slightly, flickering in-between her true form to her illusion. Unbeknownst to Pietro, she was sweating profusely, concentrating hard at controlling two images. She flashed a toothy smile at him not letting him the chance to see her weakness.
"I'm ready," she said then rushed forward to lift sweep Pietro off his feet with neat swinging kick.
The two Pietros' fight became like a game of tag, both running as fast as lightning and trying to weaken each other. Soon Iris was losing the upper hand, doggedly defending against Pietro's hits and maintaining the illusion of her fast speed AND keeping herself cloaked with an image of Pietro.
//You've bitten off more than you can chew.// she thought grimly.
For a second her concentration wavered and that was all Pietro needed. He swung her into a door and unsuspectingly she held onto his arms, so that they both ended up smashing through the glass windows of the door. By chance the door was leading outdoors so that they tumbled onto the concrete. They rolled together, pieces of falling glass surrounding them. When they halted they were in a bizarre position.
Iris was lying underneath Pietro, her cloaked illusion now gone and beads of sweat adorning her reddened face from exertion. Pietro straddled her hips with his legs and grasped her shoulders tightly, also binding arms to the ground. Both breathed heavily and radiated heat from the battle they just had. Suddenly in a fit of lust Pietro crushed Iris's lips with his. He pressed hard, taking her breath away. At first Iris resisted, but finally submitted with her body being pinned and even leaned forward, eyes closed, hungering more. For them the world had stopped and they knew only of the desire for each other. They pulled apart a bit, panting then resumed for another equally passionate kiss. A bright shine of lights and a shout shattered their romantic scene.
"Iris?!" Scott said in disbelief and stepped out of his car. His mouth gaped open at the act he had caught the two teenagers in. Iris shaded her mortified plum eyes from the glaring brightness.
Scott turned quickly from surprise to anger. "Iris get into the car!" he shouted and furiously turned towards Pietro. "And stay away from her Maximoff! The next time I see you with her you're going down!!!"
Meekly Iris pulled out from underneath Pietro and climbed into the car. Scott, rage boiling in him, stepped in and slammed the door. With a squeal of tires he sped away for a silent journey with a sullen Iris back to the Institute. Pietro was left at the school too shocked to say anything.
Well? What do you think? PLEASE SEND REVIEWS!!! I only got about three for the last chapter and for my other fanfic I got FIVE even though it's EVER so horrible!!! So more reviews please!!! And don't forget to tell me what Wanda Maximoff's powers are if you know! And TRUTHFULLY tell me what I should improve on in my writing...that's all. Over and out!!
"talking" = talking in a normal voice //thinking// = character thinking ~telepathy~ = talking telepathically
This chapter is dedicated to FukaiMori who I NOW properly thank for her review. She, besides Neva and destinydragon, are the few people who don't care whether or not Iris is a Mary-Sue. Bless you FukaiMori! And thank you very much!
Chapter 5: Locking
Three days and two nights had passed since Iris had gone back to school on Monday. She had been accepted into the Xavier Institute yet still had not integrated into the X-men family. Iris was abnormally mute whenever around with the X-men. She only answered in a few words when questions were directed at her, but besides those rare moments, she was a silent creature. Others misinterpreted her quietness as shyness and did their best to rope her into some group "fun".
Iris was working in her room, the door closed. Homework was spread out before her on her desk as she furiously finished the last equation for the math assignment. With a triumphant smile she leaned back feeling satisfied.
"Done!" she exclaimed feeling quite content. With all her homework out of the way she would now had about four hours of free time until lights out. Checking her agenda for any extra work she might've forgotten. Iris groaned, seeing as she still had some science pages to read.
"Okay then," she mumbled to herself as she looked through her knapsack. "Only a few pages to read. Only a few pages to read until you get to relax. Only a few....gulp..... hundred pages to read." She moaned. "It sure would be easier if I could just strangle that science teacher." Not finding the textbook anywhere Iris frowned and a disapproving cloud blue entered her eyes.
"Oh! Damn! Forgot that I had left it at school!" Iris smacked her forehead. "How could I be so stupid?"
Sighing, she got up to ask Scott to drive her to school as the science reading was due tomorrow. Looking through the tall, glass balcony doors, Iris noticed that it seemed like a perfect evening for a night walk. No clouds darkened the black sky, a quarter moon shone bright enough to cast shadows and stars twinkled, more clearer and greater in number at the Xavier mansion than in the city. A pale green of longing flashed through Iris's eyes.
//Hmm....it's a perfect night....and it'll only be half an hour walk to the school. Why bother Scott when I can get my book by myself?// mused Iris. //Alright then, I'll go. I'll just leave a note saying where I've gone in case they look for me.// Scribbling the note on a piece of paper, Iris left the mansion the most safest way. Jumping off the balcony.
Leaving the lights on in her room, Iris unlocked the balcony door and closed them, yet leaving them unlocked. Climbing onto the edge of the balcony wall Iris looked down at the ground below her.
//Okay then. This is no sweat. It's just three stories down. You've jumped even more than that before.// assured Iris to herself. //Besides you don't wanna disturb the others right?//
Iris knew she was lying to herself as the term for the crime she was committing was "sneaking out". Yet Iris felt suffocated inside the institute with the number of people it had in there. That seemed actually quite an exaggeration as there were plenty of rooms in the mansion, all of them extremely large, thus allowing Iris plenty of chance to hide herself for some solitude. Yet Iris could swear that Jean or Xavier were used their mind abilities to locate her then send one of the X-men to drag her off to some group activity. Iris knew that everyone was trying to be friendly to her and welcome her into the "family." But it just made want to scream with the pity evident on everyone's face for her unfortunate childhood. Smiles were forced around her and whenever roped into a conversation, the group talked politely about tedious things, as if afraid any harsh words said would break the "fragile" Iris.
Still deep in her thoughts, Iris jumped from the balcony sill and landed on her feet. Arms spread out to the side for balance and knees automatically bent to absorb the shock. Iris never wondered about the athletic tricks she could do, she always considered them as something she had picked up from lots of practice. Unscathed, Iris stood up and silently walked towards the front gates. She took off running after leaving the Institute's grounds.
* * * * *
Pietro slammed his book shut and looked at his watch.
//6:58, I'm gonna make it this time!// he gleefully gloated.
Doing his homework only took twenty seconds as usual, but nowadays instead of finishing it right after school leaving him plenty of time to cause trouble, he finished after seven. The reason was some stupid bet he had made with Tabitha over something ever so long ago that he had forgotten what it was about. Pietro had betted that if he won, Tabitha would have to piggy-back him to and from school for a month. Tabitha on the other hand, said that if she won then Pietro would have to do her house chores for three months, without using his powers. Pietro had agreed, truly believing that he would win. Yet to his dismay, he had lost. Now everyday after school Tabitha ordered him to do all these hard jobs for three hours straight, threatening to blow bombs up in his face when least expected if he didn't keep his promise. Hastily Pietro complied yet looked at Tabitha murderously when she wasn't looking.
//I'm gonna make it!!!// Pietro's mind sang as he zipped in a flash to the t.v. room. The sight that met him reversed his hyper mood.
"Fred!!! You again!!!" screamed Pietro. "Don't you have anything better to do???"
Fred was lying full-length on the sofa, his weight making it sag until a few inches from the floor. The floor and his stomach was littered with cracker crumbs, empty chip bags and other unidentified bits of food.
"And you ate all of the food....for the millionth time!!!!" complained Pietro.
"I was hungry" Fred said in a matter-of-fact tone and was flipping through the channels on T.V.
"ACK!!!!!!! You're hopeless Blob..." moaned Pietro and sped around the room in circles in frustration.
"Yo!" Todd greeted suddenly, leaping into the room. "Water's been cut down again by City Hall and I'm feeling so thirsty my SKIN'S becoming dry!!!"
"Duh! You're a frog Todd and frogs need lots of water," said Lance entering.
"I'm a toad, ain't any wimpy frog," snapped back Todd.
Pietro sighed. No t.v. to watch, all of the food gone, no running water and the cash flow was greatly lower since Mystique was now gone. Pht! This sure was the life wasn't it?
"One of us is gonna have to a job," Pietro commented. Everyone turned and stared at Fred.
Fred looked back at them in alarm. "What?!"
"Hey fattie. You're big and strong. Any thought about going into a freak show or some show-off strength contest or some labor job?" asked Todd, leaping onto the couch's backside.
At the words 'fattie' and 'freak' Fred's face turned red.
"Don't......call.....me.....FATTIE!!!!!" roared Fred as stood up suddenly and grabbed Todd by the throat to hang him in the air. Fred had that look of one intending to squish something disgusting.
"And...I'm...not...a...FREAK FOR THE LAST TIME!!!!!!!" screamed Fred at Todd's face and shook the smaller guy by the neck. The house shook slightly by the impact Fred's voice had on it.
"Hey, hey! Big guy," soothed Tabitha who had emerged from her room (Mystique's former room) to see what the trouble was. "Todd didn't mean anything right hon?"
Todd's face looked a neon blue now and all he could manage was to bob his head slightly.
"See there, he didn't mean anything. Now put Todd down Fred," commanded Tabitha. Fred didn't move a muscle. "Fred, put him down now," Tabitha said more firmly.
Fred unceremoniously dumped the younger boy on the floor. When his toes touched the ground, Todd immediately leaped out of the room, wheezing for breath. Pietro shook his head.
//Nothing to do here, might as well hit the streets.// Pietro thought. As Fred grumpily resettled onto the couch, Tabitha sashayed back to her room and Lance went to the phone, Pietro flew out of the front door into the night.
* * * * *
//I've made it!// Iris thought as she stumbled onto the school grounds. Running all the way to school was a very tiring job for Iris's body and she had developed a stomach cramp. Despite that she felt energized and...free.
//Yah! School's still open.// thought Iris as she entered the school through a side door.
She noticed that the lights were only turned on in one hallway. A janitor was listening to some music in his walkman while mopping the floor. He didn't seem to notice as Iris silently sneaked behind him then rush over to another hallway.
//Phew! Made it.// thought Iris. Not knowing whether or not she was allowed back at the school during closing time, she didn't want to take the chance to find out.
Quickly twirling her lock's combination, she opened her locker to find her science book. Taking it out, she quietly locked her locker. Peeking around the corner she found the janitor still mopping the floor. She tiptoed her way behind his back then rushed towards the exit. She grabbed the door and.......
Bumped into Pietro.
They fell back from the collision, rubbing their heads. Pietro was the first to notice the girl in front of her.
"You!" he snarled. "I still owe you a broken arm for that bloody nose you gave me."
"Oh yeah!" retorted Iris. "I'd like to see you try."
Pietro opened his mouth to say a reply when they both heard the squeak of the janitor's shoes coming their way.
"Quick! In here," said Pietro and grabbed Iris's hands to pull her into an empty classroom, not listening to her protests.
Closing the door he peered through the keyhole. He saw the janitor's hand opening the side door to look outside. The janitor peered curiously around and said, "Anybody there?"
With no answer the janitor closed the door then looked suspiciously at the classroom's closed door, the room where Pietro and Iris were. His hand reached towards the doorknob.
Pietro stumbled. "We've gotta hide!" he whispered frantically. He searched around the classroom for a good hiding place. Without much ado Iris grabbed him by the waist and hugged him to herself. Mist swirled around them and evaporated. The doorknob turned and the door was opened.
The janitor looked at the classroom and flicked on the lights. Only desks met his view with nothing else there. He stared hard and long at the classroom.
//Oh...God. Please make him go away.// prayed Iris silently as she focused her powers. Uncomfortably she noticed how her head was resting on Pietro's shoulder and how his hands wrapped tightly around her waist.
//Damn it! Just go old man.// Pietro thought angrily as the janitor kept on standing there and staring through them. //And how come he can't see us?// Pietro wondered. Iris's arms, hugging Pietro's body shifted nervously around his back.
After an agonizing three minutes the janitor put on his earphones, which he had just taken off, turned off the lights and closed the door. His runners tapped against the floor as he went away.
The two teenagers breathed with relief and hastily let go of each other and stepped away. Iris's eyes, closed in concentration now opened to show relieved dark tan.
"What just happened back there?" demanded Pietro.
"I cloaked ourselves with an illusion of invisibility," replied Iris as she stooped down to look through the keyhole. "He's gone, let's go."
They both gingerly stepped out of the classroom and reached for the side door. Pietro pushed against it, to find it locked.
"He's locked it!" said Pietro with dismay. They both whirled around to hear the janitor's whistling, saw the lights turned off, plunging the school in darkness then a door slamming and locked with a click.
They sprinted around the corner to another exit door and looked out of its windows. They saw the janitor's retreating back, walking to his car and watched as he entered it and drove away. Iris tried to open the door without any result. She turned towards Pietro, shocked.
"We're locked in the school!"
* * * * *
Rogue yawned. She and the other X-men sat grouped around the T.V., watching a love story. So far it was boring, stuffed with sickly romance and pathetic crying scenes. Surprisingly all of the other teenage mutants were riveted by it. Even the adults goggled at the screen, except Logan that was. He just sat on the couch and scowled at the screen, while cleaning some motorcycle parts. Thankfully, the movie ended.
//Thank God. Ah didn't think that movie would ever end.// thought Rogue grumpily. Kurt picked up a rented video from the ground.
Kurt winked. "Shall ve start on another movie?"
McCoy began, "It's nearly bedtime and you have schoo....." All of the kids groaned.
Xavier intercepted. "Well, it wouldn't do any harm for them to stay up late once would it?" The kids cheered. Kurt pushed the video tape into the VCR slot and clicked play. Everyone settled down to watch. Ororo bent over to Scott, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor.
"Scott could you get Iris please?" asked the African women.
"Uh....sure," said Scott and he rushed upstairs to do so.
//Oh man. I hope I don't miss much of the movie.// Scott thought impatiently. He knocked on the door and upon receiving no reply he twisted the doorknob. To his surprise it was unlocked as Iris's room was usually locked. Pushing the door Scott found the room empty.
//Huh, thought she was in her room.// thought Scott. Looking at her desk which was cluttered with homework, he saw a piece of paper that said in big, bold letters:
WENT TO SCHOOL TO GET SCHOOL TO GET TEXTBOOK. BE BACK AROUND 8:34
Scott looked at his watch. It said 9:00 p.m. He turned towards the door, planning on getting the adults.
//Stupid kid! She knows she's not supposed to be sneaking out!// Scott thought angrily. //And no one's allowed to be in the school after closing time. The place is locked.// Scott stopped for a second.
//She's new here.// the softer side of him spoke. //Just drive to the school and pick her up. No muss, no fuss. Iris won't do it again.//
//No! She's had enough time to fit in. Iris needs to take responsibility for her actions.// his harsher side proclaimed.
The softer side won. Scott went up to the older mutants and said he needed to pass by the store for some, "errrr......stuff." Everyone looked at him queerly, but he was given permission. Scott jumped into his car and sped into the night.
* * * * *
"Are you sure you've checked all of the windows and doors?" asked Iris to Pietro. Both of them walked side by side down the first floor's hallway, looking for an unlocked exit.
"Yes! I've checked all of them," said Pietro, annoyed. "That's the hundredth time you've asked me now."
"Just making sure. With your speedy powers you could've sped through all of the floors without checking a single one of them properly," replied Iris. She headed for the stairways.
"Where do you think you're going?" asked the exasperated Pietro.
"Upstairs. Besides, why should you care?" asked Iris suspiciously, eyes bursting into a deep, untrustworthy maroon. "One second you're threatening to break my arm then now you're like a worrisome nanny."
Pietro's eyes gleamed. "Thanks for reminding me." With lightning speed he reached forward, intending to push Iris against the wall. Iris was caught off guard and got slammed into the wall, making a human imprint into it. Dust from the collision rose up, engulfing Iris and Pietro.
Coughing Iris choked out, "Damn! Me and my big mouth. Any way I can save myself from being injured?"
Before Pietro could open his mouth, Iris pushed him against the opposite wall and kicked him in the stomach. He stumbled backwards, groaning and clutching his stomach. Iris ran up the stairs.
Gulping for breath Pietro zoomed after her. He halted at the top of the stairs to find the hallway empty. He padded softly through the moon-lit corridor.
"Come out, come out wherever you are," he taunted. He heard a soft clatter behind him, and zipped off in that direction. Veering around a corner Pietro caught Iris's left arm before she escaped. He grabbed her other arm and painfully twisted both of them behind her back. Then he dug his raised knee in-between her shoulder blades. She winced in pain and slowly bent to her knees from the pressure on her back.
"You can hide, but you can't run," whispered Pietro, bending his mouth close to her ear.
"True......I can't run......but I can fight," gasped Iris.
She snapped her head back hitting Pietro's who loosened his grip on Iris. She stooped forward, grabbed Pietro's wrists and flung him over her back with a grunt. Without bothering to look at him, she sprinted down the hallway and down the stairs to the main floor.
Pietro groaned and slid head-first, off the wall he had crashed into. He lied there, bruised and battered and groaned, "What happen to girls who just stayed at home and learned how to housekeep?"
* * * * *
Iris's heart pounded as she crouched in the shadows underneath the stairwells. Her science textbook now forgotten, she assessed her situation.
//What do you do when you're locked in the school with a boy who wants to kill you?// Iris questioned. //You can one, bash the boy up, two, hide until the school opens and pray nothing happens until then or three, find an exit and run like hell!!!//
Iris considered her options. //Number three! Best option of them all. Don't need for any injuries and I get to get out of here!// Out of habit, she looked at her wrist for the time then remembered she didn't have a watch.
//Memo to self, ask professor for one when return to mansion.// she noted.
"I'm baaaaaaack...." Pietro's voice echoed through the corridor.
Iris's body tensed immediately. She pressed against the wall, in hopes that she wouldn't be detected. While shifting her foot it touched an empty potato chip bag, creating a crackling sound that seemed to boom in the silent hallway. She stopped in her tracks, waiting to see for Pietro's reaction.
She didn't have to wait for long. A whirlwind burst around her and pushed her out of her hiding spot. She was thrown into the air a few feet, spinning like a top to land unceremoniously on her rump. Hair was disarrayed with eyes a swirling mass of confused aqua, dark blue and pine green. Pietro stood next to her, fists on hips and smirking.
"Love the new hairdo, did you just have it fixed?" he asked sassily. Iris lashed a leg out at Pietro's knees, but he was ready.
Grabbing it he pulled Iris up at waist level and spun her body around before flinging it a distance. She managed to recover quickly and did a handspring landing neatly on her feet, crouching. She did a cartwheel, moving away from Pietro and as he got ready to run at unnatural speed she covered him in fog. As it settled on him his muscles felt tired beyond belief and stiff. He tried to move a step and midway he stumbled and fell on his face. Raising his head he saw Iris peering down at him and grinning like a Cheshire cat, with mocking peachy orange eyes.
"You like the feeling of slowness?" she asked.
"I know this is an illusion," he said through gritted teeth. "And I'm gonna defeat it." He attempted to raise himself on his hands then slipped and fell again. He tiredly closed his eyes.
"For someone with revenge on mind you go waaay over the top," Iris commented as she leaned against the wall casually. "You say you're gonna give me a broken arm, but instead you smash me against the wall, give me sore back muscles and throw me into the air. You don't think you should do that to a proper lady now do you?"
Suddenly Pietro stood up, straight and tall. His laughing eyes gazed into Iris's surprised indigo ones.
"Hah! Thought you could defeat me by playing with my mind?" he jeered. "Make me think that I was tired and slow? Think again girl 'cause nothing is faster than Pietro Maximoff."
"Good speech," Iris said and took a step back slowly. "Can you defeat yourself then?"
In a blink of an eye where Iris stood was now another Pietro Maximoff. The real one blinked and grinned.
"In case you're wondering, I can catch on quickly. You've just simply cloaked yourself with another illusion of me."
"And another illusion of your speed," the fake Pietro replied doing five rotations in one second around the real one. "Can you beat yourself Piet?"
"I've always liked a good challenge," was the answer then Iris (cloaked as Pietro) was pushed harshly into the lockers before she could defend herself. Real Pietro grinned some more, standing several feet away from her.
"Come on now! I've hardly even touched you," he said. "Let's see what you've got."
Iris's image wavered slightly, flickering in-between her true form to her illusion. Unbeknownst to Pietro, she was sweating profusely, concentrating hard at controlling two images. She flashed a toothy smile at him not letting him the chance to see her weakness.
"I'm ready," she said then rushed forward to lift sweep Pietro off his feet with neat swinging kick.
The two Pietros' fight became like a game of tag, both running as fast as lightning and trying to weaken each other. Soon Iris was losing the upper hand, doggedly defending against Pietro's hits and maintaining the illusion of her fast speed AND keeping herself cloaked with an image of Pietro.
//You've bitten off more than you can chew.// she thought grimly.
For a second her concentration wavered and that was all Pietro needed. He swung her into a door and unsuspectingly she held onto his arms, so that they both ended up smashing through the glass windows of the door. By chance the door was leading outdoors so that they tumbled onto the concrete. They rolled together, pieces of falling glass surrounding them. When they halted they were in a bizarre position.
Iris was lying underneath Pietro, her cloaked illusion now gone and beads of sweat adorning her reddened face from exertion. Pietro straddled her hips with his legs and grasped her shoulders tightly, also binding arms to the ground. Both breathed heavily and radiated heat from the battle they just had. Suddenly in a fit of lust Pietro crushed Iris's lips with his. He pressed hard, taking her breath away. At first Iris resisted, but finally submitted with her body being pinned and even leaned forward, eyes closed, hungering more. For them the world had stopped and they knew only of the desire for each other. They pulled apart a bit, panting then resumed for another equally passionate kiss. A bright shine of lights and a shout shattered their romantic scene.
"Iris?!" Scott said in disbelief and stepped out of his car. His mouth gaped open at the act he had caught the two teenagers in. Iris shaded her mortified plum eyes from the glaring brightness.
Scott turned quickly from surprise to anger. "Iris get into the car!" he shouted and furiously turned towards Pietro. "And stay away from her Maximoff! The next time I see you with her you're going down!!!"
Meekly Iris pulled out from underneath Pietro and climbed into the car. Scott, rage boiling in him, stepped in and slammed the door. With a squeal of tires he sped away for a silent journey with a sullen Iris back to the Institute. Pietro was left at the school too shocked to say anything.
Well? What do you think? PLEASE SEND REVIEWS!!! I only got about three for the last chapter and for my other fanfic I got FIVE even though it's EVER so horrible!!! So more reviews please!!! And don't forget to tell me what Wanda Maximoff's powers are if you know! And TRUTHFULLY tell me what I should improve on in my writing...that's all. Over and out!!