The Wrath of the Beast
Times Square
McCoy's plan had been working perfectly and if it hadn't been for a twist of fate the confrontation might have ended with a peaceful surrender from the Hellfire Club. Jack was howling mournfully neatly summoning up the feelings of the Hellfire Club in general, Martinique, Bobby, Yuriko, Fitzroy, Scott and Emma were nearly comatose and well Logan was still laughing. That was the twist of fate because Creed heard the laughter and predictably it made him mad. Snarling he charged towards Logan who hastily sprang to his feet and extended his claws. Within seconds the two feral men were engaged in yet another of their little brawls.
"I'll teach ya ta laugh at me ya runt!"
"Aw did I hurt yer feelings Creed? Don't ya worry bub; I'm going ta hurt ya plenty more."
Dark Beast yelped and broke off in mid speech as he was nearly eviscerated by a wild swing. Instantly the Hellfire Club and the X-Men squared off against each other and eager to relieve the boredom and tension squared off against each other. Dark Beast shrugged and grinned, he loved a good brawl almost as much as he loved twisted genetic experiments. It looked as though he faced a worthy opponent as a growling and full wolf-man Jack was advancing towards him.
"Come little dog, I yearn for combat. Come and get it Jo-Jo the Dog-faced Boy!" growled Dark Beast.
"Yer one ta talk mate, still ya like ta hear the sound of yer own voice. If yer fought as well as ya talked we'd all be dead already," snarled the werewolf.
"I'm the sarcastic one around here," snarled Dark Beast.
They too began a vicious little brawl.
As for the ladies, Emma Frost was in her diamond form and was trading blows with Yuriko, adamantium talons scraping against diamond skin while Jean Grey and Martinique Jason fought a telepathic duel by sending horrific images into each other's minds which included finding gray hairs and that they had put on several pounds of weight. Yes the ladies fights were every bit as vicious as the men's.
"I'm not fighting my old friends; I'm staying neutral in this fight. Not that I'm afraid to fight or anything," called Bobby hiding behind the news crew. They ignored him concentrating on filming the fighting including the most ludicrous battle of all.
This was the dramatic confrontation between Fitzroy and Cyclops. The opening move had involved Scott getting sudden uncontrollable hysterical giggling as Fitzroy advanced upon him still in drag. Fitzroy had reacted by slapping Scott viciously across the cheek so Scott kicked him in the shin. Fitzroy started pulling Scott's hair so Scott slapped him. It had all degenerated into a catfight.
Avenger's mansion
Captain America, Nick Fury and Reed Richards had backed up into a corner of the broom cupboard where they eyed Hank nervously. Hank had finally reached the end of his tether having gone from despair to a rather different emotion, he had had enough and now he was extremely annoyed. His yellow eyes seemed like burning coals as they almost glowed with rage and his lips were pulled back revealing the sharp fangs as he growled. His mane was bristling and he was extending and retracting his claws in his anger. There was nothing cuddly about Hank at the moment; he was as terrifying as any angry lion.
"Gentlemen I have decided that enough is enough. I mean stars and garters, things have gone too far and it's about time I did something to sort it out. Now I suggest you sit tight and leave it to me. This won't be pretty but unfortunately you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs," Hank was making a supreme effort not to growl.
He opened the door of the broom cupboard and just saw a pack of Selene's demons carrying off the last of the news crew. It seemed that everybody else had had the good sense to flee for their lives. The only two left were the two women who between them had made his life almost unbearable these past few days. Selene was looming over a cowering Trish and it seemed she was trying to make the woman eat her own camera. Hank cleared his throat abruptly and Selene looked at him mildly, all sweetness and death once again. She smiled coyly at him, batted her emerald eyes and adjusted her dress so he caught just a glimpse of cleavage.
"Oh tiger, you look so cute and dare I say sexy when you're angry," purred Selene.
"Indubitably, may I enquire as to what your intentions are towards this news reporter?"
"Actually I'll leave it to you to choose her fate Hank, I'll kill her anyway you wish."
"Oh God Hank, I'm begging you don't let this screwy witch kill me, please Hank. I'm sorry," shrieked Trish desperately.
"Don't kill her but put her somewhere she won't be a nuisance. Banish her to limbo or somewhere," growled Hank.
"Done," smiled Selene as with a final lingering scream Trish faded from sight.
Selene smiled again and came over to Hank, stroking his fur gently and giving him a delicate kiss to his cheek. Hank sighed and waited for her affections to cease before continuing.
"You look tired Selene, why don't you go back to the Hellfire Club and leave sorting out our Inner Circle to me. Believe me in the mood I'm feeling right now maybe I'll just go and beat some sense into the lot of them. Stars and garters, I'm turning into Sabretooth, only with blue fur," groaned Hank.
"Actually that gives me an idea for a little game that I'm sure will cheer you up. Of you go then dear but don't be too late back, I'll be waiting for you," promised Selene. A kiss on his cheek and she vanished back to her lair.
Times Square
Fitzroy was not feeling very well at all right at the moment; being thrown half way across the square by Cyclops's optic blast was bound to be a painful experience. Add to this the fact that his dress was now in shreds leaving him wearing just the lingerie and he was humiliated as well as injured. Now he was lying in a groaning heap across a car and wishing he was dead and knowing that as soon as Selene got him that wish would be granted but very slowly and painfully. He was still moaning when a furry blue hand picked him up by the scruff of the neck. Fitzroy gulped, smiled weakly and waved a feeble hand as Hank's glowering face appeared inches away.
"Oh hi Hank, you're not mad at me are you?"
"No Fitzroy I'm far from mad, I'm furious. Now since you've caused more than enough trouble already let's see if we can keep you out of mischief."
Fitzroy was settled down fairly gently on the ground and a glare from Hank dispelled any notions of a quick getaway. He stood still and watched with horrified fascination as Hank first doffed his jacket and handed it to him. Hank angry though he may be had seen Fitzroy shivering from the cold and had no desire for the poor fellow to catch hypothermia. Then he moved over to the nearest signpost, wrapped his muscular arms around it and gritting his teeth heaved. Muscles rippled beneath the fur as the signpost was uprooted. Grunting slightly with the effort Hank marched over to Fitzroy and twisting the signpost into a spiral soon had Fitzroy completely entangled.
Hank mopped the sweat from his brow and stood panting for breath, the adrenaline surge was leaving him now and a twinge told him he'd certainly pulled a few muscles. He made a mental note to take some aspirin later for the pain.
"Now you'll be a little tied up until further notice Fitzroy," he said flashing him a sardonic grin.
Hank glanced around frowning as he saw the others paying him no attention whatsoever preferring to carry on with their fighting. The exception was Scott who was busy lecturing Bobby about his unbecoming behavior. Hank sighed; it looked as though he was going to have to do some shouting.
"Alright pack this in the lot of you! People I'm calling a major time out. So freaking stars and garters stop it now!" roared Hank in his loudest tone.
Shocked and stunned the fighting immediately stopped. Jack extracted his teeth from McCoy's leg while Dark Beast released his strangle hold. Scott and Bobby were hiding behind the nearest car after taking one look at the snarling Beast. The ladies had stopped their fighting and at least had the grace to look embarrassed, especially Emma when she realized how many admiring looks she was being given by the watching men. Everyone had stopped fighting save Creed and Logan who were rolling around on the floor intent on using their claws to rip each other to shreds.
Sighing heavily Hank stomped over, grabbed the pair of them by the collar before thumping their heads together with a deafening clang of clashing adamantium. This rather effectively stopped the fight and everyone was now nervously watching Hank, wondering what he was going to do next.
Making a determined effort to calm down, Hank gave them all a dazzling smile and placing his hands together began to speak to them all in a sardonically gentle tone.
"Now that we've all finally ceased this petty bickering maybe you'll all be as kind as to hear me out ladies and gentlemen."
A few minutes later
"So you see my life has been quite literally hell now that Selene has entered it, however I feel I must keep holding this tiger by the tail. She does seem genuinely to like me and maybe just maybe I can exert a restraining factor on her wild excesses and perhaps like our good friend McCoy here, she will reform. Still it really is most stressful being with her, after all with Magneto and Apocalypse gone; she's now the most powerful of all evil mutants,"
Hank was feeling a lot better, his usual jovial and friendly self again. His anger had lifted once he'd finally got everyone to listen and now that he'd told them just how things had been. Of course Scott was raising his hand so Hank sighed and nodded to him.
"I beg to differ about Selene being that dangerous Hank, I mean you're forgetting Sinister and Cassandra Nova, enemies at least as powerful as her,"
"Two words Scott, Crocodile Hunter. I sincerely doubt that Essex and Cassandra are going to be any trouble at all for a very long time. Come to think off it though Steve Irwin could conceivably be a big a threat as Onslaught. Ah so 'brother' what do you have to say for yourself?"
McCoy was grinning all over his furry gray face and there was an almost warm and friendly gleam in his yellow eyes. Reaching up he patted Hank on the shoulder and looked him over, nodding in approval at what he saw.
"I'm very impressed with the new evolution Hank; the feline look suits you although I don't think it's quite me. I'll be staying as the lovable fuzzy gray Dark Beast, besides the students seem to like the werewolf look. Still I must say that it's nice to see that even you can get nasty, maybe there's hope for you yet. Well basically I'm saying let's make our peace and start afresh, maybe we could even be friends."
He put out his hand and Hank grasped it in his own and they shook solemnly.
"Well I think you've changed for the better but consider this a friendly warning. If I hear that you're getting back to your old tricks you'll find out just how deadly I can be in this new form. So be on your best behavior McCoy because I'll be watching,"
Bobby meanwhile had returned having performed the task set to him by Hank. Fitzroy was now a rather unusual early Christmas decoration on the roof of the Hellfire Club where he was going to be spending the night. This was actually an act of mercy by Hank for it would be the last place Selene would think of looking. In her present mood she'd probably flay him alive if she found him and annoying though he may be even Fitzroy didn't deserve that. Hank was hoping he would be able to put in a plea for clemency towards Fitzroy tomorrow, perhaps she would settle for banishing him to Limbo where he could keep Trish company.
"Hey Hank, do you think the Avengers will recover from their nervous breakdowns? I just saw they had to take Nick Fury and Captain America away in strait-jackets."
"Stars and garters Bobby, how am I ever going to live that down? Oh that reminds me, I probably should have known you'd pull a stunt like that given your propensity for pranks. However if you pull anything like that again I'm going to, ban you from watching any television for a month and there will be no Twinkie's for the same period. Do I make myself clear?"
"Clear as crystal Hank," gulped Bobby having gone white as a sheet from the ghastly threat and shivering uncontrollably from fear.
"I'm going ta rip ya ta shreds next time runt."
"Hah, maybe I'll do the world a favor and pop a claw through yer brain. Oh yeah I did that once so I guess I'll just settle fer ripping yer heart out."
Hank gave Logan and Creed a meaningful glance and they quickly stopped their posturing, settling for glaring and growling under their breath at each other.
Hank grinned and rubbed his hands together, it looked as though for once the situation was under control and he was the one in command. He decided he'd better make the most of this opportunity and perhaps sort things out and maybe they'd be slightly less chaos in future.
"Now I suggest we sojourn to the Xavier Institute and let's say propose a truce between the X-Men and the Hellfire Club. Settling our differences peacefully would be an excellent idea wouldn't you agree?"
Everyone nodded in agreement including Creed and Logan. Hank grinned and nodded to himself in satisfaction.
"Well stars and garters, looks like things are finally starting to go my way. Let's just hope I haven't spoken too soon."