Author's Notes: If you haven't noticed, this story is not in the humor section. I just decided to take a step farther in my writing.
I noticed that there are few stories revolving around the Iron Giant that is Piotr, which made me extremely disappointed. I did find a couple of stories about the Acolytes before I came, but they just didn't really go into the real personality of the Acolytes. Are they bitter like their leader Magneto, wanting humanity to suffer? Are they more like the Brotherhood? Or are they just a bunch of pathetic losers who only joined up with Magneto because their girlfriends dumped them?
If you look in the X Men movie section, you'll find a surprisingly large amount of fiction about John, but unsurprisingly, it's just the author excuse to hook up with movie John. And I haven't seen one about Piotr.
Disclaimer: I don't own X Men: Evolution or anything relating to Marvel.
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Children laughed as they ran around the park, chasing the ducks. Lovers sat in the shade. It seemed like everyone was happy on that Saturday morning, well, who wouldn't be? The fear of mutants was going to be gone forever. It was just decided that there would be a Mutant Registration Act. No longer shall mutants hide; but face mankind for what they are; an abomination of the human species.
A young man sighed as those thoughts came to him. He stretched and picked up his sketchpad. You think that with the new Mutant Registration Act, Magneto will at least be a little nervous, but no. He smiled bitterly. He's excited.
The man's thoughts were interrupted by a ball rolling at his feet. He looked up and smiled politely at the child and gave it back to her. "So young" He muttered as she ran off, pigtails bobbing up and down with every step she took. And Magneto wants them all dead, A little voice in the back of his head whispered. Do you?
He never had anything against humanity. When his powers manifested, he was still treated the same. Mikhail still played games with him when they finished their chores and he was still a hero to Illyana. Her knight in shining armor, as she once told one of her friends. Not for long, though. He had once brutally beaten a young boy when he lost his temper. It wouldn't have changed Illyana's mind, that is, if she weren't there to see it.
He sighed again and picked up his shading pencil. Illyana was always his favorite subject to draw. Such a pretty girl. Don't you wish you could have had more time with her? The voice made him flinch. He could have had more time with her if it wasn't for his powers. When they first manifested he believed that he was going to be taken away somewhere, but his family denied it and told him not to worry himself.
Once again his thoughts were interrupted, this time by one of his teammates. He blushed slightly at the fact that he didn't even know any of their names. Magneto preferred them to train then to socialize with each other. The other boy spoke, with a Southern drawl, asking him what he was drawing. As usual he didn't reply, and the boy shrugged and walked off. Probably to trick some poor man out of his money.
He looked over at the little girl whose ball he returned, and smiled softly. So much like Illyana used to be. He frowned. No, so much like Illyana is. The voice chuckled. Don't remember your own sister, do you? No, sadly he didn't. Well, yes he did remember her a little bit. A sweet little girl who would always pout and complain when he and Mikhail would run off to play, but she was always allowed to join them. Both Mikhail and himself loved their little sister and would always let them join them when they played with the other boys and would stand up for her when the other boys said she was to little to play and would get hurt. I miss her…
You know whose fault it is, don't you? Yes he did. For once it wasn't his fault. A man by the name of Eric had turned up at their front door one day, unannounced. After saying that they were alike, he convinced him to come with him, to join the Acolytes, as Eric put it. At first he refused, but well, Eric always got what he wanted.
You weren't very happy, were you? Not at all. It was only until he got Eric's word that Illyana and the rest of his family would be safe, that he agreed.
The voice chuckled. That worked out nicely. He clenched his hands together, not noticing the blood fall from his hands as his nails dug into his palms. It was only a week after he left his homeland to go to 'The land of opportunity' that he got the telegram. His parents were killed. Mikhail had fled for his life, and Illyana. His nails dug deeper. Sweet, little, kind Illyana. Innocent, Illyana. She was missing. Friends of his family were looking everywhere for her. But they didn't find her did they? "…No"
"Hey," The boy was back again. "Somethin' wrong?"
Yes! Something is wrong! I don't even know why I'm here! If I stayed home I could have saved my parents from dying, I could be playing with Mikhail and Illyana, but no, I'm stuck here where everyone is either frighten of us or hate us. And because of that horrible act, people will know who we are. No, what we are.
"…No" Their eyes met for a second. "Nothing's wrong"
"Alright den" His teammate started to walk off, but stopped. "Any news?"
He didn't reply, just lowered his eyes and played with his pencil.
"Da boss wants t' see us soon, 'nother mission, I t'ink."
He nodded.
"See y' den" He walked off, glancing over his shoulder a few times.
He sighed. After he got the telegram he made the mistake of telling the boy who played with fire, and he told the rest. They knew but the only one who asked him if he was alright was-
Gambit? Is that what he calls himself?
-the boy with the cards. He would always ask how him how he was doing when they walked down to breakfast. It never seemed to bother the boy if he never answered him. In fact, just then, was the first time he ever spoke to him. He was afraid that if something he wanted to be kept a secret slipped out, all of his teammates would find out.
Teammates? You call them your teammates? He chuckled softly to himself. A team. A team that hated humanity. A team that wanted humanity to suffer.
Did you let the fact that Illyana is part of humanity slip through your thick head? She's part of humanity, Piotr! You must hate humanity! Yes, Magneto never went a day without reminding the team that most of the people walking down the street, most of the people in school, and that little girl whose ball rolled away, was part of humanity. 'Humanity's days are numbered' He always said.
You questioned him once, Piotr. He shuddered. He could just imagine the cruel grin appearing on the voice's face-less lips. You questioned him and he hurt you. It was true. He did question him about hating humanity. He remembered the look of hatred appear on his leader's face before he flung him against a building. You didn't do anything, the voice continued. You're weak, You could have killed him if you wanted to, you could have left the Acolytes, could have went back home, could have seen Illyana again. He wrapped his arms around himself. But you didn't do a thing. Logan was right, you are a lackey. "I didn't have a choice" You did. Instead you apologized and continued on the mission.
"Peter?"
He looked up. The boy was back again. "What did you call me?"
"Peter. That's y' r name, rig't?"
He smiled. "Close enough."
"I just ran into Pietro-"
Pietro?
"-and he told me da boss has…business t' take care of, so we are off dis afternoon."
"We are?"
The boy smiled. "Sure are mes ami"
Mes ami? My friend?
"Oh" He blushed.
"So, how 'bout we go t' a few bars? Da American women are very friendly"
He blushed once more. "I-I do not know"
"Y' blush easily, da cherié like dat" The boy reached out his hand. "Let's go"
He nodded as he took his hand and stood up. "Thank you..." he stuttered Smooth Piotr, here he is being nice and polite and you don't even know his name
"Remy" The boy said with a smile. "Remy LeBeau"
"Thank you Remy LeBeau."
"Come mes ami" Remy wrapped his arm around Piotr's shoulder in a friendly gesture. "I'll buy"
He smiled and let Remy lead the way. Don't worry Illyana, big brother's coming…some day.