Okay I know it has been like forever since I posted this, but I have had to
work on other fics. Okay here is the news, I am putting Academy X,
Outkastz, and Saving Innocence on temporary hiatus. I like the other
stories better and will try to keep up with them. I would be starting
another story too, but I have enough on my plate with two jobs, cleaning up
at home and these stories. By the way if anybody knows someone in TV I
would like to pitch some ideas to a serious source.
Okay responses:
Gazimon Fan: thanks, I notice that they always make someone a jerk, either Jean or Scott. I decided to do it to Pietro. This chap will bring more of Scott-non-jerk-ness
Mistress of Dragons: same back at ya, and together we are a pretty damn good team.
Rob: well I am sorry for taking so long, and yes they will eventually wind up together, but it will take Todd finding the hero within, and Wanda facing a nightmare she never dreamed of to make her see. But that wont happen for a few more chaps.
Anyways, we will start a little time lapsed. It was spring when we started, it was fall in the last chap, and now its winter. Specifically it's Christmas Day.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chap 4: A Strange Disturbing, But in a Way, Good Kind
"Dude, I know that, like Santa doesn't exist, but you gotta admit. . ."
"Don't go there Freddy, after Pietro told me the truth about Santa last year, I just cant risk my heart again." Freddy Dukes and Todd Tolensky stood at the top of the stairs looking down into the living room. They had been standing there debating over what to do. it was eight AM, and they weren't sure whether or not to wake their leader, whom ever it was.
"We gotta wake Lance yo," Todd said. His eyes were wide as he looked down on the living room. It was most definitely not how they had left it last night. Their tiny tree was gone, the mess they had left after opening presents from each other (which consisted of presents from Lance to everyone, presents from Lance to everyone but with Pietro's name instead of Lance's, and a presents from Todd to everyone, and three to Wanda)
"I aint waking Lance. I'll wake Pietro," Freddy said.
"Fine, chicken." Todd hopped to Lance's room. He opened the door a crack, and when to tremor came at him, he proceeded farther in.
as he was three feet from the bed, Lance held up a hand and said, "I don't care who you are, attempt to wake me and I will bring the roof down on your head."
"Lance, someone broke in yo!"
Lance was up right in a bolt. As he was putting pants on he asked, "What in god's name could they have stolen?"
"Well, they didn't steal anything yo. . ."
Lance turned to the amphibian as he finished zipping up his pants. "Is everyone alright then, did they do something to the house?"
"Everyone's aight, but they did do something to the house."
"Musta been Kelly's stupid new club, Friends of Humanity."
"Uh, no. they wouldn'ta done what they done to the house."
Lance was beginning to get confused. And as usual, when he got confused, he got angry. "Todd," he said in the kind of voice that showed he was holding back and 6.0, "What did they do to the house?"
"You gotta see it yo!"
Lance grabbed a shirt and was pulling it on as he headed out into the hall. He finally wrestled it down from in front of his face and was able to see the living room. The living room was completely different from how it had been the night before. In place of the pathetic sickly tree they had bought (the only one they could afford, and that was with Lance dipping into his secret Kitty Fund), was an enormous one that looked as if it were physically impossible to fit it through the front door. The entire living room was decked in festive lights, tinsel, and streamers. And the most astounding thing was that beneath the tree were gifts, tons of gifts. The second Quicksilver was out of his room all three boys headed down the stairs so they could get there just after Pietro did.
Lance had a strong inkling as to who had done this, but he felt no need to share that with the others. There were so many presents that Lance began to pass them out, as if he were a dad on Christmas morning. Toad, Avalanche and Wanda had one or two more than the others. "Toad, you open first."
Toad opened his first present, it was a box of Doggy treats from Kitty and Kurt. When Todd opened the next box he "whoop"ed in joy. When questioned, he presented the TI-103, the finest graphing calculator ever created. Later he found it was already stocked with "Pong" "Tetris" "Breakout" and of course, "Frogger" as games. The next was from Rogue. It was marked, "To be given to Toad, but a gift to Wanda." Everyone puzzled over it until Todd pulled out three large bottles of cologne, two body washes, and a bottle of extra strength shampoo. He blushed and then found another smaller box. It was marked from Kurt, Bobby, and Forge. Todd had only ever met Forge once and briefly. The card explained that it was something they thought he would get much use from in the holiday season. The second he opened it, a small green blur shot over his head. Once above him it began to hover directly over his head. Upon closer inspection, it was a sprig of mistletoe. Undoubtedly the boys had thought he would be sitting next to Wanda when he opened his presents. But last month she and he had sat down and had a serious discussion about how he was sweet but really making a nuisance of himself. And he had agreed to stop crowding her so much. As a consequence of such he found himself sitting next to Freddy. "Damn," was all he could say.
After an extremely embarrassing half a second, it was Fred's turn to open gifts. From Jean and Dr. McCoy he got a pair of cookbooks, one of them signed by Emril himself. And lastly from Xavier, was an eighty dollar gift certificate to Reo's Ribs, a barbeque place in town. It was Fred's favorite restaurant.
Next was Wanda. She had gotten several candles from Rogue, whom she had recently learned she shared a faith with, Wicca. The note said, "Just doing this to humor Red and my Bro. Enjoy the solstice sister." It was the closest Wanda had ever came to tears of joy. From Xavier she had gotten a one hundred dollar gift certificate to Hot Topic, which was fairly obviously her favorite store. Jean had sent her a make-up kit and a note that said, "Incase you ever wanted to look alive, I wasn't sure you actually had the right colors." Everyone waited for the storm to hit. But Wanda actually laughed. She appreciated the joke, but it would have to be avenged. And she knew a certain frog who would help her. Kitty had gotten her a new necklace with her astrological symbol on it, Scorpio. "she's tryin at least," Wanda thought.
Next it was Pietro's turn. From Scott he received a book on the sayings of great leaders. Pietro didn't appreciate the commentary, and threw it aside, until Lance picked it up. Xavier had given him a gift certificate for fifty dollars to any shoe store in the mall of his liking. Only Xavier could've finagled a certificate like that. And his last gift was from Evan. The card read, "As a boy I made a promise. As an adolescent I broke that oath. And now as a man, I shall keep my promise. No matter the enmity between us, once I vowed never to forget you on Christmas, and never again shall I. signed, he who was once your friend, Evan Daniels." Everyone looked to Pietro, wondering what had him sputtering so. It had been ten years ago. When Pietro had fist moved in. he had no friends, and Evan had actually found Pietro crying. He was afraid that he wasn't going to get anything for Christmas because he said his dad hated him and he had no friends. So then and there Evan promised Pietro that he would always get him a Christmas present if it was at all possible. Inside the box were the sneakers he had been wanting for months. His father had commanded no stealing; they were to lie low for now. Evan had known Pietro well enough to get him the right shoes. They had once been friends, once, in another lifetime. Without warning, Pietro threw all his presents in the roaring fireplace, and reached for Todd's. he was thrown off his feet by a tremor and an evil look from Lance.
Lastly Lance opened his gifts. From Scott he got replica platoon leader's medal. From Dr. McCoy he got a box full of professionally done resumes that actually seemed to hide the fact that he had only ever had one job. Along with a sheet of paper with a list of jobs in the area which he was qualified to do which paid better than Wendy's. Lance appreciated the gesture, but he liked where he worked, and with the recent raise Atif had given him, he could afford to continue working there. Rogue had sent him a suit, an actual nice suit, with a tie and everything. Of course now he would have to learn how to tie a tie. But he had a good idea of a brunette girl who could teach him. Then he opened the box from kitty. Inside was Lockheed. The note on the box read, "I have had him since I was a little girl. Hold him and you hold me, care for him, as you would care for me." Around Lockheed's neck was a small half a medallion with some symbols on it. A note within the box read, "Like I without you, incomplete is my medallion without yours. Un-whole is my heart, without yours next to it." Lance turned away so no one could see, but they all knew that their un- official leader was crying. And they didn't mind. Lastly was a gift from Xavier. It was in a smallish box that Pietro scoffed at. Lance opened it and their was a compass. The note read, "in hopes that you never lose your way, on road see or life. May you always find your was safely home. And from across the distance, by one voice reach another when in need of help." Lance didn't understand the last line, but he understood the rest of it. The compass was beautiful. It was gold, and in place of directions, it had the words, "Truth," "Hardship," "Damnation," and "Redemption," written around it. It wasn't a happy compass, but Lance felt he would always treasure it.
Suddenly they heard something faint from outside. It was singing. ". . . In one horse open slay laughing all the way. Bells on bobtails ring make spirits light. . ." The Brotherhood of mutants raced outside to find Scott, Rogue, Bobby, Jean, Dr. McCoy, and the Professor caroling at their house.
"Good morning all," Professor Xavier said warmly, "I trust you all thoroughly enjoy your gifts. At this point Todd catapulted himself at Xavier.
"Thank you!!" he yelled as he hugged the bald man who had given him his fun new calculator. The others, except for Pietro, said their thanks as they pried Todd off the poor wheel chair bound man.
"Well we wanted to invite you all to Christmas, or pre-Solstice, dinner to night." Everyone was shocked. Pietro refused, as did Freddy, he still had some grudge against Jean. Luckily they were able to get Freddy to cook them a dish to bring. And as they sat around the shortened table, they traded jokes, laughed at each other, and Todd was kissed several times as Forge's "Mistletoe Missile" (as it had come to be called) refused to leave him. Luckily the girls were good sports about it. And for a reason that was beyond almost everyone, Wanda sat beside Todd.
Jean looked on at the strange collection of teens. She mused as she thought about how close they had all actually been of the last few years, yeah they had had some pretty big blow outs, but Todd, Lance, and recently Wanda, could all be counted on in a pinch to do the right thing. It was a family she realized, a strange, disturbing, but in a way, good kind of family.
Well what do you think of my X-man X-mas fic? Please R/R, pleeeeeeeaaaasseeeeee!!!!
Okay responses:
Gazimon Fan: thanks, I notice that they always make someone a jerk, either Jean or Scott. I decided to do it to Pietro. This chap will bring more of Scott-non-jerk-ness
Mistress of Dragons: same back at ya, and together we are a pretty damn good team.
Rob: well I am sorry for taking so long, and yes they will eventually wind up together, but it will take Todd finding the hero within, and Wanda facing a nightmare she never dreamed of to make her see. But that wont happen for a few more chaps.
Anyways, we will start a little time lapsed. It was spring when we started, it was fall in the last chap, and now its winter. Specifically it's Christmas Day.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chap 4: A Strange Disturbing, But in a Way, Good Kind
"Dude, I know that, like Santa doesn't exist, but you gotta admit. . ."
"Don't go there Freddy, after Pietro told me the truth about Santa last year, I just cant risk my heart again." Freddy Dukes and Todd Tolensky stood at the top of the stairs looking down into the living room. They had been standing there debating over what to do. it was eight AM, and they weren't sure whether or not to wake their leader, whom ever it was.
"We gotta wake Lance yo," Todd said. His eyes were wide as he looked down on the living room. It was most definitely not how they had left it last night. Their tiny tree was gone, the mess they had left after opening presents from each other (which consisted of presents from Lance to everyone, presents from Lance to everyone but with Pietro's name instead of Lance's, and a presents from Todd to everyone, and three to Wanda)
"I aint waking Lance. I'll wake Pietro," Freddy said.
"Fine, chicken." Todd hopped to Lance's room. He opened the door a crack, and when to tremor came at him, he proceeded farther in.
as he was three feet from the bed, Lance held up a hand and said, "I don't care who you are, attempt to wake me and I will bring the roof down on your head."
"Lance, someone broke in yo!"
Lance was up right in a bolt. As he was putting pants on he asked, "What in god's name could they have stolen?"
"Well, they didn't steal anything yo. . ."
Lance turned to the amphibian as he finished zipping up his pants. "Is everyone alright then, did they do something to the house?"
"Everyone's aight, but they did do something to the house."
"Musta been Kelly's stupid new club, Friends of Humanity."
"Uh, no. they wouldn'ta done what they done to the house."
Lance was beginning to get confused. And as usual, when he got confused, he got angry. "Todd," he said in the kind of voice that showed he was holding back and 6.0, "What did they do to the house?"
"You gotta see it yo!"
Lance grabbed a shirt and was pulling it on as he headed out into the hall. He finally wrestled it down from in front of his face and was able to see the living room. The living room was completely different from how it had been the night before. In place of the pathetic sickly tree they had bought (the only one they could afford, and that was with Lance dipping into his secret Kitty Fund), was an enormous one that looked as if it were physically impossible to fit it through the front door. The entire living room was decked in festive lights, tinsel, and streamers. And the most astounding thing was that beneath the tree were gifts, tons of gifts. The second Quicksilver was out of his room all three boys headed down the stairs so they could get there just after Pietro did.
Lance had a strong inkling as to who had done this, but he felt no need to share that with the others. There were so many presents that Lance began to pass them out, as if he were a dad on Christmas morning. Toad, Avalanche and Wanda had one or two more than the others. "Toad, you open first."
Toad opened his first present, it was a box of Doggy treats from Kitty and Kurt. When Todd opened the next box he "whoop"ed in joy. When questioned, he presented the TI-103, the finest graphing calculator ever created. Later he found it was already stocked with "Pong" "Tetris" "Breakout" and of course, "Frogger" as games. The next was from Rogue. It was marked, "To be given to Toad, but a gift to Wanda." Everyone puzzled over it until Todd pulled out three large bottles of cologne, two body washes, and a bottle of extra strength shampoo. He blushed and then found another smaller box. It was marked from Kurt, Bobby, and Forge. Todd had only ever met Forge once and briefly. The card explained that it was something they thought he would get much use from in the holiday season. The second he opened it, a small green blur shot over his head. Once above him it began to hover directly over his head. Upon closer inspection, it was a sprig of mistletoe. Undoubtedly the boys had thought he would be sitting next to Wanda when he opened his presents. But last month she and he had sat down and had a serious discussion about how he was sweet but really making a nuisance of himself. And he had agreed to stop crowding her so much. As a consequence of such he found himself sitting next to Freddy. "Damn," was all he could say.
After an extremely embarrassing half a second, it was Fred's turn to open gifts. From Jean and Dr. McCoy he got a pair of cookbooks, one of them signed by Emril himself. And lastly from Xavier, was an eighty dollar gift certificate to Reo's Ribs, a barbeque place in town. It was Fred's favorite restaurant.
Next was Wanda. She had gotten several candles from Rogue, whom she had recently learned she shared a faith with, Wicca. The note said, "Just doing this to humor Red and my Bro. Enjoy the solstice sister." It was the closest Wanda had ever came to tears of joy. From Xavier she had gotten a one hundred dollar gift certificate to Hot Topic, which was fairly obviously her favorite store. Jean had sent her a make-up kit and a note that said, "Incase you ever wanted to look alive, I wasn't sure you actually had the right colors." Everyone waited for the storm to hit. But Wanda actually laughed. She appreciated the joke, but it would have to be avenged. And she knew a certain frog who would help her. Kitty had gotten her a new necklace with her astrological symbol on it, Scorpio. "she's tryin at least," Wanda thought.
Next it was Pietro's turn. From Scott he received a book on the sayings of great leaders. Pietro didn't appreciate the commentary, and threw it aside, until Lance picked it up. Xavier had given him a gift certificate for fifty dollars to any shoe store in the mall of his liking. Only Xavier could've finagled a certificate like that. And his last gift was from Evan. The card read, "As a boy I made a promise. As an adolescent I broke that oath. And now as a man, I shall keep my promise. No matter the enmity between us, once I vowed never to forget you on Christmas, and never again shall I. signed, he who was once your friend, Evan Daniels." Everyone looked to Pietro, wondering what had him sputtering so. It had been ten years ago. When Pietro had fist moved in. he had no friends, and Evan had actually found Pietro crying. He was afraid that he wasn't going to get anything for Christmas because he said his dad hated him and he had no friends. So then and there Evan promised Pietro that he would always get him a Christmas present if it was at all possible. Inside the box were the sneakers he had been wanting for months. His father had commanded no stealing; they were to lie low for now. Evan had known Pietro well enough to get him the right shoes. They had once been friends, once, in another lifetime. Without warning, Pietro threw all his presents in the roaring fireplace, and reached for Todd's. he was thrown off his feet by a tremor and an evil look from Lance.
Lastly Lance opened his gifts. From Scott he got replica platoon leader's medal. From Dr. McCoy he got a box full of professionally done resumes that actually seemed to hide the fact that he had only ever had one job. Along with a sheet of paper with a list of jobs in the area which he was qualified to do which paid better than Wendy's. Lance appreciated the gesture, but he liked where he worked, and with the recent raise Atif had given him, he could afford to continue working there. Rogue had sent him a suit, an actual nice suit, with a tie and everything. Of course now he would have to learn how to tie a tie. But he had a good idea of a brunette girl who could teach him. Then he opened the box from kitty. Inside was Lockheed. The note on the box read, "I have had him since I was a little girl. Hold him and you hold me, care for him, as you would care for me." Around Lockheed's neck was a small half a medallion with some symbols on it. A note within the box read, "Like I without you, incomplete is my medallion without yours. Un-whole is my heart, without yours next to it." Lance turned away so no one could see, but they all knew that their un- official leader was crying. And they didn't mind. Lastly was a gift from Xavier. It was in a smallish box that Pietro scoffed at. Lance opened it and their was a compass. The note read, "in hopes that you never lose your way, on road see or life. May you always find your was safely home. And from across the distance, by one voice reach another when in need of help." Lance didn't understand the last line, but he understood the rest of it. The compass was beautiful. It was gold, and in place of directions, it had the words, "Truth," "Hardship," "Damnation," and "Redemption," written around it. It wasn't a happy compass, but Lance felt he would always treasure it.
Suddenly they heard something faint from outside. It was singing. ". . . In one horse open slay laughing all the way. Bells on bobtails ring make spirits light. . ." The Brotherhood of mutants raced outside to find Scott, Rogue, Bobby, Jean, Dr. McCoy, and the Professor caroling at their house.
"Good morning all," Professor Xavier said warmly, "I trust you all thoroughly enjoy your gifts. At this point Todd catapulted himself at Xavier.
"Thank you!!" he yelled as he hugged the bald man who had given him his fun new calculator. The others, except for Pietro, said their thanks as they pried Todd off the poor wheel chair bound man.
"Well we wanted to invite you all to Christmas, or pre-Solstice, dinner to night." Everyone was shocked. Pietro refused, as did Freddy, he still had some grudge against Jean. Luckily they were able to get Freddy to cook them a dish to bring. And as they sat around the shortened table, they traded jokes, laughed at each other, and Todd was kissed several times as Forge's "Mistletoe Missile" (as it had come to be called) refused to leave him. Luckily the girls were good sports about it. And for a reason that was beyond almost everyone, Wanda sat beside Todd.
Jean looked on at the strange collection of teens. She mused as she thought about how close they had all actually been of the last few years, yeah they had had some pretty big blow outs, but Todd, Lance, and recently Wanda, could all be counted on in a pinch to do the right thing. It was a family she realized, a strange, disturbing, but in a way, good kind of family.
Well what do you think of my X-man X-mas fic? Please R/R, pleeeeeeeaaaasseeeeee!!!!