Ray all but pushed Jamie towards the steps. "C'mon. I can't hear them giggling anymore. Just go see if they've left."
Jamie turned to glare at him. "Push me any harder and you'll have to deal with twenty more of me. Hold ON!" Little Jamie wasn't taking any chances with the girls running rabid on poor Bobby.
"You, guys, cool it," Scott said from behind. "We don't need to let them know we're coming if they're still at it." He turned to Kurt, who was behind him next in the make-shift single file line the boys had made. "'Port down there and see if they're anywhere in that area of the mansion."
Kurt nodded and popped out. A second later, he was back, with a look of pure terror on his face. Evan and Roberto caught him as his knees buckled, and, looking as if he might faint any second, gasped out. "Those girls... zey're monsters!"
Remy came over and slapped his face, keeping the blue-furred mutant alert. "Mon ami, what happened?!" He remembered what little he'd seen of Bobby, and he knew it wasn't good.
"Bobby... women's clothing... 'Whole New World' playing on stereo..." He looked to Scott accusingly. "You made me go zere alone!"
"Hey, you were the only one with even a slight chance of escape if the girls WERE there," Scott justified his orders.
"SLIGHT CHANCE?!?!"
Their fearless leader shrugged and managed to look a bit sheepish. "Er... sorry."
"So are we gonna rescue him or not?" Roberto questioned.
"Ya're SURE the girls were gone, raht?" Kurt nodded at Sam, still looking somewhat out of it.
Scott took the head of the pack. "All right then, team. Let's go!" He headed down the steps. The others just stood there, shaking their heads.
"Dat guy's trip'in' on power waaay too much. How 'bout... we go down at a nice pace an' hope de girls don' see us 'long de way?" Remy suggested a bit cowardly, but with the right reasons.
Everyone just nodded enthusiastically with that idea. Everyone except Kurt that is. He just hung there limply. "Don't make me go back down zere. Please," he begged.
Remy just sighed. "We can't leave y' up here, elf. It's gon' take most o' us t' save him an' if we leave y' up here, y're open f' attack." 'Merde,' he thought. 'Since when did dis turn int' a search an' rescue mission like in de Danger Room?'
Kurt looked away for a moment, and then brought his eyes back up to face the rest of the team. "Alright. I'm in." They got him up and cautiously made their way down the long flight of steps. Scott was waiting for them at the base. He snorted through his nose at their sluggishness but started walking steadily again, checking for them behind him every once in a while.
They heard some explosion and then ice crinkling outside. After a triumphant laugh from what sounded like Rogue, they quickened their pace. All breathed a sigh of relief at getting out of the open. Then they reluctantly headed into the rec room where Bobby was just coming to.
"Guys! Ya gotta save me!! They're evil!!!" His eyes darted around suspiciously. "You weren't followed, were you?"
Kurt shook his head, keeping watch at the door for the first sign of danger.
"Geez, man. What did they DO to you?" Evan asked as he started on the scarves around Bobby's wrists. Scott got the ones at his feet.
"F'get dat. Wha' de hell're y' wearin'?!" Remy's crimson eyes widened in disbelief at the bright red vinyl donning Bobby's strapped down body. He didn't know whether to have pity on the poor guy or to burst out laughing at what had happened to him.
Bobby's lip trembled. "I don't know. This is all too weird. I need to disappear. Yeah! That's it!" he cried out hysterically. He shifted into his ice form unknowingly and froze the pool table. Evan and Scott backed away nervously and shared a look.
"Easy, dude," Scott said, taking a step towards him. "Just let it go. They've gotten their revenge... tomorrow this'll all be a sweet memory and life can go on."
Bobby's eyes opened even further. "You don't know them first hand! Rogue's got my powers now and I don't even wanna KNOW what's she doing! They put me in this, found my secret stash of stuff-"
Roberto laughed from the floor where he was checking out the aforementioned objects. "This stuff?" He picked up one of the Barbie dolls.
"It's my sister's!"
"You don't HAVE a sister."
"Uh... uh... I meant my candy stash! They put those there to frame me!!!"
Remy raised an eyebrow. "Y' sure 'bout dat? Y' always did seem a lit'le fruity t' me."
Bobby rolled his eyes, fear momentarily leaving him. "Oh, right. This coming from you, Mr. My-girlfriend-has-shorter-hair-than-I-do."
The young thief's eyes narrowed. "Y' know, I'm t'inkin' maybe we should jus' leave y' here..."
"NO! NO! ANYTHING BUT THAT!!! I'M SORRY!!! YOU'RE NOT GAY!!!"
"Shhh!!" everyone hissed at him.
"Do ya want the girls ta come back?!" Sam demanded, eyes flicking nervously toward the door. Bobby's only answer was a whimper and more ice added to his armor.
"Stop that," Roberto growled. "Ice down or we can't untie you." The layers of ice gradually faded away, leaving a pale, shaking boy in women's clothing. They undid his bonds, Evan and Jamie draping his arms over their shoulders to support him.
They peeked out of the door, finding the coast clear, and began sneaking up the stairs.
"Goin' somewhere, boys?" Rogue asked from behind them.
They all froze. Bobby did so literally out of fear. One by one, starting with the suddenly courageous Jamie, they turned their heads to see all six girls behind them. All six were standing there, weight on one hip, a hand resting there almost casually. The entire posture screamed of utter confidence and potential violence. It was uncanny how they could all have the same expression on their faces and the same body language. Even Rahne had the glare going. Rogue seemed to be the ringleader of the group, which didn't make Remy feel any better.
"What do you think you're doing with him?" Amara asked, her voice tinged with a sarcastic sweetness.
"Yeah, we weren't finished playing yet..." Kitty pouted.
Scott choked back a gulp, so Remy, being the most suave anyway, tried his luck at calming them down. "We're jus' takin' him back upstairs... hopin' t' put a li'l sanity back in his head. We t'ought y' were done wit' him."
As was almost expected, all the girls' eyes narrowed even further, if possible, with the exception of Jubilee. She finally saw Bobby quivering and softened her expression. Luckily for her, she was in back of everyone so none of the girls saw her take her hand off her hip.
Rogue spoke. "Let him go up on his own. Any o' ya'll helpin' him up are next."
Kurt's breathing stopped at the comment made by his sister. "No way!" He bamfed out of sight, leaving the boys to fend for themselves.
"Phfff," Evan said in a whisper to Ray. "Some help he was."
"Well? Are you leaving him or what?" Jean snapped, mainly glaring at Scott.
Rogue glanced to Jean amused. 'Who knew that Jean's hold ovah Scott would actually come in handy?'
"Jean..." Scott started, attempting to keep his voice from shaking. "We can't leave him. It would be betray to our friendship to him and-"
"And WHO have you known LONGER?"
'Dammit, I won't let her own me.' "Sorry, Jean."
Jean's expression softened, but mentally she was wearing a wide grin. She sauntered up to him, causing Roberto and Sam to trip over the stair above them trying to get away. She pulled a very Tabitha-like move and traced her finger along Scott's cheek. ~So you DON'T want the extra Christmas present that I had planned for you before you left?~
"Uh... Uh..." 'Must be strong. Must be strong. Must be- Oh, hell, Bobby brought this on himself. Why should I suffer?' He slumped. ~You win.~
"Good boy."
"Aw... man... he's whipped," Ray muttered. "So much for our fearless leader." Jean glared at him and the boys all backed up, except for Scott who was being let away by the hand.
"Turncoat!" Evan accused.
"Quick," Jamie whispered to Sam, "Punch me in the arm. Hard." He screwed his eyes shut and braced himself.
"Ah'm not gonna-"
"Just do it. Trust me." Sam shrugged and slugged the younger boy in the arm. A couple dozen or so Jamies spilled out on the stairs beneath them, forming a barrier between the boys and the angry girls. "Again." Sam obliged, this time without argument. A dozen more copies were added.
"Now. We're taking him and you can't stop us," Roberto told them, catching onto Jamie's plan.
Amara was idly tossing a fireball up and down in her hand. Rahne had shifted halfway into a wolf. Jubilee, who had finally gotten into the spirit of things, despite Bobby, had small paffs sparking from her fingertips. Jean and Kitty were standing there, ready, but with no visual manifestation of their powers. Rogue had pulled her gloves off. All were smiling.
"Ya think so?" Without warning Rogue flew forward and grabbed on of the Jamie copies, dragging him back before the others could stop her. He yelped as he was absorbed and vanished. Rahne assisted Rogue in much the same way Sam had Jamie. Dozens of Rogue clones appeared.
"Dis is NOT good..." Normally, the sight of thirty-some Rogues in the same room would have been more than just the slightest bit arousing. But each and every one of them had a demonic glint to their eyes which challenged his own burning red ones. He couldn't have felt less stimulated in that area than at that moment.
Each side, the Rogues plus Scott and the five girls against the Jamies and the other boys, stared each other down. Evan had spikes popped all over his body while Ray had energy crackling from his hands. Each Jamie took one of the Rogues and had a private staring contest. Roberto fired up with his reserve of solar energy. Remy stood with his favorite card, Ace of Spades, flared up with kinetic energy. Though inside, he really didn't want to hurt Rogue, nor create any more of them. Bobby just sat on the step, bumming in his ice form to keep their appearance up. Over and over he chanted in his head 'Next year the girls are getting noodle necklaces...'
Hank came inside, his cheeks flushed from the newest statue added to the Xavier Institute grounds. He stopped and stared at the spectacle in the foyer. He could only assume this had to do with Bobby's earlier torture. He sighed loudly enough to make a couple of the Rogues and Jamies turn and wave. He swallowed harshly and then spoke up, "Remy? Do you have any idea where Logan put that bourbon of yours? I think I'm going to need something after THIS..." He shook his head and headed for the steps.
Remy only turned to glare at him. "If I knew where it was, y' t'ink I'd be here savin' Bobby's ass?"
"Hmm, right." The Beast could be heard cursing lightly, bringing shock to the students. "Oh, sorry, as you were..." Then he began to mumble as he walked up the stairs to his room, "O, what may man within him hide, though angel on the outward side..."
The professor watched Hank wearily walk up the steps, deciding, without his powers, that the newest teacher definitely needed a rest. "What do you think, Logan? Should we stop this?"
"Nah, I give 'em another five minutes before they come to their senses. Actually, two before the Rogues disappear."
Xavier chuckled to himself. "Ahh, the holiday spirit. I think they're really going to miss each other."
"Heh, the only thing they're going to miss is the fighting. This always happens... though I've never seen it to this extreme. It's unbelievable." Xavier looked at him questioningly. "They refuse training sessions with ME, but looking at them now you'd think they LIKE being at each others throats."
"We both know they're less likely to hurt themselves this way," he replied with a smile.
"Yeah... whatever. They better get their "hugging" done soon. I'm getting their asses outta bed at seven tomorrow morning so they're on time for their flights."
"Just let them be. They'll be worn out soon." He watched as a paff throw itself threateningly to the boys side. "Hopefully, for sake of the furniture..."
TBC...
Jamie turned to glare at him. "Push me any harder and you'll have to deal with twenty more of me. Hold ON!" Little Jamie wasn't taking any chances with the girls running rabid on poor Bobby.
"You, guys, cool it," Scott said from behind. "We don't need to let them know we're coming if they're still at it." He turned to Kurt, who was behind him next in the make-shift single file line the boys had made. "'Port down there and see if they're anywhere in that area of the mansion."
Kurt nodded and popped out. A second later, he was back, with a look of pure terror on his face. Evan and Roberto caught him as his knees buckled, and, looking as if he might faint any second, gasped out. "Those girls... zey're monsters!"
Remy came over and slapped his face, keeping the blue-furred mutant alert. "Mon ami, what happened?!" He remembered what little he'd seen of Bobby, and he knew it wasn't good.
"Bobby... women's clothing... 'Whole New World' playing on stereo..." He looked to Scott accusingly. "You made me go zere alone!"
"Hey, you were the only one with even a slight chance of escape if the girls WERE there," Scott justified his orders.
"SLIGHT CHANCE?!?!"
Their fearless leader shrugged and managed to look a bit sheepish. "Er... sorry."
"So are we gonna rescue him or not?" Roberto questioned.
"Ya're SURE the girls were gone, raht?" Kurt nodded at Sam, still looking somewhat out of it.
Scott took the head of the pack. "All right then, team. Let's go!" He headed down the steps. The others just stood there, shaking their heads.
"Dat guy's trip'in' on power waaay too much. How 'bout... we go down at a nice pace an' hope de girls don' see us 'long de way?" Remy suggested a bit cowardly, but with the right reasons.
Everyone just nodded enthusiastically with that idea. Everyone except Kurt that is. He just hung there limply. "Don't make me go back down zere. Please," he begged.
Remy just sighed. "We can't leave y' up here, elf. It's gon' take most o' us t' save him an' if we leave y' up here, y're open f' attack." 'Merde,' he thought. 'Since when did dis turn int' a search an' rescue mission like in de Danger Room?'
Kurt looked away for a moment, and then brought his eyes back up to face the rest of the team. "Alright. I'm in." They got him up and cautiously made their way down the long flight of steps. Scott was waiting for them at the base. He snorted through his nose at their sluggishness but started walking steadily again, checking for them behind him every once in a while.
They heard some explosion and then ice crinkling outside. After a triumphant laugh from what sounded like Rogue, they quickened their pace. All breathed a sigh of relief at getting out of the open. Then they reluctantly headed into the rec room where Bobby was just coming to.
"Guys! Ya gotta save me!! They're evil!!!" His eyes darted around suspiciously. "You weren't followed, were you?"
Kurt shook his head, keeping watch at the door for the first sign of danger.
"Geez, man. What did they DO to you?" Evan asked as he started on the scarves around Bobby's wrists. Scott got the ones at his feet.
"F'get dat. Wha' de hell're y' wearin'?!" Remy's crimson eyes widened in disbelief at the bright red vinyl donning Bobby's strapped down body. He didn't know whether to have pity on the poor guy or to burst out laughing at what had happened to him.
Bobby's lip trembled. "I don't know. This is all too weird. I need to disappear. Yeah! That's it!" he cried out hysterically. He shifted into his ice form unknowingly and froze the pool table. Evan and Scott backed away nervously and shared a look.
"Easy, dude," Scott said, taking a step towards him. "Just let it go. They've gotten their revenge... tomorrow this'll all be a sweet memory and life can go on."
Bobby's eyes opened even further. "You don't know them first hand! Rogue's got my powers now and I don't even wanna KNOW what's she doing! They put me in this, found my secret stash of stuff-"
Roberto laughed from the floor where he was checking out the aforementioned objects. "This stuff?" He picked up one of the Barbie dolls.
"It's my sister's!"
"You don't HAVE a sister."
"Uh... uh... I meant my candy stash! They put those there to frame me!!!"
Remy raised an eyebrow. "Y' sure 'bout dat? Y' always did seem a lit'le fruity t' me."
Bobby rolled his eyes, fear momentarily leaving him. "Oh, right. This coming from you, Mr. My-girlfriend-has-shorter-hair-than-I-do."
The young thief's eyes narrowed. "Y' know, I'm t'inkin' maybe we should jus' leave y' here..."
"NO! NO! ANYTHING BUT THAT!!! I'M SORRY!!! YOU'RE NOT GAY!!!"
"Shhh!!" everyone hissed at him.
"Do ya want the girls ta come back?!" Sam demanded, eyes flicking nervously toward the door. Bobby's only answer was a whimper and more ice added to his armor.
"Stop that," Roberto growled. "Ice down or we can't untie you." The layers of ice gradually faded away, leaving a pale, shaking boy in women's clothing. They undid his bonds, Evan and Jamie draping his arms over their shoulders to support him.
They peeked out of the door, finding the coast clear, and began sneaking up the stairs.
"Goin' somewhere, boys?" Rogue asked from behind them.
They all froze. Bobby did so literally out of fear. One by one, starting with the suddenly courageous Jamie, they turned their heads to see all six girls behind them. All six were standing there, weight on one hip, a hand resting there almost casually. The entire posture screamed of utter confidence and potential violence. It was uncanny how they could all have the same expression on their faces and the same body language. Even Rahne had the glare going. Rogue seemed to be the ringleader of the group, which didn't make Remy feel any better.
"What do you think you're doing with him?" Amara asked, her voice tinged with a sarcastic sweetness.
"Yeah, we weren't finished playing yet..." Kitty pouted.
Scott choked back a gulp, so Remy, being the most suave anyway, tried his luck at calming them down. "We're jus' takin' him back upstairs... hopin' t' put a li'l sanity back in his head. We t'ought y' were done wit' him."
As was almost expected, all the girls' eyes narrowed even further, if possible, with the exception of Jubilee. She finally saw Bobby quivering and softened her expression. Luckily for her, she was in back of everyone so none of the girls saw her take her hand off her hip.
Rogue spoke. "Let him go up on his own. Any o' ya'll helpin' him up are next."
Kurt's breathing stopped at the comment made by his sister. "No way!" He bamfed out of sight, leaving the boys to fend for themselves.
"Phfff," Evan said in a whisper to Ray. "Some help he was."
"Well? Are you leaving him or what?" Jean snapped, mainly glaring at Scott.
Rogue glanced to Jean amused. 'Who knew that Jean's hold ovah Scott would actually come in handy?'
"Jean..." Scott started, attempting to keep his voice from shaking. "We can't leave him. It would be betray to our friendship to him and-"
"And WHO have you known LONGER?"
'Dammit, I won't let her own me.' "Sorry, Jean."
Jean's expression softened, but mentally she was wearing a wide grin. She sauntered up to him, causing Roberto and Sam to trip over the stair above them trying to get away. She pulled a very Tabitha-like move and traced her finger along Scott's cheek. ~So you DON'T want the extra Christmas present that I had planned for you before you left?~
"Uh... Uh..." 'Must be strong. Must be strong. Must be- Oh, hell, Bobby brought this on himself. Why should I suffer?' He slumped. ~You win.~
"Good boy."
"Aw... man... he's whipped," Ray muttered. "So much for our fearless leader." Jean glared at him and the boys all backed up, except for Scott who was being let away by the hand.
"Turncoat!" Evan accused.
"Quick," Jamie whispered to Sam, "Punch me in the arm. Hard." He screwed his eyes shut and braced himself.
"Ah'm not gonna-"
"Just do it. Trust me." Sam shrugged and slugged the younger boy in the arm. A couple dozen or so Jamies spilled out on the stairs beneath them, forming a barrier between the boys and the angry girls. "Again." Sam obliged, this time without argument. A dozen more copies were added.
"Now. We're taking him and you can't stop us," Roberto told them, catching onto Jamie's plan.
Amara was idly tossing a fireball up and down in her hand. Rahne had shifted halfway into a wolf. Jubilee, who had finally gotten into the spirit of things, despite Bobby, had small paffs sparking from her fingertips. Jean and Kitty were standing there, ready, but with no visual manifestation of their powers. Rogue had pulled her gloves off. All were smiling.
"Ya think so?" Without warning Rogue flew forward and grabbed on of the Jamie copies, dragging him back before the others could stop her. He yelped as he was absorbed and vanished. Rahne assisted Rogue in much the same way Sam had Jamie. Dozens of Rogue clones appeared.
"Dis is NOT good..." Normally, the sight of thirty-some Rogues in the same room would have been more than just the slightest bit arousing. But each and every one of them had a demonic glint to their eyes which challenged his own burning red ones. He couldn't have felt less stimulated in that area than at that moment.
Each side, the Rogues plus Scott and the five girls against the Jamies and the other boys, stared each other down. Evan had spikes popped all over his body while Ray had energy crackling from his hands. Each Jamie took one of the Rogues and had a private staring contest. Roberto fired up with his reserve of solar energy. Remy stood with his favorite card, Ace of Spades, flared up with kinetic energy. Though inside, he really didn't want to hurt Rogue, nor create any more of them. Bobby just sat on the step, bumming in his ice form to keep their appearance up. Over and over he chanted in his head 'Next year the girls are getting noodle necklaces...'
Hank came inside, his cheeks flushed from the newest statue added to the Xavier Institute grounds. He stopped and stared at the spectacle in the foyer. He could only assume this had to do with Bobby's earlier torture. He sighed loudly enough to make a couple of the Rogues and Jamies turn and wave. He swallowed harshly and then spoke up, "Remy? Do you have any idea where Logan put that bourbon of yours? I think I'm going to need something after THIS..." He shook his head and headed for the steps.
Remy only turned to glare at him. "If I knew where it was, y' t'ink I'd be here savin' Bobby's ass?"
"Hmm, right." The Beast could be heard cursing lightly, bringing shock to the students. "Oh, sorry, as you were..." Then he began to mumble as he walked up the stairs to his room, "O, what may man within him hide, though angel on the outward side..."
The professor watched Hank wearily walk up the steps, deciding, without his powers, that the newest teacher definitely needed a rest. "What do you think, Logan? Should we stop this?"
"Nah, I give 'em another five minutes before they come to their senses. Actually, two before the Rogues disappear."
Xavier chuckled to himself. "Ahh, the holiday spirit. I think they're really going to miss each other."
"Heh, the only thing they're going to miss is the fighting. This always happens... though I've never seen it to this extreme. It's unbelievable." Xavier looked at him questioningly. "They refuse training sessions with ME, but looking at them now you'd think they LIKE being at each others throats."
"We both know they're less likely to hurt themselves this way," he replied with a smile.
"Yeah... whatever. They better get their "hugging" done soon. I'm getting their asses outta bed at seven tomorrow morning so they're on time for their flights."
"Just let them be. They'll be worn out soon." He watched as a paff throw itself threateningly to the boys side. "Hopefully, for sake of the furniture..."
TBC...
