The following few days were rather quiet for Erik. Gambit and Pyro had been
sent off to see the Brotherhood; leaving only himself, Pietro, Sabretooth
and Dolly at home.
After his massive success with Sabretooth, Erik had been hungry to commit yet another good deed. He decided to set up a family reunion for Rogue, Kurt and Mystique which he heard from the blue femme fatale went very well. She had told him with tears in her yellowy eyes how Kurt was beginning to call her 'Mutti' and that she and Rogue were going shoe shopping together next week.
Mystique was also beginning to dress differently, more like a mother as such. Gone was the skin-tight PVC, much to the slight dismay of Gambit. She now wore gingham dresses and cardigans, as well as a locket with a picture of her children inside. Pyro had reported that Mystique was also acting differently towards the Brotherhood, turning up at six o' clock every evening to cook them a good, nourishing meal. Though he was somewhat sceptical of this, he had even heard that Mystique tucked the frog boy in every night.
Erik had just been settling down with the morning paper when Gambit and Pyro entered through a hole in the door courtesy of Cyclops.
"How are the Brotherhood?" he asked as Gambit struggled to drag his leg through the hole. Pietro, who had been pretending to watch MTV in the corner of the room felt his ears prick up.
Pyro ignored the question and headed straight for his trombone. Gambit, on the other hand took a beer from the fridge and launched himself heavily on to the sofa.
"Doin' good," the Cajun replied. "Keepin' outta trouble. Been trainin' 'em up good like you asked."
"Hmm," Erik said thoughtfully, scratching his chin and sounding much like a fictional psychotherapist.
"Place is a dump, boss. Slime everywhere and everyt'ing falling apart.."
"Yes," his boss nodded understandingly. "And how is the, ah, voodoo situation?"
Gambit looked up from his beer and let out a long sigh.
"Not too good, Mags. Dey stopped burnin' de effigies but I t'ink dey got little Pietro dolls to stick pins in now."
Pietro was not surprised to hear this. It would certainly explain the odd prickling sensation and sudden bouts of horrific of pain he had been experiencing of late.
"Ah," Erik said, making Gambit wonder if he could only speak in monosyllables now. He looked at his son, currently white as a sheet and trying to control a violent spasm in his leg and decided that something had to be done.
"Gambit, if you would go and fetch Mr Alvers. I believe he is the current leader of the Brotherhood?"
The Cajun nodded and took a longing look at his beer. The last thing he wanted right now was to have to force the angry, young rock-tumbler to visit the home of his nemesis. He hoped that the hideout was seismic wave- proof or at the very least, that Magneto and son wore hard hats when addressing Lance.
Gambit disappeared through the hole and Erik turned to his son. Pietro was looking a good deal more healthy now and seemed to have quite forgotten his previous trauma.
"Lance is gonna kill you," he said matter of factly, as if he was telling Erik that they were out of milk.
"Well, yes, he might," Erik replied using the same Mr Understanding tone he had applied to Gambit. "Except that I am not going to talk to him, Pietro."
Pietro stared at him disbelievingly. Who else was going to talk to him? Dolly the kitten?
"You are," his father told him, answering his question. Pietro's eyes went wide.
"No way! They're already trying to kill me, imagine-what-they'll-do-to-me- in-the-flesh! Lance-is-a-madman-he'll-bring-a-club-and-beat-me-to-death-and- then-serve-me-for-lunch-to-Blob-in-a-sandwich-with-lettuce-and-mayo-and-ugh- I-hate-mayo!"
Erik simply blinked. Deciphering hyper Pietro-speak was extremely difficult. From what he could work out, the boy was voicing an extreme dislike for mayonnaise and club sandwiches.
"Pietro, you will be fine. Trust me, he will listen to you. Tell him how you and I have changed and make a sincere apology. I will handle the rest."
"The rest?" Pietro raised an eyebrow but Erik made his smug I-Have-A-Bloody- Great-Scheme-But-I'm-Not-Letting-On! face.
"What if he doesn't listen and tries to kill me all the same?"
Erik was about to answer when a familiar chestnut mullet appeared through the hole, followed by the frustrated teen's body. With slightly nervous smiles, Erik and Gambit left the two boys alone to either make their peace or kill each other.
"What?" Lance threw his ex-best friend an insolent glare. Erik watched the stairs and marvelled at the boy's perfect pre-reformed Pietro impression.
"I- well-" Pietro's sentence was cut short when he suddenly fell face flat on to the floor, clutching his stomach. Lance cackled triumphantly.
"Sweet!" cried the sadistic rock-tumbler. "Those voodoo dolls, they were my idea. Dude, we have been waiting to see if they worked for ages!" Having inherited a great amount of dignity, Pietro brushed himself off and told Lance that yes, indeed, the dolls were a magnificent creation.
"You suck," Lance muttered, disappointed that Pietro was not either mortally wounded or offended.
"Yeah, I do. I did something really stupid and I'm sorry. But- me and Magneto, we're not evil any more. I'm serious, dude," he added, gesturing around the room flamboyantly with one hand. "Look around."
Lance had to admit, things were rather different. For one thing, Sabretooth was crouched in the corner grooming a small, fluffy kitten and for another, he could hear Magneto singing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' in the background to trombone accompaniment.
"So what, Speedy? You're still a traitor." The rock-tumbler's reply was only half-hearted. Very few people knew that beneath the boy's hard exterior there beat a heart softer than finest cashmere.
"Yeah. A big, fat traitor. And I'm sorry, Lance."
"Make that a three-inches-shorter-than-me, skinny-assed traitor." Despite himself, Lance found himself grinning at the speed demon.
Erik watched the boys' method of making up with fascination. First, Lance shoved Pietro in the chest. Then Pietro punched Lance lightly in the arm. Lance responded by pulling the boy into a headlock, which Pietro wrestled himself out of and cuffed his adversary around the back of the head. Then, most unusually, the boys threw their arms around each other in a tight, brotherly embrace.
Feeling that his work was done, Erik re-entered the room. Lance cleared his throat loudly and almost dropped his friend, who quickly adjusted himself. The pair of them ran their hands through their hair self-consciously and moved so that they were standing a good metre apart.
"What are you staring at?" they asked in perfect unison.
*
The next day, Erik called a meeting around the hideout's huge aluminium table. His committee consisted of those whose lives he had recently touched. Pietro and Pyro had come without guests, but Gambit insisted upon bringing his girlfriend, Belinda and Sabretooth had brought his new found friend, Wolverine. Mystique, Kurt and Rogue had also turned up, though the young X-Men looked dubious to say the least.
Erik did not mind having extra company at all- in fact, it would help him greatly with his next plan. He revealed it to the committee somewhat theatrically, often stopping to bask in his own glory. He really was a genius! Someone ought to give a Nobel prize one day! "An issue of great importance has come to my attention," he said, looking down at his people regally.
"Gambit, Pyro, Pietro, Mystique and our dear Rogue have all experienced it first hand. I am, of course," he added, noting Kurt's extremely confused expression, "talking about the Brotherhood house."
The five people whom he had addressed flinched, wrinkled their noses and frowned at the very thought of the broken-down hellhole.
"These poor mutants are living in squalor. They do not have the money to pay bills and struggle just to have running water and electricity."
Erik shook his head sadly. Rogue was reminded of an advert for charity and half expected the metal manipulator to start telling them how just two dollars a month could make all the difference.
"Yes, it's awful," Mystique tutted, using her handkerchief to rub some dirt off her son's nose. "Those dreadful conditions make them ill. Freddie's only just getting over a cold and now he's caught another."
"Mutti!" Kurt muttered through clenched teeth as she continued to rub his nose. "Get off! You're embarrassing me!"
"Something must be done about the Brotherhood house," Erik continued, desperately trying not to grasp the lapels of his jacket like a zealous politician. "That is why, my friends, I summon you here today."
He was greeted by a strange mix of faces. Wolverine was predictably scowling incredulously. Mystique was nodding fervently, wanting a better future for her dear mutants. Gambit and Belinda wore identical sickening smiles and only seemed able to concentrate on each other and Pyro's eyes wore a faraway look as he fingered the cold metal of his trombone under the table.
"Tomorrow, together, I ask you to restore the house. Everything must be fixed, redecorated and made as good as new. I know it can be done in a day, for I have seen miracles before my very eyes these past few weeks."
He watched as the committee's eyes lit up and they began to talk excitedly amongst themselves.
"I was made for DIY," Wolverine grinned with a flash of his claws.
"I know just the colour scheme!" cried Kurt who fancied himself as a bit of an artist.
"It's gonna be the best house ever!" Rogue said, raising one fist enthusiastically into the air whilst she comforted an overwhelmed Mystique with the other arm.
Pietro simply looked at his father with interest.
"What will you be doing all that time?"
"Ah," Erik gave a conspiratorial grin. "I'll take the Brotherhood out for a day. Can you imagine the looks on their faces when they come home and see their new house?"
"A surprise!" squealed Mystique and the committee broke out into delighted whispers.
"Where are you gonna take them?" Pietro asked. He couldn't see his old friends willingly 'hanging out' with a man pushing sixty.
"Well," Erik scratched his head thoughtfully. Where did one take a group of teenage mutant deliquents on a day trip?
"Wait," Pietro grinned with a look identical to his father's I-Have-A- Cunning-Plan face. Erik had never been more proud.
"I know exactly the place!"
He proceeded to tell his father his idea, who could not help but feel a little doubtful about it all.
"Are you sure, Pietro?"
The boy nodded animatedly and turned to watch Wolverine, who was feverishly sketching out a plan on the flipchart .
Erik smiled at the enthusiasm of his new team as Pietro, Rogue and Kurt desperately fought the case for a swimming pool. Happiness, it seemed, was incredibly infectious.
And that was why tomorrow, he would be taking the Brotherhood on a lovely trip to the zoo.
After his massive success with Sabretooth, Erik had been hungry to commit yet another good deed. He decided to set up a family reunion for Rogue, Kurt and Mystique which he heard from the blue femme fatale went very well. She had told him with tears in her yellowy eyes how Kurt was beginning to call her 'Mutti' and that she and Rogue were going shoe shopping together next week.
Mystique was also beginning to dress differently, more like a mother as such. Gone was the skin-tight PVC, much to the slight dismay of Gambit. She now wore gingham dresses and cardigans, as well as a locket with a picture of her children inside. Pyro had reported that Mystique was also acting differently towards the Brotherhood, turning up at six o' clock every evening to cook them a good, nourishing meal. Though he was somewhat sceptical of this, he had even heard that Mystique tucked the frog boy in every night.
Erik had just been settling down with the morning paper when Gambit and Pyro entered through a hole in the door courtesy of Cyclops.
"How are the Brotherhood?" he asked as Gambit struggled to drag his leg through the hole. Pietro, who had been pretending to watch MTV in the corner of the room felt his ears prick up.
Pyro ignored the question and headed straight for his trombone. Gambit, on the other hand took a beer from the fridge and launched himself heavily on to the sofa.
"Doin' good," the Cajun replied. "Keepin' outta trouble. Been trainin' 'em up good like you asked."
"Hmm," Erik said thoughtfully, scratching his chin and sounding much like a fictional psychotherapist.
"Place is a dump, boss. Slime everywhere and everyt'ing falling apart.."
"Yes," his boss nodded understandingly. "And how is the, ah, voodoo situation?"
Gambit looked up from his beer and let out a long sigh.
"Not too good, Mags. Dey stopped burnin' de effigies but I t'ink dey got little Pietro dolls to stick pins in now."
Pietro was not surprised to hear this. It would certainly explain the odd prickling sensation and sudden bouts of horrific of pain he had been experiencing of late.
"Ah," Erik said, making Gambit wonder if he could only speak in monosyllables now. He looked at his son, currently white as a sheet and trying to control a violent spasm in his leg and decided that something had to be done.
"Gambit, if you would go and fetch Mr Alvers. I believe he is the current leader of the Brotherhood?"
The Cajun nodded and took a longing look at his beer. The last thing he wanted right now was to have to force the angry, young rock-tumbler to visit the home of his nemesis. He hoped that the hideout was seismic wave- proof or at the very least, that Magneto and son wore hard hats when addressing Lance.
Gambit disappeared through the hole and Erik turned to his son. Pietro was looking a good deal more healthy now and seemed to have quite forgotten his previous trauma.
"Lance is gonna kill you," he said matter of factly, as if he was telling Erik that they were out of milk.
"Well, yes, he might," Erik replied using the same Mr Understanding tone he had applied to Gambit. "Except that I am not going to talk to him, Pietro."
Pietro stared at him disbelievingly. Who else was going to talk to him? Dolly the kitten?
"You are," his father told him, answering his question. Pietro's eyes went wide.
"No way! They're already trying to kill me, imagine-what-they'll-do-to-me- in-the-flesh! Lance-is-a-madman-he'll-bring-a-club-and-beat-me-to-death-and- then-serve-me-for-lunch-to-Blob-in-a-sandwich-with-lettuce-and-mayo-and-ugh- I-hate-mayo!"
Erik simply blinked. Deciphering hyper Pietro-speak was extremely difficult. From what he could work out, the boy was voicing an extreme dislike for mayonnaise and club sandwiches.
"Pietro, you will be fine. Trust me, he will listen to you. Tell him how you and I have changed and make a sincere apology. I will handle the rest."
"The rest?" Pietro raised an eyebrow but Erik made his smug I-Have-A-Bloody- Great-Scheme-But-I'm-Not-Letting-On! face.
"What if he doesn't listen and tries to kill me all the same?"
Erik was about to answer when a familiar chestnut mullet appeared through the hole, followed by the frustrated teen's body. With slightly nervous smiles, Erik and Gambit left the two boys alone to either make their peace or kill each other.
"What?" Lance threw his ex-best friend an insolent glare. Erik watched the stairs and marvelled at the boy's perfect pre-reformed Pietro impression.
"I- well-" Pietro's sentence was cut short when he suddenly fell face flat on to the floor, clutching his stomach. Lance cackled triumphantly.
"Sweet!" cried the sadistic rock-tumbler. "Those voodoo dolls, they were my idea. Dude, we have been waiting to see if they worked for ages!" Having inherited a great amount of dignity, Pietro brushed himself off and told Lance that yes, indeed, the dolls were a magnificent creation.
"You suck," Lance muttered, disappointed that Pietro was not either mortally wounded or offended.
"Yeah, I do. I did something really stupid and I'm sorry. But- me and Magneto, we're not evil any more. I'm serious, dude," he added, gesturing around the room flamboyantly with one hand. "Look around."
Lance had to admit, things were rather different. For one thing, Sabretooth was crouched in the corner grooming a small, fluffy kitten and for another, he could hear Magneto singing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' in the background to trombone accompaniment.
"So what, Speedy? You're still a traitor." The rock-tumbler's reply was only half-hearted. Very few people knew that beneath the boy's hard exterior there beat a heart softer than finest cashmere.
"Yeah. A big, fat traitor. And I'm sorry, Lance."
"Make that a three-inches-shorter-than-me, skinny-assed traitor." Despite himself, Lance found himself grinning at the speed demon.
Erik watched the boys' method of making up with fascination. First, Lance shoved Pietro in the chest. Then Pietro punched Lance lightly in the arm. Lance responded by pulling the boy into a headlock, which Pietro wrestled himself out of and cuffed his adversary around the back of the head. Then, most unusually, the boys threw their arms around each other in a tight, brotherly embrace.
Feeling that his work was done, Erik re-entered the room. Lance cleared his throat loudly and almost dropped his friend, who quickly adjusted himself. The pair of them ran their hands through their hair self-consciously and moved so that they were standing a good metre apart.
"What are you staring at?" they asked in perfect unison.
*
The next day, Erik called a meeting around the hideout's huge aluminium table. His committee consisted of those whose lives he had recently touched. Pietro and Pyro had come without guests, but Gambit insisted upon bringing his girlfriend, Belinda and Sabretooth had brought his new found friend, Wolverine. Mystique, Kurt and Rogue had also turned up, though the young X-Men looked dubious to say the least.
Erik did not mind having extra company at all- in fact, it would help him greatly with his next plan. He revealed it to the committee somewhat theatrically, often stopping to bask in his own glory. He really was a genius! Someone ought to give a Nobel prize one day! "An issue of great importance has come to my attention," he said, looking down at his people regally.
"Gambit, Pyro, Pietro, Mystique and our dear Rogue have all experienced it first hand. I am, of course," he added, noting Kurt's extremely confused expression, "talking about the Brotherhood house."
The five people whom he had addressed flinched, wrinkled their noses and frowned at the very thought of the broken-down hellhole.
"These poor mutants are living in squalor. They do not have the money to pay bills and struggle just to have running water and electricity."
Erik shook his head sadly. Rogue was reminded of an advert for charity and half expected the metal manipulator to start telling them how just two dollars a month could make all the difference.
"Yes, it's awful," Mystique tutted, using her handkerchief to rub some dirt off her son's nose. "Those dreadful conditions make them ill. Freddie's only just getting over a cold and now he's caught another."
"Mutti!" Kurt muttered through clenched teeth as she continued to rub his nose. "Get off! You're embarrassing me!"
"Something must be done about the Brotherhood house," Erik continued, desperately trying not to grasp the lapels of his jacket like a zealous politician. "That is why, my friends, I summon you here today."
He was greeted by a strange mix of faces. Wolverine was predictably scowling incredulously. Mystique was nodding fervently, wanting a better future for her dear mutants. Gambit and Belinda wore identical sickening smiles and only seemed able to concentrate on each other and Pyro's eyes wore a faraway look as he fingered the cold metal of his trombone under the table.
"Tomorrow, together, I ask you to restore the house. Everything must be fixed, redecorated and made as good as new. I know it can be done in a day, for I have seen miracles before my very eyes these past few weeks."
He watched as the committee's eyes lit up and they began to talk excitedly amongst themselves.
"I was made for DIY," Wolverine grinned with a flash of his claws.
"I know just the colour scheme!" cried Kurt who fancied himself as a bit of an artist.
"It's gonna be the best house ever!" Rogue said, raising one fist enthusiastically into the air whilst she comforted an overwhelmed Mystique with the other arm.
Pietro simply looked at his father with interest.
"What will you be doing all that time?"
"Ah," Erik gave a conspiratorial grin. "I'll take the Brotherhood out for a day. Can you imagine the looks on their faces when they come home and see their new house?"
"A surprise!" squealed Mystique and the committee broke out into delighted whispers.
"Where are you gonna take them?" Pietro asked. He couldn't see his old friends willingly 'hanging out' with a man pushing sixty.
"Well," Erik scratched his head thoughtfully. Where did one take a group of teenage mutant deliquents on a day trip?
"Wait," Pietro grinned with a look identical to his father's I-Have-A- Cunning-Plan face. Erik had never been more proud.
"I know exactly the place!"
He proceeded to tell his father his idea, who could not help but feel a little doubtful about it all.
"Are you sure, Pietro?"
The boy nodded animatedly and turned to watch Wolverine, who was feverishly sketching out a plan on the flipchart .
Erik smiled at the enthusiasm of his new team as Pietro, Rogue and Kurt desperately fought the case for a swimming pool. Happiness, it seemed, was incredibly infectious.
And that was why tomorrow, he would be taking the Brotherhood on a lovely trip to the zoo.