The X-Men were, interestingly, not the only ones suffering that day.
Todd had nearly broken his back when he'd tried to jump down the stairs, and instead ended up falling down them in a heap.
Lance and the twins glanced at him from the kitchen, busy as they were eating their late breakfast (it was almost noon). This was not uncommon. Since there was no school and little on the TV that early in the morning, most of the Brotherhood had elected to sleep in 'til noon, stay up just as late in the evening.
"Whatsamatter frog boy? You trip over your own feet?" asked Pietro.
"Actually yeah I did," replied Todd, brushing off his already dirty clothes (no one seemed to mind he wore the same thing every day) and made his way into the kitchen to snag his own breakfast.
Wanda, who hadn't really been paying attention, glanced at Todd, and suddenly dropped her glass, which shattered on the floor.
"Toad?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"What?" he asked, turning back to face her. Then he blinked as he saw Wanda pointing at him, her finger trembling fearfully. He glanced down, looking, but he didn't see anything too peculiar. He touched his face. Apart from being a little moist (and why not, he just showered this morning) he felt fine.
"What? What is it?" he asked, confused a little discomforted. Now Lance and Pietro were staring too. Todd, now very confused, headed out of the kitchen and into the living room, where sat a great broken mirror (one of Wanda's fits of rage) that they'd yet to throw out, and moved in front of it to see his reflection...
... to see a stranger staring back.
Todd jumped backed, then stepped forward hesitantly, running his fingers along the glass, seeing his features. His pale green flesh was now healthy pink, his strange yellow eyes replaced with soft brown ones. His perpetual slouch was gone, and he stood straight for the first time in years. Through the mirror he could see the other members of the Brotherhood, Fred now having joined them, and Todd glanced back in surprise again, gawking at the Immovable Object.
Either he'd had entirely too much of Pryde's cooking, or somewhere during the night he'd lost over two hundred odd pounds. He looked shorter as well. His clothes hung limply around his now much smaller frame.
"So it isn't just me," he said, as Lance, Pietro and Wanda turned around and received yet another shock to their poor systems.
"Okaythisisjustentirelytoowei.." started Pietro.
"English please, Pietro," grumbled Lance, rubbing his temples. He was not in the mood to put up with translating Pietro's quick speech.
"I... I'd better call Magneto about this," said Pietro as he rushed up the stairs as fast as he could (which was as fast as just about any other human being) and grabbed his cell phone from beside his bed, quickly dialing in a number he knew by heart. He heard it ring... once... twice... and then suddenly it beeped at him, and he looked at the phone.
(Signal Lost. Network Difficulties)
Pietro dialed again, tried again, and again, at least a dozen times before he started to get nervous. He wanted to call with the phone line in the house, but Magneto had expressly forbid there be any way to trace their calls. Pietro panicked, rushing back downstairs and grabbing a hold of Wanda.
"Itsnotworking! Thestupidphonesnotworking! Nowwe'reallaloneandhelplesswithoutourpowers!!" he yelled, until Wanda shook him off with disgust.
"Get a hold of yourself, my dear brother," she said, crossing her arms.
"Yeah calm down. Now again... slowly... what's wrong?" asked Lance.
"Stupid phone won't work," replied Pietro, tossing it at Lance, who caught it and examined it, shrugging.
"Big deal we can survive this," he replied.
"You don't understand! We haven't got our powers... they're all gone! Look!!" he shouted, running around them in rather ludicrous circles, like a stupid toddler. Todd obligingly stuck out his foot and tripped Pietro, sending him sprawling.
Wanda frowned, stretching out her hand, considering a target, and settled on the mirror she'd already destroyed the week before, launching a hex bolt at it.
Nothing. No shattering, no restoration, it didn't even shudder.
"Weird..." she remarked coolly, eyeing her hand as if it was the cause of her problems.
"But this isn't any reason to panic," started Lance calmly. Pietro ran over to him and grabbed his shirt.
"Are you nuts?! This is plenty of reason to panic! The X-Men could show up any minute and level this whole house! We're helpless!!" shouted Pietro. Lance growled and grabbed Pietro's shirt, shaking him off and throwing him to the ground.
"We're not helpless... least, I'm not... I don't know about the rest of you?" he asked, glancing at each in turn. They all shook their heads, resolute.
"Now, we don't know if this hasn't happened to the X-geeks either... we need to send someone to find out," stated Lance, taking charge.
"Why don't you go?" asked Wanda. "You were one of them once, weren't you?"
"Do I always have to be reminded of that?" asked Lance with a growl.
"Yeah" replied Fred.
"Yup," added Todd.
"Always," said Pietro.
"Fine I'll go then... Wanda you come with me," he said, turning around and heading towards the door with a smirk. Five... four... three...two...
"Uh hey maybe I should go with Wanda instead!" said Todd, jumping forward, waving his hand. One. Lance smirk grew wider, then he dropped it, as if he didn't care.
"Sure, go ahead... drop by the school first, they should be there," he replied, ushering out Wanda and Todd before the former decided to object. Then he quickly shut the door on them both.
It was good to be back in charge.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"As far as I've been able to determine, the X-genes in question are still present. Our DNA's not been tampered with in the least by any sort of biological factor. No biological contamination like a virus or anything. However, anything dealing with the X-gene just seems to be blocked before it can be replicated into our cells. Overnight Kurt and I must've shifted into this over a short period of time. That would certainly explain all the blue fur in my room... I must've shed," he added with a blush.
"So you've found nothing either..." replied Professor Xavier with a sigh. He shifted the controls on his chair, moving alongside Hank, who shook his head.
"Nothing. I have no idea what is causing this... phenomenon."
Professor Xavier steepled his fingers, brow furrowed in concentration.
"I feel something very dangerous is causing all of this," he said finally. "It would be better if the students were here, where it is safe."
"By the pricking of my thumb, something wicked this way comes," replied Hank with a small margin of his original humor. "They'll be fine, Charles. You already contacted Scott, he'll have the others home as soon as classes finish, then they'll be inside the perimeter and the security system can handle any external threats."
"Hopefully," replied Professor Xavier, still thinking. He tried not to recount the countless times when the security systems had been more of a burden than a benefit. Twice now it had attacked the students, and the two times it had responded to intruders, they'd been able to disable it in short order. It would have been safer, and easier, to rely on their mutant powers, but now all they had was each other, their collective brains, and the benefits of technology, against whatever new threat developed.
Professor Xavier prayed it would be enough.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
School was mercifully brief that day.
Students piled out of their classrooms at the sound of the last bell, filing towards their cars (the seniors at least) or making the way to the bus stops to catch a ride home.
Scott and Jean were among the first to arrive, as well as Kitty. Kurt and Amanda were no where to be seen, as Amara jogged up to join them. The others had their own transportation.
"So hey Jean, is it okay if I...?"
"No," replied Jean, without even blinking. Kitty huffed angrily. Ever anxious for a chance to drive she kept getting turned down by both of the eighteen year olds for -some- reason or another.
"Jean, have you seen Kurt or Amanda? They're late," remarked Scott, sitting on the hood of his red and white-striped convertible, parked alongside Jean's SUV and, today at least, free of any unpleasant markings or key scratches. Or fish in the backseat.
"Give him a break Scott," she replied, sitting down alongside him. "He's used to teleporting, of course he'll be running late a little more now."
"He was running late even when he could teleport," muttered Scott under his breath, folding his arms and glancing skyward.
"Oh come on... at least this gives us some time together," she said with a smile, wrapping an arm around his waist. Scott relax and smiled back, slipping an arm around her shoulders. Kitty and Amara took the not-too-subtle hint and made themselves scarce, chatting on the opposite side of the SUV.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Targets acquired."
"Good, take care of them."
"They're still at the school sir... we'd be seen."
"Then take them as soon as possible."
"Understood sir...oh and sir?"
"Yes?"
"There's another with them."
"Take them out as well."
Authors Notes:
Best I set the record straight on the couples in this story before we proceed. I'm trying to stay as close to the Evolution series, so Scott/Jean, Kurt/Amanda, Rogue/Remy, Piotr/Kitty and Wanda/Todd. Maybe a little Tabitha/Amara too, or am I the only one thinks those two are closer than "just friends?" Not sure about anything else, but we'll see. Expect more appearances from your favorite (and not-so-favorite) Evolution characters as time goes on.
Oh and for the record, Impact was a sweet episode. Not one but two awesome, dramatic deaths! Mystique's took me totally by surprise (assuming, of course, they're dead. It is Marvel, after all, and a kids show no less.)
Elisabeth Braddock-Grey: I will continue when I am good and ready! As for who's behind this, you'll just have to wait and see. Or better yet, guess! You'd be surprised.
UnknownSource: I thought I'd get a request to hear about the Brotherhood sooner or later. This was already planned. As for the evil sounding scientist voices at the end? Subtle hints foreshadowing what is to come. A pity no one seems willing to take a guess as to who the evil mastermind behind all of this is.
Rain: Glad you like it.
Soul Eater: Danke, Meine Friend.
Mayra: Of course I don't like Kelly. He's fundamentally unlikable, that's the point of his character in Evo. As for Scott's blue eyes, I am basing that on his flashback to the plane accident with his parents and brother.
Optic Red: As I told, Betsy, in my own good time. But glad you like it. You keep up the good work on your stories as well.