Marvel Headquarters, Animation Division, main conference room…

Dressed in a pair of slacks and wool sweater, X-Men: Evolution producer Boyd Kirkland stepped through the door.  Glancing around the room, he saw Scott, Evan, Kurt, and Lance sitting around the conference table, chatting amongst themselves.  Upon his arrival, most of the conversations died down, and the actors turned to face him.  Stepping forward, Boyd set his briefcase next to the table and looked around the room again.  "I know it's still five 'til, but have any of you seen—"

A blur ruffled the leaves of an office plant behind Boyd, and Pietro appeared in his seat.

"Never mind," said Boyd, cheerfully.  "Well, any objections to starting the meeting a few minutes early.

"Nope."

"Nadda," added Evan.

Pietro arrogantly leaned back in his chair.  "The sooner we start, the sooner we can move on to better things."

Boyd smiled ruefully and sat down.  "Very well.  Basically, all we have for today is to run through a script idea.  After that, you all can get back to shooting."

"Vat's episode?"  Kurt asked.

"Episode 407," answered Boyd as he opened a clipped pack of papers out of his briefcase.  "The tentative title the is 'Boys of a Feather.'  Greg Johnson has already written up a loose scene synopsis for you to look over."

Ever the professional, Scott leaned forward with visible interest.  "And the pitch?"

"This my big 'return' episode, right?"  Evan added, with less enthusiasm.

Pietro sneered.  "Brilliant deduction, Holms."

Used to the way his cast bickered, Boyd held his tongue until the exchange had ended.  "Among other things, Evan.  It's also going to be a new villain intro, as well as a group spotlight.  There'll be a few character moments, but it won't be weighed down by them."

"Who's za villain?"  Asked Kurt with hint of interest.  "Since we're filming Omega Red's debut today…"

Boyd idly waved one of his hands.  "At the moment, we're thinking of doing Random.  Although Craig Kyle  has suggested that we could also use Maverick."

"But isn't Maverick from Weapon X?"  Asked Lance.  "That's Wolverine territory."

"Traditionally, yes," conceded Boyd, "but that doesn't mean Wolverine would have to be involved right away.  Craig is thinking that we could weave this into a subplot.  Weapon X agents going after H.Y.D.R.A. for their involvement with X23.  And if we involve you five in the story at this point, it would give us a reason to include you in the eventual payoff."  Boyd paused, shrugging.  "But that's just a rough idea.  Nothing is set in stone yet."

"I actually like it," observed Scott.  "It certainly beats tying Sinister to the H.Y.D.R.A. program."

"I thought so," agreed Boyd.  "Now the way we want to do this is to have the five of you band together against whichever villain we use.  The new group will be called the Flock and will played kind of like the guys' answer to the Sirens.  You'll be—"

"Woah, woah, woah!"  Interrupted Evan.  "The Sirens?  You mean the girl team from Walk on the Wild Side?"

Boyd glanced around the room and saw that everyone had suddenly become very skeptical.  "Well, yes.  Is that a problem."

"Yeah," answered Scott, speaking for everyone.  "Actually it is.  The Sirens were a horrible idea.  Making an all-guy counterpart to them is even worse."

"Now, I don't think it was that bad of an idea…"  Boyd soothed.

"Maybe not," Kurt answered. "But ze execution was lousy.  Zat whole episode vas just painful to watch."

"It sucked!"  Finished Evan with his usual bluntness.

Boyd held up his hands defensively.  "Oh, come now…  Not everyone feels it was that bad."

"I don't," added Lance.

Boyd smiled.  "See?"

Scott raised an eyebrow.  "You liked that episode, Alvers?"

Kurt gaped.  "Why?"

Pietro again leaned back in his chair.  "I don't see how you guys missed the appeal.  I laughed my head off at it."

Lance grinned smugly.  "Think about it Summers.  It was a girl power show that actually bashed girl power!  Spurned by a random act of machoness, five girls get together and create their own team.  They dress like strippers in a biker bar, and dance around as much as they fight the bad guys.  And when they do fight the bad guys…"  Lance smiled and leaned back.  "They go so overboard they almost kill someone without even knowing it.  It takes the jealous macho guy who followed the girls to actually save the day."

"Femi-nazi girl power leads to reckless abandon," continued Pietro.  "But macho chauvinism saves the day, and was still gracious enough to let the girls celebrate their own hollow victory without demanding the credit."

Lance and Pietro looked at each other, and lightly hit each other's fists in a gesture of chauvinistic righteousness.

"The episode was just one big joke at the expense of feminism."  Finished Lance.  "How cool is that?"

Boyd rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed.

Scott stared at the two Brotherhood boys for a moment, and then looked back to Boyd.  "Still.  I think the Flock is just a bad idea."

Boyd looked towards Kurt, who weakly shook his head.

"Look, why don't you just leave me with the Morlocks for now," said Evan.

Boyd exhaled and closed his eyes for a moment.  "All right," he said after expunging his disappointment.  "I'll spend some time reworking it.  And I'll be sure to tell Craig that you didn't shoot down the Maverick idea.  We may try to work that in some other way."

"Anything else?"  Asked Scott.

"No…"  Answered Boyd as he absently looked over the script outline and scratched his head.  "Meeting adjourned, I suppose.  I'll have a few other options ready for you next week."

"Well," began Evan as he immediately stood up.  "I'm outta here."

"Off to the set…"  Kurt wearily proclaimed.  Scott chuckled and the cast members quickly exited the room.

Boyd stayed seated for a moment longer, looking forlornly down at the script.  "Drat.  And I had already gotten Boy Sets Fire to let us use one of their songs…"

"You know…"  Boyd looked up and saw Pietro leaning against the doorframe.  "If you really are looking for a counterpart for the Sirens, you can always defrost Captain America.  Then with a quick intro for Hawkeye and Henry Pym…"

"No, Pietro," Boyd muttered in annoyance.  "We are not going to introduce the Avengers."

Pietro stared at Boyd for a moment, and then his features hardened in anger.  "Well, fine!"  He yelled, and promptly disappeared in a blur.  A second later, he reappeared back at the door, slammed it, and disappeared again.

Boyd shook his head and looked back at the outline.  "This is going to be one of those weeks…"

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