What A Trip
"Okay where's Mexico again?" Fred scratched his head as he looked at the map.
"It's that big thing underneath the U.S. Freddy," Pietro remarked as he flew the plane. "Don't worry all we have to do is fly south and we'll find it."
"Is this it?" Fred pointed at the map.
Todd looked at it. "That's Canada yo! You got the map upside down!"
"Oh," Fred turned it around. "What about here?"
"That's China! That's not even the right continent!" Todd snapped. "Why did we give the map to the guy who flunked Geography class?"
"Who needs a map?" Pietro said. "I know where I'm going!"
"I'm gonna die…" Lance moaned in his seat.
"Not before Apocalypse kills us yo," Todd told him. "Pietro are you sure we're going the right way?"
"Yes I'm sure!" Pietro snapped. "For the thirteenth time Toad we're on course!"
"Well how will we know when we get there?" Fred asked.
"Blob it's a huge blackish purple dome over a pyramid surrounded by exploding Sentinels," Pietro said sarcastically. "Something tells me it's going to be hard to miss!"
"I can't believe we're going off to help the X-Geeks save the world," Fred shook his head as he threw away the map.
"Boy they must be desperate if they need us to help them," Todd grumbled. "Besides we're doing this for Wanda, not them! Right Lance?"
"I don't know why I am doing this!" Lance moaned as he held his stomach. "Why am I doing this? I hate flying! Humans are nothing but jerks anyway! It would serve the X-Men right if they lost! If Apocalypse wins mutants will rule the world. It makes sense to make more of us. I don't want to die! Why am I doing this? This isn't going to change anything! I have nothing more to prove to her! Why should I do this for her? Why?"
"By 'her' I'm taking a wild guess that you're not talking about my sister are you?" Pietro glared at him.
"Hey keep your eyes on the sky will ya!" Lance snapped.
"Oh great!" Fred groaned. "Here we go again! Just what we need! Another 'Kitty Pity' session!"
"You're still in love with her aren't you?" Todd glared at him. "I knew it! I knew it!"
"I am not!" Lance snapped.
"Oh please," Todd groaned. "We're all doing this because we care about someone! Well in our case it's Wanda."
"In mine it's partly because of Wanda but mostly because I have nothing better to do," Fred told him. "Besides, you losers would be lost without me!"
"Yeah right Freddy," Pietro groaned. "Now shouldn't there be a jungle around here somewhere?"
"Lance look at me!" Todd snapped.
"Fine, anything but the window," Lance moaned.
"Lance do you know why I'm here?" Todd asked.
"For Wanda what a shock," Lance drawled.
"Right," Todd snapped. "Me, weak stupid little Toad that she always knocks into the wall. But I still love her anyway. I may not be able to do much, but I couldn't live with myself if I let her get hurt and I couldn't help her. And that's exactly how you feel about Kitty even after all the garbage you two have been through! And don't you deny it!"
Lance was silent. Todd continued. "Maybe it isn't the best reason to fight…or the most thought out…or…well you get the picture. But it's still a reason nonetheless, even if it is a little selfish! We're Brotherhood. We don't for stupid ideas that may or may not come true. We fight for the people we care about! I know deep down you care about Wanda too. And you still love Kitty. Why I have no idea! Admit it! Admit it!"
"I ADMIT IT!" Fred started to bawl. "I DON'T WANT ANY OF YOU GUYS TO DIE! WAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
"Not you Freddy!" Todd slapped his head. "HIM!"
"I can't help it!" Fred sniffed. "You guys are the only real friends I've ever had in my life…or in some cases a very close approximation," He looked at Pietro. "I'd miss all of you. Even Wanda. I… I LOVE YOU GUYS!" He grabbed Todd and Lance and gave them a huge bear hug.
"Way to go Toad!" Lance snapped.
"Oh lord we're doomed," Pietro groaned.
"Yeah…Freddy…We love you too…" Todd gasped. "Can we breathe now?"
"Why am I here?" Lance moaned.
"We're so doomed," Pietro groaned. "Ah! Here we are! Pyramid right below!"
Lance looked down. "Pietro…that's not a pyramid. That's Cinderella's Castle! We're over the Magic Kingdom you idiot!"
"Oh so it is…" Pietro looked at it. "I was wondering where those roller coasters came from."
"Okay it's official," Lance said. "We're all flying to our deaths!"
Half an hour and several wrong turns later they managed to fly over a familiar looking pyramid. "We're finally here!" Todd whooped.
"About time," Lance grunted. "Now are you sure this is the right place?"
"Well let's see," Pietro noted. "Pyramid…broken Sentinels, everything is either destroyed or on fire. Yup this is the place." He landed the jet nearby. "Okay so where's the gang?"
"Looks like they're down for the count," Todd remarked as he looked out the window.
"I see Kitty, Roberto, that Angel guy and Scott's brother…" Pietro remarked. "What's his name again?"
"Alex," Lance told him. "Where's Wanda?"
"Over there!" Pietro pointed. "She's trying to destroy the pyramid all by herself!"
"Yeah and she's got company!" Todd pointed.
"Magneto!" Pietro gasped as he saw him raise up several tons of debris in order to squash her.
"FATHER!" Wanda shouted.
Pietro didn't hesitate. He ran towards her and scooped her out of the way. "Pietro?" Wanda blinked.
"Hey sis," Pietro let her down gently. "You look like you could use a hand."
"So we bummed a jet," Todd said as he hopped along with the other Brotherhood members. "Got lost, and still somehow managed to get here! Come on! I'll hold you for a while!" He hugged her.
Wanda found that she had enough strength to throw Todd several feet. He was about to make a smart remark when he noticed that the jet behind them was lifting on it's own accord. He barely managed to hop out of the way. They all jumped behind Fred who used his strength to stop the jet.
Lance saw Kitty lying there unconscious. He went over to her, placing his hand on her neck and forehead, checking her vitals. Rage flowed through his very being. Seeing her lying there broke loose a dam of emotions that he had tried to shut out.
"Avalanche, bring 'em down!" Pietro ordered.
It was all Lance needed to let it loose.
Kitty slowly awoke to the sound and vibrations of a powerful rumble. The first thing she saw was the ground opening up ahead of her and cascading over Magneto, trashing the pyramid as well. Weakly she looked up and saw Lance hovering over her, protecting her body with his as he attacked Magneto. "Lance?" She whispered.
Lance glared at the spot where he buried Magneto. He looked down at her. All the rage and anger faded at that moment. "Hey Pretty Kitty," He said softly as he took her face in his hand. "Miss me?"
"Lance…" Tears brimmed from her eyes as she reached up and hugged him. "I knew you'd come. I knew you weren't that heartless."
"You should know that I could never say no to you by now," Lance hugged her back as the sky crackled with energy above them.
"The others?" Kitty looked around.
"They all look pretty much out of it," Lance told her, helping her up.
"I'll go check on them," She went over to Alex.
"Did we win?" Todd looked around.
"Don't you ever learn?" Pietro looked at him. The sky was now dark with thunder and lightning and what was left of the pyramid was glowing. It was obvious that they did not complete their objective.
"Oh yeah we never win," Todd said. Then he barely dodged the spinning tail of the jet as it sliced though the trees and earth. Then it went straight for where Magneto was buried.
"Oh great," Fred grumbled as Magneto rose from his earthly prison. "Round two."
"Is anybody else…?" Todd looked around but the others were still unconscious. "Nope just us left to die." He dodged some more debris. "Well it's been nice knowing you guys!"
"If this is our last stand…" Lance moved with the Brotherhood into formation. "We'll do it together."
"Well that's a cheery thought," Todd grumbled.
They all stood there as Magneto rose, awaiting his attack. Then suddenly he collapsed in a heap. "Hey! We won!" Todd said in a surprised tone. "We actually won."
"Father!" Wanda ran over to him. The metallic controllers all on his body were falling off.
"Oh man my head…" Roberto groaned.
"Anybody get the number of that semi?" Alex grumbled as he stirred.
"Oh now they wake up!" Todd grumbled.
"Angel's still out cold," Kitty said.
"No problem," Fred picked up the still unconscious Angel on his shoulders. "Hey can we go home now?"
"Here's our ride," Alex pointed at the SHEILD carriers landing nearby.
"Good cause ours is totally trashed," Lance remarked as he went over to Kitty. "You okay?"
"Yeah," She leaned against him a little as he put his arm around her. "Nothing a few weeks in the intensive care unit couldn't cure."
Magneto had opened his eyes now and both Wanda and Pietro were helping him. He looked dazed and confused, but grateful to be with his children again. "Come on Father," Wanda said. "It's time to go home."
Next: The conclusion and all the fun and festivities that go with it!