Meaning of Christmas and all that stuff
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "I can't get the antlers glued to this little guy. We tried Crazy Glue, but it don't work".
****
Glad you guys like this fic, don't worry, it picks up alot in this chapter. Ooooh yes. Don't worry guys, there will be plenty of what has happened to our gang between now and this future, but told throught the story so you still have some suprises..the same goes for who Wanda is married to, no hints given. Mwhaohahahahahahahaha!
****
Chapter 2 - The first Haunting
*****
Pietro had left the bar soon after his drink had been returned. He wasn't in the mood and people had begun to..ugh, sing Christmas songs. He wandered back to his appartment, stopping at the door. Stuck on it was a wanted poster. A wanted poster for the information on murder of the person who's picture accompanied the wording. Lance Alvers.
"Damnit, Kitty, you never give up", muttered Pietro.
Why the heck she had posted one of THESE posters on HIS door he didn't know. Was it some twisted attempt at making him feel guilty? He frowned, reaching out to rip the poster off....only to find it stuck tight. The picture of Lance in the poster suddenly turned to look at him. Pietro squeaked, backing off instantly.
"Pietro", said the picture, before setting back to being a picture again.
"...Last time i eat ANYTHING in Harry's", muttered Pietro, reaching forward again and managing to rip the poster off his door.
He gave a shudder, throwing the poster to one side before entering his plush appartment, locking the door behind him. He turned on the TV, just to get some noise to break the silence and breathed out a sigh, not noticing his breath forming a little cloud from the cold. He sat himself down on his chair and settled down to watch TV until he was too tired to stay awake. That was...until the TV blinked out.
"Damn lousy electritians", muttered Pietro, "always doing a crappy job"
He shivered again...man it was cold. Then....the doors began to rattle, only a little at first, then began to shake more and more violently, until it seemed the whole appartment shook. Pietro jumped to his feet, glaring at them.
"GET LOST YOU STUPID KIDS!", he yelled at the door, "I MEAN IT!!".
The rattling ceased completely. Pietro smirked, giving a nod of satisfaction and turning back around...right into Lance Alvers.
"Hello Pietro", said Lance, "long time, no see"
"Gaaahhhhhh!", shouted Pietro falling backwards and putting a hand to his heart, taking a few deep breaths before narrowing his eyes at the man in front of him.
He closed his eyes once, rubbed them, and opened them again. He was still there.
"Lance..you...you're DEAD!", said Pietro as soon as he had found his voice.
"No kidding", said Lance, moving his trenchcoat to the side, revealing three bullet holes in his chest, "i thought these were just for show...the marks of your death stay with you throughout your afterlife".
Pietro squeaked, backing up.
"This is not happening", he said, "it must have been that Martini i drank..yeah, that's it!"
"Nope, i'm not a product of your drinking", said Lance, rolling his eyes, "i'm here, i'm dead, get over it"
"You're NOT here!", said Pietro firmly, speeding off into his kitchen, slamming the door behind him.
He turned to see Lance sitting on the kitchen counter.
"I'm a ghost, Pie, you can't run away from me" , said Lance, then sighed heavily, "we need to talk"
Pietro narrowed his eyes at Lance, taking a deep breath.
"Oooookay", he said with a nervous laugh, "my dead buisness partner wants to talk to me..this is perfectly normal"
He shuddered, opening the kitchen door and walking back to the living room to sit on the couch, Lance was already there. On closer inspection, Lance's feet were covered in chains, big, thick chains. Some ran up to his hands....others ran around his neck. Pietro eyed them warily.
"What's with the chains, Lancey Boy?, making a fashion statement?"
Lance watched him for a long time.
"I forged these chains in life, Pietro", he said, "by the deeds i did in life. Remember when i tore down that school?"
Pietro laughed.
"Oh that was ace!", he said, "the amount of people you put out of work THAT day!"
Lance shook his head.
"It WASN'T ace", he growled, holding up a chain, "THIS was the result of that. Each link made by each bad deed"
"Man...did death make you preachy or what?", said Pietro, shaking his head, "rattling when you walk must have messed you up. I know i wouldn't be able to cope with such a bad dress code"
"You think you DON'T have chains?", said Lance, "you do, you just don't see 'em yet"
Pietro blinked, looking at his own feet....nope, no chains.
"Well, i don't have to worry about it until i'm dead", said Pietro smugly, "i'll jump that hurdle when i get to it"
"There are worse things than being dead", said Lance, shaking his head, "and i don't want to let you find that out when it's too late".
Pietro blinked at him.
"Did it hurt?"
"What?", said Lance, "death? Yeah, just a little bit, but at least it was sudden....unlike some".
Lance watched Pietro for a while.
"I know what happened when i died, you know", he said, "i know who killed me and why you feel so guilty over it"
"I don't know what you're talking about", said Pietro quickly.
"Yes, you do", said Lance, "you knew the FOH had a sleeper agent in the mutant villiage. I know that's why you wouldn't come with me on my call. What i don't know is why...why you didn't tell me"
"Like you would've listened!", snapped Pietro, "you were determined to make that pick-up. You were to greedy to let it slip, Idiot".
"HEY!. You can't talk about me like that", said Lance, "show some respect for the dead.
"Give me a dead person worth my respect and i'll give it...old buddy"
Lance watched him in silence before speaking up.
"Wish granted, you will be vistited by three spirits".
"Oh boy", said Pietro, rolling his eyes, "and they're gonna show me the error of my ways? Make me into a good little saint?"
"You BETTER treat them with respect, Pietro", warned Lance, "you have made a profit from each of their deaths. To put it mildly, they're kinda peeved at you"
"Oooooh i'm scared", said Pietro in mock terror.
"You SHOULD be", said Lance, holding up his chains, "because they are going to keep you from going down THIS road"
Pietro crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.
"I'll bake a cake", he said sarcastically.
"Expect the first Ghost when the bell tolls one", said Lance.
"When the bell tolls one?", Pietro snorted, "what sort of talk is THAT?"
"When the bell tolls one", Lance intoned, shaking his head and standing up, straining under the weight of his chains, "and pay attention, huh?"
"Hey, i don't have to listen to no damn....", Pietro trailed off, Lance had vanished, "...stiff".
He glanced around, had he fallen asleep on the couch? He looked over at the clock, 11 PM. Pietro narrowed his eyes, grabbing a coat and leaving his appartment. He needed some air. He paused outside his door to see Torpid sitting outside of it again.
"What did i tell you about hanging around here?", he snapped, "get outta here!"
Torpid stood up and walked away, silent as aways, hugging her arms around herself as she stumbled into the snow. Pietro shook his head walking the other way. He pushed his way past a group of carolers collecting for the childrens home.
"Hey, Pietro, how's it going?"
Pietro blinked, turning to see Jamie Madrox, bundled up against the cold....he hadn't seen the guy since they were teenagers, Jamie had headed off to live elsewhere after...well, the mansion met a nasty blow.
"Hi...Jamie", said Pietro distracted, "..what are you doing back here?"
"I just arrived back this morning", said Jamie, "thought i'd see how everyone was and stuff...after all that happened"
Pietro frowned. Yeah the X-Men had been through ten kinds of Hell after the FOH threw a suprise attack on the mansion. So many mutants had died that day...including their beloved Professor. Jamie hadn't been able to take it and had jetted off as son as he could.
"Surpised to see you bothered to show up", said Pietro, frowning.
"I couldn't face them", replied Jamie cooly, then blinked, "....you're kinda pale"
"Yeah...", said Pietro, clearing his throat, "lets just say this is a weird day for ghosts of the past"
Jamie blinked, before smiling at the carolers, putting some money in the box, Pietro rolling his eyes.
"Man, Jamie, still throwing your cash away to those who don't deserve it", he said, "you haven't changed, squirt"
"And i see you haven't either", said Jamie, smiling, "you can give a little, you know. It wouldn't kill you".
Pietro narrowed his eyes suspicously.
"You're him...aren't you?".
"Him.....who?", said Jamie, cocking his head to the side in confusion.
"No...it can't be, it isn't one yet", Pietro blinked, "i have to go"
In a gust of wind, he sped off back to his appartment, leaving a very confused Jamie behind. As soon as Pietro got home, he bolted the door shut, then dragged a desk over to it, creating a barricade.
"Hah!", he said, "i'd like to see you get through THAT ghostie".
With that, Pietro sat down on the couch and waited.
****
Whooo, chapter 2 is done and dusted! Next time, we meet the Ghost of Christmas Past. Do review. Until next time...
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "I can't get the antlers glued to this little guy. We tried Crazy Glue, but it don't work".
****
Glad you guys like this fic, don't worry, it picks up alot in this chapter. Ooooh yes. Don't worry guys, there will be plenty of what has happened to our gang between now and this future, but told throught the story so you still have some suprises..the same goes for who Wanda is married to, no hints given. Mwhaohahahahahahahaha!
****
Chapter 2 - The first Haunting
*****
Pietro had left the bar soon after his drink had been returned. He wasn't in the mood and people had begun to..ugh, sing Christmas songs. He wandered back to his appartment, stopping at the door. Stuck on it was a wanted poster. A wanted poster for the information on murder of the person who's picture accompanied the wording. Lance Alvers.
"Damnit, Kitty, you never give up", muttered Pietro.
Why the heck she had posted one of THESE posters on HIS door he didn't know. Was it some twisted attempt at making him feel guilty? He frowned, reaching out to rip the poster off....only to find it stuck tight. The picture of Lance in the poster suddenly turned to look at him. Pietro squeaked, backing off instantly.
"Pietro", said the picture, before setting back to being a picture again.
"...Last time i eat ANYTHING in Harry's", muttered Pietro, reaching forward again and managing to rip the poster off his door.
He gave a shudder, throwing the poster to one side before entering his plush appartment, locking the door behind him. He turned on the TV, just to get some noise to break the silence and breathed out a sigh, not noticing his breath forming a little cloud from the cold. He sat himself down on his chair and settled down to watch TV until he was too tired to stay awake. That was...until the TV blinked out.
"Damn lousy electritians", muttered Pietro, "always doing a crappy job"
He shivered again...man it was cold. Then....the doors began to rattle, only a little at first, then began to shake more and more violently, until it seemed the whole appartment shook. Pietro jumped to his feet, glaring at them.
"GET LOST YOU STUPID KIDS!", he yelled at the door, "I MEAN IT!!".
The rattling ceased completely. Pietro smirked, giving a nod of satisfaction and turning back around...right into Lance Alvers.
"Hello Pietro", said Lance, "long time, no see"
"Gaaahhhhhh!", shouted Pietro falling backwards and putting a hand to his heart, taking a few deep breaths before narrowing his eyes at the man in front of him.
He closed his eyes once, rubbed them, and opened them again. He was still there.
"Lance..you...you're DEAD!", said Pietro as soon as he had found his voice.
"No kidding", said Lance, moving his trenchcoat to the side, revealing three bullet holes in his chest, "i thought these were just for show...the marks of your death stay with you throughout your afterlife".
Pietro squeaked, backing up.
"This is not happening", he said, "it must have been that Martini i drank..yeah, that's it!"
"Nope, i'm not a product of your drinking", said Lance, rolling his eyes, "i'm here, i'm dead, get over it"
"You're NOT here!", said Pietro firmly, speeding off into his kitchen, slamming the door behind him.
He turned to see Lance sitting on the kitchen counter.
"I'm a ghost, Pie, you can't run away from me" , said Lance, then sighed heavily, "we need to talk"
Pietro narrowed his eyes at Lance, taking a deep breath.
"Oooookay", he said with a nervous laugh, "my dead buisness partner wants to talk to me..this is perfectly normal"
He shuddered, opening the kitchen door and walking back to the living room to sit on the couch, Lance was already there. On closer inspection, Lance's feet were covered in chains, big, thick chains. Some ran up to his hands....others ran around his neck. Pietro eyed them warily.
"What's with the chains, Lancey Boy?, making a fashion statement?"
Lance watched him for a long time.
"I forged these chains in life, Pietro", he said, "by the deeds i did in life. Remember when i tore down that school?"
Pietro laughed.
"Oh that was ace!", he said, "the amount of people you put out of work THAT day!"
Lance shook his head.
"It WASN'T ace", he growled, holding up a chain, "THIS was the result of that. Each link made by each bad deed"
"Man...did death make you preachy or what?", said Pietro, shaking his head, "rattling when you walk must have messed you up. I know i wouldn't be able to cope with such a bad dress code"
"You think you DON'T have chains?", said Lance, "you do, you just don't see 'em yet"
Pietro blinked, looking at his own feet....nope, no chains.
"Well, i don't have to worry about it until i'm dead", said Pietro smugly, "i'll jump that hurdle when i get to it"
"There are worse things than being dead", said Lance, shaking his head, "and i don't want to let you find that out when it's too late".
Pietro blinked at him.
"Did it hurt?"
"What?", said Lance, "death? Yeah, just a little bit, but at least it was sudden....unlike some".
Lance watched Pietro for a while.
"I know what happened when i died, you know", he said, "i know who killed me and why you feel so guilty over it"
"I don't know what you're talking about", said Pietro quickly.
"Yes, you do", said Lance, "you knew the FOH had a sleeper agent in the mutant villiage. I know that's why you wouldn't come with me on my call. What i don't know is why...why you didn't tell me"
"Like you would've listened!", snapped Pietro, "you were determined to make that pick-up. You were to greedy to let it slip, Idiot".
"HEY!. You can't talk about me like that", said Lance, "show some respect for the dead.
"Give me a dead person worth my respect and i'll give it...old buddy"
Lance watched him in silence before speaking up.
"Wish granted, you will be vistited by three spirits".
"Oh boy", said Pietro, rolling his eyes, "and they're gonna show me the error of my ways? Make me into a good little saint?"
"You BETTER treat them with respect, Pietro", warned Lance, "you have made a profit from each of their deaths. To put it mildly, they're kinda peeved at you"
"Oooooh i'm scared", said Pietro in mock terror.
"You SHOULD be", said Lance, holding up his chains, "because they are going to keep you from going down THIS road"
Pietro crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.
"I'll bake a cake", he said sarcastically.
"Expect the first Ghost when the bell tolls one", said Lance.
"When the bell tolls one?", Pietro snorted, "what sort of talk is THAT?"
"When the bell tolls one", Lance intoned, shaking his head and standing up, straining under the weight of his chains, "and pay attention, huh?"
"Hey, i don't have to listen to no damn....", Pietro trailed off, Lance had vanished, "...stiff".
He glanced around, had he fallen asleep on the couch? He looked over at the clock, 11 PM. Pietro narrowed his eyes, grabbing a coat and leaving his appartment. He needed some air. He paused outside his door to see Torpid sitting outside of it again.
"What did i tell you about hanging around here?", he snapped, "get outta here!"
Torpid stood up and walked away, silent as aways, hugging her arms around herself as she stumbled into the snow. Pietro shook his head walking the other way. He pushed his way past a group of carolers collecting for the childrens home.
"Hey, Pietro, how's it going?"
Pietro blinked, turning to see Jamie Madrox, bundled up against the cold....he hadn't seen the guy since they were teenagers, Jamie had headed off to live elsewhere after...well, the mansion met a nasty blow.
"Hi...Jamie", said Pietro distracted, "..what are you doing back here?"
"I just arrived back this morning", said Jamie, "thought i'd see how everyone was and stuff...after all that happened"
Pietro frowned. Yeah the X-Men had been through ten kinds of Hell after the FOH threw a suprise attack on the mansion. So many mutants had died that day...including their beloved Professor. Jamie hadn't been able to take it and had jetted off as son as he could.
"Surpised to see you bothered to show up", said Pietro, frowning.
"I couldn't face them", replied Jamie cooly, then blinked, "....you're kinda pale"
"Yeah...", said Pietro, clearing his throat, "lets just say this is a weird day for ghosts of the past"
Jamie blinked, before smiling at the carolers, putting some money in the box, Pietro rolling his eyes.
"Man, Jamie, still throwing your cash away to those who don't deserve it", he said, "you haven't changed, squirt"
"And i see you haven't either", said Jamie, smiling, "you can give a little, you know. It wouldn't kill you".
Pietro narrowed his eyes suspicously.
"You're him...aren't you?".
"Him.....who?", said Jamie, cocking his head to the side in confusion.
"No...it can't be, it isn't one yet", Pietro blinked, "i have to go"
In a gust of wind, he sped off back to his appartment, leaving a very confused Jamie behind. As soon as Pietro got home, he bolted the door shut, then dragged a desk over to it, creating a barricade.
"Hah!", he said, "i'd like to see you get through THAT ghostie".
With that, Pietro sat down on the couch and waited.
****
Whooo, chapter 2 is done and dusted! Next time, we meet the Ghost of Christmas Past. Do review. Until next time...