Meaning of Christmas and all that stuff
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "This music is driving me nuts. I'm going to hurt Bing Crosby".
***
Chaotic Boredom - As far as i know, Danielle's powers of Illusion go only to a person darkest fears, or deepest hearts desire.
*Winks at StupidX* Celest'll show up once more yet, thought i'd give her some fic time too. Darn rebelious little Angel..don't tell her i called her that.
**
Chapter 8 - Founder of the Feast
***
Pietro soon found himself and Tabitha in a hospital room. He glanced up at the door to see 'Childrens Ward' above it. The hospital was a small one, Pietro recognised it as one of the very few that accepted mutant patients.
"What are we doing at the hospital?", he asked, his brow furrowing
"You don't know?", said Tabby, an obvious distaste in her voice, " Huh, if i had one, i'd be sick to my stomach"
She pushed past him, going into a section of the room. Pietro sighed, following her. Sitting on a hospital bed was a frail young girl, no more than ten years old. Her long, bonde hair was unkempt from illness, but her green eyes shone brightly. She was happily stetching away in an art-book while two other children, her brother and sister(obviously twins, both with hazel hair and blue eyes) were sitting with her.
".....Should i know this kid?", said Pietro, cocking his ehad to the side.
"You SHOULD", said Tabby, narrowing her eyes, "her name is Tanya Guthrie..she's Sam and Rahne's daughter. You know, the one that you wouldn't let her father visit on Christmas Day while she's stuck in hospital strapped to a ventilator".
Pietro was about to snap back a retort when Rahne came back into the room, taking a chair next to her daughter and ruffling a hand through her hair.
"Hey lass", she said softly, "how're ye doing?"
"I'm okay Momma", said Tanya softly, smiling, "it isn't SO bad spending Christmas in hospital. I mean..i have the others kids to talk to and we can share our toys".
Pietro's eyes filtted to the toys at the bottom of the bed. There was a book, a teddy and a game of 'Buckaroo'.
"....Not a whole lot there", he said.
"No, but it's all appricated", said Tabby, "and with the wages you give Sam, what did you expect?".
Rahne sighed, kissing her daughters brow.
"Och, ye a good one", she said, "dunnae worry, Tanya, one of these days, everything will be allright again, ye'll see"
"Why's she filling their heads with that nonsense?", snorted Pietro, "They're too poor, nothing will ever be 'good' for them anymore"
"She's giving them dreams", said Tabby, "giving them some joy. They need SOMETHING to hope for"
Pietro rolled his eyes, watching as Sam walked in. The twins tackled him first, somehow managing to get from one end of the ward to their father at a speed that impressed even Pietro.
"All right, simmer down", chuckled Sam, giving each one a hug before walking over to Tanya's bed, "hi Hummingbird".
"Hi daddy", said Tanya, lightening up even more and reaching out her arms so Sam could lean over and give her a hug.
Once his children had been greeted, he walked over to Rahne and gave her a hug and a kiss.
"Hey you".
"Hey you back", chuckled Rahne, resting her head on his chest, then added quietly, "i talked to the doctor today..She said that there wasannae much more they could do for her here. I wish we could get her intae Muir Isle...they'd have the right equipment there for her"
"A'h promise as soon as we can afford it, we'll go", said Sam, "a'hm sorry it's been so tough on you here, Love. A'h wish Pietro would give me more time off to be with ya'll".
"I gave him today off!!!!", snapped Pietro, crossing his arm, "ungreatfull hick!".
"AND you docked his pay", Tabby reminded him.
"I cannae bear te see ye workin' for him, Sam", said Rahne, "it's eatin' away at ye"
"A'h know", said Sam gently, putting his hands on her shoulder gently, "but until we pay off that debt we owe him...a'h don't have a choice. It'll get better eventually, a'hm sure"
"Aye", said Rahne quietly, "i just dinnae want to see ye end up like Lance did. Ye know how much he changed after that buisness..how he became..."
"A'h promise ah'll never be like that, Love", said Sam, then looked up as Tanya began to cough, he carefully put the breathing mask on her face, "easy, Tanya, deep breaths now"
Tanya waved her hands away, showing she was fine.
"I'm okay, Daddy", she said, then cocked her head to the side, "will Mr Maximoff be visiting today? I'd like to thank him for giving us the money to buy all these great gifts".
THAT hit Pietro like a ton of bricks. He'd barely given the Guthrie's enough to get buy...yet this little kid was greatfull and wanted to THANK him for it? Something, deep down, began to hurt.
"A'h don't think so, Hummingbird", said Sam, "he's..busy this year".
Rahne gave a snort, opting to keep her thoughts to herself. Tabby turned away, heading out the door, grabbing Pietro and dragging him along with her.
"Hey whoah, WAIT!", he said, "...What about Tanya?"
"Oh, so NOW you care?", said Tabby, then sighed, "i'm the Ghost of Christmas Present, i can't see into the Future"
"Not even a little?"
"By next Christmas, i see Tanya's bed empty"
"So..she'll go home?", asked PIetro hopefully.
"No, Pietro", said Tabby, "if time keeps moving as it is....she won't survive to see her next Christmas"
Pietro's face fell as they walked the hospitals corridors, which finally led them to the waiting room. He was about to ask her what could be done to change Tanya's fate, when Jamie suddenly ran in from outside, carrying a very pale and very still Torpid in his arms, he looked extremly worried for her. One of the staff nurses ran over to take her off him and take her to one of the beds.
"I found her in this state just outside the old Gut Bomb", he explained, "is she alright?"
The nurse checked her over, a frown forming on her face. Pietro leaned forward, trying to hear what the nurse was saying, only to find himself on a playing field not far from the hospital.
"Tabby...is she okay?", he said.
"What to YOU think?", said Tabby.
Next to her appeared a spectral Torpid, making Pietro step back. Torpid watched him for a long while, her eyes boring into him before Tabby patted her on the shoulder.
"Go on, Honey, you have better places to go", she said.
A few feet in the distance, a blue light appeared on the ground, showing a beautifull country home. Torpid smiled and walked towards it, fading into the blue light, which disipated moments later.
"You can't blame me for her death", said Pietro, before Tabby could say anything.
"Why not?", replied Tabby, "you tossed her away on the streets, when you could have offered her a blanket, some food, somewhere to stay".
"Huh, you all blame me for your deaths", said Pietro, crossing his arms, "every last one of you"
"It might not be your fault we're dead, but It's certainally YOUR fault for us being Spirits!", said Tabby, "you made a profit from our deaths, so instead of us being able to move on, we were forced to stay in limbo, having to see what our 'legacys' brought us. You twisted what we did in life into something to squease money out of people for. THAT'S why we're doing this, so you can see exactly what road you are heading for. You made us martyrs, Pietro, and a martyrs spirit can never rest".
"That's what this is all about, isn't it? It all makes sense now, you, Forge, Lance...you're all mad because i screwed you guys over after you died. This is some sick, twisted ghostly revenge!"
"If we wanted to be vengefull, Pietro, we could be", snarled Tabby.
Suddenly, a great, black coldness enevloped Pietro, the cries of the dead mutants from the years filling his ears, screaming for mercy.
"MAKE IT STOP!", he shouted, putting his hands over his ears.
As swiftly as it had begun, it had vanished.
"That's just a taster of what we can do", said Tabby, narrowing her eyes, "we're mearly showing you what was, what is, and what will be. We are doing you a favour by saving you. You saw Lance's chains?. You want THAT fate too?"
"No", said Pietro in an almost whisper.
"Then you know what to do", said Tabby, "i'm not going to spell it out for you".
She tilted her head as the clock began to strike midnight.
"I have to go"
"No....don't go", said Pietro, "i..i can't do this alone. I don't know..."
"See you around, Pie", said Tabby, "try and keep your head up, huh?"
With that, she vanished, Pietro finding himself back in is appartment. And the clocks chimes endured onwards.
****
If you're wodnering, i got my idea of the 'Afterlife' from the show 'Dead Like Me'. If you've never seen it, you SHOULD! Anyway, next chapter, we meet the Ghost Of Christmas Yet-To-Come. Do review, until next time...
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "This music is driving me nuts. I'm going to hurt Bing Crosby".
***
Chaotic Boredom - As far as i know, Danielle's powers of Illusion go only to a person darkest fears, or deepest hearts desire.
*Winks at StupidX* Celest'll show up once more yet, thought i'd give her some fic time too. Darn rebelious little Angel..don't tell her i called her that.
**
Chapter 8 - Founder of the Feast
***
Pietro soon found himself and Tabitha in a hospital room. He glanced up at the door to see 'Childrens Ward' above it. The hospital was a small one, Pietro recognised it as one of the very few that accepted mutant patients.
"What are we doing at the hospital?", he asked, his brow furrowing
"You don't know?", said Tabby, an obvious distaste in her voice, " Huh, if i had one, i'd be sick to my stomach"
She pushed past him, going into a section of the room. Pietro sighed, following her. Sitting on a hospital bed was a frail young girl, no more than ten years old. Her long, bonde hair was unkempt from illness, but her green eyes shone brightly. She was happily stetching away in an art-book while two other children, her brother and sister(obviously twins, both with hazel hair and blue eyes) were sitting with her.
".....Should i know this kid?", said Pietro, cocking his ehad to the side.
"You SHOULD", said Tabby, narrowing her eyes, "her name is Tanya Guthrie..she's Sam and Rahne's daughter. You know, the one that you wouldn't let her father visit on Christmas Day while she's stuck in hospital strapped to a ventilator".
Pietro was about to snap back a retort when Rahne came back into the room, taking a chair next to her daughter and ruffling a hand through her hair.
"Hey lass", she said softly, "how're ye doing?"
"I'm okay Momma", said Tanya softly, smiling, "it isn't SO bad spending Christmas in hospital. I mean..i have the others kids to talk to and we can share our toys".
Pietro's eyes filtted to the toys at the bottom of the bed. There was a book, a teddy and a game of 'Buckaroo'.
"....Not a whole lot there", he said.
"No, but it's all appricated", said Tabby, "and with the wages you give Sam, what did you expect?".
Rahne sighed, kissing her daughters brow.
"Och, ye a good one", she said, "dunnae worry, Tanya, one of these days, everything will be allright again, ye'll see"
"Why's she filling their heads with that nonsense?", snorted Pietro, "They're too poor, nothing will ever be 'good' for them anymore"
"She's giving them dreams", said Tabby, "giving them some joy. They need SOMETHING to hope for"
Pietro rolled his eyes, watching as Sam walked in. The twins tackled him first, somehow managing to get from one end of the ward to their father at a speed that impressed even Pietro.
"All right, simmer down", chuckled Sam, giving each one a hug before walking over to Tanya's bed, "hi Hummingbird".
"Hi daddy", said Tanya, lightening up even more and reaching out her arms so Sam could lean over and give her a hug.
Once his children had been greeted, he walked over to Rahne and gave her a hug and a kiss.
"Hey you".
"Hey you back", chuckled Rahne, resting her head on his chest, then added quietly, "i talked to the doctor today..She said that there wasannae much more they could do for her here. I wish we could get her intae Muir Isle...they'd have the right equipment there for her"
"A'h promise as soon as we can afford it, we'll go", said Sam, "a'hm sorry it's been so tough on you here, Love. A'h wish Pietro would give me more time off to be with ya'll".
"I gave him today off!!!!", snapped Pietro, crossing his arm, "ungreatfull hick!".
"AND you docked his pay", Tabby reminded him.
"I cannae bear te see ye workin' for him, Sam", said Rahne, "it's eatin' away at ye"
"A'h know", said Sam gently, putting his hands on her shoulder gently, "but until we pay off that debt we owe him...a'h don't have a choice. It'll get better eventually, a'hm sure"
"Aye", said Rahne quietly, "i just dinnae want to see ye end up like Lance did. Ye know how much he changed after that buisness..how he became..."
"A'h promise ah'll never be like that, Love", said Sam, then looked up as Tanya began to cough, he carefully put the breathing mask on her face, "easy, Tanya, deep breaths now"
Tanya waved her hands away, showing she was fine.
"I'm okay, Daddy", she said, then cocked her head to the side, "will Mr Maximoff be visiting today? I'd like to thank him for giving us the money to buy all these great gifts".
THAT hit Pietro like a ton of bricks. He'd barely given the Guthrie's enough to get buy...yet this little kid was greatfull and wanted to THANK him for it? Something, deep down, began to hurt.
"A'h don't think so, Hummingbird", said Sam, "he's..busy this year".
Rahne gave a snort, opting to keep her thoughts to herself. Tabby turned away, heading out the door, grabbing Pietro and dragging him along with her.
"Hey whoah, WAIT!", he said, "...What about Tanya?"
"Oh, so NOW you care?", said Tabby, then sighed, "i'm the Ghost of Christmas Present, i can't see into the Future"
"Not even a little?"
"By next Christmas, i see Tanya's bed empty"
"So..she'll go home?", asked PIetro hopefully.
"No, Pietro", said Tabby, "if time keeps moving as it is....she won't survive to see her next Christmas"
Pietro's face fell as they walked the hospitals corridors, which finally led them to the waiting room. He was about to ask her what could be done to change Tanya's fate, when Jamie suddenly ran in from outside, carrying a very pale and very still Torpid in his arms, he looked extremly worried for her. One of the staff nurses ran over to take her off him and take her to one of the beds.
"I found her in this state just outside the old Gut Bomb", he explained, "is she alright?"
The nurse checked her over, a frown forming on her face. Pietro leaned forward, trying to hear what the nurse was saying, only to find himself on a playing field not far from the hospital.
"Tabby...is she okay?", he said.
"What to YOU think?", said Tabby.
Next to her appeared a spectral Torpid, making Pietro step back. Torpid watched him for a long while, her eyes boring into him before Tabby patted her on the shoulder.
"Go on, Honey, you have better places to go", she said.
A few feet in the distance, a blue light appeared on the ground, showing a beautifull country home. Torpid smiled and walked towards it, fading into the blue light, which disipated moments later.
"You can't blame me for her death", said Pietro, before Tabby could say anything.
"Why not?", replied Tabby, "you tossed her away on the streets, when you could have offered her a blanket, some food, somewhere to stay".
"Huh, you all blame me for your deaths", said Pietro, crossing his arms, "every last one of you"
"It might not be your fault we're dead, but It's certainally YOUR fault for us being Spirits!", said Tabby, "you made a profit from our deaths, so instead of us being able to move on, we were forced to stay in limbo, having to see what our 'legacys' brought us. You twisted what we did in life into something to squease money out of people for. THAT'S why we're doing this, so you can see exactly what road you are heading for. You made us martyrs, Pietro, and a martyrs spirit can never rest".
"That's what this is all about, isn't it? It all makes sense now, you, Forge, Lance...you're all mad because i screwed you guys over after you died. This is some sick, twisted ghostly revenge!"
"If we wanted to be vengefull, Pietro, we could be", snarled Tabby.
Suddenly, a great, black coldness enevloped Pietro, the cries of the dead mutants from the years filling his ears, screaming for mercy.
"MAKE IT STOP!", he shouted, putting his hands over his ears.
As swiftly as it had begun, it had vanished.
"That's just a taster of what we can do", said Tabby, narrowing her eyes, "we're mearly showing you what was, what is, and what will be. We are doing you a favour by saving you. You saw Lance's chains?. You want THAT fate too?"
"No", said Pietro in an almost whisper.
"Then you know what to do", said Tabby, "i'm not going to spell it out for you".
She tilted her head as the clock began to strike midnight.
"I have to go"
"No....don't go", said Pietro, "i..i can't do this alone. I don't know..."
"See you around, Pie", said Tabby, "try and keep your head up, huh?"
With that, she vanished, Pietro finding himself back in is appartment. And the clocks chimes endured onwards.
****
If you're wodnering, i got my idea of the 'Afterlife' from the show 'Dead Like Me'. If you've never seen it, you SHOULD! Anyway, next chapter, we meet the Ghost Of Christmas Yet-To-Come. Do review, until next time...