Meaning of Christmas and all that stuff
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "My father wove a tapestry of profanity which to this day is still hovering somewhere over Lake Michigan".
*****
Chapter 9 - The Ghost of Christmas Yet-To-Come
******
Pietro stood in his empty appartment, numbed as he heard the clock continue to chime. He was getting very, very frightened. He wanted this to end, and end NOW. Just as the 12th chime sounded, the appartment went pitch black. Pietro stood stock still, catching some movement in the darkness. He strained his eyes to see, only to give a squeak of fear as one yellow eye shone in the darkness. Shaking, he reached over to the side table, his hands fumbling until they rested on a torch. He took a deep breath before turning the torch on and pointing it at the intruder. Pietro blinked, his eyes widening and his mouth dropping open at the sight before him. There stood Kurt, not the joyous cheery man he had been....but what he had been reduced to. Deep scars lined his throat, one of his eyes was pure white, the sight in it lost. His pointed elf ears were tattered and his face covered in scars.
"K..kurt...is that you?", whimpered Pietro.
Kurt narrowed his eye and nodded mutely.
"...I guess when they took your voice box out...you lost it for your spirit too, huh?"
When the attack on the Institute took place, the FOH had captured Kurt and put him through all kinds of torture to find out information about the mutants of Bayville. Tabby's words rang in his ears, if there was anyone Pietro had martyred.....it was Kurt. He'd used Kurt as an example of what COULD happen to scare people into buying SCS's. All of a sudden, he was glad THIS Ghost couldn't speak. Pietro doubted he could have taken a grilling from one of the better of them all.
"So...you're gonna show me the future, huh?", he tried conversationally.
Kurt eyed him in silence, before the surroundings of Pietro's appartment faded to outside of Bayville. The city then aged before Pietro's eyes, until they came to where there were lines of belongings strewn on tables in the area in front of his home.
"Who's having a yard sale?", asked Pietro, cocking his head to the side.
Kurt did not reply, mearly pointing a blue, scarred hand in the direction of the tables. Pietro noticed Kitty, Jamie, Amanda, Bobby and Jubilee gathered there, looking through the stuff.
"When did it happen?", asked Bobby, flicking through some CD's.
"Last night, i think", said Jamie, "that's what i've heard, anyway"
"About time if you ask me", growled Jubilee, "maybe we can all have some peace for once".
"You know what they say", said Kitty, "you live by darkness and violence, you'll die by it. He deserved all he got. If there's a SOUL at that funeral, i'll be shocked".
"What I'D like to know is what he did with all his money", said Amanda, "i haven't seen any of it"
"He probably got burried with it", said Bobby, "never was one to part with his cash".
Pietro narrowed his eyes in confusion.
"Who got into THEIR bad books?", he asked, then blinked, "oh...i get it. This is what i'll face, right?...if i don't change? I'll share the fate of this poor guy?"
Kurt was silent as ever, with a flick of his tail, he turned around and pointed in the other direction. Pietro watched as the scene changed again, the town aging even more. They found themselves standing outside an old building, which Pietro instantly recognised as the Mutant Help Center. Only....the building had a huge 'condemed' sign over it. His brow furrowed as he watched Dani and Alex put blankets over some very sick looking children.
"It isn't fair", said Danielle quietly, watching the kids slink off to huddle together in a corner, "we all worked -so- hard to get this place off the ground. I...i can't believe they took Warren and his daughter".
"I know", said Alex, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "...i feel worse for these kids. Without Warren's funding....we have no way to keep it".
"We tried finding homes for the kids at the hospital", said Freddy as he and Jason walked over, "but, they're full up".
"They've got one bed, and that's it", said Jason, "only just been emptied. But one bed won't work for twelve children"
"The shelters closed?", asked Pietro as he watched them all hang their heads low, "wait...that death Kitty and the others were talking about....was it Warren?. I...i thought he was well loved? Why would people be glad he was dead?"
Kurt rolled his eye and walked onwards, until he and Pietro were standing in Wanda and Pyro's home. Wanda was curled up on the couch, sobbing quietly as she held a cushion tight to herself.
"Wanda never cries", said Pietro, confused, "what's wrong with her?".
Kurt remained silent as Pyro walked over to her. brushing a thumb over her cheek, chasing away one of her tears, obvious his heart went out to her.
"It's the baby...isn't it?", said Pietro, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach, "oh, come on, Kurt, it CAN'T be".
"Mummy, why are you crying?".
Pietro turned his head to see a five yer old child looking worriedly as his mother. His eyes were the same as Wanda's...as Pietro's, that shocking ice blue, which were sharp contrast to his flaming red hair. He cocked his head to the side, regarding his mother. Who gave him a weak smile, sitting him up to pull him next to her on the couch in a hug.
"Mummy's just.....sad today, 'kay?", she said softly, her voice breaking.
"Oh", said the child then offered a smile, "candy always cheers me up. You can have some of mine if you like".
Wanda gave another weak smile and gave him a hug.
"I'll make you a cup of tea", said Pyro gently, kissing the top of her head, "come on, Trouble, let your mother have some peace".
"Thanks, John", said Wanda quietly, watching her family head into the kitchen.
Pietro reached out a hand to comfort his sister, only to have it pass right through her. He turned to Kurt.
"Isn't ANYTHING happy in the future?".
He was answered once again by silence.
"I wish you'd shut up for a bit", said Pietro sarcastically, "i can't get a word in edgeways"
Kurt looked at him curiously, before shaking his head as the scene changed once more, this time to the local hospital in the room which Tanya had once been in. Pietro felt his stomach knot as he watched a nurse begin to pack away some toys and books into a box.
"Has Tanya gone home?", he asked.
Kurt blinked at him and they were suddenly in the modest home of the Guthries, where Rahne was crying as the twin Guthrie children hung their heads low. The door opened as a wearly Sam walked in. The twins walked over to him to give him a hug, not the wild stampede Pietro had seen earlier. Sam gave both his children a hug before sitting next to Rhane, pulling her into a gentle hug.
"A'h got a real nice spot of Tanya", he said quietly, "a'h promised we'd...we'd visit every day".
Rahne nodded and gave a sniffle, hugging herself closer to him.
"No", said Pietro, shaking his head, "Kurt...she CAN'T have died..it's..it's not fair".
Pietro found himself and Kurt suddenly in the 'Mutie Graveyard'. He watched, his eyes widening as Rogue walked solemly to a gavestone there. Already stood there was a figure Pietro hadn't seen in years. Evan Daniels, now with Torpid gone the last of the Morlocks, was also stood by the gave. He watched as Rogue placed some flowers on the grave and put a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"What sort of torture is this?", snapped Pietro, "is that what you want me to see? Rogue and EVAN?!!"
Kurt still remained silent, pointing to the grave as Rogue and Evan left it. Pietro glanced worriedly at Kurt before taking a deep breath and walking towards it. He paused before he could see the name on the headstone.
"Kurt, these are just shadows of what COULD be, right?", he asked hopefully, "i mean....it can all be changed, right? It's not set in stone...right?"
Kurt pointed at the grave again. Pietro narrowed his eyes and edged closer to it, before looking at the name on the headstone. Pietro Maximoff. He paled considerably.
"That's something no one should ever see", he said, before turning a desperate look on Kurt, "believe me, Fuzzy, i've changed, HONEST. I'm not the same man i was. You...you guys wouldn't have show me all of this if you thought i was a hopeless case, would you?"
Kurt said not a word.
"Kurt, PLEASE", Pietro begged, "i'll be the most charitable man i can be. I'll...i'll put your souls at rest. You, Forge, Tabby, Lance, all of you!. I won't forget what all three of you have taught me. I'll remember the past, the present AND the future. Come on, i've changed, really!!".
Pietro found himself enshrouded in darkness. It took only a few seconds to realise he was lying in a coffin....his coffin.
"No! LET ME OUT!!!", he screamed, slamming his fists onto the coffin lid, "i'm a changed man. I'VE CHANGED!!!"
He gave one allmighty shove and suddenly tumbled onto the ground, finding himself wrapped in his blankets. He poked his head out to find himself in his bedroom. He was home
****
Incidentally, that final piece of the chapter was tough to write. One of my deepest fears is being burried alive *shudders*. Do review. Until next time..
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "My father wove a tapestry of profanity which to this day is still hovering somewhere over Lake Michigan".
*****
Chapter 9 - The Ghost of Christmas Yet-To-Come
******
Pietro stood in his empty appartment, numbed as he heard the clock continue to chime. He was getting very, very frightened. He wanted this to end, and end NOW. Just as the 12th chime sounded, the appartment went pitch black. Pietro stood stock still, catching some movement in the darkness. He strained his eyes to see, only to give a squeak of fear as one yellow eye shone in the darkness. Shaking, he reached over to the side table, his hands fumbling until they rested on a torch. He took a deep breath before turning the torch on and pointing it at the intruder. Pietro blinked, his eyes widening and his mouth dropping open at the sight before him. There stood Kurt, not the joyous cheery man he had been....but what he had been reduced to. Deep scars lined his throat, one of his eyes was pure white, the sight in it lost. His pointed elf ears were tattered and his face covered in scars.
"K..kurt...is that you?", whimpered Pietro.
Kurt narrowed his eye and nodded mutely.
"...I guess when they took your voice box out...you lost it for your spirit too, huh?"
When the attack on the Institute took place, the FOH had captured Kurt and put him through all kinds of torture to find out information about the mutants of Bayville. Tabby's words rang in his ears, if there was anyone Pietro had martyred.....it was Kurt. He'd used Kurt as an example of what COULD happen to scare people into buying SCS's. All of a sudden, he was glad THIS Ghost couldn't speak. Pietro doubted he could have taken a grilling from one of the better of them all.
"So...you're gonna show me the future, huh?", he tried conversationally.
Kurt eyed him in silence, before the surroundings of Pietro's appartment faded to outside of Bayville. The city then aged before Pietro's eyes, until they came to where there were lines of belongings strewn on tables in the area in front of his home.
"Who's having a yard sale?", asked Pietro, cocking his head to the side.
Kurt did not reply, mearly pointing a blue, scarred hand in the direction of the tables. Pietro noticed Kitty, Jamie, Amanda, Bobby and Jubilee gathered there, looking through the stuff.
"When did it happen?", asked Bobby, flicking through some CD's.
"Last night, i think", said Jamie, "that's what i've heard, anyway"
"About time if you ask me", growled Jubilee, "maybe we can all have some peace for once".
"You know what they say", said Kitty, "you live by darkness and violence, you'll die by it. He deserved all he got. If there's a SOUL at that funeral, i'll be shocked".
"What I'D like to know is what he did with all his money", said Amanda, "i haven't seen any of it"
"He probably got burried with it", said Bobby, "never was one to part with his cash".
Pietro narrowed his eyes in confusion.
"Who got into THEIR bad books?", he asked, then blinked, "oh...i get it. This is what i'll face, right?...if i don't change? I'll share the fate of this poor guy?"
Kurt was silent as ever, with a flick of his tail, he turned around and pointed in the other direction. Pietro watched as the scene changed again, the town aging even more. They found themselves standing outside an old building, which Pietro instantly recognised as the Mutant Help Center. Only....the building had a huge 'condemed' sign over it. His brow furrowed as he watched Dani and Alex put blankets over some very sick looking children.
"It isn't fair", said Danielle quietly, watching the kids slink off to huddle together in a corner, "we all worked -so- hard to get this place off the ground. I...i can't believe they took Warren and his daughter".
"I know", said Alex, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "...i feel worse for these kids. Without Warren's funding....we have no way to keep it".
"We tried finding homes for the kids at the hospital", said Freddy as he and Jason walked over, "but, they're full up".
"They've got one bed, and that's it", said Jason, "only just been emptied. But one bed won't work for twelve children"
"The shelters closed?", asked Pietro as he watched them all hang their heads low, "wait...that death Kitty and the others were talking about....was it Warren?. I...i thought he was well loved? Why would people be glad he was dead?"
Kurt rolled his eye and walked onwards, until he and Pietro were standing in Wanda and Pyro's home. Wanda was curled up on the couch, sobbing quietly as she held a cushion tight to herself.
"Wanda never cries", said Pietro, confused, "what's wrong with her?".
Kurt remained silent as Pyro walked over to her. brushing a thumb over her cheek, chasing away one of her tears, obvious his heart went out to her.
"It's the baby...isn't it?", said Pietro, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach, "oh, come on, Kurt, it CAN'T be".
"Mummy, why are you crying?".
Pietro turned his head to see a five yer old child looking worriedly as his mother. His eyes were the same as Wanda's...as Pietro's, that shocking ice blue, which were sharp contrast to his flaming red hair. He cocked his head to the side, regarding his mother. Who gave him a weak smile, sitting him up to pull him next to her on the couch in a hug.
"Mummy's just.....sad today, 'kay?", she said softly, her voice breaking.
"Oh", said the child then offered a smile, "candy always cheers me up. You can have some of mine if you like".
Wanda gave another weak smile and gave him a hug.
"I'll make you a cup of tea", said Pyro gently, kissing the top of her head, "come on, Trouble, let your mother have some peace".
"Thanks, John", said Wanda quietly, watching her family head into the kitchen.
Pietro reached out a hand to comfort his sister, only to have it pass right through her. He turned to Kurt.
"Isn't ANYTHING happy in the future?".
He was answered once again by silence.
"I wish you'd shut up for a bit", said Pietro sarcastically, "i can't get a word in edgeways"
Kurt looked at him curiously, before shaking his head as the scene changed once more, this time to the local hospital in the room which Tanya had once been in. Pietro felt his stomach knot as he watched a nurse begin to pack away some toys and books into a box.
"Has Tanya gone home?", he asked.
Kurt blinked at him and they were suddenly in the modest home of the Guthries, where Rahne was crying as the twin Guthrie children hung their heads low. The door opened as a wearly Sam walked in. The twins walked over to him to give him a hug, not the wild stampede Pietro had seen earlier. Sam gave both his children a hug before sitting next to Rhane, pulling her into a gentle hug.
"A'h got a real nice spot of Tanya", he said quietly, "a'h promised we'd...we'd visit every day".
Rahne nodded and gave a sniffle, hugging herself closer to him.
"No", said Pietro, shaking his head, "Kurt...she CAN'T have died..it's..it's not fair".
Pietro found himself and Kurt suddenly in the 'Mutie Graveyard'. He watched, his eyes widening as Rogue walked solemly to a gavestone there. Already stood there was a figure Pietro hadn't seen in years. Evan Daniels, now with Torpid gone the last of the Morlocks, was also stood by the gave. He watched as Rogue placed some flowers on the grave and put a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"What sort of torture is this?", snapped Pietro, "is that what you want me to see? Rogue and EVAN?!!"
Kurt still remained silent, pointing to the grave as Rogue and Evan left it. Pietro glanced worriedly at Kurt before taking a deep breath and walking towards it. He paused before he could see the name on the headstone.
"Kurt, these are just shadows of what COULD be, right?", he asked hopefully, "i mean....it can all be changed, right? It's not set in stone...right?"
Kurt pointed at the grave again. Pietro narrowed his eyes and edged closer to it, before looking at the name on the headstone. Pietro Maximoff. He paled considerably.
"That's something no one should ever see", he said, before turning a desperate look on Kurt, "believe me, Fuzzy, i've changed, HONEST. I'm not the same man i was. You...you guys wouldn't have show me all of this if you thought i was a hopeless case, would you?"
Kurt said not a word.
"Kurt, PLEASE", Pietro begged, "i'll be the most charitable man i can be. I'll...i'll put your souls at rest. You, Forge, Tabby, Lance, all of you!. I won't forget what all three of you have taught me. I'll remember the past, the present AND the future. Come on, i've changed, really!!".
Pietro found himself enshrouded in darkness. It took only a few seconds to realise he was lying in a coffin....his coffin.
"No! LET ME OUT!!!", he screamed, slamming his fists onto the coffin lid, "i'm a changed man. I'VE CHANGED!!!"
He gave one allmighty shove and suddenly tumbled onto the ground, finding himself wrapped in his blankets. He poked his head out to find himself in his bedroom. He was home
****
Incidentally, that final piece of the chapter was tough to write. One of my deepest fears is being burried alive *shudders*. Do review. Until next time..