The cold breeze didn't seem to bother her. It was currently 2:00 am in the
morning she thought. Stones were kicked as she walked by and the young x-
men or shall I say it brotherhood member decided it would be better on her
own. She didn't need the X-men or Pietro. She wasn't scared of anything.
The bats had been flying past her but she didn't care. There was no way
she'd even turn her back for anything. Her mind was fully concentrated
reading every tombstone one by one searching for her mothers. Sorrow filled
her heart with those happy and sad memories. She felt like exploding and
throwing all her anger out but she tried not to. She didn't want to be
found. She just wanted to be on her one for now. How many tombstones has
she read, too many too count. Some of them were old and cracked that she
couldn't read the words. She sat under an oak tree and felt like crying.
Her eyes were so soar from all the reading that her vision went blurry and
sat under an old fragile tree. She notice her eyesight getting worse but
she didn't give up. She promised herself not to even rest until she found
what she was looking for.
Her eyes were inching almost close shut when she spied something in the distance that paid all her work off. It couldn't be! It was a beautiful white tombstone with big capital golden letters carved on it
Majda Novotna- To a beloved mother who will always be remembered.
Born on January 17, 1974 - was murdered on April 3 2003
With much love, your daughter Pepper Rose
Pep read it again and again till her eyes were full of tears and grief. But below the gold marking were written in silver.
W/co Charles X. Xavier
Angry flames flashed in her eyes. It couldn't be! He did this and never told me? Why!
"*Bamf!*"
"Kurt?" her anger lessened.
"Pepper I vas so vorried about you!" He hugged her close to him.
Pep missed his fuzzy hugs. "I...I was." She felt to angry to explain.
"Vhere is he?"
"Who?"
"Dat idiot who brought you here!"
"Pietro is not an idiot Kurt!" Pep defended.
"How can you trust someone like zat." He looked at her sternly.
"Whatcha mean?" Pep was still confused after she remembered Fred saying something like that?
"Man you should never ever go vid him! You might even end up with Magne...." He stopped.
"Who?"
"Um nothin." Kurt lied. Pep was still curious. "C'mon Pep lets get out of this dump!" He let out a hand.
Pep felt like crying. "Look Kurt I know this is hard to explain but I'm one of them now." She said sadly.
"Vat! No way man!"
"Its true." She choked with tears.
"But how? Vhy?"
"I made a promise with Pietro and..."
"For what!"
"That he'll show me where my mom was buried!" Anger rose again.
"Vat? Your mother?"
Pep pointed to her tombstone. "And you never told me about this!"
Kurt read it quickly and gulped. "I have no idea ze Professor zid this I swear!" he lied.
"Yeah right! Admit it Kurt you knew about it!"
Before Kurt could come up with an excuse. Pietro zoomed in and took Pep away from him.
"There you are girl! What was your problem leaving me like that! I had to look for you everywhere as in everywhere!" he yelled to her like he never did before.
Kurt teleported and tackled him. "Get away from her you kidnapper!"
"I didn't kidnap her Elf Boy!" Pietro smirked and escaped from his strangle.
"I bet you were going to deliver to...."
Pietro punched him. "Shut up!"
"Kurt then answered him back with a kick. "No you shut up!"
The fight then started. Kurt kept teleporting in front of Pietro trying t choke him but Pietro would just dodge every single move Kurt tried to do to him. There was too much violence and they ended up having bruises and cuts.
Pep had to do something. She liked those too so much but they didn't like each other. Flames grew in her eyes. "Stop it!" she screamed making every tombstone explode and tree burn!
Pietro's left arm was about to punch Kurt who was on the ground ready to bite his right arm but they bought stop when they saw what happened.
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
"Is she here?" Bobby asked looking through the bushes.
"Nope." Rogue answered.
"Then where can she be?" Bobby felt like giving up.
"Its ok Ice Boy will find her ah know it." Rogue put her gloved hand on his shoulder.
"Hey guys any sign of her?" Amara came running from a distance.
Bobby and Rogue nodded. "Hey where's Berzerker?" Bobby asked.
Just then Ray fell off a tree and landed on him. "Oof! What was that for!"
"Ray has been climbing trees looking for her." Amara explained.
"Wow how smart." Rogue said annoyed.
"Hey who knows she could be hiding there." Ray said.
"Will you please get off me!" Bobby couldn't breathe.
"Yeah whatever." He stood up and pulled Bobby to his feet.
"I don't hear a thank you." Ray demanded.
"Thank you for what!"
"Do yah want me to put yah both in a comma!" Rogue yelled.
"But he started it!"
"Sheesh it was an accident!"
Will yah two please pipe down and look for her!" she ordered already taking off a glove.
Amara just giggled. "I wonder how the others are doing?"
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
"After this I swear I'm not going to watch anymore horror movies." Kitty said shivering.
"Its ok Kitty Pie I'm right here." Lance took of his vest and lent it to her.
"Like thanks." Kitty smiled but still looked spooked.
"No prob." This is perfect. He thought. Me and Kitty all alone for once. I just wish we were in a romantic place and maybe we can make out or something.
"Lance."
"Yeah."
"I never knew we'd end up like this."
"I know." He blushed.
"What's happening?" Fred asked who was carrying Todd on his shoulders and watching the couple flirt from a distance.
"Yo, yo, yo, their gonna do it I just know it!" Todd answered jumping.
"Hey whoa!" Fred lost his balance making them fall on the ground followed by a loud thud!
"What was that!" Kitty jumped on Lance and they both fell.
"Shoot! Stay here Kitty. I'll go see what it is!" he walked to that direction.
"Um hey Lancy what's up." Todd trembled.
"What the hell were you guys doing!" he let the ground shake a bit.
"Nothin." Fred lied.
"If I catch you spying on us like that again..."
"Um Lance who are you talking to?" Kitty phased through a tree that freaked them out.
"Ghost!" Fred ran away.
"Run for your lives!" Todd followed Fred, hopping.
"Like what was that all about?" Kitty asked clueless.
"Um nothin. So where were we?"
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
"Jean you ok?" Scott asked.
"Not really I've been having these bad headaches." She complained.
"Oh."
"Jean are you sure your leading us to Kurt?" Scott asked when they reached the entrance gate for the third time.
"I dunno?"
"Stupid headaches." He muttered.
"I heard that."
"Sorry."
"Scott I know you're angry at Pepper. Its not her fault this happened."
"We um..."
"You shouldn't blame her for everything she does at the institute. I know, I see it without your knowing."
"But!"
"So what. It's just a car! That's all you care about now do you?"
"Will you please stop reading my mind and let me do the talking."
"Sorry."
"I like the kid its just that she always causes trouble. She's just too..."
"Uncontrollable." Jean finished his sentence.
"See you did it again!"
Jean ignored him and was staring at a distance.
"I'm really sorry Jean. It's just that I hate it when you do that... Jean?"
"Scott something's not right again and its coming from over there." They both stared at the direction she pointed at and suddenly a loud explosion was heard!
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
Pep lost her control and everything in her way either burned or blew up. More energy burst out of her body creating radioactive waves heating up just everything.
"Whoa!" Pietro freaked. Covered in black soot.
"Now see vat you made her do!" Kurt yelled with his uniform half burnt.
"Me! What the hell did I do Fuzz Boy?"
A flaming tombstone almost hit them but Kurt quickly teleported them out of the way.
"Zat!"
"She always does that anywayz!"
"Ja but you've never seen her like zis!"
Just then the ground blew up sending them flying off the ground and hitting a tree!
"See vat I mean!"
"That's it I'm gonna get her!" Pietro zoomed passed the flames. He had to stopped cause they were to hot and burning his unifrom. He ran back to where Kurt was.
"Dude it's burning like hell in there!"
"I guess your not to fast enough Quicksilver!" Kurt stood up and was ready to teleport.
Pietro gave him a quick punch and knocked him out. "You call that not fast enough!" he smirked. "I have to get to Pep I just got to!"
He ran as fast as his speedy legs could take him there. The flames started hitting him but he didn't care. He went on and on until he saw the girl lying unconscious on the ground.
"Pep get up!"
There was no answer.
"Pep please I know you could do it!" he pick her up and shook her hoping for an answer.
"Pep!" tears started falling.
Still there no answer.
"I never knew this would happen! You were such a great kid and you knew how to have fun! You were always there for me when I was scared. You're my partner in crime remember! You rocked like hell in basketball, really! And l loved playing and hide and seek with ya. He started sobbing. I thought you were a stupid mindless runt but you're different Pep. I like you... as a friend! And you're like a lil sister to me, and that makes me a big brother right? I have to be responsible and everything but look where things ended up. I was concentrating so hard on my challenge. I just want dad to be proud of me for once." He slapped his mouth. "What was I saying! I'm against her! But this is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. Letting her think that I'm the good guy. Man, me and my big fast mouth! I hope she didn't hear a single word I said!"
Pep hadn't moved a single bit but started breathing.
"That's it squirt. Keep breathing. Everything's gonna be alright now with Speedy here." He hugged her tight.
"Pietro?" her bright red eyes opened still glowing with flames and was closed shut after.
"Hold on Pep this is gonna be a rough ride!" he carried her and zoomed out of the fiery flames.
Pietro was dead tired and burnt out. He noticed Pep hadn't moved at all and the flames had died down and were extinguished.
"Gah this challenge wasn't as easy as I thought." The speed demon gasped for breath.
Suddenly the ground cracked in half and made the both of them separate.
"Yup it aint easy Maximoff, you gotta let go of the runt, NOW!" Lance said a few feet away from him.
"Make me fishbowl head!" He jumped to Pep's side.
Pep's body somehow floated in the air away from him and was caught by Scott. "She belongs to us!" he aimed his visor at Pietro.
"Oooh looky, looks like the X-geeks came to the rescue."
Rogue suddenly appeared with both her gloves off, Jean floating in mid air, Bobby covered in a layer of ice, Ray with electric bolts forming in his hands and Amara ready to throw fireballs. "You mean the X-men!" they all said in unison.
Quicksilver backed away and bumped into Blob. "Your not goin anywhere Speedy!" he grabbed hold of him and made sure he couldn't escape.
"Blob I order you to put me down this instant!" he tried to slip through his arms but failed.
Toad hopped into the scene and laughed at Pietro. "I can't believe this is really happening!" he cackled.
"Toad wait till I get free! You still owe me an extra uni..."
A goop of slime hit him smack in the face. "That would shut him up for a while." Toad gave Blob a high five.
Kitty and Kurt teleported down from the tree they were on.
"Like that was so sick of you Toad!" Kitty said grossed out.
"Thanks." He said proudly.
"Man zat vas some entertainment." Kurt commented holding his sore jaw.
"Yeah it sure was. Nice working with ya Summers!" Lance said to Scott.
"You too Alvers. Thanks for getting one of team members back." Scott smiled at him.
"Yeah whatever! If I ever see her ten feet away from the Brotherhood Mansion, she's a dead kid!" he stomped his foot and made all the X-men fall on their butts. "Later losers!" Lance said as they walked away.
"But I thought we were the losers?" Todd's voice could still be heard.
"Boy are you are gonna be a dead frog tomorrow!" Fred yelled.
"For the last time I'm a Toad!"
"What's their problem!" Ray stood up.
"Some boyfriend you have there Kit." Bobby said rubbing his sore butt.
"Boy he is such a jerk!" Amara exclaimed.
"Lance has always been a jerk anyway!" Kitty sided with Amara but deep
inside she really loved him no matter what.
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
In the Institutes Emergency Room...
Pep woke up in the same bed she slept on they day she arrived. "Huh. Where am I? How did I get here? Why am I back here?" Were the first thoughts in
her mind.
She stood up, took a sip of warm water that was place on the table right
next to her bed. After a few gulps, she put down the glass and tried to recall yesterday's events. Oh, how she met the Brotherhood. She started
laughing
"I remember wearing a green and silver uniform, eating pixie stix, running crazy and blowing up things and bouncing on Fred's stomach. Then we played basketball and beat those two very bad...um what was the score again? Then lets see...oh ya hide and seek and I hid under a bed and fell asleep? Wait a minute why am I here?" She couldn't recall anything else especially about Todd wearing pajamas and having his very own Kermit doll and also cemetery
incident and her promise with Pietro. She heard voices from downstairs.
She looked at the clock and realized it was morning already. Pep was back to normal and felt the energy rising again. That was usually normal. She walked out the door and examined the place then went on her way down hall. She heard the voices again from a room so she let her ear rest on the door
and recognized the voices of Logan and Xavier.
"I'm telling you Chuck she's too flammable." Logan said looking out the
window.
"I know Logan but one day she'll be in control of herself. She just needs
time. Xavier answered, looking a bit worried.
"You mean a really long time. Why don't you allow her to train in the
Danger Room. It will really help."
"I'm afraid not. I think she's just to young to handle it."
"Did you erase her memory already?" Logan changed the subject.
"I had a really hard time doing it but I managed to erase the cemetery incident. She better not now anything about her mother's grave until it is
time."
"And ya better tell her who the Brotherhood really is?"
"Yes of course she better know that."
"How about the Acolytes and Magneto?"
"No she shouldn't know about that...yet."
"I'm telling you Chuck she better know about them before its too late."
"I suppose your right but maybe she can also figure about it on her own."
"Whatever Bub but its for her safety." He opened the door and left.
On the way out he managed to bump into the young mutant before she could
escape.
"Ah...hi Mr. Loggan?" she greeted a little nervous.
"Hey squirt you ok?" he looked at her with an eyebrow raised.
"Um...yeah I was just um- going to use the bathroom." She started walking
away.
"I hope you weren't eavesdropping or else!" he let out his blades.
Pep froze like a statue. "Nnno sir I wasn't." she was more scared than
ever.
"Ya sure?" he tried to act calm after he saw the fear in her eyes.
"Of course sir." She gave him an innocent smile.
"Hmph kids these days and by the way the bathroom is over there." he
pointed to the opposite direction she was about to go to.
"Heh heh thanks." She walked as fast as she could, opened the bathroom door
and slammed it. "Man that was close!" she rested on the wall.
"Flammable?" she remembered Logan calling her that. "I kinda like that name. Since everyone has codenames I should have one too. Just to make a
little different I would only have one 'm'! Flamable is perfect!" she
jumped with joy then stopped afterward.
"I don't understand? The Professor erased my memories, but why? And who are the Acolytes?" she much questions were exploding in her head especially the
one about her mother's grave. Just before she could come up with some
answers a blue fuzzy demon appeared right in front of her.
"Dude cant you see I'm trying to have some privacy here!" Kurt said a
little shock and didn't even realize who he was talking to.
"Um Kurt its me Pep, remember." She laughed gave him a cute smile.
"Pepper!" he hugged the lil flamable and locked his arms around her.
"Get off me you blue fuzz ball!" she joked.
"Kurt hugged her tighter and let go. "I'm so glad to see you again! Man
everyone's been vorrying about you!"
"Well I guess I'm back!" she hugged him in return.
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
Somewhere in the Brotherhood Mansion...
"Lemme outta here! I order you lemme outta here!" Pietro's yells could be
heard from the smallest room around the mansion, which was actually a
closet.
"What's the password?" Todd asked wearing one of his uniforms and holding
on to Toad Junior.
"You never told me there was a freakin password!" Pietro yelled and kept
banging on the door.
"Oh yes there is." Fred sided with Todd.
"And it changes every minute!" Lance laughed reading a magazine.
"Wait till Magneto hears about this. You guys are so dead!" Pietro stopped
banging.
"Yeah so what!" Todd said.
"By the way I crushed that stupid cell phone of yours." Fred said proudly.
"You what! You let that big butt of yours crush my cell phone!"
"Yup I sure did!"
"Hey Lancy when are we gonna let him out?" Todd snickered.
"Hmm in a couple of hours or should I say days!"
"Days! You can't leave me in here! I have claustrophobia!" Pietro started
banging and hitting his head on the door.
"Pipe down you moron!" Lance yelled and was starting to have a headache.
"Um what's a claustrophobia?" Fred asked.
"Ooh I know what is! I heard it from Fear Factor! It means, it means?" Todd
tried to explain. "Um I'll go get the dictionary." He hopped to the
library.
"Hey guys I'm getting sick of hearing Pietro cry like a baby. Wanna go to
the movies or somethin? My treat." Lance offered.
"Sure what are we waiting for, lets go!" Fred got up and ran through the
door creating a hole that was the shape of his huge body.
"Fred your turn to replace the door!" Lance slapped his face.
"Yo did I here movies! Wait for me! Quickwart is coming too!" he was the
last one out.
"Todd don't tell me your wearing my uniform again! That was my last..." his
sentence was finished by the sounds of Lance's jeep. "One."
Pietro couldn't believe it. Everything was going fine like he thought it would. But after all the hard work he ended up being locked in a closet for the past ten hours and lost Pep. "Dad would be so mad at me after what I did!" he thought and started crying. Not only did he lose his challenge, he
also lost a friend, his only friend for now.
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
First of all I would want to apologize for delaying this chap. It was the holidays that bothered me. I hope you enjoyed yours. So how was it? Whew I was in a hurry in this one. Pep is back with the X-men again poor Pietro is
locked in a closet. Don't worry I'll be writing more fics of Pepper aka
Flamable. Hope you enjoyed. Don't forget to review. Thanks for all my
reviewers.
Her eyes were inching almost close shut when she spied something in the distance that paid all her work off. It couldn't be! It was a beautiful white tombstone with big capital golden letters carved on it
Majda Novotna- To a beloved mother who will always be remembered.
Born on January 17, 1974 - was murdered on April 3 2003
With much love, your daughter Pepper Rose
Pep read it again and again till her eyes were full of tears and grief. But below the gold marking were written in silver.
W/co Charles X. Xavier
Angry flames flashed in her eyes. It couldn't be! He did this and never told me? Why!
"*Bamf!*"
"Kurt?" her anger lessened.
"Pepper I vas so vorried about you!" He hugged her close to him.
Pep missed his fuzzy hugs. "I...I was." She felt to angry to explain.
"Vhere is he?"
"Who?"
"Dat idiot who brought you here!"
"Pietro is not an idiot Kurt!" Pep defended.
"How can you trust someone like zat." He looked at her sternly.
"Whatcha mean?" Pep was still confused after she remembered Fred saying something like that?
"Man you should never ever go vid him! You might even end up with Magne...." He stopped.
"Who?"
"Um nothin." Kurt lied. Pep was still curious. "C'mon Pep lets get out of this dump!" He let out a hand.
Pep felt like crying. "Look Kurt I know this is hard to explain but I'm one of them now." She said sadly.
"Vat! No way man!"
"Its true." She choked with tears.
"But how? Vhy?"
"I made a promise with Pietro and..."
"For what!"
"That he'll show me where my mom was buried!" Anger rose again.
"Vat? Your mother?"
Pep pointed to her tombstone. "And you never told me about this!"
Kurt read it quickly and gulped. "I have no idea ze Professor zid this I swear!" he lied.
"Yeah right! Admit it Kurt you knew about it!"
Before Kurt could come up with an excuse. Pietro zoomed in and took Pep away from him.
"There you are girl! What was your problem leaving me like that! I had to look for you everywhere as in everywhere!" he yelled to her like he never did before.
Kurt teleported and tackled him. "Get away from her you kidnapper!"
"I didn't kidnap her Elf Boy!" Pietro smirked and escaped from his strangle.
"I bet you were going to deliver to...."
Pietro punched him. "Shut up!"
"Kurt then answered him back with a kick. "No you shut up!"
The fight then started. Kurt kept teleporting in front of Pietro trying t choke him but Pietro would just dodge every single move Kurt tried to do to him. There was too much violence and they ended up having bruises and cuts.
Pep had to do something. She liked those too so much but they didn't like each other. Flames grew in her eyes. "Stop it!" she screamed making every tombstone explode and tree burn!
Pietro's left arm was about to punch Kurt who was on the ground ready to bite his right arm but they bought stop when they saw what happened.
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
"Is she here?" Bobby asked looking through the bushes.
"Nope." Rogue answered.
"Then where can she be?" Bobby felt like giving up.
"Its ok Ice Boy will find her ah know it." Rogue put her gloved hand on his shoulder.
"Hey guys any sign of her?" Amara came running from a distance.
Bobby and Rogue nodded. "Hey where's Berzerker?" Bobby asked.
Just then Ray fell off a tree and landed on him. "Oof! What was that for!"
"Ray has been climbing trees looking for her." Amara explained.
"Wow how smart." Rogue said annoyed.
"Hey who knows she could be hiding there." Ray said.
"Will you please get off me!" Bobby couldn't breathe.
"Yeah whatever." He stood up and pulled Bobby to his feet.
"I don't hear a thank you." Ray demanded.
"Thank you for what!"
"Do yah want me to put yah both in a comma!" Rogue yelled.
"But he started it!"
"Sheesh it was an accident!"
Will yah two please pipe down and look for her!" she ordered already taking off a glove.
Amara just giggled. "I wonder how the others are doing?"
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
"After this I swear I'm not going to watch anymore horror movies." Kitty said shivering.
"Its ok Kitty Pie I'm right here." Lance took of his vest and lent it to her.
"Like thanks." Kitty smiled but still looked spooked.
"No prob." This is perfect. He thought. Me and Kitty all alone for once. I just wish we were in a romantic place and maybe we can make out or something.
"Lance."
"Yeah."
"I never knew we'd end up like this."
"I know." He blushed.
"What's happening?" Fred asked who was carrying Todd on his shoulders and watching the couple flirt from a distance.
"Yo, yo, yo, their gonna do it I just know it!" Todd answered jumping.
"Hey whoa!" Fred lost his balance making them fall on the ground followed by a loud thud!
"What was that!" Kitty jumped on Lance and they both fell.
"Shoot! Stay here Kitty. I'll go see what it is!" he walked to that direction.
"Um hey Lancy what's up." Todd trembled.
"What the hell were you guys doing!" he let the ground shake a bit.
"Nothin." Fred lied.
"If I catch you spying on us like that again..."
"Um Lance who are you talking to?" Kitty phased through a tree that freaked them out.
"Ghost!" Fred ran away.
"Run for your lives!" Todd followed Fred, hopping.
"Like what was that all about?" Kitty asked clueless.
"Um nothin. So where were we?"
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
"Jean you ok?" Scott asked.
"Not really I've been having these bad headaches." She complained.
"Oh."
"Jean are you sure your leading us to Kurt?" Scott asked when they reached the entrance gate for the third time.
"I dunno?"
"Stupid headaches." He muttered.
"I heard that."
"Sorry."
"Scott I know you're angry at Pepper. Its not her fault this happened."
"We um..."
"You shouldn't blame her for everything she does at the institute. I know, I see it without your knowing."
"But!"
"So what. It's just a car! That's all you care about now do you?"
"Will you please stop reading my mind and let me do the talking."
"Sorry."
"I like the kid its just that she always causes trouble. She's just too..."
"Uncontrollable." Jean finished his sentence.
"See you did it again!"
Jean ignored him and was staring at a distance.
"I'm really sorry Jean. It's just that I hate it when you do that... Jean?"
"Scott something's not right again and its coming from over there." They both stared at the direction she pointed at and suddenly a loud explosion was heard!
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
Pep lost her control and everything in her way either burned or blew up. More energy burst out of her body creating radioactive waves heating up just everything.
"Whoa!" Pietro freaked. Covered in black soot.
"Now see vat you made her do!" Kurt yelled with his uniform half burnt.
"Me! What the hell did I do Fuzz Boy?"
A flaming tombstone almost hit them but Kurt quickly teleported them out of the way.
"Zat!"
"She always does that anywayz!"
"Ja but you've never seen her like zis!"
Just then the ground blew up sending them flying off the ground and hitting a tree!
"See vat I mean!"
"That's it I'm gonna get her!" Pietro zoomed passed the flames. He had to stopped cause they were to hot and burning his unifrom. He ran back to where Kurt was.
"Dude it's burning like hell in there!"
"I guess your not to fast enough Quicksilver!" Kurt stood up and was ready to teleport.
Pietro gave him a quick punch and knocked him out. "You call that not fast enough!" he smirked. "I have to get to Pep I just got to!"
He ran as fast as his speedy legs could take him there. The flames started hitting him but he didn't care. He went on and on until he saw the girl lying unconscious on the ground.
"Pep get up!"
There was no answer.
"Pep please I know you could do it!" he pick her up and shook her hoping for an answer.
"Pep!" tears started falling.
Still there no answer.
"I never knew this would happen! You were such a great kid and you knew how to have fun! You were always there for me when I was scared. You're my partner in crime remember! You rocked like hell in basketball, really! And l loved playing and hide and seek with ya. He started sobbing. I thought you were a stupid mindless runt but you're different Pep. I like you... as a friend! And you're like a lil sister to me, and that makes me a big brother right? I have to be responsible and everything but look where things ended up. I was concentrating so hard on my challenge. I just want dad to be proud of me for once." He slapped his mouth. "What was I saying! I'm against her! But this is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. Letting her think that I'm the good guy. Man, me and my big fast mouth! I hope she didn't hear a single word I said!"
Pep hadn't moved a single bit but started breathing.
"That's it squirt. Keep breathing. Everything's gonna be alright now with Speedy here." He hugged her tight.
"Pietro?" her bright red eyes opened still glowing with flames and was closed shut after.
"Hold on Pep this is gonna be a rough ride!" he carried her and zoomed out of the fiery flames.
Pietro was dead tired and burnt out. He noticed Pep hadn't moved at all and the flames had died down and were extinguished.
"Gah this challenge wasn't as easy as I thought." The speed demon gasped for breath.
Suddenly the ground cracked in half and made the both of them separate.
"Yup it aint easy Maximoff, you gotta let go of the runt, NOW!" Lance said a few feet away from him.
"Make me fishbowl head!" He jumped to Pep's side.
Pep's body somehow floated in the air away from him and was caught by Scott. "She belongs to us!" he aimed his visor at Pietro.
"Oooh looky, looks like the X-geeks came to the rescue."
Rogue suddenly appeared with both her gloves off, Jean floating in mid air, Bobby covered in a layer of ice, Ray with electric bolts forming in his hands and Amara ready to throw fireballs. "You mean the X-men!" they all said in unison.
Quicksilver backed away and bumped into Blob. "Your not goin anywhere Speedy!" he grabbed hold of him and made sure he couldn't escape.
"Blob I order you to put me down this instant!" he tried to slip through his arms but failed.
Toad hopped into the scene and laughed at Pietro. "I can't believe this is really happening!" he cackled.
"Toad wait till I get free! You still owe me an extra uni..."
A goop of slime hit him smack in the face. "That would shut him up for a while." Toad gave Blob a high five.
Kitty and Kurt teleported down from the tree they were on.
"Like that was so sick of you Toad!" Kitty said grossed out.
"Thanks." He said proudly.
"Man zat vas some entertainment." Kurt commented holding his sore jaw.
"Yeah it sure was. Nice working with ya Summers!" Lance said to Scott.
"You too Alvers. Thanks for getting one of team members back." Scott smiled at him.
"Yeah whatever! If I ever see her ten feet away from the Brotherhood Mansion, she's a dead kid!" he stomped his foot and made all the X-men fall on their butts. "Later losers!" Lance said as they walked away.
"But I thought we were the losers?" Todd's voice could still be heard.
"Boy are you are gonna be a dead frog tomorrow!" Fred yelled.
"For the last time I'm a Toad!"
"What's their problem!" Ray stood up.
"Some boyfriend you have there Kit." Bobby said rubbing his sore butt.
"Boy he is such a jerk!" Amara exclaimed.
"Lance has always been a jerk anyway!" Kitty sided with Amara but deep
inside she really loved him no matter what.
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In the Institutes Emergency Room...
Pep woke up in the same bed she slept on they day she arrived. "Huh. Where am I? How did I get here? Why am I back here?" Were the first thoughts in
her mind.
She stood up, took a sip of warm water that was place on the table right
next to her bed. After a few gulps, she put down the glass and tried to recall yesterday's events. Oh, how she met the Brotherhood. She started
laughing
"I remember wearing a green and silver uniform, eating pixie stix, running crazy and blowing up things and bouncing on Fred's stomach. Then we played basketball and beat those two very bad...um what was the score again? Then lets see...oh ya hide and seek and I hid under a bed and fell asleep? Wait a minute why am I here?" She couldn't recall anything else especially about Todd wearing pajamas and having his very own Kermit doll and also cemetery
incident and her promise with Pietro. She heard voices from downstairs.
She looked at the clock and realized it was morning already. Pep was back to normal and felt the energy rising again. That was usually normal. She walked out the door and examined the place then went on her way down hall. She heard the voices again from a room so she let her ear rest on the door
and recognized the voices of Logan and Xavier.
"I'm telling you Chuck she's too flammable." Logan said looking out the
window.
"I know Logan but one day she'll be in control of herself. She just needs
time. Xavier answered, looking a bit worried.
"You mean a really long time. Why don't you allow her to train in the
Danger Room. It will really help."
"I'm afraid not. I think she's just to young to handle it."
"Did you erase her memory already?" Logan changed the subject.
"I had a really hard time doing it but I managed to erase the cemetery incident. She better not now anything about her mother's grave until it is
time."
"And ya better tell her who the Brotherhood really is?"
"Yes of course she better know that."
"How about the Acolytes and Magneto?"
"No she shouldn't know about that...yet."
"I'm telling you Chuck she better know about them before its too late."
"I suppose your right but maybe she can also figure about it on her own."
"Whatever Bub but its for her safety." He opened the door and left.
On the way out he managed to bump into the young mutant before she could
escape.
"Ah...hi Mr. Loggan?" she greeted a little nervous.
"Hey squirt you ok?" he looked at her with an eyebrow raised.
"Um...yeah I was just um- going to use the bathroom." She started walking
away.
"I hope you weren't eavesdropping or else!" he let out his blades.
Pep froze like a statue. "Nnno sir I wasn't." she was more scared than
ever.
"Ya sure?" he tried to act calm after he saw the fear in her eyes.
"Of course sir." She gave him an innocent smile.
"Hmph kids these days and by the way the bathroom is over there." he
pointed to the opposite direction she was about to go to.
"Heh heh thanks." She walked as fast as she could, opened the bathroom door
and slammed it. "Man that was close!" she rested on the wall.
"Flammable?" she remembered Logan calling her that. "I kinda like that name. Since everyone has codenames I should have one too. Just to make a
little different I would only have one 'm'! Flamable is perfect!" she
jumped with joy then stopped afterward.
"I don't understand? The Professor erased my memories, but why? And who are the Acolytes?" she much questions were exploding in her head especially the
one about her mother's grave. Just before she could come up with some
answers a blue fuzzy demon appeared right in front of her.
"Dude cant you see I'm trying to have some privacy here!" Kurt said a
little shock and didn't even realize who he was talking to.
"Um Kurt its me Pep, remember." She laughed gave him a cute smile.
"Pepper!" he hugged the lil flamable and locked his arms around her.
"Get off me you blue fuzz ball!" she joked.
"Kurt hugged her tighter and let go. "I'm so glad to see you again! Man
everyone's been vorrying about you!"
"Well I guess I'm back!" she hugged him in return.
_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_
Somewhere in the Brotherhood Mansion...
"Lemme outta here! I order you lemme outta here!" Pietro's yells could be
heard from the smallest room around the mansion, which was actually a
closet.
"What's the password?" Todd asked wearing one of his uniforms and holding
on to Toad Junior.
"You never told me there was a freakin password!" Pietro yelled and kept
banging on the door.
"Oh yes there is." Fred sided with Todd.
"And it changes every minute!" Lance laughed reading a magazine.
"Wait till Magneto hears about this. You guys are so dead!" Pietro stopped
banging.
"Yeah so what!" Todd said.
"By the way I crushed that stupid cell phone of yours." Fred said proudly.
"You what! You let that big butt of yours crush my cell phone!"
"Yup I sure did!"
"Hey Lancy when are we gonna let him out?" Todd snickered.
"Hmm in a couple of hours or should I say days!"
"Days! You can't leave me in here! I have claustrophobia!" Pietro started
banging and hitting his head on the door.
"Pipe down you moron!" Lance yelled and was starting to have a headache.
"Um what's a claustrophobia?" Fred asked.
"Ooh I know what is! I heard it from Fear Factor! It means, it means?" Todd
tried to explain. "Um I'll go get the dictionary." He hopped to the
library.
"Hey guys I'm getting sick of hearing Pietro cry like a baby. Wanna go to
the movies or somethin? My treat." Lance offered.
"Sure what are we waiting for, lets go!" Fred got up and ran through the
door creating a hole that was the shape of his huge body.
"Fred your turn to replace the door!" Lance slapped his face.
"Yo did I here movies! Wait for me! Quickwart is coming too!" he was the
last one out.
"Todd don't tell me your wearing my uniform again! That was my last..." his
sentence was finished by the sounds of Lance's jeep. "One."
Pietro couldn't believe it. Everything was going fine like he thought it would. But after all the hard work he ended up being locked in a closet for the past ten hours and lost Pep. "Dad would be so mad at me after what I did!" he thought and started crying. Not only did he lose his challenge, he
also lost a friend, his only friend for now.
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First of all I would want to apologize for delaying this chap. It was the holidays that bothered me. I hope you enjoyed yours. So how was it? Whew I was in a hurry in this one. Pep is back with the X-men again poor Pietro is
locked in a closet. Don't worry I'll be writing more fics of Pepper aka
Flamable. Hope you enjoyed. Don't forget to review. Thanks for all my
reviewers.