Film at Eleven
"You're kidding me," Scott looked at Xavier.
"Like it or not Scott we need to do something to clear our reputation," Xavier sighed. "True the Misfit's actions have helped lessen the anti-mutant hysteria. But people still look at us with mistrust."
"So you're gonna do a thing like the Misfits did?" Scott was taken aback. "I dunno professor."
"Yeah won't people think that we're copying them?" Jean asked.
"Does it really matter?" Rogue asked. "Since when do we care what people think?"
"Since more people are for mutant registration," Xavier said. "I'm not crazy about this either but we need to present ourselves in a positive light. It's only a small interview at the city zoo."
"Why the zoo?" Kurt asked.
"It's appropriate if you ask me," Rogue muttered.
"I wanted a neutral setting," Xavier said. "To have mutants casually interact in public. Besides they said something about the studio needing to be fumigated but I suspect that's a lie."
"You mean you didn't want the Misfits intruding on our live broadcast," Jean smirked.
"Well that did come to mind," Xavier said. "But also I wanted to protect the privacy of the students here. I only want some of you to present yourselves to the public. Scott, Jean, Kurt…"
"Can I wear my image inducer?" Kurt asked.
"Yes," Xavier said. "Kitty, Bobby and Rogue…"
"Count me out of this!" Rogue stomped away. "You guys wanna primp in front of the TV and act like prima donnas be my guest!"
"All right!" Bobby grinned. "I can't wait for my close up!"
"Oh boy…" Scott groaned.
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"What's going on?" Spyder asked.
"There's a live broadcast of the X-Geeks getting interviewed!" Arcade snapped. "You should have heard some of the stuff they said about us!"
"Yeah how we used to be hoods and all that garbage," Lance huffed.
"Excuse me if I am mistaken but weren't you?" Xi asked.
"That's not the point Xi!" Lance snapped.
"At least when we insulted them it was kinda hidden," Todd huffed. "You know in code. But this!"
"I agree," Shipwreck nodded. "Roadblock are you still on hold?"
"Yes," Roadblock snapped. "Come on Xavier I know you're listening!"
"I'm just saying it's a good thing those guys are already in the army," Scott said. "Otherwise they'd be in jail right about now."
"Those jerks are trashing us?" Lance shouted. "Unbelievable!"
"Of all the double crossing…" Shipwreck snapped.
"I have an idea," Pietro grinned. "But you guys might not want to hear it." He indicated the adults.
"Does it involve showing Xavier up and teaching them a lesson?" Shipwreck asked.
"Oh yeah," Pietro grinned.
"What do you mean by 'telling the truth for once'?" Roadblock shouted into the phone. "Xavier…Don't hang up on me! Don't hang up on…" He stood there with the phone in his hand. "He hung up on me."
"So what do you think?" Pietro asked.
"Do it," Roadblock said.
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The X-Men were sitting with reporter Trish Trilby in the park area at the city zoo. "You seem to have a bit of a rivalry with the Misfits," She asked.
"Let's just say it's an appropriate name for them," Kurt said. He had his inducer turned on. "Now can we stop talking about them?"
"Why this is our favorite subject?" Pietro ran up.
"Quicksilver?" Scott blinked. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh we were in the neighborhood and we just had to come by," Pietro grinned.
"We?" Scott growled as he saw Lance, Todd and Fred walk up. "Oh great!"
"Hi there!" Todd immediately hopped over to Trish and positioned himself closest to her. "My don't you look lovely Ms. Trilby! Oh my the camera doesn't do you justice!"
"Speaking of justice…" Scott growled. "Where's the rest of the moron brigade?"
"The ladies are at home with Xi," Fred grinned. "So Trish what's new?"
"Uh…We were just talking about you," Trish gulped.
"We know," Lance glared at the X-Men. "And I can imagine what they said!"
"Okay lady I'm gonna level with you," Todd said. "Yeah we knew that you were shooting here today and we came on purpose. But only because we thought you viewers ought to know the real truth about what's goin' on here ya know what I'm saying? I mean you know this dog and pony show Xavier has got going on here is just a PR blitz right? Somebody's gotta tell you the real deal. You have no idea the kinds of stuff that goes on down here! Take Scott and Jean, your so-called 'perfect' couple. Not always true! See Scott always had the hots for Jean, and she liked him. But what she really liked was being popular. You know, blending in. Trying to be as normal as humanly possible. Or should that be mutantly possible? Anyway she decides to go date the captain of the football team. A real jerk by the name of Duncan Matthews."
"Duncan Matthews? I've heard that name before," She said.
"You should," Her cameraman said. "It was his car that crashed into yours the other day."
"That jerk?" She yelled. "He tried to hit on me on top of that. He's a total creep!"
"Tell me about it!" Todd nodded. "Now you would think a telepath would have more of a clue of what goes on in a jerk's head. But nooooo! Oh man, she was clueless. Hey I may not be the swiftest thinker on the planet but even I can figure out what kind of a guy he was. I guess she was really desperate to fit in. Or maybe he didn't have that much goin' on upstairs for her to worry about reading his thoughts if you get my drift."
"You're dead you realize that Toad?" Jean snapped.
"Verbal abuse!" Pietro shouted.
"You guys are gonna get some physical abuse if you don't get out of here!" Scott snapped.
"Oh that's the X-Men's answer to everything that doesn't go your way? Beat people up? Typical!" Pietro huffed. "Just like back in the days where we all went to school together!"
"Before or after you guys totally trashed it!" Kitty shouted.
"That was an accident and you know it," Lance hissed. "Besides we were under attack by Cobra at the time. Kind of a stressful situation if you know what I mean!"
"They make us out to be the bad guys but the truth is they were the ones that started all the fights!" Fred said. "All of their gang picking on poor outnumbered, under trained and underfed us!"
"You jerks made our lives miserable!" Scott shouted.
"Oh so then school wasn't a complete waste of time," Todd remarked. "And I wouldn't be throwing around examples if I were you guys! Let's not forget who was responsible for the disaster at the Sadie Hawkins Dance. Or should I say the 'Monster Mash'?"
"Yeah!" Fred said. "Or how about a certain soccer game? You wanna go into that?"
"You were the ones who started the fight that day!" Kitty shouted.
"Yeah and you remember why huh?" Lance said. "By the way what's the deal with you two timing me with Peter the other night! I know about your 'study time'."
"I don't know what you're talking about Lance!" Kitty snapped.
"Jamie does," Lance folded his arms. "He told Trinity everything!"
"I'm gonna kill him," Kitty groaned. "I knew I should have bribed him!"
"What happened?" Jean asked.
"She took a page out of your book Jean," Fred remarked. "You know the chapter about stringing two guys at the same time?"
"Am I ever going to be forgiven for dating that loser?" Jean shouted.
"So you see Trish, some people are just jealous of our fame and do anything to trash our good reputation. I don't want to name names," Pietro whistled. "Say, oh…The X-Men!"
"SINCE WHEN DID YOU GUYS EVER HAVE A GOOD REPUTATION?" Kitty shouted.
"Oh that is it!" Scott snapped. "You guys are going down!"
"Not if I can help it Summers," Wanda grinned from the shadows.
"This is gonna be good," Althea cackled. "Hit it Wanda!"
