Disclaimer: Raid kills bugs DEAD. In case you thought there was some kind
of LIVE killing. (Don't own X-men Evo, Raid, or the couple of lines I
borrowed from Master of Disguise)
Second to last chapter everyone. This would have been the last chapter except it was longer than I thought it was and then I felt that it would be better to make two separate chapters instead of one gigantic one. Plus...I still have yet to write the very end of the ending and I didn't want to make you wait forever for an update. Well, go ahead, read it.
**********************************************************************
Pyro stared into his glaringly empty ice cream bowl. "I guess this is it. Three pages of names and maybe four of those names could even be considered a muse," John sighed. "Let's go for a walk so I can drown my sorrows in oxygen."
"Uh, correct Remy if he is wrong but, doesn't one usually drown their sorrows in some form of an alcoholic beverage?"
"I would do that, Remy, except that I'm under the legal drinking age and therefore must use fresh air and scenic overviews to cheer myself up."
"Oh."
"What I wouldn't give for a muse of fire! Someone with spirit, yet warm and caring."
"It sounds like what you really want is a girlfriend."
"No, Colossus, I want a muse."
"Then why do you not just create one," Colossus suggested. "Then you could have a real muse of fire, and... "she" would be perfect."
"Yes, but fire can't talk."
"Funny, you always say how the fire speaks to you."
"Well, it does talk to me in the sense that it calls out to be turned into something more than itself, but it can't help me with a sub-plot."
"Oh," Colossus frowned. "Hey, look! It is the x-mansion. Perhaps there is a particular shrubbery you would be liking to burn down?"
"Well, there is that one right over...wait a tick."
"What?," Gambit asked. "Did you suddenly discover you have a nervous tick? Gambit had one, right there," he pointed to his right eye. "It drove Gambit completely insane...and then it went away. Gambit is not sure why."
"Will you shut up? You're going to scare her away."
"Scare who away? A rabbit?"
"No! My muse, my goddess, the only one who can possibly bring me out of this deep hole of depression."
"Where?"
"There."
"Rogue? See, Gambit knew all along that he had excellent choice in..."
"No, not your obsession, the one beside her."
"You mean the one currently engulfed in flame," Colossus asked.
"Yes."
"Ah, please forgive Gambit if he is wrong but, how is she supposed to be your muse when she's being consumed by flame? What Gambit means is it seems quite impossible for someone who is dead to guide you on your path to bestseller-dom."
"You moron! It must be her power. Now, you see I was not crazy to desire a muse of fire as I have now found one!"
"Oui, but you still have to convince her to help you."
"That's very true. But don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
"That's what they all say before they crash and burn."
"It's not the burning part that worries me. The crashing part is what sends fear into my heart."
"Well, go ahead. Show Gambit how suave and debonair you are, unless you're chicken."
"I'm not a chicken. I'm the chef and I say the chicken's extra crispy." John strutted towards the two x-women. "Um, excuse me," he asked, visibly deflated.
Rogue turned her head towards him. "What do you want? Did the swamp rat put you up to this?"
"Yes, no, I mean um...,yes/no."
"Huh?"
"I was wondering who your flaming friend is."
"Oh, Amara, this firebug wants to talk to you."
Her attention caught, Amara proceeded to "flame-off" a la Fantastic Four and come over. "Yeah? What is it? And who is this?"
"I am Pyro the Great, although my friends call me John. I couldn't help noticing that you would be the perfect muse for me. I am a writer you see."
"You want me to be your what?"
"My muse of fire. I would be honored if you would do it; help me out of my writing rut."
"What would I have to do?"
"First, I have a question for you. Do you fold easily under pressure?"
"What kind of pressure are you talking about?"
"The kind of pressure that makes you cry out in the night like a little baby."
"Like a baby in its crib," Gambit added.
Amara thought for a moment. "Well, what does it pay?"
"What about being paid in honor, dignity, pride," John asked. Gambit nodded in agreement.
"Actually I'm gonna need cash if I take this job. Honor, dignity and pride don't pay the shopping bills ya know."
"I don't have any money to pay you...right now that is. But, I do have a complete deck of Pokemon cards and a Tomagotchi that might be worth something. I mean, as soon as I sell my book, with your help, you will receive a share of the profits."
"Are you for real?"
"Yes, I've been auditioning muses all day and as soon as I saw you burst into flames I knew that you were to be my muse. I don't think I can manage without you."
Amara gave a sideways glance at her companion. "What do you think, Rogue? Think I can trust him?"
"I myself wouldn't trust him any farther than I could throw him. However, it's not really my decision, it's yours. But I'd keep in mind that insanity tends to be contagious." Amara took a good long look at Pyro who was giving her the puppy face.
"So, if I agree, what do I do; proofread your work?"
"No, you will be the driving force behind my work. You shall be there only to inspire me and bounce ideas off of."
"Will it cut into my homework or other after school activities?" Pyro shook his head.
"Where would we meet?"
"My writing studio."
"Can I bring someone with me?"
"If it makes you happy, but she is not getting the honor of becoming another muse," he pointed at Rogue. "After all, a good writer only needs one. Pleeeease?"
Amara threw her arms into the air. "Oh, all right," she exclaimed, "I hate seeing boys beg."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'll see you tomorrow then, ten o'clock on the dot." He handed her a piece of paper. "My address. Oh, you have no idea how my writing will soar onto the pages once we begin." Amara only gave a slight nod, not really understanding what she was getting herself into.
********************************************************************** So, you now know who Pyro's muse is. Kudos to all of you reviewers who saw it coming or at least voiced the opinion that that's who it should be. I had her in mind from the beginning, hence the title. Well, that and I just thought it sounded cool. I'll stop jabbering for now...at least until the next chapter anyways.
Second to last chapter everyone. This would have been the last chapter except it was longer than I thought it was and then I felt that it would be better to make two separate chapters instead of one gigantic one. Plus...I still have yet to write the very end of the ending and I didn't want to make you wait forever for an update. Well, go ahead, read it.
**********************************************************************
Pyro stared into his glaringly empty ice cream bowl. "I guess this is it. Three pages of names and maybe four of those names could even be considered a muse," John sighed. "Let's go for a walk so I can drown my sorrows in oxygen."
"Uh, correct Remy if he is wrong but, doesn't one usually drown their sorrows in some form of an alcoholic beverage?"
"I would do that, Remy, except that I'm under the legal drinking age and therefore must use fresh air and scenic overviews to cheer myself up."
"Oh."
"What I wouldn't give for a muse of fire! Someone with spirit, yet warm and caring."
"It sounds like what you really want is a girlfriend."
"No, Colossus, I want a muse."
"Then why do you not just create one," Colossus suggested. "Then you could have a real muse of fire, and... "she" would be perfect."
"Yes, but fire can't talk."
"Funny, you always say how the fire speaks to you."
"Well, it does talk to me in the sense that it calls out to be turned into something more than itself, but it can't help me with a sub-plot."
"Oh," Colossus frowned. "Hey, look! It is the x-mansion. Perhaps there is a particular shrubbery you would be liking to burn down?"
"Well, there is that one right over...wait a tick."
"What?," Gambit asked. "Did you suddenly discover you have a nervous tick? Gambit had one, right there," he pointed to his right eye. "It drove Gambit completely insane...and then it went away. Gambit is not sure why."
"Will you shut up? You're going to scare her away."
"Scare who away? A rabbit?"
"No! My muse, my goddess, the only one who can possibly bring me out of this deep hole of depression."
"Where?"
"There."
"Rogue? See, Gambit knew all along that he had excellent choice in..."
"No, not your obsession, the one beside her."
"You mean the one currently engulfed in flame," Colossus asked.
"Yes."
"Ah, please forgive Gambit if he is wrong but, how is she supposed to be your muse when she's being consumed by flame? What Gambit means is it seems quite impossible for someone who is dead to guide you on your path to bestseller-dom."
"You moron! It must be her power. Now, you see I was not crazy to desire a muse of fire as I have now found one!"
"Oui, but you still have to convince her to help you."
"That's very true. But don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
"That's what they all say before they crash and burn."
"It's not the burning part that worries me. The crashing part is what sends fear into my heart."
"Well, go ahead. Show Gambit how suave and debonair you are, unless you're chicken."
"I'm not a chicken. I'm the chef and I say the chicken's extra crispy." John strutted towards the two x-women. "Um, excuse me," he asked, visibly deflated.
Rogue turned her head towards him. "What do you want? Did the swamp rat put you up to this?"
"Yes, no, I mean um...,yes/no."
"Huh?"
"I was wondering who your flaming friend is."
"Oh, Amara, this firebug wants to talk to you."
Her attention caught, Amara proceeded to "flame-off" a la Fantastic Four and come over. "Yeah? What is it? And who is this?"
"I am Pyro the Great, although my friends call me John. I couldn't help noticing that you would be the perfect muse for me. I am a writer you see."
"You want me to be your what?"
"My muse of fire. I would be honored if you would do it; help me out of my writing rut."
"What would I have to do?"
"First, I have a question for you. Do you fold easily under pressure?"
"What kind of pressure are you talking about?"
"The kind of pressure that makes you cry out in the night like a little baby."
"Like a baby in its crib," Gambit added.
Amara thought for a moment. "Well, what does it pay?"
"What about being paid in honor, dignity, pride," John asked. Gambit nodded in agreement.
"Actually I'm gonna need cash if I take this job. Honor, dignity and pride don't pay the shopping bills ya know."
"I don't have any money to pay you...right now that is. But, I do have a complete deck of Pokemon cards and a Tomagotchi that might be worth something. I mean, as soon as I sell my book, with your help, you will receive a share of the profits."
"Are you for real?"
"Yes, I've been auditioning muses all day and as soon as I saw you burst into flames I knew that you were to be my muse. I don't think I can manage without you."
Amara gave a sideways glance at her companion. "What do you think, Rogue? Think I can trust him?"
"I myself wouldn't trust him any farther than I could throw him. However, it's not really my decision, it's yours. But I'd keep in mind that insanity tends to be contagious." Amara took a good long look at Pyro who was giving her the puppy face.
"So, if I agree, what do I do; proofread your work?"
"No, you will be the driving force behind my work. You shall be there only to inspire me and bounce ideas off of."
"Will it cut into my homework or other after school activities?" Pyro shook his head.
"Where would we meet?"
"My writing studio."
"Can I bring someone with me?"
"If it makes you happy, but she is not getting the honor of becoming another muse," he pointed at Rogue. "After all, a good writer only needs one. Pleeeease?"
Amara threw her arms into the air. "Oh, all right," she exclaimed, "I hate seeing boys beg."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'll see you tomorrow then, ten o'clock on the dot." He handed her a piece of paper. "My address. Oh, you have no idea how my writing will soar onto the pages once we begin." Amara only gave a slight nod, not really understanding what she was getting herself into.
********************************************************************** So, you now know who Pyro's muse is. Kudos to all of you reviewers who saw it coming or at least voiced the opinion that that's who it should be. I had her in mind from the beginning, hence the title. Well, that and I just thought it sounded cool. I'll stop jabbering for now...at least until the next chapter anyways.