I went ALL OUT with the random interludes, because this is the last
chapter. Then I have an overly emotional epilogue planned, and having
humourous interruptions would detract from the flow of the scene. Prepare
to larff your arses off, because I'm NOT holding back!
General information: I HATE MYSTIQUE!!! Seriously, if given the opportunity, I'd push her off a cliff. She's a wonderful villain, and a lot of fun to write, but I HATE HER!!! GAH!! *runs around in a fit of rage and bonks herself over the head with a pool-noodle repeadedly*
DISCLAIMER: (insert disclaimer comment 1)
Amieva: (insert retort 1)
DISCLAIMER: (insert disclaimer comment 2)
Amieva: (insert retort 2)
#############################################################
"Somewhere, over the rainbow..." she sang softly to herself. The Scarlet Witch was enclosed in a large metal sphere, and flying at high speeds to wherever it was they were going. Was she scared of heights? No, that didn't bother her as long as she couldn't see outside.
Was she scared of the dark? No, she had a flash light with her, so she could see inside the sphere.
Was she afraid of what they would be facing? Well, that was a tough one. She was nervous about going on a mission, because this was her first one. She didn't know much about this Mystique, except that she was very sneaky and devious and made people write things they didn't want to write (*shakes fist at Mystique*). But if anything went wrong, she could just use her powers and set things straight again.
She was absolutely terrified.
Pyro was seated next to her. He had a determined look about him that was completely out of character. His orange goggles made his clear blue eyes look muddy and gross. Wanda hated those goggles, but they were the only things protecting his face from danger, so they got away with being evil and blue-eye-muddying.
Pyro seemed to have noticed the Scarlet Witch studying him. He smirked and decided to startle her out of her trance. "Like what you see, hot stuff?"
Wanda blinked. She started laughing slightly. "You are so full of yourself."
"Ah... you know you love me." he teased.
Wanda's reply got caught in her throat. "I- uh..."
John gave her a curious look. He had only meant it as a joke... or did he? Part of him wanted to know her answer. The other part was bonking himself over the head with a rubber mallet, shouting obscenities at his stupidity. Great move, Allerdyce. Let's see what else we can say to scare her off! "I- uh... I was only jokin', luv."
Although her rapid heartrate would've shown otherwise, Wanda sighed in relief... or was it disappointment? He was only joking?! She had gotten so worked up, and he was ONLY JOKING?! She wanted to know where the hidden camera was, because this felt like bad reality t.v show.
~*~
It is a really bad reality t.v show! And just to make things worse, I've decided to put in a special ULTRA LONG Random Interlude.
Since this will be the last one in the fanfic, I think we should go over the top and get really rediculous!
Amieva: FORGE! READY THE CANNONS!
Forge: Aye-aye, captain! *points large cannon toward the sky and lights the fuse*
*the fuse burns out and something short and stocky shoots out of the barrel of the cannon*
Puck: I LOVE CANADA!!! GO LEAFS GOOOOooooooooo.......!!! *he starts falling... very slowly...*
Amieva: You thought it was going to be Wolverine, didn't you?
Logan: *steps out in yellow spandex body suit* Is the cannon ready?
Amieva, Forge, Puck: o_o... erm...
Logan: *looks up* Eugene?! Is that you, little buddy?!
Puck: Logan?
Sam Guthrie: CANNONBALL!!!! WHEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeee...... *smacks into Puck and they both land on the ground infront of everyone*
*Logan and Puck embrace*
Audience: Awwww...
Amieva: *sniffle* That's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen... Two short, hairy, muscular Canadian men... reunited after years of separation.
Sam: Ah have a headache...
Amieva: Shut up, nobody cares.
Meggan: I've got bunt cake for celebrating! Long live the Queen!
Puck: Who's the British chick, eh?
Meggan: I'm the future wife of Captain Britian! We're going to get married on a beautiful June afternoon, on the beach near the lighthouse. Then we'll live in a big castle, and have many children. And my sister-in-law will come and visit me everyday for tea, and we will be the best of friends-
Puck: What's in these cake thingies? *sniff*
Kitty: I helped make them!
Logan: That explains everything.
*A lone stranger appears from the shadows*
Fangirl: Excuse me, do you know where I could find the Acolytes?
Kitty, Meggan, Sam, Logan: *point in one direction*
Fangirl: Thanks! *is about to run off but is stopped by Amieva*
Amieva: Is that a camera?
Fangirl: *nods* Are there no cameras allowed?
Amieva: Only of you get double prints of everything and give them to me.
Fangirl: Okay! Say, do you want to be my new best friend?
Amieva: Sure! I think Pyro's in the shower right now! *they scamper off, giggling deviously*
*A manly scream is heard in the distance*
Pyro: I HATE CAMERAS!!!
~*~
"Oh god... I don't think I've ever been so freaked out in my life."
John followed Wanda out of the sphere to stand infront of the large warehouse. "Don't worry about it, luv. Y've got me here to protect you."
Magneto cleared his throat, stepping in between the two. "This is it, Acolytes. Gambit, I want you to secure all the entrances."
Gambit nodded and ran off to do what he did best - sneak.
"Sabretooth-" Magneto scanned his audience. Sabretooth was missing... as was Mastermind. His rage started to surface. Those bastards. What was wrong with his lackeys?! First Colossus ran off, now the other two?! He was seething. "Hmmm... New plan. Quicksilver, you and Pyro will follow behind Gambit and search for Mystique. If either of you find her, send up a signal."
They nodded and took off in two different directions. Before Pyro disappeared though, he made sure Magneto wasn't watching, and squeezed the Scarlet Witch's hand reassuringly.
"Scarlet Witch, you and I will go hunting on our own. Help me with this debris."
Wanda nodded and started levitating pipes and bricks out of the way of her leader. Was this what happened on missions? This wasn't dangerous at all! This was just like doing housework!
~*~
"How-long?" Quicksilver stopped running and stood infront of Pyro.
"Eh?"
"How-long!" he demanded impatiently.
Pyro scowled at him. "You're going to have to be more specific, mate! I don't know what your asking me!"
Pietro snorted. "How-long-have-you-been-screwing-around-with-my- sister?!"
John's eyes widened. "Screwing around?! I have NOT been screwing around, you tosser! I'm not like that!"
That answer seemed to satisfy Pietro slightly. "Good-but-that-doesn't- answer-my-question."
"What's it to you, anyway?" Pyro peeked in one of the broken windows. "Last I checked, you haven't exactly been #1 brother of the year." he turned to glare at the speed demon.
Pietro glared right back at him with the same venom. "I-just-don't- want-to-see-her-get-hurt."
"I ain't gonna do anything to harm Wanda, got that? I've worked too hard to get her just to screw things up at this point." he whispered the last part to himself. "Now, are you going to get off my back and let me do my job? Or are ya just going to nag me all night, like some old granny?"
Quicksilver 'humph'ed and took off.
~*~
Pietro arrived at the appointed place. Mystique was crouching down next to a fiberglass wall. It looked like she was tightening some screws or something. Pietro didn't care much for technology, but he knew what it was.
The blue shapeshifter stood and turned around. "Well, good evening, Mr. Maximoff." her yellow eyes flashed mischievously. "How was the trip?"
"They're all here, except Sabretooth and Mastermind."
Mystique laughed. "Sabretooth was always searching for a way out. I just opened the window for him. As for Mastermind, he can slip away any time he wants." she stopped musing. "That leaves the Frenchman, the Australian and the Russian."
"Actually,-Colossus-defected-a-while-ago."
She seemed moderately pleased with this news. "Well, that's good. So, do we know our target's weaknesses?"
"Well... Gambit-can't-resist-women-especially-Rogue."
Mystique tensed. "Yes, I am AWARE of that!" she threw down her wrench and started pressing buttons on the device attached to the wall. "What about Pyro?"
Quicksilver clenched his fists, "Wanda."
Mystique got back up and approached the young mutant. "Oh... there there now, Pietro." she patted his cheek. He whipped his face away from her in disgust. "We'll just use that to our advantage. Avalanche!"
A dark figure emerged from the shadows. He was a tall teen with long chestnut hair. What was he wearing on his head? A fishbowl?!
"Quicksilver. I want you to wait here for ten minutes. After that, press this little blue button. Then you have five minutes to get 'dad' in this room, seal the door, then get out. I don't care how you do it, just make sure Wanda doesn't follow you."
Quicksilver agreed, but he was curious. "What do you plan to do with Wanda?"
Mystique swayed her hips as she exited the room. "I'm going to make sure she knows who she really is by the end of the night. Ta-ta, darling!"
~*~
Rogue raced through the yard, searching for someone. Finally she spotted her query. "REMY!" she squealed.
Gambit spun around and was startled at seeing his bandmate. "Rogue?! What de hell you doin' here, hanh? When I check on you last, you be sick wit' de flu!"
Rogue was stumped on that one. "Ah got better, Ah guess." She approached him slowly. "What's the matter, Remy? Ain't ya happy t'see me?"
He raised an eyebrow in question. "Dat a trick question, Chere?"
She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Ah couldn't stop thinkin' 'bout you, Remy. You'll never guess what happened t'me while I was in bed." she teased.
Oh the thoughts that were going through his head at that moment.
"If ya lean in real close, Ah'll whisper it in your ear." she waited for him to lower his face to hers. "Ah've got control."
Those were the three magic words Remy had been waiting to hear ever since he first found out about Rogue's powers.
"Wanna give it a try?" she breathed huskily.
His day just kept getting better and better. So warm. So soft... so painful when something pinched him in the back of the neck. "Chere? What you do to Remy..." he stumbled and fell back on the pavement.
'Rogue' shifted into Mystique. She knelt down next to the fallen Cajun. She took his chin up in her hand and forced him to look at her. "Looks like you've been outdone, Frenchie." she spat and released her hold on him.
He was out cold in seconds.
Mystique turned to Avalanche. "Take him out of range, then meet me at that pile of bricks over there."
~*~
The ground started to shake violently. Pyro fell to his knees from the movement. They didn't get earthquakes in New York, did they?
"JOHN!" a shriek came from around the corner. John carefully got to his feet and staggered to the end of the building. Wanda was huddled on the ground, under a pile of bricks that threatened to topple on top of her.
"WANDA!" he rushed over to her as fast as his shaky feet would allow and pulled her away from the rubble.
Together, they made their way to a clear part of the yard, where they'd be safe until the tremors subsided.
"Oh John!" she sobbed into his uniform. "I was so scared!"
He patted her back awkwardly. What had happened to her? It took a lot of punishment to get Wanda into one of these fits. Had someone done something to her? No, she didn't have a mark on her. He shook her slightly, hoping to get her calmed down enough to explain herself. "Wanda, wha-"
She pressed her full red lips against his. In his confusion, John just played on his hormone driven instincts, and responded passionately.
That was, until he felt something sharp dig into his shoulder. He jumped back and stared at her in disbelief. There was an empty syringe sticking out of his uniform. He heard his beloved start to laugh at him as everything became blurry. He squinted, trying to hold onto Wanda's image, but even that became distorted when the pale flesh, red lips and black hair became navy blue and blood red.
"Mystique?!" he slurred angrily.
"Good night, Mr. Allerdyce." she shoved him into the ground, since he wasn't strong enough to fight back. She pranced off to go find the real Wanda, now that she had successfully put two men out of commission. Did she like her work too much? Oh yes.
~*~
Another Random Interlude! WHEE! That's right... ONE more... you whiney blaggarts...
Amara: *bound and gagged to a tree* Mrrphmmrph!
Amieva: Sorry? I didn't catch that, sweetie. *paints a red and white target around Amara's head* Now, don't move...
Amara: *whimper*
Tabitha: NOOOOooooo..... I'll save you, 'Mara! *tosses some bombs around*
*Tabby gets run-over by a kid on a tricycle*
Amieva: Thanks, Jamie!
Jamie: POOP!
Amieva: *chuckles warmly* Yeah, that's right. *prepares throwing darts* Hey Amara, ever thought about getting your nose pierced?
Amara: *shakes head desperately*
Amieva: It'll only hurt for a second-
~*~
"There's Pietro's signal." Magneto and Wanda watched sparks fly into the air in the distance. "You stay back. I will call you if need be. Don't move from this spot until you hear my call."
With a swish of his cape, Magneto was gone.
Wanda was bored, and scared. Basically, she was having conflicting emotions. Plus, she was alone.
Something behind her moved. She whipped around. Her hands were raised and she had her guard up. "John?"
~*~
Magneto met Quicksilver behind the building. "Did she see you?"
Quicksilver shook his head and motioned for his father to follow him. "This-way."
He led him to the room where Mystique had set up her trap. "She's-in- here." Pietro made sure he was closest to the door, seeing as how he was going to have to close it off in just a moment.
While Magneto's back was turned, he picked up the device and pressed the little blue button, as Mystique had instructed. 5:00 appeared on the tiny pixel screen. Now was the time for goodbyes. "Dad?"
"Not now, Quicksilver." he said sternly.
He started laughing at the irony of the situation. Not now? It was either now or never.
"What is so funny Acolyte!"
"This room ins reinforced with aluminum and fiber-class. When I close this door, there's no way you can get out." he announced slowly and with purpose.
"What?!"
"It's over, dad-"
~*~
"John? Are you hiding back there?"
It wasn't John that emerged from the darkness. It was a blue woman in black leather. "Hello, Miss. Maximoff."
Wanda regarded her in confusion. "Maximoff? My name isn't-"
"You poor deluded girl! He's been lying to you all of this time."
"Who are you." she demanded angrily.
"Me? Oh, I didn't expect you'd remember me. But the real question here is, who are YOU?"
Wanda snarled. She hated head games. "What do you want from me?"
"Not much, darling." she replied cooly. "But I do feel like you are indebted to me. Afterall, I was the one who got you out."
"Out of where?!"
"I probably know more about you than even you do..."
Wanda just glared.
"You were born, March 26, seventeen years ago, in a small European village in Transia."
"What the hell do you want?!" Wanda demanded again.
She completely ignored her question. "There were two children. You parents were so proud.
"Your father was Eric Lehnsherr, a survivor of the WWII holocaust. Your mother-" she started to change her form. No longer was this strange woman blue with red hair. Now a delicately built woman with raven-black tendrils, full red lips and warm hazel eyes stood before Wanda, "-was a beautiful gypsy woman named Magda - her maiden name was Maximoff."
Wanda gasped. She looked familiar. "Are you-"
"Your mother? Not a change, darling. But I can show what has been taken from you."
Wanda hesitated. Did this woman really have answers for her? She took one step toward 'her mother', when a shout rang out over their heads.
"WANDA!"
She stopped. That was her father's voice. He needed her help! She turned to rush blindly into the building, but 'Magda' grabbed hold of her wrist and held her back. She stared at the hand on her arm. "Let go of me."
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Of course I do! He's my father! He needs my help!"
"You'll only put yourself in danger, Wanda."
"What the fuck are you talking about?!" she ripped her arm out of the strange woman's grasp.
She shifted back into her origional form. "I've planted a bomb in that building. And by my watch, he's only got about two minutes left." she smirked.
"WANDA!"
"You bitch!" she screamed and rushed towards the building.
Mystique picked up a brick and tossed it playfully, up and down, in her hand. "I hate to have to resor to this, darling." she swung her arm back, thrust it forward and sent the brick sailing through the air.
She was almost there. Only a few yards to go. Something struck Wanda in the back of the head and knocked her off her feet.
The blow to the head felt like a sledge hammer. The sledge hammer broke through a barrier in her mind. It was like the breaking of a dam, as images and memories came flooding back.
~*~
Pietro and Wanda bounced on their father's knee, laughing and giggling. A slender woman, their mother, wiped her hands off on her apron and came over to wrap her arms around her husband.
The scene shifted. Wanda had a terrible headache. She staggered into the kitchen, where Magda and Pietro were baking cookies. Magda stopped mixing ingredients and knelt down to embrace her daughter. While her back was turned, Pietro snuck his finger into the batter.
Tears fell down nine-year-old Wanda's face and soaked Magda's sleeves. The migraine got worse. Wanda clenched her eyes shut and tried to squeeze the pain out.
The electric oven, that had been preheated for baking, suddenly exploded, and the kitchen caught fire. Magda had taken the brunt of the explosion, since she had been protecting her children. Wanda screamed. There was glass sticking out of her mother's back.
The house was burning down. Wanda tried to pull her mother off the floor, but she wasn't strong enough.
Pietro grabbed his twin around the waist and carried her out of the burning building.
It was a week later when her own father dropped her off at the insane asylum.
It was her tenth birthday.
She thought they were going to get ice cream.
~*~
She got up from the pavement. Her name was Wanda Maximoff, and she hated her father.
A disturbing laugh came from behind. "How do you feel, darling?"
She shot Mystique an angry glare.
Mystique looked at the building.
"WANDA!"
Her heart wrenched. She was torn. Should she save her father, who had looked after her for three months while she was sick? Or should she get her revenge on him for abandoning her when she needed him most?
He had given her a life, a home-
-but it was all fake!
"The choice is yours, darling."
Wanda fought back the angry tears forming in her eyes. "He lied to me!"
"5..."
"WANDA!"
"4..."
"I don't know what to do!"
"3..."
"WANDA!"
"2..."
"I can't!!!"
"1-"
"NO-"
The blast drowned out Wanda's scream.
~*~
"Shit..." John groggily sat up. He lifted his goggles to rub his tired eyes. The last thing he remembered was being with Wanda... then sleepy... then furious with Mystique... then blackness... that building over yonder was on fire...
Wait... WANDA! He thought he had heard a blast earlier! Wanda was over there! She may have been... NO!
He didn't even think about what he was doing as he got to his feet and rushed to the burning warehouse. The only thing he cared about was getting Wanda out of danger.
She could be trapped inside! She could be buried under a ton of rubble and debris. She could be dying of massive blood-loss, and since she might have a rare blood type that only one other person in the world had - and he could be that person! Dear LORD! This would make a great romance novel!
Or... John stopped running...
She could be standing in the middle of the rubble, staring at the ground with her hands balled into tight fists.
Pietro showed up out of the blue and shoved something into John's chest. It was Magneto's helmet. It was dented and covered with tell-tale scorch marks.
"He's-gone-man." he smiled, "you're-free-to-go."
John turned the helmet over in his hands, still looking at the damage with sick admiration. "Go?" go where? He looked up at Pietro's satisfied expression. "What about-" Wanda hadn't budged from her position.
Pietro seemed to catch on to what Pyro was thinking. "Good-luck-with- her." He zipped away.
Helmet still in hand, Pyro approached the object of his affection.
She didn't spare him even a quick look. "He's dead."
He placed a consoling hand on her shoulder, only to have it shoved off. "Wanda?"
"You knew."
"What?" he cupped her cheek in his hand and forced her to look at him. "I knew-"
"EVERYTHING!" she spat. "You knew all along, didn't you?!"
"Wa-"
"To think, I trusted you! I even lo-" she stopped herself. "You knew what that monster did to me! My entire life was just some elaborate SCAM! And you played right along, didn't you?! You were lying to me the whole time! Even when you-" whatever words ended that sentence got caught in her throat.
"Wanda!" he approached her cautiously, "please, listen to me-" he tried to pull her into a loving embrace.
"NO!" She ripped herself away from him and slapped his exposed cheek. Tears were flowing freely from her angry red eyes now. "He manipulate me! YOU manipulated me!!!"
"Don't-"
"I can't believe you! You're just as bad as HE is - was!"
"Wanda, stop! Please!" he threw down the helmet.
"I hate you! I hope you drop dead! I never want to see you again!!!" she turned and fled.
John watched in anguish as the one person he loved more than fire walked out of his life, just as the sun rose in the East, and fresh snow fell from the sky.
"Now is the winter of our discontent."
- William Shakespeare's - Richard III
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On to the Epilogue -----------------
General information: I HATE MYSTIQUE!!! Seriously, if given the opportunity, I'd push her off a cliff. She's a wonderful villain, and a lot of fun to write, but I HATE HER!!! GAH!! *runs around in a fit of rage and bonks herself over the head with a pool-noodle repeadedly*
DISCLAIMER: (insert disclaimer comment 1)
Amieva: (insert retort 1)
DISCLAIMER: (insert disclaimer comment 2)
Amieva: (insert retort 2)
#############################################################
"Somewhere, over the rainbow..." she sang softly to herself. The Scarlet Witch was enclosed in a large metal sphere, and flying at high speeds to wherever it was they were going. Was she scared of heights? No, that didn't bother her as long as she couldn't see outside.
Was she scared of the dark? No, she had a flash light with her, so she could see inside the sphere.
Was she afraid of what they would be facing? Well, that was a tough one. She was nervous about going on a mission, because this was her first one. She didn't know much about this Mystique, except that she was very sneaky and devious and made people write things they didn't want to write (*shakes fist at Mystique*). But if anything went wrong, she could just use her powers and set things straight again.
She was absolutely terrified.
Pyro was seated next to her. He had a determined look about him that was completely out of character. His orange goggles made his clear blue eyes look muddy and gross. Wanda hated those goggles, but they were the only things protecting his face from danger, so they got away with being evil and blue-eye-muddying.
Pyro seemed to have noticed the Scarlet Witch studying him. He smirked and decided to startle her out of her trance. "Like what you see, hot stuff?"
Wanda blinked. She started laughing slightly. "You are so full of yourself."
"Ah... you know you love me." he teased.
Wanda's reply got caught in her throat. "I- uh..."
John gave her a curious look. He had only meant it as a joke... or did he? Part of him wanted to know her answer. The other part was bonking himself over the head with a rubber mallet, shouting obscenities at his stupidity. Great move, Allerdyce. Let's see what else we can say to scare her off! "I- uh... I was only jokin', luv."
Although her rapid heartrate would've shown otherwise, Wanda sighed in relief... or was it disappointment? He was only joking?! She had gotten so worked up, and he was ONLY JOKING?! She wanted to know where the hidden camera was, because this felt like bad reality t.v show.
~*~
It is a really bad reality t.v show! And just to make things worse, I've decided to put in a special ULTRA LONG Random Interlude.
Since this will be the last one in the fanfic, I think we should go over the top and get really rediculous!
Amieva: FORGE! READY THE CANNONS!
Forge: Aye-aye, captain! *points large cannon toward the sky and lights the fuse*
*the fuse burns out and something short and stocky shoots out of the barrel of the cannon*
Puck: I LOVE CANADA!!! GO LEAFS GOOOOooooooooo.......!!! *he starts falling... very slowly...*
Amieva: You thought it was going to be Wolverine, didn't you?
Logan: *steps out in yellow spandex body suit* Is the cannon ready?
Amieva, Forge, Puck: o_o... erm...
Logan: *looks up* Eugene?! Is that you, little buddy?!
Puck: Logan?
Sam Guthrie: CANNONBALL!!!! WHEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeee...... *smacks into Puck and they both land on the ground infront of everyone*
*Logan and Puck embrace*
Audience: Awwww...
Amieva: *sniffle* That's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen... Two short, hairy, muscular Canadian men... reunited after years of separation.
Sam: Ah have a headache...
Amieva: Shut up, nobody cares.
Meggan: I've got bunt cake for celebrating! Long live the Queen!
Puck: Who's the British chick, eh?
Meggan: I'm the future wife of Captain Britian! We're going to get married on a beautiful June afternoon, on the beach near the lighthouse. Then we'll live in a big castle, and have many children. And my sister-in-law will come and visit me everyday for tea, and we will be the best of friends-
Puck: What's in these cake thingies? *sniff*
Kitty: I helped make them!
Logan: That explains everything.
*A lone stranger appears from the shadows*
Fangirl: Excuse me, do you know where I could find the Acolytes?
Kitty, Meggan, Sam, Logan: *point in one direction*
Fangirl: Thanks! *is about to run off but is stopped by Amieva*
Amieva: Is that a camera?
Fangirl: *nods* Are there no cameras allowed?
Amieva: Only of you get double prints of everything and give them to me.
Fangirl: Okay! Say, do you want to be my new best friend?
Amieva: Sure! I think Pyro's in the shower right now! *they scamper off, giggling deviously*
*A manly scream is heard in the distance*
Pyro: I HATE CAMERAS!!!
~*~
"Oh god... I don't think I've ever been so freaked out in my life."
John followed Wanda out of the sphere to stand infront of the large warehouse. "Don't worry about it, luv. Y've got me here to protect you."
Magneto cleared his throat, stepping in between the two. "This is it, Acolytes. Gambit, I want you to secure all the entrances."
Gambit nodded and ran off to do what he did best - sneak.
"Sabretooth-" Magneto scanned his audience. Sabretooth was missing... as was Mastermind. His rage started to surface. Those bastards. What was wrong with his lackeys?! First Colossus ran off, now the other two?! He was seething. "Hmmm... New plan. Quicksilver, you and Pyro will follow behind Gambit and search for Mystique. If either of you find her, send up a signal."
They nodded and took off in two different directions. Before Pyro disappeared though, he made sure Magneto wasn't watching, and squeezed the Scarlet Witch's hand reassuringly.
"Scarlet Witch, you and I will go hunting on our own. Help me with this debris."
Wanda nodded and started levitating pipes and bricks out of the way of her leader. Was this what happened on missions? This wasn't dangerous at all! This was just like doing housework!
~*~
"How-long?" Quicksilver stopped running and stood infront of Pyro.
"Eh?"
"How-long!" he demanded impatiently.
Pyro scowled at him. "You're going to have to be more specific, mate! I don't know what your asking me!"
Pietro snorted. "How-long-have-you-been-screwing-around-with-my- sister?!"
John's eyes widened. "Screwing around?! I have NOT been screwing around, you tosser! I'm not like that!"
That answer seemed to satisfy Pietro slightly. "Good-but-that-doesn't- answer-my-question."
"What's it to you, anyway?" Pyro peeked in one of the broken windows. "Last I checked, you haven't exactly been #1 brother of the year." he turned to glare at the speed demon.
Pietro glared right back at him with the same venom. "I-just-don't- want-to-see-her-get-hurt."
"I ain't gonna do anything to harm Wanda, got that? I've worked too hard to get her just to screw things up at this point." he whispered the last part to himself. "Now, are you going to get off my back and let me do my job? Or are ya just going to nag me all night, like some old granny?"
Quicksilver 'humph'ed and took off.
~*~
Pietro arrived at the appointed place. Mystique was crouching down next to a fiberglass wall. It looked like she was tightening some screws or something. Pietro didn't care much for technology, but he knew what it was.
The blue shapeshifter stood and turned around. "Well, good evening, Mr. Maximoff." her yellow eyes flashed mischievously. "How was the trip?"
"They're all here, except Sabretooth and Mastermind."
Mystique laughed. "Sabretooth was always searching for a way out. I just opened the window for him. As for Mastermind, he can slip away any time he wants." she stopped musing. "That leaves the Frenchman, the Australian and the Russian."
"Actually,-Colossus-defected-a-while-ago."
She seemed moderately pleased with this news. "Well, that's good. So, do we know our target's weaknesses?"
"Well... Gambit-can't-resist-women-especially-Rogue."
Mystique tensed. "Yes, I am AWARE of that!" she threw down her wrench and started pressing buttons on the device attached to the wall. "What about Pyro?"
Quicksilver clenched his fists, "Wanda."
Mystique got back up and approached the young mutant. "Oh... there there now, Pietro." she patted his cheek. He whipped his face away from her in disgust. "We'll just use that to our advantage. Avalanche!"
A dark figure emerged from the shadows. He was a tall teen with long chestnut hair. What was he wearing on his head? A fishbowl?!
"Quicksilver. I want you to wait here for ten minutes. After that, press this little blue button. Then you have five minutes to get 'dad' in this room, seal the door, then get out. I don't care how you do it, just make sure Wanda doesn't follow you."
Quicksilver agreed, but he was curious. "What do you plan to do with Wanda?"
Mystique swayed her hips as she exited the room. "I'm going to make sure she knows who she really is by the end of the night. Ta-ta, darling!"
~*~
Rogue raced through the yard, searching for someone. Finally she spotted her query. "REMY!" she squealed.
Gambit spun around and was startled at seeing his bandmate. "Rogue?! What de hell you doin' here, hanh? When I check on you last, you be sick wit' de flu!"
Rogue was stumped on that one. "Ah got better, Ah guess." She approached him slowly. "What's the matter, Remy? Ain't ya happy t'see me?"
He raised an eyebrow in question. "Dat a trick question, Chere?"
She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Ah couldn't stop thinkin' 'bout you, Remy. You'll never guess what happened t'me while I was in bed." she teased.
Oh the thoughts that were going through his head at that moment.
"If ya lean in real close, Ah'll whisper it in your ear." she waited for him to lower his face to hers. "Ah've got control."
Those were the three magic words Remy had been waiting to hear ever since he first found out about Rogue's powers.
"Wanna give it a try?" she breathed huskily.
His day just kept getting better and better. So warm. So soft... so painful when something pinched him in the back of the neck. "Chere? What you do to Remy..." he stumbled and fell back on the pavement.
'Rogue' shifted into Mystique. She knelt down next to the fallen Cajun. She took his chin up in her hand and forced him to look at her. "Looks like you've been outdone, Frenchie." she spat and released her hold on him.
He was out cold in seconds.
Mystique turned to Avalanche. "Take him out of range, then meet me at that pile of bricks over there."
~*~
The ground started to shake violently. Pyro fell to his knees from the movement. They didn't get earthquakes in New York, did they?
"JOHN!" a shriek came from around the corner. John carefully got to his feet and staggered to the end of the building. Wanda was huddled on the ground, under a pile of bricks that threatened to topple on top of her.
"WANDA!" he rushed over to her as fast as his shaky feet would allow and pulled her away from the rubble.
Together, they made their way to a clear part of the yard, where they'd be safe until the tremors subsided.
"Oh John!" she sobbed into his uniform. "I was so scared!"
He patted her back awkwardly. What had happened to her? It took a lot of punishment to get Wanda into one of these fits. Had someone done something to her? No, she didn't have a mark on her. He shook her slightly, hoping to get her calmed down enough to explain herself. "Wanda, wha-"
She pressed her full red lips against his. In his confusion, John just played on his hormone driven instincts, and responded passionately.
That was, until he felt something sharp dig into his shoulder. He jumped back and stared at her in disbelief. There was an empty syringe sticking out of his uniform. He heard his beloved start to laugh at him as everything became blurry. He squinted, trying to hold onto Wanda's image, but even that became distorted when the pale flesh, red lips and black hair became navy blue and blood red.
"Mystique?!" he slurred angrily.
"Good night, Mr. Allerdyce." she shoved him into the ground, since he wasn't strong enough to fight back. She pranced off to go find the real Wanda, now that she had successfully put two men out of commission. Did she like her work too much? Oh yes.
~*~
Another Random Interlude! WHEE! That's right... ONE more... you whiney blaggarts...
Amara: *bound and gagged to a tree* Mrrphmmrph!
Amieva: Sorry? I didn't catch that, sweetie. *paints a red and white target around Amara's head* Now, don't move...
Amara: *whimper*
Tabitha: NOOOOooooo..... I'll save you, 'Mara! *tosses some bombs around*
*Tabby gets run-over by a kid on a tricycle*
Amieva: Thanks, Jamie!
Jamie: POOP!
Amieva: *chuckles warmly* Yeah, that's right. *prepares throwing darts* Hey Amara, ever thought about getting your nose pierced?
Amara: *shakes head desperately*
Amieva: It'll only hurt for a second-
~*~
"There's Pietro's signal." Magneto and Wanda watched sparks fly into the air in the distance. "You stay back. I will call you if need be. Don't move from this spot until you hear my call."
With a swish of his cape, Magneto was gone.
Wanda was bored, and scared. Basically, she was having conflicting emotions. Plus, she was alone.
Something behind her moved. She whipped around. Her hands were raised and she had her guard up. "John?"
~*~
Magneto met Quicksilver behind the building. "Did she see you?"
Quicksilver shook his head and motioned for his father to follow him. "This-way."
He led him to the room where Mystique had set up her trap. "She's-in- here." Pietro made sure he was closest to the door, seeing as how he was going to have to close it off in just a moment.
While Magneto's back was turned, he picked up the device and pressed the little blue button, as Mystique had instructed. 5:00 appeared on the tiny pixel screen. Now was the time for goodbyes. "Dad?"
"Not now, Quicksilver." he said sternly.
He started laughing at the irony of the situation. Not now? It was either now or never.
"What is so funny Acolyte!"
"This room ins reinforced with aluminum and fiber-class. When I close this door, there's no way you can get out." he announced slowly and with purpose.
"What?!"
"It's over, dad-"
~*~
"John? Are you hiding back there?"
It wasn't John that emerged from the darkness. It was a blue woman in black leather. "Hello, Miss. Maximoff."
Wanda regarded her in confusion. "Maximoff? My name isn't-"
"You poor deluded girl! He's been lying to you all of this time."
"Who are you." she demanded angrily.
"Me? Oh, I didn't expect you'd remember me. But the real question here is, who are YOU?"
Wanda snarled. She hated head games. "What do you want from me?"
"Not much, darling." she replied cooly. "But I do feel like you are indebted to me. Afterall, I was the one who got you out."
"Out of where?!"
"I probably know more about you than even you do..."
Wanda just glared.
"You were born, March 26, seventeen years ago, in a small European village in Transia."
"What the hell do you want?!" Wanda demanded again.
She completely ignored her question. "There were two children. You parents were so proud.
"Your father was Eric Lehnsherr, a survivor of the WWII holocaust. Your mother-" she started to change her form. No longer was this strange woman blue with red hair. Now a delicately built woman with raven-black tendrils, full red lips and warm hazel eyes stood before Wanda, "-was a beautiful gypsy woman named Magda - her maiden name was Maximoff."
Wanda gasped. She looked familiar. "Are you-"
"Your mother? Not a change, darling. But I can show what has been taken from you."
Wanda hesitated. Did this woman really have answers for her? She took one step toward 'her mother', when a shout rang out over their heads.
"WANDA!"
She stopped. That was her father's voice. He needed her help! She turned to rush blindly into the building, but 'Magda' grabbed hold of her wrist and held her back. She stared at the hand on her arm. "Let go of me."
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Of course I do! He's my father! He needs my help!"
"You'll only put yourself in danger, Wanda."
"What the fuck are you talking about?!" she ripped her arm out of the strange woman's grasp.
She shifted back into her origional form. "I've planted a bomb in that building. And by my watch, he's only got about two minutes left." she smirked.
"WANDA!"
"You bitch!" she screamed and rushed towards the building.
Mystique picked up a brick and tossed it playfully, up and down, in her hand. "I hate to have to resor to this, darling." she swung her arm back, thrust it forward and sent the brick sailing through the air.
She was almost there. Only a few yards to go. Something struck Wanda in the back of the head and knocked her off her feet.
The blow to the head felt like a sledge hammer. The sledge hammer broke through a barrier in her mind. It was like the breaking of a dam, as images and memories came flooding back.
~*~
Pietro and Wanda bounced on their father's knee, laughing and giggling. A slender woman, their mother, wiped her hands off on her apron and came over to wrap her arms around her husband.
The scene shifted. Wanda had a terrible headache. She staggered into the kitchen, where Magda and Pietro were baking cookies. Magda stopped mixing ingredients and knelt down to embrace her daughter. While her back was turned, Pietro snuck his finger into the batter.
Tears fell down nine-year-old Wanda's face and soaked Magda's sleeves. The migraine got worse. Wanda clenched her eyes shut and tried to squeeze the pain out.
The electric oven, that had been preheated for baking, suddenly exploded, and the kitchen caught fire. Magda had taken the brunt of the explosion, since she had been protecting her children. Wanda screamed. There was glass sticking out of her mother's back.
The house was burning down. Wanda tried to pull her mother off the floor, but she wasn't strong enough.
Pietro grabbed his twin around the waist and carried her out of the burning building.
It was a week later when her own father dropped her off at the insane asylum.
It was her tenth birthday.
She thought they were going to get ice cream.
~*~
She got up from the pavement. Her name was Wanda Maximoff, and she hated her father.
A disturbing laugh came from behind. "How do you feel, darling?"
She shot Mystique an angry glare.
Mystique looked at the building.
"WANDA!"
Her heart wrenched. She was torn. Should she save her father, who had looked after her for three months while she was sick? Or should she get her revenge on him for abandoning her when she needed him most?
He had given her a life, a home-
-but it was all fake!
"The choice is yours, darling."
Wanda fought back the angry tears forming in her eyes. "He lied to me!"
"5..."
"WANDA!"
"4..."
"I don't know what to do!"
"3..."
"WANDA!"
"2..."
"I can't!!!"
"1-"
"NO-"
The blast drowned out Wanda's scream.
~*~
"Shit..." John groggily sat up. He lifted his goggles to rub his tired eyes. The last thing he remembered was being with Wanda... then sleepy... then furious with Mystique... then blackness... that building over yonder was on fire...
Wait... WANDA! He thought he had heard a blast earlier! Wanda was over there! She may have been... NO!
He didn't even think about what he was doing as he got to his feet and rushed to the burning warehouse. The only thing he cared about was getting Wanda out of danger.
She could be trapped inside! She could be buried under a ton of rubble and debris. She could be dying of massive blood-loss, and since she might have a rare blood type that only one other person in the world had - and he could be that person! Dear LORD! This would make a great romance novel!
Or... John stopped running...
She could be standing in the middle of the rubble, staring at the ground with her hands balled into tight fists.
Pietro showed up out of the blue and shoved something into John's chest. It was Magneto's helmet. It was dented and covered with tell-tale scorch marks.
"He's-gone-man." he smiled, "you're-free-to-go."
John turned the helmet over in his hands, still looking at the damage with sick admiration. "Go?" go where? He looked up at Pietro's satisfied expression. "What about-" Wanda hadn't budged from her position.
Pietro seemed to catch on to what Pyro was thinking. "Good-luck-with- her." He zipped away.
Helmet still in hand, Pyro approached the object of his affection.
She didn't spare him even a quick look. "He's dead."
He placed a consoling hand on her shoulder, only to have it shoved off. "Wanda?"
"You knew."
"What?" he cupped her cheek in his hand and forced her to look at him. "I knew-"
"EVERYTHING!" she spat. "You knew all along, didn't you?!"
"Wa-"
"To think, I trusted you! I even lo-" she stopped herself. "You knew what that monster did to me! My entire life was just some elaborate SCAM! And you played right along, didn't you?! You were lying to me the whole time! Even when you-" whatever words ended that sentence got caught in her throat.
"Wanda!" he approached her cautiously, "please, listen to me-" he tried to pull her into a loving embrace.
"NO!" She ripped herself away from him and slapped his exposed cheek. Tears were flowing freely from her angry red eyes now. "He manipulate me! YOU manipulated me!!!"
"Don't-"
"I can't believe you! You're just as bad as HE is - was!"
"Wanda, stop! Please!" he threw down the helmet.
"I hate you! I hope you drop dead! I never want to see you again!!!" she turned and fled.
John watched in anguish as the one person he loved more than fire walked out of his life, just as the sun rose in the East, and fresh snow fell from the sky.
"Now is the winter of our discontent."
- William Shakespeare's - Richard III
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On to the Epilogue -----------------
