To Err is Human
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "I feel like crap and no one understands. Even you. You're supposed to be my friend and you don't even care". "And yet... you keep... talking"
---
SperryDee - Yes, Evan does know he gained an uncle, and will have a cousin soon, I wouldn't be THAT cruel ;)
---
Chapter 7 - Memories
-----
THUNK
"Owww, watch it!"
"You watch it!"
"Well, your foot is in my way!"
"No, YOUR foot is in MY way!"
Forge blinked from the controls of the Velocity. Before sighing.
"Auto pilot engage", he groaned, the ship happily obeying with a beep....not that Forge needed to hear the beep to know what the ship was doing.
He trudged over to the cargo deck, opening it. Kitty and Roberto plopped out.
"I think he found us", said Kitty.
"You don't say", replied Roberto sarcastically.
"What are you two doing here?", said Forge crossing his arms.
"Well, we came to help get Danielle!", said Kitty, standing up, "she's my best friend in the whole wide world, and need SOMEONE to be with her"
"Yeah, and I'm her doting boyfriend", added Roberto, "we're here to comfort her in her hour of need. No offense, Forge, but you're not exactly a people person, how could you do it?"
Forge pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Okay, fine, stay", he said, "but only because we're too far out to drop you back in Bayville. Just shut up, don't fight and leave me alone"
With that, he trudged back to the front of the jet.
"Oh-kay", said Kitty, blinking, "that was weird"
"Somebody's less people-friendly than usual today", muttered Roberto as he and Kitty took their seats.
----
"Todd? Can I open my eyes yet?"
Todd chuckled, leading Sidney, her eyes closed, along.
"Nope, not yet"
"If I break my neck, you'll be sorry", she mock threatened.
"I know", said Todd shaking his head in amusement, before stopping, "okay, now ya can open them"
She opened her eyes, gasping in suprise at the sight before her. Todd had led her to their childhood hangout, the trees were decorated with farie lights as soft music played from an old boom box. A picnic had been set out in the middle.
"Oh...oh Todd, it's beautifull", she breathed.
"I thought you'd like it", he said with a smile.
"I do...very much", she replied, giving him a hug, "thank you".
"Anytime", he whispered, hugging her back, "well, we got alot of good food waitin'"
Sidney smiled, sitting down on the blanket he'd laid out for them, peering into the picnic box.
"Do I smell tuna?", she said, letting out a little mew of delight..
Todd chuckled, digging into the bag.
"Yup, tuna casserole", he said, handing her a plate.
Sidney grinned, taking it off him greatfully.
"Todd Tolensky, you really know how to treat a straving cat-girl".
"It's easy when you know what said cat-girl loves", said Todd with a wink.
She smiled, putting down her plate, pulling him close to give him a gentle kiss. Todd sighed happily, returning it, brushing a webbed hand over a furry cheek. When they pulled back, Sidney smiled, taking his hand in hers and standing, pulling in him with her.
"Dance with me", she whispered into his ear.
"If that's what the lady wants", Todd chuckled, pulling her close, "though ya know I have two left feet"
Sidney chuckled, before giving a contented sigh, leaning her head on his chest as they danced together in the small clearing.
---
A few hours later, the Velocity had made it into Montana. Roberto and Kitty had given up trying to fight over who could comfort Dani the most....mainly because their unwilling chaperone had threatened he'd toss them out of the Velocity while they were still flying if they didn't pipe down.
"Looks like someone's started the party before us", Forge said, narrowing his eyes.
Both teens peered out of the window, seeing a group of four men, armed with guns, all wearing a grey-black uniform, their faces covered by gold masks. They had cornered Danielle, brandishing their weapons. Danielle had sunk to her knees, obviously had overtaxed her powers. Roberto's eyes widened when he recognised their uniforms. He remember these thugs well. Back in Rio, they had attacked him, and taken the life of his then-girlfriend, Juliana. Now it looked as if Dani was about to suffer the same fate.
"Não outra vez", he whispered under his breath. [1]
Before either of the other two mutants could question him, Roberto powered up, becoming like a black silloette of himself, his eyes flashing orange, little dots covering his outline. Kitty blinked at him.
"Sunspot, what are you..."
Ignoring her, Roberto opened the door of the Velocity and flew out, heading towards the soldiers.
"..doing",she finished, watching him descend.
"'Why don't you become an instructor?', she says. 'It would be fun, you should give it a go', she says", muttered Forge, turning the chopper in to land, "well, this is why"
On the ground, one of the soldier gave an evil grin as he raised his gun to Danielle's head. Dani narrowed her eyes, refusing to cower, she had warrior blood flowing through her veins, and she refused to back down, to anyone. Her powers may have been overtaxed and faded but her pride...that was still very much in tact.
"See ya around, Mutie", sneered the soldier, cocking his gun.
Before he could fire, a solid back hand closed on the gun. He blinked in suprise, looking up at the VERY angry looking blackened figure before him.
"I suggest you leave the lady alone", said Roberto with a growl.
He hand squeased on the gun, crumbling it into dust. The man gave a yell of suprise, backing away slightly.
"Roberto?", asked Dani, a little dazed, struggling to her feet, "wha...what are you doing here?".
"Well, I can't go and let you have all the fun in beating these losers up, can I, Amor?", replied Roberto with a lopsided smile.
Dani gave him a weak smile back, before her eyes widened.
"Roberto, look out!"
Roberto blinked as a soldier raised his gun to shoot at him. A hand passed through the mans stomach, grabbing the gun from him.
"Can I have that?", asked Kitty with a grin, "thanks"
The soldier watched wide-eyed as the gun passed THROUGH him. Kitty smiled sweetly, tossing the gun over to Forge, allowing his powers to analyse it.
"This is a tranq gun", said Forge, frowning, "they don't want to kill Dani....they want to capture her"
"Well, they'll have to go through us first", said Kitty, running off to help Roberto tackle another soldier.
Not that Roberto needed help.
CRRRAASSHH
He tossed an entire uprooted tree at one of the soldiers, his eyes narrowed and focused. To put it simply, Sunspot was outraged, and letting the soldiers know about it. He was about to toss a boulder at them when the dots around him faded, before vanishing, his normal colour returning.
"Uh oh", he said, "outta juice"
One of the soldiers took him off guard, knocking him into a tree. He aimed his tranq gun at him, cocking it. There was a fizzling sound, and the gun died. The soldier blinked at it in confusion.
"Well, nice to see you do something usefull for once, Maker", quipped Danielle, glancing over to where Forge had managed to alter the gun Kitty had given him into a disruptor.
"Funny, Moonstar", said Forge, "call me that again, and I might leave you here"
The soldier holding his now usless gun at Roberto lifted it up, as if brandishing it as a club, before a second soldier pushed his comerade aside. They glared at each other, before coming to the silent conclusion they were outnumbered, retreating. Roberto's brow furrowed as he watched them go. He glanced up at the sky, clouds covering up the sun. Damn. Dani smiled, giving Kitty a hug.
"I am glad you came", she said.
"Yeah, well we kinda stowed aboard", replied her friend sheepishly.
"When we get home, I'm installing secruity cameras in...", Forge trailed off as Naze walked over, glancing around at the wreakage.
"Well, at least the place wasn't set on fire this time", he said good- humoredly, "hello, Forge. Long time".
"I'm not planning on staying", said Forge, narrowing his eyes, moving to usher the teens into the Velocity, "c'mon, Kids, Charles'll be waiting".
Kitty and Roberto exchanged a look, before Dani shook her head silently at them, walking into the heli-jet.
"What's that about?", asked Kitty in a whisper as she walked next to her.
"It is a long story", said Dani with a frown, "and I'm not the one with the right to tell it"
They quietly took their seats, Roberto looking out of the window, deep in thought.
"Are you okay, Roberto?", asked Dani, giving him a worried glance.
"Mmm?", said Roberto, pulling himself from the window to give her a small smile, "sim...I'll be fine"
Outside, Forge was checking the Velocity for flight, trying to ignore his grandfather as he walked with him.
"You should have mentioned your marriage, Maker", he said, "I would have happily attended. I would have even preformed the ceri..."
"Ororo and I got married by a multicultural offical", said Forge, not looking up from his work, "considering our different backgrounds, both of us decided it wouldn't be fair to be married by the faith of just one of us".
"Oh...", said Naze, before sighing, "you could have still invited me, you know".
"I thought you'd be too busy with your work", said Forge, more than a little hint of bitterness in his voice.
Naze winced slightly.
"I still would have had time for my only grandson", he said, "I have not even met your wife. You should bring her...."
"I don't want to bring her here", said Forge simply.
"Then I should come to Bayville", said Naze, "I would like to when the baby is born"
Forge rolled his eyes, finally looking at his grandfather.
"Look, Naze, you can keep this 'buddy buddy' act up for as long as you want, but I'm not buying it", he said, "I know what you want, and it's not going to happen"
"But, it is your destiny", said Naze, "Shamanism is in your bloodline!" [2]
"That part of my life is over", hissed Forge, "and I don't want to drag my wife and child into it"
He shook his head, heading to the door of the Velocity.
"Just leave me alone", he said, getting in, closing the door behind him.
Naze sighed, stepping back as the heli-jet took to the air, heading off quickly.
----
[1] - Portuguese for 'Not Again'.
[2] - Yes, my Evo Forge has the Shaman past that his comic version has, but I cooked up a whole new reason for him hating it so much. What is it? You'll have to wait to find out, bwhahahahahahaha!
And the Hellfire Club strikes again! Do review. Until next time...
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "I feel like crap and no one understands. Even you. You're supposed to be my friend and you don't even care". "And yet... you keep... talking"
---
SperryDee - Yes, Evan does know he gained an uncle, and will have a cousin soon, I wouldn't be THAT cruel ;)
---
Chapter 7 - Memories
-----
THUNK
"Owww, watch it!"
"You watch it!"
"Well, your foot is in my way!"
"No, YOUR foot is in MY way!"
Forge blinked from the controls of the Velocity. Before sighing.
"Auto pilot engage", he groaned, the ship happily obeying with a beep....not that Forge needed to hear the beep to know what the ship was doing.
He trudged over to the cargo deck, opening it. Kitty and Roberto plopped out.
"I think he found us", said Kitty.
"You don't say", replied Roberto sarcastically.
"What are you two doing here?", said Forge crossing his arms.
"Well, we came to help get Danielle!", said Kitty, standing up, "she's my best friend in the whole wide world, and need SOMEONE to be with her"
"Yeah, and I'm her doting boyfriend", added Roberto, "we're here to comfort her in her hour of need. No offense, Forge, but you're not exactly a people person, how could you do it?"
Forge pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Okay, fine, stay", he said, "but only because we're too far out to drop you back in Bayville. Just shut up, don't fight and leave me alone"
With that, he trudged back to the front of the jet.
"Oh-kay", said Kitty, blinking, "that was weird"
"Somebody's less people-friendly than usual today", muttered Roberto as he and Kitty took their seats.
----
"Todd? Can I open my eyes yet?"
Todd chuckled, leading Sidney, her eyes closed, along.
"Nope, not yet"
"If I break my neck, you'll be sorry", she mock threatened.
"I know", said Todd shaking his head in amusement, before stopping, "okay, now ya can open them"
She opened her eyes, gasping in suprise at the sight before her. Todd had led her to their childhood hangout, the trees were decorated with farie lights as soft music played from an old boom box. A picnic had been set out in the middle.
"Oh...oh Todd, it's beautifull", she breathed.
"I thought you'd like it", he said with a smile.
"I do...very much", she replied, giving him a hug, "thank you".
"Anytime", he whispered, hugging her back, "well, we got alot of good food waitin'"
Sidney smiled, sitting down on the blanket he'd laid out for them, peering into the picnic box.
"Do I smell tuna?", she said, letting out a little mew of delight..
Todd chuckled, digging into the bag.
"Yup, tuna casserole", he said, handing her a plate.
Sidney grinned, taking it off him greatfully.
"Todd Tolensky, you really know how to treat a straving cat-girl".
"It's easy when you know what said cat-girl loves", said Todd with a wink.
She smiled, putting down her plate, pulling him close to give him a gentle kiss. Todd sighed happily, returning it, brushing a webbed hand over a furry cheek. When they pulled back, Sidney smiled, taking his hand in hers and standing, pulling in him with her.
"Dance with me", she whispered into his ear.
"If that's what the lady wants", Todd chuckled, pulling her close, "though ya know I have two left feet"
Sidney chuckled, before giving a contented sigh, leaning her head on his chest as they danced together in the small clearing.
---
A few hours later, the Velocity had made it into Montana. Roberto and Kitty had given up trying to fight over who could comfort Dani the most....mainly because their unwilling chaperone had threatened he'd toss them out of the Velocity while they were still flying if they didn't pipe down.
"Looks like someone's started the party before us", Forge said, narrowing his eyes.
Both teens peered out of the window, seeing a group of four men, armed with guns, all wearing a grey-black uniform, their faces covered by gold masks. They had cornered Danielle, brandishing their weapons. Danielle had sunk to her knees, obviously had overtaxed her powers. Roberto's eyes widened when he recognised their uniforms. He remember these thugs well. Back in Rio, they had attacked him, and taken the life of his then-girlfriend, Juliana. Now it looked as if Dani was about to suffer the same fate.
"Não outra vez", he whispered under his breath. [1]
Before either of the other two mutants could question him, Roberto powered up, becoming like a black silloette of himself, his eyes flashing orange, little dots covering his outline. Kitty blinked at him.
"Sunspot, what are you..."
Ignoring her, Roberto opened the door of the Velocity and flew out, heading towards the soldiers.
"..doing",she finished, watching him descend.
"'Why don't you become an instructor?', she says. 'It would be fun, you should give it a go', she says", muttered Forge, turning the chopper in to land, "well, this is why"
On the ground, one of the soldier gave an evil grin as he raised his gun to Danielle's head. Dani narrowed her eyes, refusing to cower, she had warrior blood flowing through her veins, and she refused to back down, to anyone. Her powers may have been overtaxed and faded but her pride...that was still very much in tact.
"See ya around, Mutie", sneered the soldier, cocking his gun.
Before he could fire, a solid back hand closed on the gun. He blinked in suprise, looking up at the VERY angry looking blackened figure before him.
"I suggest you leave the lady alone", said Roberto with a growl.
He hand squeased on the gun, crumbling it into dust. The man gave a yell of suprise, backing away slightly.
"Roberto?", asked Dani, a little dazed, struggling to her feet, "wha...what are you doing here?".
"Well, I can't go and let you have all the fun in beating these losers up, can I, Amor?", replied Roberto with a lopsided smile.
Dani gave him a weak smile back, before her eyes widened.
"Roberto, look out!"
Roberto blinked as a soldier raised his gun to shoot at him. A hand passed through the mans stomach, grabbing the gun from him.
"Can I have that?", asked Kitty with a grin, "thanks"
The soldier watched wide-eyed as the gun passed THROUGH him. Kitty smiled sweetly, tossing the gun over to Forge, allowing his powers to analyse it.
"This is a tranq gun", said Forge, frowning, "they don't want to kill Dani....they want to capture her"
"Well, they'll have to go through us first", said Kitty, running off to help Roberto tackle another soldier.
Not that Roberto needed help.
CRRRAASSHH
He tossed an entire uprooted tree at one of the soldiers, his eyes narrowed and focused. To put it simply, Sunspot was outraged, and letting the soldiers know about it. He was about to toss a boulder at them when the dots around him faded, before vanishing, his normal colour returning.
"Uh oh", he said, "outta juice"
One of the soldiers took him off guard, knocking him into a tree. He aimed his tranq gun at him, cocking it. There was a fizzling sound, and the gun died. The soldier blinked at it in confusion.
"Well, nice to see you do something usefull for once, Maker", quipped Danielle, glancing over to where Forge had managed to alter the gun Kitty had given him into a disruptor.
"Funny, Moonstar", said Forge, "call me that again, and I might leave you here"
The soldier holding his now usless gun at Roberto lifted it up, as if brandishing it as a club, before a second soldier pushed his comerade aside. They glared at each other, before coming to the silent conclusion they were outnumbered, retreating. Roberto's brow furrowed as he watched them go. He glanced up at the sky, clouds covering up the sun. Damn. Dani smiled, giving Kitty a hug.
"I am glad you came", she said.
"Yeah, well we kinda stowed aboard", replied her friend sheepishly.
"When we get home, I'm installing secruity cameras in...", Forge trailed off as Naze walked over, glancing around at the wreakage.
"Well, at least the place wasn't set on fire this time", he said good- humoredly, "hello, Forge. Long time".
"I'm not planning on staying", said Forge, narrowing his eyes, moving to usher the teens into the Velocity, "c'mon, Kids, Charles'll be waiting".
Kitty and Roberto exchanged a look, before Dani shook her head silently at them, walking into the heli-jet.
"What's that about?", asked Kitty in a whisper as she walked next to her.
"It is a long story", said Dani with a frown, "and I'm not the one with the right to tell it"
They quietly took their seats, Roberto looking out of the window, deep in thought.
"Are you okay, Roberto?", asked Dani, giving him a worried glance.
"Mmm?", said Roberto, pulling himself from the window to give her a small smile, "sim...I'll be fine"
Outside, Forge was checking the Velocity for flight, trying to ignore his grandfather as he walked with him.
"You should have mentioned your marriage, Maker", he said, "I would have happily attended. I would have even preformed the ceri..."
"Ororo and I got married by a multicultural offical", said Forge, not looking up from his work, "considering our different backgrounds, both of us decided it wouldn't be fair to be married by the faith of just one of us".
"Oh...", said Naze, before sighing, "you could have still invited me, you know".
"I thought you'd be too busy with your work", said Forge, more than a little hint of bitterness in his voice.
Naze winced slightly.
"I still would have had time for my only grandson", he said, "I have not even met your wife. You should bring her...."
"I don't want to bring her here", said Forge simply.
"Then I should come to Bayville", said Naze, "I would like to when the baby is born"
Forge rolled his eyes, finally looking at his grandfather.
"Look, Naze, you can keep this 'buddy buddy' act up for as long as you want, but I'm not buying it", he said, "I know what you want, and it's not going to happen"
"But, it is your destiny", said Naze, "Shamanism is in your bloodline!" [2]
"That part of my life is over", hissed Forge, "and I don't want to drag my wife and child into it"
He shook his head, heading to the door of the Velocity.
"Just leave me alone", he said, getting in, closing the door behind him.
Naze sighed, stepping back as the heli-jet took to the air, heading off quickly.
----
[1] - Portuguese for 'Not Again'.
[2] - Yes, my Evo Forge has the Shaman past that his comic version has, but I cooked up a whole new reason for him hating it so much. What is it? You'll have to wait to find out, bwhahahahahahaha!
And the Hellfire Club strikes again! Do review. Until next time...