Scent of A Toad
Just when it looked like life started to wind down at the mansion that very afternoon things became interesting again. It began when Xavier and Logan were called to the Misfit Manor via the Mass Device to discuss something with Roadblock, Lifeline and Shipwreck. "All right what was so important that you had to drag us all the way over here for?" Logan growled.
"We kind of need your help," Shipwreck explained.
"You see we have a slight…problem," Roadblock sighed.
"What kind of problem?" Logan asked.
"Well you know that both Toad and Wavedancer are amphibious right?" Roadblock asked.
"Yeah," Logan nodded.
"Well it turns out that they have some qualities similar to certain amphibians…" Lifeline said. "Biological qualities."
"What kind of biological qualities are we talking about?" Logan asked.
"Well Toad's scent can take an unusual turn sometimes," Roadblock said.
"Yeah we've all noticed," Logan remarked. "What is stink boy smelling worse than usual?"
"Worse is not the term I would use," Lifeline said. "At least not to most of us."
"Althea however it does seem to have a bit effect on her…" Roadblock sighed.
"What kind of effect are we talking about?" Xavier asked.
"Well it sort of makes her…uh…" Roadblock stumbled. "Well it's not exactly his scent itself, it's his pheromones. Apparently when amphibians reach a certain age…They start giving out these pheromones, which purpose is to attract other amphibians for a specific reason. If you get my drift."
"I think I do," Xavier was taken aback.
"Are you telling us that the Toad is in heat?" Logan blinked.
"Not exactly…" Lifeline sighed. "It's his pheromones that's putting Althea in heat."
"Oh goody…" Logan groaned.
"There is some good news," Roadblock said. "I mean this is only a temporary situation, so it means Toad has to take a little vacation…"
"A vacation to where?" Logan did not like this one little bit.
"Well we were kind of hoping that you'd look after the kid for a week," Roadblock said. "You might not want to make him exercise too much. You know the sweat and all…"
"Terrific," Logan said sarcastically. "First the nuts from SHIELD, then Storm's family and the Songbird…The Institute is turning into a freaking hotel!"
"Hold on," Xavier held up his hand. "Wouldn't his scent affect our students?"
"None of your kids are amphibian types," Roadblock pointed out. "You guys should be immune."
"That's true," Lifeline nodded. "This particular brand of pheromones he's sending out is technically to attract a mate with a similar type."
Todd hopped in with Lance behind him. He slammed the door shut. "Yeah and it's working real well," Todd gulped. He looked disheveled. "I mean don't get me wrong, I like it when a my girl acts like she wants me but this is too much!"
"She tried to take him right on top of the dining room table," Lance told them.
"Again?" Roadblock gasped. "I thought we tied her up."
"She got loose!" Lance said. "Then she tried to be loose."
"It's awful," Todd gulped. "I can't even take a shower no more without her sneaking in."
"Not that you ever had an excuse in the first place…" Logan grunted.
"It's not my fault!" Todd whined. "I can't help it if I'm a chick magnet!"
"No, right now you're a mermaid magnet," Logan rolled his eyes. "Wait the Triplets aren't affected are they?"
"Nah they're too young," Lifeline told him. "Just Wavedancer."
"This never happened before!" Todd remarked.
"Well Toad," Lifeline said. "As your body matures…So do your powers and I guess your amphibian traits are getting stronger as well."
"Yeah but how many times is this gonna happen?" Todd asked.
"Possibly only once a year," Lifeline shrugged. "Maybe more."
"Maybe more?" Logan sputtered.
"Toad you can come downstairs now! We hit her with a tranquilizer," Pietro called out. "She's out cold."
"That won't do much good," Todd sighed. "She's been doing some sleepwalking lately."
"More like sleep smooching," Lance shook his head.
"Yes I think I understand the problem. Perhaps it is for the best that Toad stay with us for a while until his…uh…condition passes. I think to make things fair one of the Misfit boys should stay too," Xavier said.
"I'll go!" Lance volunteered.
"You only care about seeing Kitty!" Todd snapped. "Forget it! If I can't see my girl, why should you see yours?"
"He has a point," Logan sighed. "And the last thing we need this week are earthquakes every other hour when you and Colossus are fighting over Kitty!"
"Sorry Avalanche you lose," Roadblock shrugged. "Logan why don't you and the Professor choose?
"But I'll be good! I promise! Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzze!" Lance begged.
"FORGET IT!" Todd grabbed Lance's ear and dragged him out the door.
"Okay so Lance is out," Roadblock sighed. "How about Fred?"
"The Blob? He'd eat us out of house and home in an hour!" Logan said. "What about Arcade?"
"I don't think Cerebro could survive another encounter," Xavier said.
"You have a point," Roadblock sighed. "I suppose Pietro is out of the question huh?"
"You got it!" Logan snapped.
"Rogue and Kurt are already over the edge enough," Xavier groaned.
"It was worth a shot," Roadblock sighed. "You know who that leaves right?"
"Xi…" Logan groaned. "Perfect. Just perfect."
"Well Xi isn't that unstable," Roadblock said. "Considering his past…"
"And as long as we hide the Chips Ahoy," Xavier sighed.
"And the fact that 'he' isn't a he…" Logan reminded him. "Well things are certainly going to liven up around the place. Not that they weren't interesting enough already…"
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
"I can't believe this!" Kurt groaned. "The two of you here for a whole week is bad enough but why do you have to stay in my room?" He glared at his two new roommates. "Why not one of the guest rooms?"
"The Professor only has three spare guest rooms," Todd told him as he unpacked his stuff on one of the two beds brought into the room for the week. "What with all those new people running around here. Plus Daniels' folks are in one room, Doop's in another and that Doctor lady is coming by tomorrow for a few days to check on Mini Wolverine!"
"Of all the males your room is the largest," Xi pointed out. "And one of the few that does not already have more than one person in it."
"Yeah but why do you two have to stay together?" Kurt asked.
"Xi doesn't like to sleep alone," Todd told him.
"They suggested that I sleep with Scott but he reacted violently when I asked him a simple question," Xi shrugged.
"For my sanity's sake I'm not going to ask what it is," Kurt moaned.
"I merely inquired if he liked to cuddle," Xi told him.
"Did you have to tell me that?" Kurt asked. "Did you?"
"Yes," Xi grinned.
"Okay I know why Toad has to be here but out of all the others why you?" Kurt asked. "Oh wait, I think I've just answered my own question. Avalanche and Arcade would wreck the place, Blob would eat us out of house and home and I don't want to think about what Quicksilver would do."
"It is scary," Todd admitted. "And I lived with the guy the longest!"
"What's really scary is the fact Althea likes that scent," Kurt winced as he took in a whiff.
"Likes it? She's nuts about it yo," Todd said.
"Emphasis on the nuts," Kurt quipped.
"Speaking of nuts I'm hungry," Todd shrugged it off. He hopped off. "I'm gonna go to the kitchen. Kitty was baking right?"
"You actually want to eat her cooking?" Kurt asked.
"Nah I'm gonna eat the flies and other bugs that are attracted to it," Todd told him.
"I had to ask…" Kurt put his head in his hands. "Why did I have to ask? You would think that I would know better by now?"
"I would have thought that as well," Xi patted him on the back. "By the way, do you like to cuddle?"
"I wonder if I killed them both I could get away with it by pleading temporary insanity?" Kurt muttered under his breath in German. "Sharing a cell with Evan is starting to look pretty good right about now."
Meanwhile Todd had happened along a heated discussion between the Professor and several of the X-Men in his study. "You're acting like this is all my fault!" Alison shouted. "I didn't ask them to take those pictures!"
"Well you have to admit since you've gotten here the media has been giving us quite a bit of attention," Rogue pointed out.
"Oh yeah and you guys were having such quiet lives before then," Todd remarked as he hopped in. "Whazzup? Why are you all going at it?"
"This is why," Kitty showed him a newspaper tabloid.
"Dazzler's Love Affair with Bigfoot," Todd read. "Man Beast you look like you weigh over a ton in this picture. No wonder you're upset."
"That's not the point Toad," Hank sighed. "Although I must admit that is an astute observation as well."
"Hey this looks like it was taken in the back yard yo," Todd said.
"It was taken in the back yard!" Alison shouted. "They used some high powered cameras to spy on us!"
"Alison I was hoping that your relationship with Hank would be a little more discreet considering the circumstances," Xavier said.
"Charles we were in the back yard in our own home minding our own business!" Hank snapped. "This is an invasion of privacy!"
"Which coincides with the invasion of the Broccoli People from Pluto," Todd snickered as he continued reading. "Yeah this is real hard core news."
"I'm afraid it's not just the tabloids," Xavier sighed.
"Look at this!" Scott threw a slew of papers and magazines on the desk. "It makes me want to vomit!"
"Oh god…" Alison picked one up and read. "Beauty and the Beast…Yeah that's original!"
"Dazzler Love Triangle at Xavier Institute," Kitty read another one. "According to this Alison, you're dating both Angel and Beast!"
"Well at least they got the love triangle part right even if they have the players all wrong. Listen to this one…Mutant Morals: Or Lack Thereof," Rogue groaned.
"Dazzler's Decadent Lifestyle," Hank read. "How much lower can this former star sink?"
"Do Girls Go For Guys With A Lot of Hair?" Kitty read. "Dazzler thinks so…"
"Tiffany Weapons is getting married again?" Todd read. "What is this, the third husband this year?" Everyone glared at him. "What?"
"Well it's not my fault," Alison threw down the paper. "I didn't exactly ask the press to follow me around!"
"We can't have this kind of publicity!" Scott shouted. "I mean we're trying not to tarnish our reputation here!"
"Scooter's right," Todd chimed in. "By the way, how's the murder trial going?"
"Shut up Toad," Scott glared at him.
"What about the lawsuits?" Todd went on. "Any progress on that?"
"Can't we just like lock him up in the Danger Room or something for the week?" Kitty shouted.
"Fine! I'll get out of here!" Todd grunted as he hopped away. "I know when I'm not wanted."
"That'll be a first!" Rogue called after him.
"Sheesh it's gonna be such fun spending a week in this place," Todd grumbled to himself. "Rooming with Fuzzball, no Al to play with, everybody's uptight and obsessed with the soap opera life that goes on around here. How much worse can it get?"
That's when he heard a low growl behind him. He turned around and saw X23 glaring at him. "Uh hi there," Todd gulped. "You must be Logan Junior…"
She snarled and unsheathed her claws. "Okay…" Todd gulped. "Uh I was just on my way to the kitchen. I think it's this way…"
"You…" She hissed.
"Yeah it's me all right," Todd grinned nervously. "Todd Tolensky the Toad. Remember?"
With a roar X23 charged him. Todd barely leapt out of her way as her claws sliced through a table and an expensive looking vase. "Oh boy that's coming out of somebody's allowance," Todd gulped.
X23 screamed and leapt at him again, only to be thrown backwards by an invisible force. Xi reappeared on top of her. She threw him off and soon the two were glaring at each other.
"Out of my way…" She snarled at Xi.
"Don't…touch…him…" Xi snarled in her face.
"Oh boy," Todd gulped. "This is not good."