Chapter 8
"Owww!"
Lance grabbed her right shin and started hopping around. He looked across the large training room at his opponent. Mary Ann was standing there holding her right hand out toward Lance.
"You're to slow Avalanche!" Quicksilver said. He was leaning against the wall in between them.
"How am I supposed to defend myself against that?!" Lance exclaimed.
"You're not. Move over. It's my turn anyway!"
Lance limped over to a chair and sat down. He peeled his boot off and started rubbing his shin again.
Pietro slowly walked into place. Mary Ann lowered her arm. She didn't want to hurt Pietro. At all.
A feral grin spread across his lips. "Come on, Thunderbird. Hit me with your best shot."
When Thunderbird didn't move, his smile faded. He put his left hand on his hip and glared at her.
"Come on, Thunderbird."
Still, she didn't move.
"Alright have it your way."
The grin returned and Quicksilver bolted forward. His right shoulder hit Thunderbird square in the chest. She flew backward but quickly regained her footing. Quicksilver saw this and redirected his attack. He slammed into her left side, sending her sprawling to the floor. She slid a few feet before she used her momentum to flip back on her feet.
Thunderbird held her right hand over her head, palm down fingers spread. Electricity started to jump from everywhere into her palm. With one smooth motion she lowered her arm and threw her hand toward Quicksilver. The electricity shot out of her hand and hit Quicksilver in the stomach. He flew back and slammed hard into the far wall. He sunk to the floor, breathing hard, eyes wide.
"I think that's enough for today!" Lance called from the far side of the room.
The weekend had come again. Kurt sat on his deck and watched the setting sun. He reflected in the past few weeks. It had to be one of the hardest time, and best, in his life.
Did he really like Mary Ann? Or was it just a crush. She seemed to like him. A lot. They were happy together.
He turned around and watched Kitty phase through his door. She said she might come see him. He turned back to the sun and Kitty soon joined him.
"We're all gonna watch a movie in a few minutes. Wanna come?" Kitty asked. She leaned on the railing next to Kurt and smiled his way.
"No," Kurt replied, simply.
"Come on. It would be nice to have a distraction for a while."
"Shut up Kitty."
Kitty didn't take offense to Kurt's abruptness. He was like a walking time bomb. One week and they had done nothing but train. Kitty was starting to want Mary Ann back to, if not so that everything would return to normal again.
"Well the offer stands."
"Thank you. I'd much rather be alone right now."
"Ok."
Kitty put her hand on Kurt's shoulder and paused as she left him alone again on the deck. She phased back through the door and Kurt closed his eyes, blocking out memories.
Not a few minutes after Kitty left there was a knock on his door.
"I said I don't wanna see the movie!" Kurt yelled.
"Open up anyway!" Scott called back.
Kurt teleported to the door and slowly opened it. Scott was on the other side suited up.
"You're not ready?" he asked.
"Ready for what?"
"The Professor finally decided to move in on the Brotherhood. Jean's gonna stay behind with Evan. So you ready?"
"About fucking time!" Kurt said. He turned off his holo watch and was ready to go.
Back in her room, Mary Ann sat on her bed, working on her homework. Pietro was sitting at her desk, watching Mary Ann's every movement. She was aware of him but didn't acknowledge his presence.
Finally, she slammed her Japanese book shut and looked at Pietro.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"Nothing," Pietro answered, leaning back in the chair.
"Then leave."
"Why?"
"Number one, this is my room. Number two, I can't concentrate with you staring at me."
Pietro lowered the chair back to the ground. "Really?" he asked. A grin started to tug at the corners of his lips.
"Yes."
Pietro stood up and crawled onto Mary Ann's bed, next to her.
"Get off my books and off my bed," Mary Ann said, slowly.
He ignored her and lay down on his side.
"Don't make me push you off," Mary Ann quietly threatened.
Pietro sat up a little and whispered in her ear. "You wouldn't dare."
"Wanna bet?" she whispered back.
Mary Ann turned her face toward Pietro, who was propped up on his right elbow. With his free hand he caressed the right side of her face. She closed her eyes and leaned in towards Pietro. He felt a spark when their lips touched but charged right through it.
Mary Ann sat back us and looked at Pietro. He smiled softly and brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Lay down. You're tiered. We trained hard," Pietro encouraged. His smiled grew as Mary Ann put her books away. Pietro rolled over on his back and put his hands behind his head. Mary Ann dropped her bookbag on the floor and lay down next to Pietro. He put his right arm around her and pulled her close. She wrapped her arms around his torso and almost immediately fell asleep.
Shadowcat watched Nightcrawler as they flew toward the Brotherhood's compound. His legs were bouncing and he was gripping the arms of his chair.
"Can't this thing go any faster?" he asked, rather loudly.
"Sorry, Elf," Wolverine answered.
"It'll be ok, Nightcrawler. Don't' worry," Rogue said from behind him.
Nightcrawler released his grip on the arms of his seat and ran his hands through his hair. His eyes darted around the Blackbird's cabin before he stood and walked to the rear compartment. There he paced back and forth alone trying to burn off some of his excess energy.
"Alright. We are in sight of the compound. Prepare to land," Cyclops announced.
Nightcrawler teleported back to his eat and strapped in. Wolverine guided the jet in for a smooth landing close to the compound. Nightcrawler was the first out of his seat and out of the jet. Soon Wolverine, Cyclops, Shadowcat and Rogue joined him.
"So, do we just, like, walk in?" Shadowcat asked, putting her hand on her hip in confusion.
"I guess so," Rogue answered.
"Mary Ann was on the other side. She might not be now though," Wolverine said.
"Only one way to find out. Let's go X-Men," Cyclops commanded.
They followed Cyclops and Wolverine around the back of the compound and into an unlocked door.
"It's to easy. No alarms, no locks. It's like they want us to find her," Cyclops said quietly as the walked down and empty hall.
"It's like they're expecting us," Shadowcat added.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Rogue said.
They walked on a little more before Nightcrawler stopped. He looked into an open door and saw a large, all white, brightly lit room. Thunderbird was standing in the middle of the room with the rest of the Brotherhood spaced evenly on each side of her.
"Guys, I found her," he said.
The rest of the X-Men stopped and crowded around Nightcrawler, gazing into the room.
Nightcrawler was the first to enter, followed closely by the other. They spread out behind and beside him evenly.
"What took you guys so long?" Quicksilver said from his position on Thunderbird's right side.
"Get lost?" Avalanche asked. The Brotherhood all started to laugh. Including Thunderbird.
"Let's drop em now!" Toad called.
"No. WE wait for Thunderbird," Avalanche commanded.
"Does she even know what she's doing?"
"Of course I do!" Thunderbird yelled.
She flipped her fingers back and held her palms to the ground. Immediately, electricity started jumping for her palms to the ground and back again. She started to yell as the energy grew. No one moved, afraid of what she'd do. Without Jean, the X-Men were unprotected for an energy blast.
Shadowcat and Rogue took a few steps back, leaving Nightcrawler, Cyclops and Wolverine ahead of them. Nightcrawler brought himself up to full height, ready for the blow.
Slowly, Thunderbird brought her hands around front. She held the ball of crackling electricity and looked at it. She raised her eyes and smiled at Nightcrawler.
"Bye, bye Blue Boy," she said, sweetly.
Thunderbird flicked her palms up and out. The ball of energy she has contained flew at Nightcrawler. He had barely enough time to drop and roll away. The electricity flew by and harmlessly out into the hallway.
"Quicksilver, close the door!" Thunderbird commanded.
There was a slight breeze then the door slammed shut with aloud echo before anyone noticed Quicksilver had moved.
Again, everyone was still. Nightcrawler watched Thunderbird. Thunderbird glared at Nightcrawler.
"Kill the X-Men." The voice returned to Thunderbird's head.
"Of, course, sir," Thunderbird said out loud. Quicksilver gave her a funny look and Avalanche just shook his head.
Thunderbird slid her right foot behind her. She raised her right shoulder and dropped her left side toward the ground. She brought her hands close to her right hip and started to yell again. Another ball of energy started to grow between her hands. She smiled again and let the electricity grow a little larger before bringing her hands quickly in front of her and releasing the ball toward Nightcrawler. This time he teleported out of danger behind the Brotherhood.
Thunderbird roared in rage and spun on her heels to face Nightcrawler. His face was very grave as they faced each other.
"Why can't you just stand still?" she roared. She charged toward Nightcrawler and tackled him to the ground. He used the momentum to flip her over his body as he rolled onto his back. She screamed and landed hard on her back. She rolled to her left and stood again quickly just as Nightcrawler got to his feet. They started to circle each other, Thunderbird faking attacks. Nightcrawler stood his group not wanting to fight her.
By this time the Brotherhood and X-Men had circled around Nightcrawler and Thunderbird. The only side cheering though was the Brotherhood.
When Thunderbird thought Nightcrawler had dropped his guard she went in for the kill. She drover her right shoulder into Nightcrawler's stomach and they both fell out of the circle. Thunderbird put her right knee on Nightcrawler's chest and pinned him to the floor. She put her hands to each side of his head, barely holding them away from his skull. She started to charger up and smiled evilly at him.
"Mary Ann, please stop!"
Nightcrawler heard the popping and crackling grow louder right by his ears. Soon it was all he heard.
Suddenly the buzzing in his ears was gone and the pressure from his chest had been lifted. He was drug to his feet by Wolverine and saw Thunderbird and Shadowcat rolling away from where he had been laying. They stopped in the middle of the room, Thunderbird on top. She sat up and punched Shadowcat squarely in the face.
The Brotherhood cheered as the jogged over to join Thunderbird as she stood up. Quicksilver hugged her and kissed her cheek. Nightcrawler saw this and his heart dropped. HE watched Shadowcat stand up with help from Cyclops and Rogue. Wolverine joined them and her eyes narrowed toward Thunderbird.
"Let's go. It's no use now. She's to far gone," Wolverine said. He followed Cyclops, Shadowcat and Rogue out of the large room. He stopped at the door. Nightcrawler was still standing there, staring at Thunderbird and Quicksilver.
"She's ours now, Crawler," Quicksilver said mockingly.
Nightcrawler flinched at this statement and took a step backward.
"Why don't you just leave?" Thunderbird asked.
Quicksilver smiled at Nightcrawler then leaned over and kissed Thunderbird.
"Just leave," Avalanche said, smiling.
Nightcrawler turned and walked out without looking back.
When the Brotherhood was alone Thunderbird pushed away from Quicksilver and punched him in the jaw.
"Damn it, Mary Ann. What the hell was that for?" Pietro said rubbing his left jaw.
"You horny piece of shit!" she yelled.
"Sorry. I though you liked it!"
"Fuck off!"
"Guys, guys! Calm down!" Lance said stepping in between the two.
"Fuck it! I don't have time for this!" Mary Ann said. She pushed past Lance and Pietro and left the room from a hidden door. She stormed through the empty halls toward the garage. Todd hopped after her.
"Wait Mary Ann! Where are you going?" he called as he came down the hallway.
"To finish the job I'm to do," she answered not stopping.
"Oh. Ok. Be careful."
Mary Ann just grunted. She grabbed a helmet off the garage wall and hopped into a motorcycle.
"You know how to ride?" Todd asked. He stepped in the doorway and pushed a button to open the garage door. It rose and moonlight spilled into the dark garage.
Mary Ann slipped the helmet over her head and revved up the engine. She sped away without answering Todd.