We got winners , we got losers
Chain-smokers and boozers…
We got cow-boyz
We got trucker…broken hearts and suckers
The girls next door dress up as movie stars….
Ooooooo I love this bar.
It was great to be back in Canada…Wolverine strode into the smoky bar…peering through the dimness. Yes good old Canadian bar parties, drunks, swooning around some nice old-fashioned cage fighting…what's life all about anyhow? His hopes were set that this would pry is mind of the dark sinking feeling in his stomach…Jean was gone. The love that never developed…crach…boom…finito.
-Logan, buddy!… shouted a voice over the din… how you doin'? It was Tony the Italian straight from the bowels of…the mophia kidding . Oh, yes he to was a mutant.
-What brings you to this god-forsaken little town? Thought you had given up on the fighten, badass thin'…
-I have…I just need to , you know take my mind off things..Logan replied , shooting a pry and you will be terminated look at Tony..
-Im not gonna you know …pry. Tony exclaimed, abashed, Really Logan I'm not from the , you know, mophia or anything…
That's what they all say hehe
A couple beers later they sat in the cageside chairs, surveying the battle.
-Sure as hell has gone through some changes 'round here…Logan chuckled, never knew you let scrawny little law-breaking teenager into the cage… or girls than un'…she's both.
-Sure as hell she is, you watch though she ain't no pushover punk! chortled the intoxicated Italian.
Dodging the punches thrown by a man a million times her weight, she struck, then pulled back over and over, almost catlike in appearance.All of a sudden, as if taken by surprise, she let her defenses down, taking a faroshes blow to the stomach. She lifted herself up, malice clicked in her eyes, color indistinguishable from their vantage point, her lip curled in a sneer. With a sharp sideways thrust she tripped the lug, caught him in the back a couple times with a sharp kick. He was down.
-Told ya, said Tony, that punch she took shoom he replayed it, " all a play my man, all a play…she meant it, pulls the woal over their eyes..you.
Stopped midsentance by Logan, who was In shock
"She a mutant?" curiosity played his face.
"Hell ya' replied Tony,"why"
"I was sent here by Xavier…
"Xavier who the h…
"Shuddup and listen, he's this docter , owns a school for mutants, like us. Anyways , I was sent to find this girl, a mutant, something to do with animals…wasn't really listening. These were the coordinates so…"
"She must be who you're looking for but, good luck trying to get her to comply, she ain't the easiest to convince."Tony replied, contempt on his face.
"Well I will try or fail," Logan grinned, "as you well know, I'm quite the hit with the ladies, a charmer y'know…"
"Riiiigggghhhhtt"
"Well it's worth a try,"
"You're unsure,"
"So"
"Where does she stay?" Logan questioned.
"Well, here and there, she don't really have exact spot, sometimes Mama Popetta and me lodge her here, other times she wanders, some say in the forest, I dunno. You don't ask her things like that." His eyes traveled to her, petite, blood-gold hair, green eyes, very green. "'Least here she gets something decent to eat…."
Following his gaze, he watched her, talking to Tony's wife. She moved quickly, and seemed very alert…to alert, as if afraid of something, or someone. Had Magnito alredy made his move?
Noticing his perturbed expression Tony laughed, "Stay a night wontcha? The inn ain't to busy during this time o' year…"
"I'd like to and all, but I left the jet…."
"You got a jet…."
"Knock it off Tony, yes I do and I left it in the hands of A cough weirdo cough mutant named Nightcrawler. I'd be surprised if he hasn't blown it up or something…."
"Well buddy , seems as if you have to much on your mind but that liddle gal, she don't change her mind right quick you know… she processes all material….
"We'll just have to use persuasion then… won't we?" Logan growled .
" Man you sound like a oversized wolf when you do that, and please, no violence in my motel, this is my home you'know." Tony exclaimed.
Striding over to the blondie, Tony lopping beside he smirked confidently, no one shaal resist, I come, I see, I conquer….
RIIIGGGHTTO
"Kat, this is Logan, Logan, Kat…."
"She got a real name," Logan questioned,
"No one knows….Tony answered.
"Well hello blondie, as I have now dubbed thee…." Seeing the distressed smile Logan grinned, obviously the girl thought the lable blond meant weak, insufficient, stupid. With a smirk he added,"Don't give me attitude
I am mearly commenting on the hair, not the lack of strength, I would never insult anyone!" he said putting on a agast expression, "deary me "he said snidely.
"Why should I believe you, lies are how most people talk these days."
"That wasn't very nice."he commented.
"So Tony, tell me why is this mutant friend of yours here anyways,?" she said, ignoring him.
"Welll…"Tony started not knowing what to say,
"I'm from a mutant school, disguised as a prep school, for people like us, mutants. The head professor sent me to find you, he's worried.."Logan chattered away
"Wow,someone cares, but why?"the blondie appeared amazed.
"Well you see, he wants to help you control what you have, safe like. Oh, and get an education." Logan ended by rolling his eyes.
"what do you say kid?"Tony exclaimed.
"Would I meet kids like myself?" she questioned
"Yep" logan replied.
"Are the teachers mutants?"
"'course" he replied flatly.
"Do you get days off?"
"Duh" came the answer.
"We get our own rooms?"
"Maybe" Loan replied unenthousiastically.
"How will I get there?"she said, pearing through the window, "I don't see a car?"
" Number one, we don't need a car , we have a jet, number two you will be escorted by myself and Kurt a.k.a. nightcrawler. Does that answer all your questions …"he said exasperated..
"I suppose" she replied.
"Well, what do you say?"
Twistind around on one heel, she gave a mischievous look, "Oh I 'll tell you….
In the morning!" and with that she trotted victoriously iup the stairs, snickering.
"Man, I told you she was a hand full,"said Tony,"but nooooo,.."
"Shuddup!!!" Logan said with a huff, flexing his steel grip wrist, "Or I will show YOU the meaning of a handfull." Grinning wickedly he growled…
"oh I'm so afraid," he exclaimed, "Remember, it was I who beat you last time we had a little 'fight'.
"It wasn't a fair fight,"Logan began.
"You're saying that because you lost…." Tony chuckled
"well, you can block almost everything!"
"I'm not called Sunblock for nothing, being able to block is but ONE of my powers, the other, to heat up things a bit…"
"With fire.."Logan added..
"It's not Fire it's a solar flare…"
"whatever Tony…"
All of a sudden the room temperature dropped by like 40 degres. Tony's wife strode in,
"This is as much my in as yours sweetheart, if you're gonna fight I'm gonna do something about it. Now both of you, say sorry." She glared sternly at the two of them.
"Yes honey, Sorry Logan" Tony said with a finish ths later look.
Popetta strode to Logan, "I do believe you should be saying something," she voiced menacingly, cuffing him on the ear, and dragging him towards her husband.
"owowowowowow…let me gooooo" he snarled in agony, "Sorrysorrysorry"
"Good', said Popetta, and off she went.
"Man," Logan rumbed his ear,"I cannot feel my ear, I do believe it hath been mutilated."
"Never underestimate the power of a large angry Italian momma." Tony snickered.
" Ring your bud Kurt and tell hi yu're stayin' a night." And with that he lumbered after Popetta.
Still glaring after him, Logan picked up his little locater/cellphone/watchamacallit and fideled with it…
"helllooooo munch vot do munch you vant?"came the crackling signal.
"Vhy the Hell are you talking with your mouth full? How rude!" Logan half-yelled so to be haerd through the disturbance.
"I did not mean to be a nuance." Came the half-hearted voice again.
"You're always one," Logan muttered under his breath, "Now Kurt, listen up, sit tight because I'm staying a night at my buddies,.. Yes I've found the girl, no I can't just run off, DO NOT start the engines please." And under his breath he added, " If you did it could be the end of us."
After this, he yawned…and head for the guest room..and sleep. Disturbed dreams didn't even show their faces.
Waking up, he noticed how quiet it was, no yelling kids, no teachers trying o organize yelling kids…peace sigh . Yoga almost seemed nice,….wait..reality check Wolverine Yogafoolishness and probable pain…nawww let's pass.
Pulling on some clothes, he stumbled down the stairs in a semi-dormant state. Downstairs, the smell of sizzling bacon, fluffy pancakes and coffee greeted him.
"Coffee?" questioned Popetta,
"Can I add a shot of brandy of Vodka to it?" Logan said sleepily.
"No actually, I prefer breakfast to be a no alchol affair." She answered.
Sullenly, he snatched the coffee, "The girl up yet?"
"You just missed her, she left for work,"
"No sooner had those words came out of her mouth he lept up,"WORK?"
At her delicate age, that's slave labor!"
"Look Logan, she has no parents, she has to make ends meet somehow. She doesn't labor on hour after hour…" Popetta tried to finish her sentence when Logan lept in again,
"Where does she work than?" he said evenly, "I have to go find her, try and convince her to came to Xavier's…"
"Why, she is happy here! Popetta exclaimed…
Under a glare from him she retorted, "Fine, she works at the racetrack, barn C Stone Basin's horses and Greenbar's."
"Racehorses?!?! Those are huge burly beasts!" he said, horrified.
"Has anyone told you what she can do?" Popetta questioned.
"No, why?" He shot back..
"She controls animals, can talk to them or take their shape, she is right at home with those horses." She said softly, "They are like her family."
Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses….
Man, this alley is dark! Logan thought. Horses' names flashed by Icing of the cake, Get up and kind of a name is that? Well, I must not question the lunatic thoroughbred owners. Even if that is plain dumb. "Coldbeerand chips mumble " Logan rolled his eyes. He peered down the dimly lit hallway, 'where is she, little scam". rustle, rustle " Hah, I have found you!" he laughed triumphantly, only to see a kitten staring at him… meow.
"Why must it always be Cats???" he shook his head.
"Who are you looking for?" a inquisitive voice questioned.
Whirling around he came face to face with a lanky redhead, a Woodbine crest on his vest.
"Stableboy?"he questioned.
"Yes, why?" The boy replied.
"You know where I can find a Kat?"Logan asked.
"Right by your feet, why your barn got mice?"he answered, honesty playing through a smirk.
"No, I mean the girl, this high , strawberry b…"
"Of course I know, I was just foolin' a bit!"he replied with a laugh in his voice.
"So you know where she is?" Logan probed again.
"'Course, follow me…" and turning sharply around, he sauntered off.
"Lead the way." Logan muttered.
Soon after passing many stalls, they arrived at a banner, which boldly declared 'Stone Basin, Thoroughbreds'. From a stall came a rustling, and every now and then strAw or dung would come hurtling out.
"Watch yourself." Said the boy.
"Don't worry, I intend to." Said Logan with a growl.
"You again!" said blondie, her hands grasping a pitchwork, her hair in a state, wearing jeans and an old GAP t-shirt. "I thought I told you I'd tell you in the MORNING." She spat, almost angrily.
"Well, you thought about it, haven't you?" he said.
All the while the stable boy was listening intently. "Thought about what?You going off with her then?" he butted in flashing a grin and waggling eyebrows furiously, "Who going where, why?"…
"Hold on a sec' and take a breath." Logan replied, "An offer has been made for blondie here to go to a prep school, in Boston."
"That makes you what, a teacher?" asked the redhead.
"Yes, the art teacher."he replied with a grin.
Raising his eyebrows the boy opened his mouth to say something, but with a look from Logan, stopped.
"I am busy…..go away," the blond retorted,"I have no time for useless questions…"
"Why?You got a to do list?"Logan inquired.
"Yes, actually, DevilsonFire needs to be shod , GatorGreen is recovering from colic, Forensic needs to be breezed along with PeterPan, Flawless….."
Logan covered her mouth with his hand, I UNDERSTAND, you are REALLY starting to get annoying! "
"Why thank you! But I still Have to finish my VERY importamundo job."
(a couple of hours, a whole LOT of horses and three ponies later)
"Aren't you done yet?" whined a very bored, very exasperated and very i-want-a-beer Logan.
"I cannot see my face in princesse's coat yet….a few more brush strokes….98….99…100…"she said, a hint of a grin playing her face.
"Damn kids…grumble…" was the only response from Logan.
'IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK AND IT'S QUITTING TIME!!!!" the radio roared….
"YAY" YELLED Logan. "AWWWW" moaned Kat.
"So you work all week….don't you ever go to school?" Logan asked, maneuvering Tony's ancient pickup beast through the roads.
"Of course I go to school….home school, I bought all the software, Tony helped set it up on the comp. I borrowed."
"Interesting, you want to learn../ what a rare and horrible affliction, you are feeling okay?" Logan probed.
"Some of us would rather not be sadistic drunk loonies who make ridiculus claims on holding the position of art teacher…haha BURN."she snickered
"Oh, but she is a sassy little brat."was the response, but inwardly the tough guy was grinning.
"So you've decided to come after all! What a surprise. It only took you a year…" Snickering inwardly Logan grabbed the duffel bag and shouldered it.
"That's rich coming from a man who holds up the morning traffic with his HOUR showers." Came the sleepy voice of a certain tired blond.
The ride home is going to be fun, thought Logan, ahhhh yes… me, blondie and the notorious mad immigrant Dracula !!!!! Whehehehe.
(A long jog through the woods later)
"I do not see the point of having a jet and parking it in the middle of nowhereland" Kat spat.
"Would YOU like to be the person that handles the authorities when they see a jet, better then their own fighter planes flying around? What are we supposed to say? Gee, I'm soory commander I just enjoy taking leisurely flies in my superbomber plane. I'm no terrorist I swear…These claws…ohhh they're just decorations!! The little Blue man..he's my uncle!!!"
He was rewarded by a blank stare from those emerald eyes.
"Oh right, you haven't met the little blue man, that would be Nightcrawler. Yep he is definetly Blue dabadee dabady. snicker He's very uhhh…Faithful. Yep and romainian I think, therefore he speaks like this, "vhat is going on…vhere vho?" he cracked his ribs laughing.
Giggling madly, she managed to say, "Really? Just like that…he must make some sense?"
"Oh course he does….to himself."he grinned.
"ARE VE TALKING ABUT ME?" came a voice from a microphone on the side of the ship.
"turn OFF the microphone dipshit" Logan growled, "WE have COMPANY!"
"Wow ace detector , vell, hoo ish she?" came his microphoned reply
"Well mosey on out elfie, and meet her!" Logan gruffly shouted back.
Grinning ear to ear Kat questioned, "So the flight is scheduled for when?"
"Once its dark" came the reply..
"Yes" said a new voice, matter of factly, "That vay nuffink veel see us."
The young girl blinked, not used to seeing blue men in pajama trousers eating beef jerky and spooning raspberry tequila mix into a pointy toothed mouth.
"Greetings, I'm Kurt Wagner" but he was leaning to more the "Vagner" way of saying
"Um, hi I'm Kat or well….i don't have a mutant name yet so …. Just Kat."
"Kat is short for vhat now small one??" he queried, "Katherin, Kathy, Katy perhavs?"
Taking a breth she replied , " No Katrina"
"AH, Russian ish it nott?" said Wagner
"Really, I never knew that much…."she replied, " I don't know much about my past bit ruffled, cloudy I say."
"You don't say." Muttered Wolverine, taking a glazed look to him.
Lifting an eyebrow at his friend, Kurt asked, " so darrrling, ve are famished no?"
An bowl on spaghetti and some garlic bread later……
For some odd reason, half of the jet had furnished living quarters, perfect for long trips complete with a kitchenette, bathroom sink etc. Right at the moment, a certain feline like blond had dozed of in a rather downy overstuffed armchair, fed and happy. Two x-men surveyed quietly.
"So elfie, what shall we name the liddle squirt….she does need a mutant code-name thingy." Said Wolverine as he chugged a budweiser.
"Vell that will depend on vhat her powers are my bad –tempered friend."
" Me bad-tempered , never!" he snarled toothily, "At least I don't sleep in a tree monkey-face!"
With a sad face, Nightcrawler moped off to his tree to get a half night's sleep, sticking his tongue out at Wolverine.
Wolverine woke up to odd-type yelling and crashing from outdoors, " Strange" he thought, grumpily sliding out of bed, "their better be a good reason for this" he brooded moodily.
Slumping out the room in sweat pants and a white tank top, sleep crusting his eyes, anger flaring, he picked up an odd familiar scent, Sabertooth? " Man, I thought that one died off a while ago." He groaned inwardly, "now I have to fight him AGAIN?!? Man, big guy in the sky, give me a damn break already!" Then it hit him " They must be after short stuff like they were after Marie" his parental instincts kicking in , " Must not let kid go to dark side of brotherhood!"
Outside, commotion had already fired up, seemingly with Kat going out for fresh air and being pounced on by burly Sabertooth. Kurt had literally fallen out of his tree to come to the rescue and fallen into a bear trapping pit. Kat was putting on a good fight struggling as Sabertooth dragged her away. Obviously not giving up easily she struggled, flailed, kicked, clawed and bit, but it appeared that Magnito had ordered any mesure to be used, she was covered it cuts from a certain beasts claws. Wolverine, furious anyone should try and injure a child roared and swung into battle, claws extended, hungry for blood.
Steel cut the air and claw met claw as the two creatures circled like wolves, waiting for an opportunity to knock. Without warning, two furry blurs hurtled out of the underbrush and joined the battle. Lightning quick they were, and soon had Sabertooth against a tree, rendered imprisoned by barbed antlers over arms, pinning him. Deer.
Confused, Logan turned his head, "Why the hell did that just happen?" ran through his head, but seeing as the enemy was disabled he didn't ask questions. Approaching the monster he tickled the underside of his throat with a blade, " Would your neck like a taste of this metal or will you stay of my territory?" he hissed, pressing his claws slightly closer to the pulsing jugular.
" I'm only doin my business, but I'll have to take an unscheduled retreat," he gasped, choking, "Please tell these vermin to let me go and I'll leave gasp " then Sabertooth's eyes rolled back and he collapsed from lack of oxygen.
Immediately the two stags realeased the limp form and strode to Kat's side.
"You!" was all Logan managed to say.
" Yes well, that's my power, controlling animals is a part and well…transforming into them too." She muttered.
"Can you talk to them?" he asked, amazed.
"Yepers, mind-speak however" she retorted
"Can they understand me?" he questioned.
"Not many, but these to can if I translate."
"Can you tell them thanks for their assistance?"
"sure thing boss!" she snickered, holding a silent exchange with the two creatures she thanked them and bid them off before the Sabertooth awoke. With a bow, they turned and sauntered off.
"Ummm, guys, im ave need for your help please?" came an echoing voice from the bear –pit.
"Looks like we forgot about elfie!" Logan grinned evily.
" Whoops!" snickered Kat with a grin.
Once a very disgruntled Nightcrawler had been freed from the pit, the three set on their way…