Fourteenth Century Man
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "Ah, this is one of those 'I can't pay you, but I'll put your name in the credits' movies"
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ACT 14 –Home
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We open in Bayville, where the knights are headed for the championship in a parade. Bobby appears with his trusty mic.
Guess who just got back today
Those wild-eyed boys that has been away
Haven't changed
Haven't much to say
Team Forge are also in the crowd, holding up banners with their phoenix insignia as Forge rides on Jott.
"The phoenix will live again!", cries Jean.
But, man, I still think them cats are great
They were askin' if you were around
How you was where you could be found
I told 'em you were livin' downtown
Driving all the old men crazy
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
Forge smiles, noticing Leech on the very stocks he used to watch the parade on as a boy. leech waves and a mini flashback shows chibi-Forge waving at himself. Needless to say, this freaks Forge out, and he chooses to ride on.
"Forgeich, Forgeich, Forgeich", chant the crowd, as women lean out their windows, screaming at him to father their children, disturbing Forge even more.
Spread the world around
Guess who's back in town
Friday night they'll be dressed to kill
Down at Dino's Bar and Grill
The drink will flow and blood will spill
If they boys want to fight you'd better let 'em
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town
"I have news", says Kurt, bamfing over to Forge, "Logan is here. He's entered"
"He must have grown bored with whatever war they were fighting", says Freddy
"No, no", says Kurt, "The Black Prince commanded it. He was forced to disband his arms. They were revelling the night, pillaging town after town, robbing and murdering and ransacking churches"
"Committing the oldest sins in the newest ways", smirks Logan, riding up next to Forge, "At last we'll have a chance to face each other again, Sir Forgeich. And at the world championship"
"As I promised you before, Logan", growls Forge, "You will look up at me from the flat of your back"
"Keep dreamin', Gear-Head", says Logan, then notices Forge and Storm sharing that secret 'we did it last night' grin, from where Storm is sitting in her box, "Let the past die. You've done well in my absence. On the field and off, so I'm told. Winning trophies, horses, women"
"Do you put them in that order?", asks Forge
"Generally. with a few exceptions", says Logan with a nod, then looks at Logan, "Beautiful, isn't she? A real thoroughbred trophy"
Logan winces as lighting hits inches away from him.
"You speak of Ororo like she is a target", says Forge
"Isn't she?", asks Logan, ducking another lighting bolt.
"No", says Forge, "She is the arrow"
Logan shakes his ehad.
"Stupid hippie-zen", he mutters, then smirks, "I've entered into negotiations with her father. I'm to make her my bride"
Forge looks away gritting his teeth, trying not to kill Logan as he talks.
"Oh, she'll be saddled", says Logan, "and placed on my mantle. Target or arrow, it makes no difference. I will have her"
Forge twitches again, then looks up as the crowd once again chant his name. We move into the next match, where, once again, Forge wins. Logan watches from the stands, next to Mr. Pryde.
"How would you beat him?", he asks.
"With a stick, when he slept", says Mr. Pryde, "But on a horse? With a lance? That man is unbeatable"
Logan narrows his eyes as the scene changes to later, Forge riding Jott down the streets of Bayville in a downpour.
"Thanks for annoying Storm, Logan", mutters Hank
Forge stops to look at Rahne, who is playing with a fake lance at the side.
"I'm a little girl, now?", she complains.
"We'd have used Torpid, but she doesn't speak", says Hank with a shrug
"Hello, there"
Rahne blinks at him, then her eyes widen.
"You're….you\re Sir Forgeich von Lichtenstein", she says.
"Yes", smiles Forge
"You're my favourite knight!", grins Rahne, "When we joust, I always say I'm you"
Forge grins, loving the admiration.
"What're you doing here in Bayville?", she asks, "There's no parade today"
Forge glances around to see if anyone is watching before looking at Rahne.
"Can you keep a secret?"
"I'm a teenaged girl, so nae", says Rahne.
Forge gets off his horse, walking over to her.
"I was born in Bayville", he says, "Actually, I was born in a Cheyenne Reservation in Montana…"
"Forge", growls Hank.
"Just around the corner there", says Forge, pointing.
"Truly, Sir Forgeich?", asks Rahne, wide-eyed.
"Truly", nods Forge
"I only live just there", says Rahne, pointing.
"How old are you?", asks Forge
"Fourteen", says Rahne, then winces as Hank jumps up and down, "I mean, Nine and one-half"
"Nine and one-half", repeats Forge, adding insult to injury, "I wonder if you remember a man. Though he may have died before you were born. He was as tall as a knight….if he could stand. His name was Charles Thatcher"
"Of course I remember him", says Rahne.
"You do?", asks Forge, hopefully
"Well, yeah, he lives there still", says Rahne, "Sometimes we see him sitting at the window, but no one knows why"
"What do you mean?", blinks Forge.
"He's blind, Sir", says Rahne sadly.
"I'm paralysed and blind?", asks Xavier, off screen, "oh that's nice!"
We cut to Xavier's house, where Forge hovers by the entrance, where Xavier is making a fishing net
"Is someone there?", asks Xavier, "Well, if you're here for the net, I haven't finished yet. Come back tomorrow"
Forge watches in silence.
"Who are you?", asks Xavier, obviously getting creeped out.
"A knight", says Forge, "My name is Forgeich"
"Forgeich?", asks Xavier, "I hear that name being chanted form the stadium. What business have you here?"
"I have word, Master Thatcher", says Forge, "Word of your son"
"Of my Forge?", says Xavier, dropping his work, "Come in, sir! What word? Does he live?"
"Aye, he lives", says Forge, then blinks, "damnit, Rahne's Scottish brogue rubbed off on me! He is very well. He wanted you to know that he changed his stars after all"
Xavier gives a sob.
"Aww, touching scene", says Hank, "keep the onions coming, this'll win me an Emmy!"
"And has he followed his feet?", asks Xavier, "Has he found his way home at last?"
"Yes", says Forge, walking over to give him a hug, "Father"
"You never hug me", sniffs Lucas, appearing from nowhere, "and you wonder why I hate you"
We move later at night, the rain still pelting down. Forge and Xavier are having a meal as Forge tells him of his adventures thus far.
"I should like to meet this Todd", says Xavier, "and Freddy as well"
"You will, Father, you will", chuckles Forge
"And what of women?", grins Xavier, "Is there a certain one, or many?"
"There is a certain one", says Forge
"Hmm", says Xavier, "I should like to meet her as well"
"Dirty old man", says Forge, "You're worse than Naze" (1)
Forge glances up at the leaky roof.
"Oh, but this leak won't do, Father", he says, "Not in the chamber of a thatcher"
"For a blind, wheelchair-bound thacther, it's quite fitting", says Xavier
"Well, a thatcher I am", nods Forge, "I'll fix it for you"
Outside, we see Logan waiting in the shadows, watching the house as Forge climbs out of the window, too overjoyed at the prospect of fixing something to notice him. Logan smirks, Forge has been rumbled.
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(1) – For those not familiar with the comics, Naze is the man that pretty much brought Forge up. When Naze first met Ororo, his earliest thought were 'If I were twenty years younger, I'd give Forge a run for his money', or something along those lines. Naze rules.
Uh oh, not good!. Do review. Until next time….