Disclaimer: Furor Paxx and VulgateOfEarth do not own the X-Men or any affiliates. All are the property of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc and its various affiliates and partners. Phoenix Malcolm, Haiden Malcolm and all irregular characters are the sole property of Furor Paxx and are being used with permission.
~~ Scott ~~
He had watched them come slinking in again the night before and once more cursed himself out for not telling the professor about the fight. Then he watched Evan stand up and threaten to denounce the X-men and then walk away. To Scott, the world was coming to an end.
His carefully controlled universe was falling apart, torn between Evan and some unknown menace. "Oh this is perfect. Phoenix, the freak and Evan the deserter. Yeah, they make a pretty picture. I bet Lance had this planned, get one of the X-men in a fight, possibly suspended and then get him to join the brotherhood. Over what? Phoenix Malcolm." He spat, completely unaware that he was talking out loud and that everyone had fallen silent. "That filthy, backwards, cross dressing psychopath who's convinced that some gods or something are telling her to run around beating the snot out of people. It's enough to make me puke, and then Kurt just goes right along with it. I always thought he was smarter than that, but hey, what does Scott know? He's only the one who puts his reputation on the line to save their butts. I should've told the professor as soon as we got back from school, but I had to be nice this time. How am I gonna face Lance?" Scott's shoulders drooped. "How am I gonna face myself?" With a heavy sigh, he stood. "I'm gonna see if I can't talk him out of this." He said in a louder voice and followed Evan.
Everyone just stared after him.
~~ Pietro ~~
"I can do this. I can do this." Pietro peered down the stairs. From his position he could just barely see Phoenix sitting at the kitchen table. Magnus' voice rumbled over the sizzling frying pan. Pietro pulled back into his room, took a deep breath and squinted at the wall. "She won't hurt you when dad's there." All of a sudden his knees gave out and he collapsed on the floor. Luckily, he caught himself and the twosome downstairs didn't hear. Against his will, he began crying. "This isn't fair, why can't she just go away?" He tilted his head up. "If there's anyone up there, I swear, I'll be nice to Toad and hey, I'll even join the X-fr- X-Men, if only you'll make her go away. Please." He stared up for a moment longer, but when he got no response, he sighed and pulled himself together. "Just go downstairs. Don't think, just do it." Pietro struggled to his feet and mentally braced himself. With one last glance at the ceiling, he raced down the stairs.
She glanced at him as he fled past her and grabbed some toast. Pietro figured she was really into whatever Magneto had to say, because she didn't harass him. Nevertheless, the moment he entered the room, his head reeled from the almost tangible aura of hate and violence that she filled the room with. 'Just get your books and go.' He told himself. He zipped past Phoenix, but at the last second her hand shot out and grabbed his arm.
"Aren't you going to say something, Pietro?"
In truth, Pietro was scared out of his mind. The aura only grew stronger, and his skin burned where she touched him. "H-hi." He whispered.
"Have a seat." With her foot she slid a chair back for him and he had no choice but to sit. "When was the last time we sat down and talked? It feels like forever." Phoenix had only been in Bayville for a week, and during that time Pietro had instinctively avoided her like the plague. They had never 'sat down and talked' but Pietro just shrugged and crammed his mouth with toast as an excuse not to talk as he warily sat in the chair and scooted away from Phoenix.
"Tell me about Evan Daniels and Kurt Wagner."
Pietro's mouth went dry and he choked on his toast. "Whudayawannaknow?"
"Their weaknesses, their strengths, their personalities…anything."
"Can't help you." Pietro muttered with a shake of his head.
"So you let them in the house without knowing anything about them?"
Magnus stared at Pietro and then Phoenix. "He did WHAT?"
"Oh, was I not supposed to mention that? I thought they were friends. After all, they're always on the phone and they even walked him home once." Phoenix studied Magnus' expression. "They even help each other with homework."
"Pietro…" Magneto hissed. All Pietro could do was wince and wait for the worst.
"I was just hoping you could fill me in on those two. They have great potential." Her tone drew Magneto's and Pietro's gaze towards her. Her eyebrow was cocked and the glint in her eyes gave unlimited definitions for the word 'potential.'
"Come on Pietro. Be a pal."
"Igottago." Pietro was gone so fast that neither Magneto nor Phoenix saw his departure.
"Do you see now?" Phoenix turned to Magneto.
"Yes, all too clearly." He replied and his eyes narrowed.
Meanwhile, in his mad flight, Pietro had not thought to head for any particular destination. He pulled up short at the sight of a copper signpost.
Xavier Institute For Gifted Youngsters
Founded by Professor Charles Xavier
March, 19--
~~ The Xavier Institute ~~
Logan stalked down the halls banging on doors and bellowing for any stragglers to get out of bed. After he scared the daylights out of Kitty and Rogue by pounding on their door, he gave an evil glare to the world in general and went downstairs. His intuition was telling him that it was going to be a bad day.
At that exact same time, Pietro was standing outside the gate of the Institute, wondering what to do next. He made up his mind and slipped through the wrought iron fence and made a dash for the trellis that stood beside Evan and Kurt's room.
Logan, unaware, began harassing Bobby for bothering the girls.
~~ Kurt ~~
He had heard Logan coming and hid under the bed. Just as he was peeking from his hiding place he saw a ghostly pale hand tapping on the window. He cautiously approached and upon seeing Pietro, threw the window open and dragged him inside.
"What are you doing, man? Do you really vant to die?" He demanded as he drew the curtains and Pietro flitted around the room.
"Where's Evan?" Pietro said. "Phoenix told my father that you guys came over."
Kurt sank onto the bed. "So vhat'd he say?"
"I wasn't listening, not much, he was too pissed to say much, he's gonna kill me though."
"We have to tell the Professor."
"Yeah, tell everyone that you and me have gone and spied on Phoenix. How about you wait til I'm safely out of the country?"
"The Professor vill help. You know he vill. Vhy else did you come here?"
"I don't even remember coming here. One second he was asking me what the Hell I was thinking and the next I was staring at the sign in the front."
"Yeah well, I don't think he's too happy with me anyhow. We kinda refused to tell him what was going on and then Evan told him to get off his case or he was going to join the brotherhood."
"HE'S GOING TO MY HOUSE?!"
"Yeah. I guess so. Scott vent after him."
"Whatarewegonnado? Whatarewegonnado? I'mtooyoungandhandsometodie. Idontwannadie."
~~ Scott ~~
He had watched them come slinking in again the night before and once more cursed himself out for not telling the professor about the fight. Then he watched Evan stand up and threaten to denounce the X-men and then walk away. To Scott, the world was coming to an end.
His carefully controlled universe was falling apart, torn between Evan and some unknown menace. "Oh this is perfect. Phoenix, the freak and Evan the deserter. Yeah, they make a pretty picture. I bet Lance had this planned, get one of the X-men in a fight, possibly suspended and then get him to join the brotherhood. Over what? Phoenix Malcolm." He spat, completely unaware that he was talking out loud and that everyone had fallen silent. "That filthy, backwards, cross dressing psychopath who's convinced that some gods or something are telling her to run around beating the snot out of people. It's enough to make me puke, and then Kurt just goes right along with it. I always thought he was smarter than that, but hey, what does Scott know? He's only the one who puts his reputation on the line to save their butts. I should've told the professor as soon as we got back from school, but I had to be nice this time. How am I gonna face Lance?" Scott's shoulders drooped. "How am I gonna face myself?" With a heavy sigh, he stood. "I'm gonna see if I can't talk him out of this." He said in a louder voice and followed Evan.
Everyone just stared after him.
~~ Pietro ~~
"I can do this. I can do this." Pietro peered down the stairs. From his position he could just barely see Phoenix sitting at the kitchen table. Magnus' voice rumbled over the sizzling frying pan. Pietro pulled back into his room, took a deep breath and squinted at the wall. "She won't hurt you when dad's there." All of a sudden his knees gave out and he collapsed on the floor. Luckily, he caught himself and the twosome downstairs didn't hear. Against his will, he began crying. "This isn't fair, why can't she just go away?" He tilted his head up. "If there's anyone up there, I swear, I'll be nice to Toad and hey, I'll even join the X-fr- X-Men, if only you'll make her go away. Please." He stared up for a moment longer, but when he got no response, he sighed and pulled himself together. "Just go downstairs. Don't think, just do it." Pietro struggled to his feet and mentally braced himself. With one last glance at the ceiling, he raced down the stairs.
She glanced at him as he fled past her and grabbed some toast. Pietro figured she was really into whatever Magneto had to say, because she didn't harass him. Nevertheless, the moment he entered the room, his head reeled from the almost tangible aura of hate and violence that she filled the room with. 'Just get your books and go.' He told himself. He zipped past Phoenix, but at the last second her hand shot out and grabbed his arm.
"Aren't you going to say something, Pietro?"
In truth, Pietro was scared out of his mind. The aura only grew stronger, and his skin burned where she touched him. "H-hi." He whispered.
"Have a seat." With her foot she slid a chair back for him and he had no choice but to sit. "When was the last time we sat down and talked? It feels like forever." Phoenix had only been in Bayville for a week, and during that time Pietro had instinctively avoided her like the plague. They had never 'sat down and talked' but Pietro just shrugged and crammed his mouth with toast as an excuse not to talk as he warily sat in the chair and scooted away from Phoenix.
"Tell me about Evan Daniels and Kurt Wagner."
Pietro's mouth went dry and he choked on his toast. "Whudayawannaknow?"
"Their weaknesses, their strengths, their personalities…anything."
"Can't help you." Pietro muttered with a shake of his head.
"So you let them in the house without knowing anything about them?"
Magnus stared at Pietro and then Phoenix. "He did WHAT?"
"Oh, was I not supposed to mention that? I thought they were friends. After all, they're always on the phone and they even walked him home once." Phoenix studied Magnus' expression. "They even help each other with homework."
"Pietro…" Magneto hissed. All Pietro could do was wince and wait for the worst.
"I was just hoping you could fill me in on those two. They have great potential." Her tone drew Magneto's and Pietro's gaze towards her. Her eyebrow was cocked and the glint in her eyes gave unlimited definitions for the word 'potential.'
"Come on Pietro. Be a pal."
"Igottago." Pietro was gone so fast that neither Magneto nor Phoenix saw his departure.
"Do you see now?" Phoenix turned to Magneto.
"Yes, all too clearly." He replied and his eyes narrowed.
Meanwhile, in his mad flight, Pietro had not thought to head for any particular destination. He pulled up short at the sight of a copper signpost.
Xavier Institute For Gifted Youngsters
Founded by Professor Charles Xavier
March, 19--
~~ The Xavier Institute ~~
Logan stalked down the halls banging on doors and bellowing for any stragglers to get out of bed. After he scared the daylights out of Kitty and Rogue by pounding on their door, he gave an evil glare to the world in general and went downstairs. His intuition was telling him that it was going to be a bad day.
At that exact same time, Pietro was standing outside the gate of the Institute, wondering what to do next. He made up his mind and slipped through the wrought iron fence and made a dash for the trellis that stood beside Evan and Kurt's room.
Logan, unaware, began harassing Bobby for bothering the girls.
~~ Kurt ~~
He had heard Logan coming and hid under the bed. Just as he was peeking from his hiding place he saw a ghostly pale hand tapping on the window. He cautiously approached and upon seeing Pietro, threw the window open and dragged him inside.
"What are you doing, man? Do you really vant to die?" He demanded as he drew the curtains and Pietro flitted around the room.
"Where's Evan?" Pietro said. "Phoenix told my father that you guys came over."
Kurt sank onto the bed. "So vhat'd he say?"
"I wasn't listening, not much, he was too pissed to say much, he's gonna kill me though."
"We have to tell the Professor."
"Yeah, tell everyone that you and me have gone and spied on Phoenix. How about you wait til I'm safely out of the country?"
"The Professor vill help. You know he vill. Vhy else did you come here?"
"I don't even remember coming here. One second he was asking me what the Hell I was thinking and the next I was staring at the sign in the front."
"Yeah well, I don't think he's too happy with me anyhow. We kinda refused to tell him what was going on and then Evan told him to get off his case or he was going to join the brotherhood."
"HE'S GOING TO MY HOUSE?!"
"Yeah. I guess so. Scott vent after him."
"Whatarewegonnado? Whatarewegonnado? I'mtooyoungandhandsometodie. Idontwannadie."