A/N This is not a funny chapter. It's setting up a deeper plot, so if you don't get something, please ask. I'm setting up the motivations for future chapters. And, yeah, things are getting a bit extreme. I'll try to tone it down, but I have this thing about drama/violence... Just gimme a flame if you think I'm getting out of my place.
Also, sorry it took so long to update. Life happened.
"I Tried"
Furor Paxx (VulgateOfEarth@hotmail.com)
Chapter 13- Secondary Education
(Refusing to claim or disclaim.)
It occured to Scott that the Brotherhood was really just like, in the profound words of Shrek, an onion. The layers just kept coming off the longer he stayed with them. Scott had known that Pietro would throw a fit when he found out what Wanda had been up to, but he never suspected that Pietro would... well, to say the least, it was obvious who's son he was.
Scott remembered when he had told the Professor that he was leaving the X-Men to join the Brotherhood. He took it well, all things considered. Professor X considered Scott as much of a son as Scott considered him a father, but that didn't mean that Scott's leaving home to move across town was any easier for him. The Professor had just warned Scott about possible secondary mutations among the Brotherhood and told him that if things got out of hand, he was always welcome back. He kept that look on his face that Scott duplicated so well, that 'It's no big deal since you'll come back anyway' look, even though they both knew it wasn't happening. Scott hadn't thought much about secondary mutations since then, it was never anything he had to worry about, but seeing Pietro get so angry...
It didn't help that everything in the room suddenly decided to defy gravity. Four knives were spinning in a tight circle above the speed demon's head and Scott hoped that Pietro wasn't as mad as he seemed.
"Pietro." Freddy said calmly from somewhere near the ceiling. "Be careful... you're messing up the house."
"Yeah, maybe you should take this outside or something." Lance agreed.
Scott looked at Pietro standing there, shaking with rage and wondered how they could be so calm. Scott fought his way to a doorpost and braced himself in the doorway. He set himself in a position to hit the knives, should Pietro actually throw them at Wanda. Scott doubted he could stop them all, but maybe he could get a shot off Pietro if he had to.
Pietro's eyes had gone completely white and shone with a light that disturbed Scott in ways he hadn't thought possible. He was standing in the center of the room and concentrating that awful, penetrating gaze on Wanda. She was the only person besides him who was still standing on the ground, not that she considered it a good thing. Scott realized in that instant that Pietro was never really afraid of Wanda, he just pretended to be. As he watched her stand there, shaking in her boots, Scott slowly realized just how delicate the balances in the Brotherhood were weighed. They hid their true power even from each other and downplayed their intelligence in public. Lie upon craftily layered lie was all that protected these mutants from each other and the world. Everything fell into place in Scott's mind at that moment. Todd's speech about how the Brotherhood was just as good as the X-Men, Pietro and Kurt's secret liasons, Wanda's detatched attitude, Kaysin and Jaysin and their father's warning earlier that morning, the lingering essence of distrust among Kurt and Todd, Todd and Pietro... and most importantly, it explained why Lance, Scott's rival, would approach him and ask him to leave the X-Men to join the Brotherhood. It took seeing Pietro snap at his sister and using a secondary mutation for Scott to get it.
They all had secondary mutations. Every last one of them, and, if Scott guessed right, more than just two. All the lies and deciet... it was to hide who was enemies with who, who had allied themselves with whom, just what and how many powers each person had. The Brotherhood had started off simple. A place for mutants who didn't feel safe around other mutants. By luring them in with half truths, Magneto found a way to destabilize each of them, turn them against each other, so that the only thing they could be sure of was that Magneto and Mystique were the only people they could trust. They hinted at betrayals that they had set other members up to, thus gaining the trust of the teenagers. Until Kurt decided to get involved with Pietro and unsettled the lies that Pietro took as laws. Magneto left because he knew his hold was slipping, he knew that eventually the Brotherhood would pull together and fight him, so he ran to start over.
What he didn't know was how long it would take for them to get over the damage he had caused. Nothing had changed since Magneto and Mystique left. The plotting still continued, secret alliances were made and broken every day, allies lied and played up each other's powers to keep ememies guessing... Occasionally things happened that threw the arrangements off a little and gave new light into someone's secrets, from there a rapid shift of alliegiences occured.
It was so obvious why Kurt finally left. He had ties to Pietro and Pietro had told him that Scott was leaving the X-Men. Between the two of them, they could stop any alliance that Scott and Lance formed. Knowing that, it was clear why Lance had asked Scott to join the Brotherhood.
To replace Magneto.
Lance intended for Scott to be that center cog, the one that kept the others moving, but unlike Magneto who only got the other cogs more confused and jumbled, Scott was supposed to reverse the process, to get things to the point where they didn't need a center cog anymore.
Scott looked around the room again and noticed Todd and Lance staring at him from the corner of their eyes.
"Pietro. It's not that serious." Scott said out loud and focused on him. "If you don't stop this now, I'll make you. We can't afford to have you ruin things now."
Pietro didn't move, but Scott could sense that he was focused on him now. Scott took a deep breath and continued. "The professor told me to look out for any signs of secondary mutations in you guys. I don't want anything to linger here that he'll be able to pick up on when he comes on Saturday, Pietro. We'll never get the X-Men off our backs then."
"You came to spy on us?" Pietro asked, now turning to face Scott. Suddenly Scott felt gravity pulling on him and he dropped to the floor to face Pietro.
"You tell me what good spying on you would have done. The X-Men beat you left and right. Why would they need me to spy on you?" Scott said, though he knew exactly what Pietro was talking about. "C'mon Pietro. Not now of all times. We still have so much work to do." Taking a risk, Scott carefully approached Pietro. "This was your idea after all, and you know how Lance gets. If we don't do this right, then we'll never hear the end of it."
Quicksilver tensed as Scott came closer, but he noticed the knives slow down a little. That meant that 'Tro was either calming down or getting ready to attack.
Nevertheless, Scott smiled comfortingly and placed a hand on Pietro's shoulder. "We'll even let you keep the damn speakers. Maybe you could plan some music to play or something."
Scott practically felt everyone hold their breath as they waited for Pietro's answer. His eyes narrowed even more.
"Any music?"
Scott felt his smile turn wooden. "Almost any music."
"And I can keep the room?"
"No, I just said the speakers. Those are the only computers in the house and other people need them too."
"And you won't throw me around if I wake you up with them?"
"Pietro, you're pushing it."
Scott nodded, business as usual, as Pietro set the room back to rights. "Okay, we've still got work to do and groceries to buy. Todd, is the fridge cleaned out?"
"Yo, just got done."
"Okay, Pietro, you're riding with Kaysin and Lance. Wanda, keys..." As soon as she deposited them in his hand, he tossed them to Pietro. "Try not to get a ticket or damage it or anything. It's at Kay's house. Well? Why are you all just standing around? We have a hundred rooms to straighten up, move!" There was a flurry of movement as everyone found something to do. Scott pressed a hand to his heart, which was still fluttering like a demented hummingbird. He prayed that he'd never have to do anything like that again. There was only so much a plain old mutant could do in a houseful of mutants with at least two other powers.
"I know how you feel." Todd said. Scott whirled around to see him straightening the picture that Pietro had been arranging earlier. "It doesn't happen often, but when it does... You did good. I'm glad you came, after Magneto left, this place has just gone downhill." Todd smiled and left.
Scott smiled too. It was becoming even more apparent who ran things around here, especially 'after Magneto left'...
Also, sorry it took so long to update. Life happened.
"I Tried"
Furor Paxx (VulgateOfEarth@hotmail.com)
Chapter 13- Secondary Education
(Refusing to claim or disclaim.)
It occured to Scott that the Brotherhood was really just like, in the profound words of Shrek, an onion. The layers just kept coming off the longer he stayed with them. Scott had known that Pietro would throw a fit when he found out what Wanda had been up to, but he never suspected that Pietro would... well, to say the least, it was obvious who's son he was.
Scott remembered when he had told the Professor that he was leaving the X-Men to join the Brotherhood. He took it well, all things considered. Professor X considered Scott as much of a son as Scott considered him a father, but that didn't mean that Scott's leaving home to move across town was any easier for him. The Professor had just warned Scott about possible secondary mutations among the Brotherhood and told him that if things got out of hand, he was always welcome back. He kept that look on his face that Scott duplicated so well, that 'It's no big deal since you'll come back anyway' look, even though they both knew it wasn't happening. Scott hadn't thought much about secondary mutations since then, it was never anything he had to worry about, but seeing Pietro get so angry...
It didn't help that everything in the room suddenly decided to defy gravity. Four knives were spinning in a tight circle above the speed demon's head and Scott hoped that Pietro wasn't as mad as he seemed.
"Pietro." Freddy said calmly from somewhere near the ceiling. "Be careful... you're messing up the house."
"Yeah, maybe you should take this outside or something." Lance agreed.
Scott looked at Pietro standing there, shaking with rage and wondered how they could be so calm. Scott fought his way to a doorpost and braced himself in the doorway. He set himself in a position to hit the knives, should Pietro actually throw them at Wanda. Scott doubted he could stop them all, but maybe he could get a shot off Pietro if he had to.
Pietro's eyes had gone completely white and shone with a light that disturbed Scott in ways he hadn't thought possible. He was standing in the center of the room and concentrating that awful, penetrating gaze on Wanda. She was the only person besides him who was still standing on the ground, not that she considered it a good thing. Scott realized in that instant that Pietro was never really afraid of Wanda, he just pretended to be. As he watched her stand there, shaking in her boots, Scott slowly realized just how delicate the balances in the Brotherhood were weighed. They hid their true power even from each other and downplayed their intelligence in public. Lie upon craftily layered lie was all that protected these mutants from each other and the world. Everything fell into place in Scott's mind at that moment. Todd's speech about how the Brotherhood was just as good as the X-Men, Pietro and Kurt's secret liasons, Wanda's detatched attitude, Kaysin and Jaysin and their father's warning earlier that morning, the lingering essence of distrust among Kurt and Todd, Todd and Pietro... and most importantly, it explained why Lance, Scott's rival, would approach him and ask him to leave the X-Men to join the Brotherhood. It took seeing Pietro snap at his sister and using a secondary mutation for Scott to get it.
They all had secondary mutations. Every last one of them, and, if Scott guessed right, more than just two. All the lies and deciet... it was to hide who was enemies with who, who had allied themselves with whom, just what and how many powers each person had. The Brotherhood had started off simple. A place for mutants who didn't feel safe around other mutants. By luring them in with half truths, Magneto found a way to destabilize each of them, turn them against each other, so that the only thing they could be sure of was that Magneto and Mystique were the only people they could trust. They hinted at betrayals that they had set other members up to, thus gaining the trust of the teenagers. Until Kurt decided to get involved with Pietro and unsettled the lies that Pietro took as laws. Magneto left because he knew his hold was slipping, he knew that eventually the Brotherhood would pull together and fight him, so he ran to start over.
What he didn't know was how long it would take for them to get over the damage he had caused. Nothing had changed since Magneto and Mystique left. The plotting still continued, secret alliances were made and broken every day, allies lied and played up each other's powers to keep ememies guessing... Occasionally things happened that threw the arrangements off a little and gave new light into someone's secrets, from there a rapid shift of alliegiences occured.
It was so obvious why Kurt finally left. He had ties to Pietro and Pietro had told him that Scott was leaving the X-Men. Between the two of them, they could stop any alliance that Scott and Lance formed. Knowing that, it was clear why Lance had asked Scott to join the Brotherhood.
To replace Magneto.
Lance intended for Scott to be that center cog, the one that kept the others moving, but unlike Magneto who only got the other cogs more confused and jumbled, Scott was supposed to reverse the process, to get things to the point where they didn't need a center cog anymore.
Scott looked around the room again and noticed Todd and Lance staring at him from the corner of their eyes.
"Pietro. It's not that serious." Scott said out loud and focused on him. "If you don't stop this now, I'll make you. We can't afford to have you ruin things now."
Pietro didn't move, but Scott could sense that he was focused on him now. Scott took a deep breath and continued. "The professor told me to look out for any signs of secondary mutations in you guys. I don't want anything to linger here that he'll be able to pick up on when he comes on Saturday, Pietro. We'll never get the X-Men off our backs then."
"You came to spy on us?" Pietro asked, now turning to face Scott. Suddenly Scott felt gravity pulling on him and he dropped to the floor to face Pietro.
"You tell me what good spying on you would have done. The X-Men beat you left and right. Why would they need me to spy on you?" Scott said, though he knew exactly what Pietro was talking about. "C'mon Pietro. Not now of all times. We still have so much work to do." Taking a risk, Scott carefully approached Pietro. "This was your idea after all, and you know how Lance gets. If we don't do this right, then we'll never hear the end of it."
Quicksilver tensed as Scott came closer, but he noticed the knives slow down a little. That meant that 'Tro was either calming down or getting ready to attack.
Nevertheless, Scott smiled comfortingly and placed a hand on Pietro's shoulder. "We'll even let you keep the damn speakers. Maybe you could plan some music to play or something."
Scott practically felt everyone hold their breath as they waited for Pietro's answer. His eyes narrowed even more.
"Any music?"
Scott felt his smile turn wooden. "Almost any music."
"And I can keep the room?"
"No, I just said the speakers. Those are the only computers in the house and other people need them too."
"And you won't throw me around if I wake you up with them?"
"Pietro, you're pushing it."
Scott nodded, business as usual, as Pietro set the room back to rights. "Okay, we've still got work to do and groceries to buy. Todd, is the fridge cleaned out?"
"Yo, just got done."
"Okay, Pietro, you're riding with Kaysin and Lance. Wanda, keys..." As soon as she deposited them in his hand, he tossed them to Pietro. "Try not to get a ticket or damage it or anything. It's at Kay's house. Well? Why are you all just standing around? We have a hundred rooms to straighten up, move!" There was a flurry of movement as everyone found something to do. Scott pressed a hand to his heart, which was still fluttering like a demented hummingbird. He prayed that he'd never have to do anything like that again. There was only so much a plain old mutant could do in a houseful of mutants with at least two other powers.
"I know how you feel." Todd said. Scott whirled around to see him straightening the picture that Pietro had been arranging earlier. "It doesn't happen often, but when it does... You did good. I'm glad you came, after Magneto left, this place has just gone downhill." Todd smiled and left.
Scott smiled too. It was becoming even more apparent who ran things around here, especially 'after Magneto left'...