100 Challenges

95 – New Year, 53 – Earth

By: Lily Handle

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Author's Note: I've been holding out on you folks! I'm sorry, I just forgot to post these for some reason. So, here's two more of the 100 Fanfic Challenges. In this sampler we've got a Hope/Logan piece and a little bit on my favorite Chandler Michael! I do love my Michael so. Please, enjoy. Read and review!

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(95 New Year)

Dressed in a sheath of shimmering dark purple, Hope flirted casually with the director of the Center for Disease Control. They had both been invited to the New Year's Eve party at the Smithsonian. This was the first year Hope had been invited, undoubtedly because of her work's new popularity. She was thrilled; it was another chance to talk with important people, to get her work recognized. So, she was brown nosing big time. She'd already flirted with as many important men as she could. And in the process lost Logan. Oh, she knew he was somewhere in the crowd, watching her, but where exactly he was she had no idea. She laughed when the director made a joke but really she was scanning the crowd for Logan. She felt guilty about all the brown nosing, but she would definitely make it up to him later tonight. If she could find him.

"Something on your mind, Doctor?" The director asked when he realized he wasn't holding her attention anymore.

"Forgive me, sir, I'm just trying to find my escort," She gave him her fakest baffled smile.

"The rough looking man correct?" The director glanced around the room, "He's off in the corner there, talking with some blonde woman. I do believe he just mentioned something about cage fighting."

"What?" Hope whipped around; looking in the same direction the director was looking. And indeed, Logan was talking with some big busted blonde. Hope saw red, "Excuse me, sir." Setting her drink down on the bar, Hope started to glide through the crowds, only pausing to say a few words to people important enough. All the while her eyes were on Logan. The blonde was leaning against his side, looking up at him with wide, adoring eyes. Hope's hands curled into fist when the blonde laughed flirtingly. Oh, she was so dead, but Hope wasn't going to cause a scene.

"Ah there you are, Logan," She said pleasantly when she appeared behind the blonde.

"Doc," He said, raising an eyebrow at her. She knew he could tell she was angry, but the blonde had already sized her up and dismissed her. Apparently she wasn't anyone worth noting.

"I don't believe we've met before," Hope said, holding out a hand to the woman, "I'm Dr. Hope Chandler."

"Annie Woodrowe." Hope recognized the name, the woman was the daughter of some rich socialite. Hmm, this would probably knock her down a few social standings, but it was worth it. When Annie took Hope's hand, Hope gave her a little jolt of power. Like the delicate flower she seemed to be Annie Woodrowe collapsed.

"Oh dear," Hope said brightly, "I guess she over heated." She stepped back and let some concerned guests deal with Annie. Logan appeared by her side and smiled down at her.

"So, you're a pacifist, Doc?" Logan asked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Hope pretended to be offended.

"Uh huh," Logan picked up her arm and looped it through his, "So, done flirting with everything in a suit?"

"Nope, still have to flirt with you don't I?"

"I think so, Doc."

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(53 Earth)

Michael Bit

Lost in the teeming jungles of Africa he knew what it was to be truly free. All around him the earth sang with life. There were no people for hundreds of miles. No "civilization". Just him and the earth. No one would expect the son of wealthy Marcus Chandler to enjoy living like a savage. But then no one expect Michael Chandler to be able to speak with plants. They didn't use words, but feelings to convey what was happening and they chose to speak to him. He discovered early on that his powers worked best if he didn't force his will on the plants. Usually when he asked them for help, they agreed.

He sat now at the base of the tree thousands of years old, listening to it's stories. It was while he was absorbing the history that he felt the first flash of pain. In an instant he knew, They illegal logging and was enraged. Where? He asked the plants around him. All of the plants were connected, but a language as old as the earth. The west, the old tree answered. So, he left his pack in the roots of the tree and went west. The trees told him which way to go when he got of route and the other plants parted so he could get through the dense underbrush. The closer he caught the more pain he could feel.

Plants were dieing so humans could profit. It sickened him. Nature and the earth should be respected. They should be honored, but no, they were exploited. While he wasn't normally as radical as some environmentalist, he poured a lot of money into their causes. He preferred to stay behind the scenes, but today, he would take his own kind of stand. Holding out his arms, he called to the vines. Like snakes they crawled down from the trees and wrapped around him. Disguised in the vines he wasn't afraid as he stepped into the small clearing the loggers had made.

There were ten of them, most with chainsaws and one driving a medium sized Bobcat. They shouted at him in a language he didn't know, waved shotguns and the chainsaws at him, but he just shook his head. So, one shot at him. The root burst from the ground inches from Michael and blocked the bullet. That made the loggers pause. They didn't stay still for long, however. The roots were moving, shaking the ground and causing the loggers to stumbled about. Because he had asked, the roots surrounded the Bobcat and lifted it into the air. He asked them to tear it in two. That sent the loggers running. The events in the clearing made the local news. There was a terrible spirit guarding the rainforest, the earth was fighting back.

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Author's Note: The Michael bit isn't my usual style, but Michael's not your typical guy. I think I'll stick to my light hearted fluff, lol.