Inferno

Chapter 10: It's A Kind of Magik

By

The Uncanny R-Man

Disclaimer- All familiar characters belong to Marvel.

Quote of the day- 'Me Grimlock best at what Me Grimlock do!'- Dinobot Grimlock (Uncanny Transformers- COMING SOON!)

Xavier's-

Everything had calmed down for the X-Men since their battle with Selene and her hoard of demons. Anti-mutant hysteria was at an all-time low, thanks to a commendation from the President as well. The X-Men were enjoying the quiet times... until the next world-threatening crisis came around. Which it inevitably would.

Kurt was in the rec room with Rachel, Kitty, Piotr, Jamie and Bobby. They were watching some old cartoon shows on TV. Today's choice was the old Transformers series.

'Man, I swear it's been years since I last saw this show!' Bobby gushed as he watched the Autobots and Decepticons do their thing. 'Good job you got this on DVD, huh?'

'God bless eBay, mein freund.' Kurt nodded in agreement as he held his Grimlock action figure in one fuzzy blue hand.

'I don't see what's so good about this show...' Jamie piped up. 'Armada and Energon are much cooler than this old stuff!'

Kurt and Bobby stared at the younger mutant with dumbstruck expressions.

'Tell me you didn't just say that...' Bobby blinked. 'Please tell me you didn't say what I think you just said...'

'Zhat is just sick and wrong!' Kurt shivered in disgust. 'Armada and Energon are travesties!'

Bobby put an arm around Jamie's shoulders in a bigger-brotherly fashion.

'Y''see Jamie, the Transformers weren't all about bigass meched-out robots. They were about alien robots which could turn into cars, jets and stuff.'

'And also like, selling junk to gullible kids.' Kitty pointed out.

'Your point, Katzchen?' Kurt blinked as he held his Grimlock protectively.

'Never mind...' Kitty shook her head.

'In my time, shows that were used to sell kids toys like this were outlawed.' Rachel remembered.

'Geez, what did you guys do for fun?' Bobby rolled his eyes.

Rachel's eyes turned red and her Phoenix aura appeared around her as she leant in close to Bobby.

'We used to strangle annoying little Icemen that gave us gyp...' Rachel said evenly.

Bobby gulped nervously and backed away from the scary telekinetic lady.

'I-I-I have to go now...' Bobby cleared his throat. 'I-I-I think I can hear Jubilee calling me...'

Bobby stumbled to his feet and made his getaway before Rachel could make good on her threat.

'Rachel, you are evil!' Kitty laughed out loud.

'Ain't I just?' Rachel chuckled.

'I am starting to fear you.' Piotr shook his head.

'Aww, it looks like we're scaring Petey Pureheart.' Rachel teased.

'Isn't he cute when he's like, all noble and junk?' Kitty giggled. 'And we're married in your reality! Yay!'

'Hurray.' Piotr deadpanned.

Kitty snapped her head around to glare at Piotr.

'Are you saying that marrying me is like, a bad idea?' Kitty narrowed her eyes angrily. 'Have you like, got a problem with that, bub?' Kitty began to poke her muscular Russian boyfriend in the chest. 'Huh? Have you?'

'Kitty, chill...' Rachel tried to calm her friend down. 'You're starting to scare me as well...'

Kitty just crossed her arms and began to pout.

'Katya, please do not pout so...' Piotr said calmly. 'There is no need for you to be upset. I would happily marry you tomorrow if I were able.'

That soon cheered Kitty up.

'I'm gonna get married!' Kitty squealed excitedly. 'Yay me! I have to plan a venue! Who's gonna be Maid of Honour? Oh God, the flowers... The catering...'

Kitty rumbled off all the necessary parts of a wedding.

Kurt shook his head in sympathy.

'You have brought yourself a vorld of hurt zhere, mein fruend.' The fuzzy elf tutted. 'It vas nice vhile ve knew you...'

Xavier's office, later-

Professor Xavier had called the X-Men to his office. There was a situation in Russia. Piotr was understandably worried, in case his family was in trouble. The situation was nothing as bad as that however, but it did involve Piotr's younger sister Illyana...

'I have just received a telephone call from Nicholai and Alexandra Rasputin, Piotr's parents...'

'Forgive the interruption, Professor...' Piotr piped up. 'But is there anything wrong? Is anybody hurt? What of Illyana?'

Kitty gently squeezed her boyfriend's hand in comfort.

'Nobody is hurt, Piotr...' Xavier explained calmly. 'Your family is fine. But your parents did seem rather concerned about your sister, Illyana. It seems that she has started to exhibit a mutant ability to teleport herself.'

Piotr visibly calmed down at that.

'Oh, thank goodness...' Piotr sighed heavily. 'I cannot bear to think what I would do without my Little Snowflake.'

'I take it that we're going to Russia then, Professor.' Rachel surmised. 'Perhaps recruit Illyana into the X-Men?'

'That is precisely why I have called you here, Rachel.' Xavier nodded. 'Rachel, Kurt, Kitty and Piotr, you will all go with Ororo to Russia. The Rasputins wish for their daughter to train with the X-Men, much like her brother. Illyana has been pretty adamant on the fact, I have heard.'

Piotr chuckled at that. Little Illyana worshipped the ground that he walked on, especially now that their older brother Mikhael was gone.

'May we leave soon, Professor?' Piotr asked concernedly. 'It has been such a long time since I have last seen Illyana.'

'Ororo is already preparing the X-Jet.' Xavier nodded.

'But I thought you saw Illyana last month...' Kurt blinked. 'It vas Illyana's eigth birthday, ja? You took Katzchen home to meet her.'

'Well, it seems like I have not seen my sister in a long time.' Piotr sniffed. 'I would very much prefer to have her living here with us than having to wait months to see her again.'

The X-Jet, several hours later-

Piotr, Kitty, Rachel and Kurt, along with Ororo, were flying towards the Rasputin farm in Russia. Piotr was understandably anxious to see his sister. He and Illyana were very close and had grown closer still ever since their older brother Mikhael died in an accident in space.

Kitty looked up at the face of her boyfriend and sighed in sympathy. As an only child, Kitty didn't really know what it was like to be close to another sibling, but she had a taste of that when she visited Piotr's family for Illyana's birthday. Illyana shone to her brother's 'kissing friend' almost instantly, and Kitty couldn't help but deny that Illyana was awfully sweet herself. The pair were practically inseperable for the whole time that Kitty was there.

'Are you okay, babe?' Kitty asked as she gently squeezed Piotr's hand. 'You're not still worried about Illyana, are you?'

'No I... I do not know, Katya...' Piotr admitted with a sigh. 'I know that the Professor assured us that Illyana is well... I just cannot shake the feeling that something is wrong...'

'You're just being silly...' Kitty gently swatted Piotr on the arm. 'Illyana is a good kid. I'm sure she can like, handle herself. She's your sister, right? You Rasputin's aren't pushovers, y'know. Just ask Magneto.'

Despite his solemn mood, Piotr couldn't help but smile.

'You have such a way with words, Katya.' Piotr smiled as he cupped Kitty's chin in his hand. 'I only wish that I had such a way with words.'

'But you manage to get your emotions out in your like, paintings.' Kitty pointed out. 'Your work is beautiful, Piotr.'

'Not as beautiful as you are, Katya.' Piotr remarked.

Kitty's cheeks flushed bright red at the comment.

Kurt poked his head over the back of the seat.

'Geez, a room, you guys...' The fuzzy elf rolled his eyes.

'Oh, leave them alone, Fuzzy...' Rachel elbowed Kurt in the ribs. 'They're young and in love, let them be.'

'How come you don't look at me like zhat anymore?' Kurt sulked. 'You alvays used to look at me like zhat.'

'Aww, somebody's feeling lonely...' Rachel cooed as she lay her head on Kurt's shoulder. 'How about a quick snuggle before we land?'

'About time I got some attention...' Kurt sniffed.

An evil grin spread on Rachel's face as she reached for Kurt's tail.

'Mein Gott! Not ze tail...!' Kurt gasped. 'Bitte! Not ze tai... Oooooh...'

The Rasputin Farm, later still-

Nicholai and Alexandra Rasputin walked out of their house as the X-Jet began its descent. Mr and Mrs Rasputin were anxious to see their last surviving son. Hopefully their precious Illyana would be safe with Piotr and the X-Men.

The hatch to the X-Jet opened, and Piotr was the first to step out. Piotr ran to his parents with speed that you wouldn't expect for a guy his size.

'Where is Illyana?' Piotr asked concerednly. 'Is she all right?'

'Illyana is... fine.' Mrs Rasputin replied. 'She is... well.'

Piotr narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Something was not right...

'Mother, what is wrong? You are hiding something...'

Mrs Rasputin looked to her husband, who nodded his head. Mrs Rasputin then moved out of the way and motioned for somebody to come out of the house.

Piotr's mouth fell open in surprise as he saw the figure walk out of the house. The figure was a blonde female with blue eyes. She looked just like Illyana, but she was eight years old, not a teenager like the stranger seemed to be...

'Piotr!' The teenager squealed, before enveloping Piotr in a huge hug. 'It has been so long since I last saw you! You must tell me everything that you have been up to!'

'I-I-Illyana...' Piotr blinked, barely believing his eyes. 'But you...'

The unusually teenaged Illyana tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear with a sheepish smile.

'Funny story, actually...'

TBC...

Next: Explanations

Heh. Ain't I a stinker? There I was making you think that this was the last chapter... Anyway, all will be explained in the next chapter. Plus, Illyana makes a new friend in a new arrival to the X-Men. Snikt!