Fiona12690 – Although your idea is interesting, I think you'll like the way I did it.
Heartsyhawk – Your family is a bit odd. And I love it! That's sooo cool. I'd answer your questions, but it's more fun to keep you in the dark about all that.
Blah – Todd will have his day in the sun. Perhaps that day is today.
Thanks to Spiffythefaery for the beta work.
Monday
6:30 a.m.
"I think I got it this time!" Pyro declared for the twenty-fourth time in the past ten minutes. Magneto looked over at the Australian youth, and saw the tie fastened around his forehead.
"Closer. You've got the right part of the body this time. But it goes around the neck."
"Bloody 'ell!" Pyro cried as he tore off the tie and dangled it above his lighter.
"Pyro!"
"Wot? This damn thing is making me go cuckoo."
"You are, as you so eloquently put it, cuckoo. Don't burn the tie. That's the only one you're getting." Pyro frowned as he slipped his lighter into his pocket.
"Why am I supposed to be wearing a tie anyways?"
"Because you're coming with me."
"Why?"
"Because."
"'Cause why?"
Magneto sighed as he slammed the briefcase he was looking through shut. "Because I am going to school today. And I am not leaving you here, unattended. God knows what would happen."
"Same thing that would if I had to go to school."
Magneto shrugged. "But I wouldn't be paying for the repairs."
"Now I want you to take good care of her. Under no circumstances are you to let her leave that chair," Magneto instructed Todd and Fred.
"Again, Ms. Corbett, I apologize for these circumstances. And for the measures taken, but they are necessary."
"You said I could watch Oprah all day right?"
"Of course."
"No complaints then. Fredrick, please fetch me the remote."
"Good luck," Magneto muttered under his breath as he walked out the door.
8:00 a.m.
The class was much quieter than usual. Although that fact could be attested to the students pouring over their notes in hopes of gleaning that last, vital piece of information for the test that would begin far too soon.
Women's studies was a difficult class, perhaps the most challenging offered at Bayville High. The girls that took the class were all empowered feminists. The guys only took the class because of the girls. Everyone, regardless of gender, performed the traditional last second cram before the test.
The student's studying was interrupted by the door to the class being thrown open. They expected their teacher to march into the room with a glare and tell them it was time for the test. Today there was no Ms. Corbett. Instead they found themselves looking at an enormous man in a black suit, black tie, and sunglasses covering his eyes. His long, blond, tattered hair fell down his back. His lips were twisted in a sneer. To those in the room who had never seen him before, he was intimidating. To those that knew him, he was Sabretooth.
Sabretooth cast a glare at the class before stepping inside. He was followed by Pyro, clad in the same black suit outfit. Pyro lacked the physical build to be intimidating but his wavy red hair clashed brilliantly with the dark suit and the bemused grin on his face conveyed his unstable mind.
Behind Pyro, carrying a briefcase and wearing a dark grey, three piece suit was Magneto. He cast a quick glance around the room, making sure that he was, in fact, in the right room. The chemistry professor had not been pleased at the interruption of the three mutants, nor at Pyro's theft of a Bunsen burner.
Recognizing some of the students in the class, namely, a dumbfounded Jean, Magneto nodded to himself. He marched to the desk and gently set his briefcase down. Pyro and Sabretooth took up positions on either side of him.
"Good morning," Magneto said to the class. "I am Erik Lehnsherr. You will not address me as Mr. Lehnsherr. You will either address me as 'Master' or 'Lord Magneto'. Understand?"
Silence descended on the class. No one was quite sure what to make of this new teacher. No one except for Jean Grey. Muttering under her breath the redhead could only look on in horror as Magneto began his class lecture.
"Today we will be discussing relationships," he began, with a slight twinkle in his eye. "And what women expect out of their partners. Let's begin with a real world perspective. Would any girl care to offer up their expectations of a partner in life?"
Silence.
"Anyone?"
Again, nothing but silence. The twinkle grew and his lips twisted into a mischievous grin.
"Jean. Would you care to share your idea?"
"Actually, I would."
"Jean, that was not a request," Magneto returned in a honey coated voice.
"But…"
"Answer or get detention Jean. Your choice."
Grumbling to herself Jean answered the question, knowing that the rest of the period would be a living hell.
The bell rang, bringing with it the end of class and the end of Jean's embarrassment. Magneto had spent the whole class questioning her about relationships, and making sly remarks about how everything she said reminded him of a particular X-Man.
Silently fuming, Jean waited until the rest of the class had left, leaving her alone with Magneto and his cohorts.
"What are you doing?" She hissed.
"I beg your pardon."
"What are you doing here?" Jean repeated, slamming her fists down on the desk for emphasis.
"Teaching."
"You're not qualified to teach."
"If Logan is qualified then so am I."
Jean paused. She had to admit that he was right.
"Alright. What do you want?"
"Merely to fill the minds of the children with useful information, as opposed to what they are being taught by MTV."
"And why do I feel that this has something to do with Scott going out with Wanda?"
"Scott's going out with Wanda? Victor, did you know that?"
"I knew Boss! Cause you told me…"John began, only to have Sabretooth smack his head. "What'ja do that for?"
"I want you out of here. What do you want?"
Magneto grinned. "Well, now that you mention it, I'm sure I could be –persuaded – to leave my post."
Jean ground her teeth in frustration. "How?"
"Take Scott back."
"I'm not taking him back."
"Well. Then I hope you enjoyed today's class, because everyday will be like this until you do."
Jean glared daggers. Magneto smiled warmly. "Now hurry along Jean. You don't want to be late for your next class."
Silently shouting curses, Jean stormed off. Someone was going to pay for this.
Jean stormed into her chemistry class, still fuming about her confrontation with Magneto. She was going to have a long talk with the Professor when she got back.
Her day was a long way from being done, however.
Sitting on her desk was an enormous bouquet of roses. Jean stopped in her tracks.
There had to be a mistake. She wasn't with anyone. Hesitantly she plucked at the card.
"For Jean, My Red-Haired Angel" the card read. One of Scott's nicknames for her. But he wouldn't have been behind this. He was with Wanda, wasn't he?
Dr. Essex, the chemistry teacher, slinked up to Jean. He glared down at her with his beady black eyes.
"Ms. Grey, from now on make sure that Mr. Summers gives you gifts after class." His piece said, Essex slithered to the board.
Jean looked at the flowers and frowned. What was going on?
12:00 p.m.
By lunchtime the new substitute teacher was the talk of the school. Rumors were flying left and right.
"I heard Mark called him an albino freak. He ended up in the nurse's office."
"Really? I heard that he shot a kid for talking back."
"You're both wrong. He set the kid on fire."
"I thought that was the red head with him."
There was a palpable curiosity around the table that the X-Men shared. To this point no one had a class with the substitute, except for Jean, but she was not present.
"Has anyone heard about this new teacher?" Kitty asked as she stole some of Roberto's potato chips.
"I've heard that he's completely insane," Ray said as he stole Roberto's apple.
"He can't be that bad," Kurt said as he stole Roberto's lunch.
"What are you talking about?" Roberto asked as he approached the table holding a drink. "What happened to my lunch?"
"Blob," the table replied in unison.
"Again? That's the third time this week," he muttered as he wandered off to find more food.
"I was talking to Webber and he told me that the teacher played war games. The losers got hit with frying pans."
"Isn't corporal punishment outlawed?" Scott asked as Wanda slid into the vacant seat beside him.
"Technically it wasn't a punishment. It was motivation to win next time."
Behind his glasses Scott blinked in amazement. "Oh. Guess he found a loophole, huh?"
"I'm looking forward to class with him. Apparently he decided to play pin the tail with a student that made him mad."
"You sure you want to have class with this guy?" Wanda asked. Kitty nodded.
"Can't be worse than a Danger Room session."
Kitty, Bobby, Kurt, and Lance waited anxiously in the hall for class to start and to meet the infamous substitute teacher. The three boys were smirking wildly.
"What is going on?"
"Nothing."
Kitty narrowed her eyes but said nothing. The four were joined by Scott.
"Sorry I was late, but Wanda…"
"Wanted to swap notes. We know," Bobby replied, his smirk growing even larger.
"Did I miss something?" Scott asked as he took a look at the grins. No one had the chance to reply to his question, as the door was flung open as Sabretooth looked down at them.
"Let's go runts. The man hasn't got all day!"
Scott froze. If Sabretooth was here, that meant…
"Now!"
"Please God, don't do this. Please, please, please!" Scott muttered to himself as he entered the classroom.
"Oh crap."
"Welcome children. I am Mr. Lehnsherr. But you will call me Magneto. Or Lord Magneto, which ever you prefer," Magneto began his lecture, with a twinkle in his eyes as he looked down at Scott.
"Now today, I thought we could discuss something a bit different." Kitty's hand shot up into the air.
"But we're due to discuss the American involvement in World War 1 today."
"I'm changing the lesson plan. Now may I move on? If that is acceptable to you Ms. Pryde," Magneto said with a harsh glare.
"Sure," Kitty squeaked. Magneto nodded.
"As I was saying, today we will look at the male perspective in relationships. Scott, why don't you give us a general outline of the woman of your dreams?"
"Did that seem odd to anyone else?" Scott asked as they left the class. Magneto had spent the entire period humiliating Scott in the same manner he embarrassed Jean.
"Besides the fact we have a super powerful megalomaniac teaching history class?"
"Besides that. Was he acting normal to anyone?" The three other boys exchanged a quick glance.
"Depends on how you define normal, Scooter."
"Does he know about Wanda and me?"
Kurt shrugged. "No idea. He doesn't let on what he knows. Although he was telling me the other day that he figured out how to fix the gasoline crisis."
"No, that was a joke. He said that he figured out world domination," Bobby replied.
"If he figured it out then how come he hasn't done it?"
"It involved too many jackhammers."
"I thought it was sledgehammers."
"Either way he doesn't have enough."
"Oh."
There was a pause.
"I thought he was just doing to use acupuncture needles instead."
"What are you talking about?" Scott snapped irritably. "Does he know about Wanda and me?"
"Doubt it. I mean remember what he did to Roberto, Warren, and Sam?"
Scott paled considerably. "Oh crap. He's gonna kill me isn't he."
Bobby shrugged, grinning. "If he does, can I have your car?"
4:30 p.m.
"I don't understand what you want me to do about this situation," Professor Xavier told the two teens that sat across from him.
"Get him to stop teaching," Jean replied.
"He is devoting his time to teaching as opposed to starting a war between mutants and humans. You really think I want him to stop?"
"He's just indoctrinating everyone to think his way."
"So he found a way to get more recruits. He is getting awfully lonely, with everyone coming to join us."
"But he's embarrassing us, Professor!"
"Could be worse. He told me the principal refused to let him bring in the titanium steel ruler for spankings."
"But-but-but…"
"I cannot control what Magneto does. There's no use complaining about it until he decides to leave." The tone in Xavier's voice told the two that there was no room for comment. They nodded and left the study, albeit unhappily.
"Come on, we've been through worse. We'll get through this," Scott said, although he certainly didn't believe it. Jean nodded hesitantly.
"You're right. Nothing we can do about it. Doesn't mean I have to like it though." Jean paused for a moment and started to walk down the hall towards her room. "Oh, Scott. Thanks for the flowers."
"No problem."
Jean grinned and vanished around the corner.
Scott paused and frowned. "What flowers?"
Wanda glared at her father.
"You were at school today? Teaching?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Magneto shrugged. "I felt that I had a moral obligation to contribute to the children."
"You hate children."
"I don't hate children. I merely dislike most of them."
Wanda quirked an eyebrow. "You can barely stand the six of us. How on earth could you teach?"
"I don't have to live with them. And to be fair, look at whom I live with."
"Don't you have to be pleasant?"
"That's what the principal claims, but what does he know?"
"This is going to end badly."
"What makes you say that?"
"You don't get along well when confronted with ideas you don't like."
"I do too."
"Do not."
"Prove it."
"You attacked Santa at the mall, claiming he was a bad influence for kids."
"And I was right about it, no matter what the mall security said."
"Whatever. I have someone coming over for dinner tomorrow and I want you to behave."
"I always behave."
Wanda's eyebrows rose. "If you say so."
Magneto frowned. "I don't like that tone of voice young lady."
"Just be nice, okay?"
"I make no promises."
5:00 p.m.
"Boss, those two X-Runts are here to see you."
Magneto looked up at Sabretooth, putting aside the book he was reading. "Send them in Victor."
Kurt and Bobby entered the room and slipped down onto the chairs. Magneto looked at the two quizzically for a moment. "Where is John?"
The boys shrugged. "Didn't see him when we came in."
"Oh dear god. Victor!"
Sabretooth stumbled through the door.
"Victor, have you seen John?" Sabretooth scratched his head in confusion.
"Firebug? Haven't seen him all afternoon."
"Find him would you? Before Bayville is burned to the ground." Sabretooth nodded and left. Magneto turned his gaze back to the boys.
"What can I do for you?"
"We've figured out how to make Jean take Scott back."
"Why is he coming over tonight then?"
The boys grinned. "Because in order to do it, we need some money."
"I'm not paying you two."
"It's not for us. It's…for our business."
Magneto cast nasty glance towards the duo. "It's your problem that Charles wins all the time. You should have learned to not let psychics bet."
"But…" Kurt began, only to be cut off. Magneto pressed his fingers onto his desk.
"You have two choices. You can help me in ending Scott's relationship with my daughter willingly. Or you can choose not to help and to have Logan find out who it was that mixed vinegar into all of his beer. Your choice."
Bobby and Kurt exchanged a glance and sighed simultaneously.
"You drive a hard bargain, Mags."
Magneto responded with a grin. "Get to work."
Tuesday
7:00 p.m.
Scott killed the car's engine. Letting out a sigh, he turned his gaze to the house before him. Not for the first time that day had he wondered how bad of an idea this was.
"I'm so dead," he muttered to himself. "Might as well get it over with."
Bringing himself up to his full height, Scott smoothed out his suit and straightened his tie. Despite the fact he had been extremely nervous about this, the indications he had gotten from Magneto over the past few days were that he knew nothing about Wanda's relationship.
Grasping a small bouquet of flowers, Scott ran his finger over the card. His thoughts went back to the note that he had found on his desk earlier that day. It was unsigned but it was in Jean's handwriting and used phrases that only Jean knew. Was she telling him something? Pushing the red head from his thoughts, he strode towards the front door and calmly knocked.
Two bulbous yellow eyes peered down at Scott from the darkness above the door. Steal his girl would he? Todd grinned and lifted the extremely heavy can up. With a quick flick of his wrist he removed the top and pushed.
Scott was barely able to get his hands up to protect himself. The can emptied its contents over him. Scott looked in horror at his ruined suit. Although he could not see what exactly had been done due to his ever present ruby red glasses, he knew that it was bad. The once black suit was now splattered in neon yellow, the same neon yellow that covered Scott's face and hair. To top it all off, it was at this moment that Sabretooth opened the door.
"You're not coming in here looking like that. I just cleaned the place," he huffed indignantly.
"But…" Scott stammered.
"Don't 'but' me, boy. I ain't letting neon paint in my house."
"Since when has it been your house?" Wanda asked as she pushed her way past the massive body of Sabretooth. She took a quick look at Scott before erupting.
"TOAD!"
"You called snugglebumps?" Todd asked as he hopped into the hallway.
"Why did you dump paint on Scott?"
Todd put on the most innocent look he could manage, which is to say a very guilty one. "I didn't do anything."
"You were dragging a gallon of paint yesterday and Father lectured you on why we can't have paint in the house."
"He did? Why?"
"Because it's flammable!" At these words John bolted to the front door with a lighter in his grasp.
"Where's the flammable? Where? Where?" John spotted Scott.
"There it is!" A spark jumped from the lighter.
Flames were instant.
Thursday
3:00 p.m.
There was a knock at the door.
"Come in," Scott called out weakly. He was in forced bed rest since the accident with Pyro. The door creaked open and Magneto entered.
"Feeling better, I hope," he began as he sat down next to the bed.
"What are you doing here?" Scott tried to ask. However his inability to move his lips made the question sound like "Wha ahh eww oig ere?"
Fortunately Magneto was able to decipher the meaning. "Merely checking in on my daughter's boyfriend."
"You're going to kill me then? Put me out of my misery," Scott attempted. Magneto chuckled.
"Of course not. Actually I was going to throw a party for you as soon as you got better."
"What?"
"I don't mind you going out with Wanda. In fact I'm rather glad."
"What?"
"You see Scott, you date Wanda, and you marry Wanda. You become my son-in-law. You become my heir, the person who is entitled to everything that is in my name. You take over for me in leading the cause. I couldn't imagine a better replacement, a better person to call 'son.'"
"I think I'm going to be sick."
"Then I'll take my leave. Should I send Jean in?"
"Jean?" Magneto grinned and nodded.
"Goodbye Scott. Get better soon."
8:00 p.m.
Logan threw open the door to the study and marched in. Inside was the faculty of the Institute, plus Magneto, and they all clenched a drink in their hands.
"Jean hasn't left in five hours," Logan growled as he snatched up a glass of whiskey.
"I suppose that means they are back together," Hank commented as he downed another glass of wine.
"Another success, Erik," Charles said as he raised his glass.
"I must say, this time was difficult. But another victory."
"I wonder how Wanda is going to take it?"
10:00 p.m.
"I hate you!"
"What did I do?"
Wanda glared daggers at her father. "You know exactly what you did."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Scott broke up with me!"
Magneto paused, trying not to smile. "I had nothing to with it Wanda. I never do."
"Oh, so Scott was actually writing Jean love letters? Jean was actually writing back? Scott was buying flowers for her?"
"I didn't do any of that."
"It reeks of you."
"Wanda, I wouldn't stoop to such backhanded measures. If I had wanted Scott to break up with you I would have…" Magneto trailed off, trying to find an example.
"Had Pyro set him on fire?" Wanda offered. Magneto nodded.
"Exactly. Had Pyro set him – oh crap."
"I knew it! You bastard! I hate you!"
Sunday
(9:00 p.m.)
"And she hasn't talked to me ever since," Magneto said, finishing his story. "No doubt she's planning something. And I have suspicion that Pietro is helping her, since I haven't seen him in a week."
Mystique was caught up on another fact, however. "You taught school."
"Oh shut up, Raven. The school has already called me three times to get me to come back. How I hate that place."
Mystique chuckled and shook her head. "What can I say? Kids."
Magneto nodded. "I know. I hate them too."
Another victory for Magneto.
But Wanda seems to have caught on. What will she do?
Who will she bring home next?
Do send in those ideas.
