Advertising Space

-{IS2, Just after the Battle of Genosha}-

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Everyone filed into the training room (which had been programmed to look like a theatre) and settled down as Clark walked up to the podium set before the large screen. Looking out at the staff and students, he coughed self-consciously.

"Hello. As you all know, since the X-Men went public, there has been quite a demand for information, demand which has rocketed since the Battle of Genosha. As such, with Professor Xavier's help and the agreement of those involved, we have entered into an agreement with Mattel and the first set of X-Men action figures will be hitting the stores soon. We are working on the Generation-X line, but it will have to wait until you younger ones have got some official publicity so that we can piggyback it onto the X-Men range.

"Part of the deal was that we came up with the advert ourselves. Using mission recordings and sessions in the Danger Room, Forge, Peter and myself have come up with what we believe to be a good advert. If you are ready to watch, we are ready to show it to you."

A round of cheering greeted his statement and Superman stepped to one side as the podium retracted into the ground. The lights darkened and the large screen lit up with the Xavier Icon in red and gold against a black background. An instant later, a red beam tore through it and the screen seemed to swing round to behind Cyclops, who was blasting what looked like alien robots in a half-ruined city. The camera swung round as he fired a salvo of shots, then it froze as he was in mid-blast and his codename flashed up on the screen, before continuing round to show Havoc standing by his side, unleashing blasts from his hands before using his powers through his boots to rise into the air, the image again stopping mid-blast to display his codename.

The image then switched to Jean, who was shown using her powers to levitate a car from a river, then the scene cut to showing her using a psionic shield to block bullets being fired by a group of generic gang members. As she rose into the air, the picture again froze and her codename of "Ms Marvel" appeared.

Storm was next, shown swooping through the air before summoning a barrage of lightning and swirling winds, then it was Piotr's turn as his metal form smashed through a wall, sent a dozen bad guys flying and then lifted a small girl up so that she could rescue her kitten from a tree.

Kurt appeared in a burst of smoke, somersaulting and teleporting through a battlefield, then Kitty ran past, running through various obstacles before Spyke appeared on his hoverboard, pulling a bone-spike out of his arm and using it as a staff before all seven appeared on the screen in a defensive formation.

The image then flickered to the modified X-men/House of El symbol and then to Clark flying through the sky before Peter swung past on his webbing. As they landed, a wave of squirrels ran past and Squirrel Girl was with them as they came back into view, then Juggernaut appeared behind them, smashing through a barrier in the process.

The image then faded into one showing the action figures arranged against the backdrop of the two symbols and Xavier's voice sounded.

"The X-Men and their allies, fighting for a finer world."

As the lights rose, several of the younger members of the audience were whistling and cheering and Clark walked back onto the stage.

"I'm glad you all approve. Most of the profits from selling these figures will be donated to various charities. For those of you who have yet to have a figure, you will probably have one eventually. Trust me on that."

"What about Kara?" Ray shouted and Clark smiled.

"Kara already has her own action figure, it's part of the Avengers line." Clark said with a smile. "She's been teasing me about how she has an action figure, yet I've been active longer than her."

.

"Hey, Kurt!"

Kurt looked round and smiled as he was enveloped in a hug.

"Amanda!"

"Hey, these hit the shops yesterday and I couldn't resist." Amanda smirked as her hand dived into her bag and pulled out a small action figure of Kurt. "I think I'll keep it by my bed so that you'll be the first thing I see in the mornings."

Kurt blushed, then he paled as Jean spoke from behind him. "I bet you're eagerly awaiting the day when you can have the real thing there instead."

Amanda nodded as Kurt groaned. "Vy do I get ze feelink I vill never hear ze end ov zis?"

"I still get teased about kitten in tree." Piotr said from one side. "You have it easy."

"I thought it was great." Peter said from his position on the ceiling. "I mean, I kept being mistaken for an actual X-man until the advert made it clear. Sure, I like you guys and Bobby's a real blast to be around, but I'm still semi-independent and now everyone knows it."

"Maybe you start up own team?" Piotr said. "Spider-man and his Amazing Friends"

Peter screwed his face up. "Oh, hell no! Do you have any idea how cheesy that sounds? We'd probably end up being called the Spider-friends or something just as camp."

"You could always team up with Bobby and recruit Johnny Storm." Amanda said teasingly. "Fire, Ice and… yeah, you don't really fit elementally, do you."

Peter shook his head as he dropped to the ground.

"Well, I have a patrol to make, so I'll see you round. Forge and I whipped up a new bike for me to use, so I don't need to cadge lifts any more."

"You have a spider-cycle?" Amanda asked and Peter groaned.

"What is it with you and all this spider-stuff?"

"Well, I saw a model of it in the toy shop and that was what it was called."

Peter froze at Amanda's comment, then his face set into a frown.

"Excuse me, please. I think a certain boy scout has some explaining to do…" He grumbled as he stalked off, ignoring the laughter behind him.

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Tony Stark smirked as the youngest Avenger ran round the play-room, the Superman action figure in his hand.

"Awww," Kara mock-whined from beside him. "I can't tease my cousin about not having an action figure any more."

Tony grinned, then his eyes widened as Harry released the action figure…

…and it continued to zoom round the room as the young wizard laughed in joy.

"Jarvis, tell me you're getting data on this!"

"Yes sir, I am." The electronic butler replied calmly.

"Analysis?"

"It is not true psionic-based telekinesis, sir, but there are several similarities. I am uploading a full waveform analysis to your tablet now."

Harry reached up and caught the flying figure, then turned to Kara and used his puppy-dog-eyes technique.

"Fly?"

Kara sighed before scooping him up. "Alright, a quick lap around thecity, then it'll be time for lunch. Jarvis, open the window please."

"Of course, Ma'am." Jarvis replied as the angled skylight opened silently. "Enjoy your flight."

Tony sighed as the duo vanished into the skies before turning and walking out of the room.

"Jarvis, I'm heading to the work-room. Let's see if these readings will finally help me understand magic."

"Of course, sir."

.

Charles Xavier felt his eyebrows rise towards his sadly-non-existent hairline as he worked through the finances of the Institute.

"Something the matter?"

"Not at all, Martha." Chares replied, absently accepting one of the proffered cookies and biting into it. "It's just that our financial situation for this quarter is far more in the black than I thought it would be. Those action figures have really made a difference."

Before Martha could reply, the sound of an engine almost tearing itself apart echoed through the open window and Charles winced.

"I think we need to put Kitty back into the simulator. That's the third engine she's managed to shred."

"Good thing we've got more money, then." Martha smiled, earning a wry glance from Xavier.