Thank you all for the reviews, this one took a while too I know. Now to respond to all you kind folk out there (three).
Blix: Yeah Jono's great and I'd like to write for him, however my Jono comics are few if any so I'm afraid I cannot use him without totally messing up his character. And I'm not entirely sure the AOA version is the same as the 616 version so hopefully I can get him through with this chapter.
DarknessofDawn: Hopefully I did all right in my description of her; I couldn't find a way to describe the picture so I just went with the description from your submission info. Though if you think a good enough job with her I'll try and describe the outfit next time I use her.
X01: Glad you liked.
Disclaimer: Don't own X-Men, Marvel, Evolution.
(AN: There will be some fighting in here and hopefully it's not terrible, but unfortunately writing action is not my strongest attribute. And hopefully the OC is done to the owners liking.)
Chapter 17
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British Hate All Things American
"I'm not saying I'm gay or anything, but if I was I would so be with Seal. I mean he's just a dreamboat." Zack explained. "I mean he can sing amazingly, looks pretty damn hot, and if he can bag that supermodel obviously he's packing."
The other assembled mutants, Paul, Bailey and the X-recruit Jono, sat around the table of a café, Paul and Bailey used to their teammates rants, Jono looked incredulously at the shape shifter. "Is he always like this?" Jono asked the other two who nodded in response. "And how do you get him to stop?"
"Like this." Bailey answered. The redhead turned to Zack and looked him in the eyes, "Zack yesterday during the fight you fought for me and afterwards…" the girl stopped and fought the urge to blush, "Well why did you do that?"
Zack's face went to the same grin that always happened when bailey talked to him, "Well you see I'd been hit pretty hard and well…I thought you were a jellybean."
Bailey's jaw dropped and with a growl she stood up from her chair. "Are you calling me fat?" She screamed. When Zack didn't reply she stormed off angrily.
"Aren't you going to go after her?" Paul asked as they watched Bailey walk off.
"No today was my turn to mess up the relationship and tomorrow she'll say something and I'll pretend that I'm angry about it and pick a fight." Zack replied.
"So Paul how you been, it's almost like someone forgot about you and just left you out for a few chapters Err uh missions."
As Paul and Zack began to converse Jono continuously looked over his shoulder. He was picking up, with what limited telepathy he had, some odd thoughts from someone. The thoughts weren't clear but more feelings directed towards him. Then he felt something dangerous causing his instinct to kick in. "GET DOWN!" He ordered as he quickly ducked underneath the table, just in time for a small dagger to fly past him embedding itself in the wall behind him.
Zack and Paul turned to look at the person who had thrown the weapon. Standing in the middle of the street was a menacing woman. Her eyes would be unusual to those who were not mutants for they were dark crimson optics; her black hair fell down past her shoulders. She wore a red tube-top that tied behind her neck, her black pants were just long enough to cover the top of her shoes, the right pant leg was marked with silver flame curling at the bottom and the left was ripped away at mid-thigh.
"I think this is the first bad girl that hasn't dressed completely like a slut." Zack stated as he changed his shape to his F.O.M.E. outfit.
Shift and Lightning charged the girl; Shift had changed to a charging rhinoceros where Lightning sent a large bolt of electricity at her. Using strength that neither of her enemies thought she had, she quickly grabbed Shift and threw him into Lightning's attack and Lightning. She made her way past the two fallen teammates and to Jono.
"And Just who are you, luv?" Jono asked preparing to blast the girl into the next country.
"The Reaper's come to collect her dues." The woman replied cryptically.
"Come again?"
"Gayle Edgerton, the girl you put in a coma. Her parents seek retribution!" The woman then pulled her hands back and a scythe filled her hands.
Jono couldn't move. That name Gayle…the woman he had loved the most in his life then came the horrible day when his powers manifested during a more romantic moment between the two. He hit her so hard Gayle never woke again, now she resided in a hospital bed in a coma. Instead of getting up and running away he lowered his head and prepared for death. He deserved it.
"I think you meant to say attribution!" Shift yelled as he increased his mass and grabbed the woman from behind and threw her behind him crashing into Lightning who had just gotten up only to be knocked down again. "Come on Sunshine, snap out of it." Shift slapped Jono a few times in the face but the mutant did not move he just stayed there with his head bent ready for death.
The woman was on her feet in a matter of seconds, her face turned to a sneer as she looked at the back of the shape shifter, now she had two targets. "Who are you to think you can stop me? I'm the reaper!" she boomed.
Shift turned around to look at the angry woman and with a smile said, "I'm the root of all that's evil, but you can call me cookie." He quickly ran up to Paul and pulled him up. "Can you blast the bitch away?"
Paul shook his head no. "I need a little down time, distract her. And I'll snap Jono out of it."
"Oh sure leave it to the shape shifter." He turned toe the Reaper who looked like she was about to explode. "Don't like bloodhound gang? How about some small talk then?" He ran at the woman and tried to punch her in the face only to be blocked and kneed in the stomach.
"You will die slowly…second." She merely pushed him to the side and created a Scythe again and walked up to Jono and Paul, the latter erecting a force field in the last second.
Shift stood up again; in the shape of a female Spanish dancer with a rose in her mouth "Let's tango!" he then began to tango by himself to the villain. He jumped on her back giving a girlish scream for a battle cry.
The Reaper merely flipped him over onto the ground and placed her foot on his neck. "You continue to annoy me."
"You haven't seen anything yet." Shift replied as he turned his foot into a large hammer and 'kicked' her with it causing her to lose her footing and stumble away from him. She charged at him hitting him with right hook followed by a left then she kicked him in the shins, all the while the shape shifter continued to stand.
"You know the band My Chemical Romance?" Shift asked, his opponent remained quiet, "Of course you have. Well I hate them so much. They've got what two CD's? And they are called geniuses? More like jizzeniouses."
"If I ever meet them again I'm so castrating them with a rusted tin can, you know for tetanus." The Reaper just growled sending her head against his, causing a bloody nose on the teenage boy. "Oh fine I'll just begin to sing."
Shift pulled a way and grabbed her by the hand, causing momentary confusion on the enemy, and brought his other fist to her face this time hitting her. "Hello my name is Jimmy popping I'm a dumb white guy." He ducked to avoid her fists then kneed her stomach like she'd done to him.
"I'm not old or new but middle school, fifth grade like junior high." With another angry growl the Reaper sent Shift to his knees and began to drain his energy. "Perhaps now you will SHUT UP!" She said kicked him in the face causing more blood to spill from his nose. After the last move she continued her way to Jono but when she turned back to where he was, Jono was nowhere to be found.
She grabbed Shift by his collar and held him to her face, "Where did he go?"
"All the pretty little ponies…hey did you get the license plate number from that big dyke who kicked my ass?" He asked before falling unconscious. She dropped him on the asphalt and began to walk away, angrily.
After the woman had left Jono and Paul reappeared in the same area outside the small café. "I didn't know you could do that." Paul said in amazement.
"Neither did I" Jono replied.
"You didn't luv, don't flatter yourself." Replied a female voice. The two mutants turned to see a girl with long purple hair looking down at the two. Her hand was at her waist, and her foot tapping. "Now do you three mind telling me what your doing destroying my town?"
"Because we have to fight for our right to PAR-" Shift began but once again slipped into unconsciousness.
"She was trying to kill Jono." Paul said motioning to the mutant behind him.
"I gathered that, but my family happens to own this restaurant you destroyed." The woman responded pointing to the café that lay in differing phases of destruction.
"We'll pay for it" Paul replied as he grabbed a pen and wrote down Jack's number on what he thought was a napkin. "There call that number and it will all be taken care of, Ms…"
"Braddock, and I suppose the person on that number is going to pay for the table cloth you just wrote on?"
Paul nodded as he and Jono helped Zack to his feet. "Hey, hey Paul next time, you be distraction I be hero." Paul nodded, "Hey, hey Paul, did I win?" Paul shook his head, "Oh well when we get back let's tell everyone I ripped her arm off."
"Why would we tell them that?"
"Tell me what?" Zack asked his face mimicking his confusion.
"That you ripped her arm off."
"Who's arm did I rip off?"
"Nevermind! GOD!"
"Her? Oh god! DID I RIP BAILEY'S ARM OFF? SHE'S GOING TO CUT OFF MY PENIS AGAIN!"
Zack was laid on the couch where he tried to heal, and a large stream of drool dribbled down his face onto the couch. Paul was using his powers to change the television channel without a remote, Griffin sat on Zack's back, which oddly enough changed its shape to make a small armchair for him.
Inside Jessica's room she was still holding Katie. "Don't you ever do that again!" The older woman said in a squeal manner.
"But it wasn't really my fault and if it wasn't for Masque I probably would've died." Katie replied still stuck in Jessica's arms where she had been for the last few hours.
"Don't even get me started on him. Where is he anyhow?" Jessica asked.
Masque stepped out of the dark area of Jessica's room still in his cloak, which shielded his face. Jessica finally let Katie out of her arms and walked over to the mutant. And hugged him. "Thank you for keeping her safe." She said. She then sniffed then wiped away the tears. "Now about taking her away…"
The sudden screaming and the amount of curse words that were in each sentence startled those on the outside of the room. Paul accidentally caused the TV to explode, Zack woke up with a start causing Griffin to fly forward onto the floor, his soda and sandwich ending up all over him, and Jono who was in the bathroom accidentally caused a small hole in the wall to appear, inconvenient considering he was on the toilet.
"Zack thinks she doesn't like scar face." Zack said before rolling over his face to the back of the couch and went back to sleep.
"FIRE! FIRE!" Screamed St. John as he accidentally lost control of his flame and managed to set his arm on fire. He ran into the bathroom inconveniencing Jono even more and put it out in the shower.
After the girls returned from another shopping trip Bailey brushed off Zack and went to the room she was staying in slamming the door shut. The shape shifter however was sleeping in a chair when she had walked in only to be awoken by the door slamming.
"You got the brush off, go apologize to Bailey." Griff stated, not looking up from his magazine.
Zack groggily walked to the door and knocked. "Bailey, Bailey." He said in a singsong voice. "BAILEY!" he screamed.
"What?" She replied coldly from the other end of the other door.
"You going to let me in? I'll apologize for what I did."
"What did you do?" She asked.
"Um…said your sister was hot?"
"I don't have a sister." She replied.
"Oh okay, I honestly have no clue but can I still apologize?"
"NO!" She yelled back from the door.
"Fine then I'll sit outside the door all night." Zack then put his back against the wall and slunk down then sat and waited.
Thanks to Jessica picking up the bill at the Braddock's café the group was invited to their daughter Betsy Braddock's restaurant, which meant dressing nice which was a stretch for quite a few of the members since they'd yet had a need for dresses or suits.
Caeda walked down the hall and saw Zack knocking on Bailey's door with his back against the wall still waiting for her to come out. "Bailey…Candy pants…come on I was just thinking about impregnating you…"
"What are you doing?" Caeda asked, stopping in front of him.
"Probably make her angrier with me." Zack answered with a shrug.
Caeda just walked on to her room with a shake of her head. Katie walked through the halls, closely followed by Masque, and opened the door to Bailey's room. "Hey roomie." Katie said with a wave to Bailey who was sleeping on her bed.
Masque stopped at the doorway still watching Katie. Zack glared at him before walking in. "You were asleep!" Zack yelled astonished.
She smiled and looked up at him. "Sorry but the sound of your begging was just so relaxing that I just couldn't help myself." She replied as she batted her eyelashes.
Zack held back a small and rolled his eyes and kicked the ground. "Fine I forgive you." He sat down next to her and put his face inches from hers and burped. "There's a kiss for you." Which resulted in a slap to his face.
"You two are so cute it's sickening." Katie replied as she opened her closet and pulled out an elegant dress. "You two coming with us, cause you're going to need to change."
Zack and Bailey looked at each other then back to Katie, in unison they said, "We don't like people."
On top of the clock tower Big Ben the two mutants Bailey and Zack sit with their feet dangling. Bailey kept her eyes skyward to not feel vertigo or feel like she was going to fall. Zack on the other hand was looking at Bailey's cleavage.
"Bailey I have something I need to tell you…" Zack said as he looked down the many stories to the ground below.
"Okay…" Said Bailey in response as she turned to face the shape shifter.
Zack let out his breath in a long hiss, "I don't know how else to say this so here it goes, I'm pregnant."
Bailey did the exact opposite of what Zack had expected, instead of laughing she groaned. "Boys can't get pregnant stupid."
"I know that's what they say but I'm late…I haven't had my period in fourteen years."
"Fourteen huh? So those first three years you were constant?" Bailey replied, resisting the urge to smile.
"Yeah, I just don't understand why this baby won't come out. My boobs are sore, my belly is bigger, and like I said I'm late."
"Zack, we've never had sex, let alone kissed how the hell can you expect me to take care of this baby?"
"FINE! I'LL JUST GO SEE THE REAL FATHER TOMORROW! If he's still alive, he was such a kind old man, hung like a stallion too." Zack bit his bottom lip and smiled shaking his head.
"Shut up." Bailey shoved her friend then rested her head on his shoulder. "It's pretty here…I wish we didn't have to go."
"We don't." Zack replied resting his head on top of hers.
"But what about Jack and the others? Or the mutants? We can help them, those like us so we can all live happily."
"Or we can stay here and be happy or see Paris, city of love."
Bailey let out a long sigh. "My, my, my. The superhero Zack not doing the right thing?" She asked as she moved off his shoulder and turned to face him.
Zack looked out across the darkened sky not looking Bailey in the eyes, avoiding eye contact always worked better for him. "I never do good when people make eye contact you know? The superhero thing is great but…" He turned to look at Bailey who continued to look at him expectantly, "never mind. Just…come on let's get back I don't trust that Masque fella."
"Just a little longer." Bailey said inching closer and closer to the shape shifter. "You know Zack…you ending up at the apartments couldn't have been an accident, not while I was there too. And I was thinking-" Bailey was quickly cut off by Zack turning to face her only to have their lips meet to which she initiated a kiss, causing the shape shifter to fall on his back of the roof.
There was silence as Bailey pulled away and turned her face away from the dazed boy lying down. "I uh…" She said trying to find the words.
Before she could find the words Zack spoke first. "I WIN!" He yelled as he pumped his fist into the air and his shout echoed a bit in the darkness below.
"Excuse me?"
"I knew you couldn't resist my charms for long, and I got you to kiss me first, therefore I win."
Bailey laughed slightly and pushed Zack again, only this time instead of him moving slightly he fell off the clock. "ZACK!" she screamed as she watched him fall.
IN a flash of pink Zack was fully suited and flying in front of Bailey again. "I'll bet you lose all your boyfriends by pushing them off of clock towers don't you?"
"Very funny."
"You know what this means don't you?"
"You're an idiot?"
"No silly," Zack replied as he pulled off his Cyclone helmet, "You have to be the father of my child."
"And that was the second time we kissed." Bailey replied.
"Sorry what? I needed a minute to catch my breath.
Inside the restaurant the Friends Of Mutants Everywhere were sitting down to a nice meal, each dressed up in the appropriate night out attire. Of all the assembled members Griffin was having the worst time. Jessica had forced him into a tux and gelled his hair, remembering that she could beat him up was all he could do to keep him from beating her up with his powers. Pyro too was having a hard time, however his was because Jessica wouldn't let him bring his lighter.
Betsy Braddock sat at the head of the table next to the soon to be New Mutant, Jonothan Starsmore. "You know Jono, luv, I'm flattered and all but my eyes are a little north of where your staring."
Jono was looking lower then Betsy's eye level, though his eyes were set past her to the men behind her carrying large weapons. "Don't flatter yerself Bets. Ain't looking at yer." Replied Jono pointing at the men behind her.
"They're just S.T.R.I.K.E. men." Jono looked at her like she was an alien. "Our equivalent of S.H.I.E.L.D." She finished with a long sigh.
"What kind of restaurant is this if you don't have any matches?" St John asked incredulously.
"You're friend has a problem." Betsy said as she watched the Aussie go through withdrawals.
"He's not my friend. They just happen to be my ride to Xavier's School." Jono replied as he spun his glass of water.
"Oh really? Then we'll be seeing a lot of each other, I'm the newest X-Member, Psylocke." Betsy said with a small smile, Jono groaned inwardly.
The dinner continued calmly until the last course where the S.T.R.I.K.E. agents interrupted and pulled the members of the F.O.M.E. up from the table. "Ma'am I'm afraid your team is needed." The agent said to Jessica.
"What do you mean needed?"
"Classified."
As each of the mutants was ushered up Jono also stood up, but was only pushed back down by one of the many agents. "Team members only."
"Don't worry Jono I can give you a lift to Xavier's." Betsy offered eagerly.
"Thanks Bets." Jono said with a small tone of dread/
Inside a van wait a few assembled cross-country members of S.H.I.E.L.D. wait for the final members of the mutant team F.O.M.E., Zack and Bailey. As the two mutants make their way down the street hand-in-hand the agents step out and stop them.
As the two mutants are stopped Zack looks at the imposing men in trench coats and throws his arms up. "Look I know I haven't returned that movie to Blockbuster but I just have never finished the Pokemon movie. Every time it gets near the end I can't help but cry, you can just feel love and…" Zack puts his head down and covers his face with his hands and sobs quietly.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. business, please come with us." The two mutants were then put into the van and driven off to their next destination.
Sorry if it's a little short/slash uninteresting. I really tried with the action but even I got mad at myself for it being so short, then after that I kind of lost interest in this chapter. So hopefully the mistakes aren't overflowing for I decided to read it over, besides I hate reading my work. Now if the reviews slow down even more its cause I got some moving to be ready for by January. So in January expect a major slowing down of chaps for a while. I know it's been a bit since I last updated but the truth is I just found this finished chapter today. I'd had it written some time ago and just now remembered it.
Also to DoD with the reaper the optics thing, its embarrassing I know, I could not find it again though I know it's the beginning so I couldn't change the description to be …well more descriptive. Sorry for all the mistakes in this chapter, I think there might be some inconsistencies on my part so just point them out and I'll change them.