avatar: this chapter has no fight scemes, only humor, story advancement, and a touch of angst. I hope you don't mind.

Wolverine: I mind, bub!

avatar: shut up and do the disclaimer, Logan.

Wolverine: (grumbles)

avatar (Sith emporer voice): DO IT!

Wolverine: avatarjk137 does not own X-Men Evolution, thank god. He does own Spectrum and Bio.

Chapter 4

Aftermath

Berzerker picked up the ringing phone. "Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, how may I help you?"

"Ray, get me on the phone with the professor or my dad," Wanda said impatiently.

"'Fraid they're gone for the night. I can put you on with Mr. Mccoy or Ms. Munroe..."

"Fine. Whatever. We've had something weird happen last night."

"Tell me about it. Did strange mutants attack you guys, too?"

"WHAT?! No!" Wanda heard a scuffle, and a faint cry of "Ray, why are you telling everybody that we were attacked!" After a minute, the phone was picked up again.

"Xavier Institute," Beast said. "Oh, hi, Wanda." He sighed. "Yeah, we were attacked. Your dad and Xavier should be back in about half an hour. Why don't you guys come over as well? I'm sure we could benefit from hearing what happened to each other."

"Pyro's problem is that he's sane? Logan asked incredulously. "How in the nine hells is that a problem?" All the X-Men, New Mutants, and Brotherhood members were there, except for Hank and Xavier, who'd gone downstairs to check for more damage on the lower levels, and Jean and Scott, who were of course gone for the week.

Pyro didn't respond at first. He simply kept crying into the gloves of his uniform. "It's gone…" he moaned. "MY CRAZY'S GONE!"

"He's been like this ever since he realized he wasn't a pyromaniac anymore," Lance said. He leaned against the wall of the damaged mansion foyer. "I'm getting pretty worried."

"I'll never laugh maniacally again…"

"I dunno," Kitty said, "he still seems pretty crazy to me."

Xavier and Beast re-entered the room. "Several things have been stolen from the lower levels," Beast reported, "including 3 essential parts of Cerebro, and some pieces of the danger room. They also stole some items from my lab. They knew what they were doing before they attacked."

"I never would have guessed," Rogue said sarcastically. "They attacked when six of the most powerful people in the mansion were out of the house. If that isn't planning, I don't know what is."

"It is clear they know who we are," Xavier noted calmly. "The question is, who are they?"

"I know," Magneto said. All heads turned to look at him.

"I knew it!" Kurt yelled. "I knew you wouldn't turn good so quickly! You set this up!"

Wanda shot up, ready to destroy an army. "My father is a changed man. The whole Apocalypse thing scared him straight. He wouldn't do something like this!"

"I second that," Gambit agreed coolly. Colossus nodded his head.

Magneto stared at the carpet. "See? I kidnapped Piotr's family. If he stands up for me, you can be assured I've changed. Charles can read my mind if you want more proof." He looked up, a grim smile on his face. "I know those two because I considered them as potential Acolytes. They go by Spectrum and Bio. They didn't want to join me, and the only things I could hold for ransom against them were each other. They have very little else that they value. In addition, when I found them, they were entirely untrained in controlling their powers. I have no idea what's happened to them since."

Xavier stared at Erik. He didn't need mind reading to know when his former best friend was telling the whole truth. This was one of those rare times. "Erik, I believe you. However, you have met them. We need to know what they can do."

"Spectrum is like Rogue. He absorbs the power templates of others. The difference is, he absorbs powers when they're used near him, and especially at him. I know his powers are limited, but I'm not sure how. As for Bio, his mutation is plant-based. He can extend vines and flowers from his body, and he has all these poisons he produces. His body is made of plants to a large extent. They didn't join me, so I don't know all the details of their powers."

"Dad," Pietro interrupted impatiently, "do you think this is related to whatever happened to St. John?"

"Don't call me that…" Pyro muttered weakly.

"I don't know, Pietro, but I don't see why it would."

"I thought you wouldn't." Pietro produced a long, bluish hair inside a test tube from his pocket. "I found this on Pyro's windowsill. Not in the tube, of course."

Logan took it. He sniffed the hair, and looked up, surprised. "It's the same bub that attacked last night."

Logan walked into the Brotherhood house, where Toad and Blob were waiting eagerly for news. "Not only were those Spectrum and Bio guys here last night…" he paused and grinned. "So was Sabretooth."

"Here?" Toad asked, genuinely surprised. "Like, last night?"

"Yeah. You stooges know anything about that?" Blob and Toad shook their heads. "I didn't think so. He's been AWOL since we thought Apocalypse killed Magneto."

"I bet they're working with him, yo," Todd suggested.

"Maybe. At any rate, I'm going to find them," Pyro said. He had come back with them, and anger was now the predominant emotion on his tear-streaked face. "I need to find out what they did to me. I'm going to get my crazy back or die trying!"

"We're behind you all the way," Fred said helpfully. "You're our teammate now."

"So am I," Gambit added. "You and I, we're close friends, you know? And I bet Peter and Magneto will help out, too."

"You can count on me," Wolverine said. "I have some questions for Sabretooth, and I think X23 does, too."

The X-Men were also wronged last night, Xavier reminded them from back at the Institute. Besides your former Acolyte teammates, Pyro, I think Rogue, Kurt, and Kitty would like to have a rematch with those two. A minute later, Xavier spoke again. Yes, they most certainly would. Those two were quite powerful, so you could probably use all the help you could get.

Pyro smiled grimly, his first smile since he had lost his 'crazy'. "No argument there. Logan, can you follow the trail?"

"Of course," Logan replied. "Sabretooth and those two weirdos were all headed toward the city."

"Then that's where we're going."

End of Chapter

To New York City! Incidentally, who do you think the big villain will be in this fic? Magneto? Mystique? Apocalypse? Mesmero? Spectrum himself? Review and post your guess!