Short one, sorry.
I don't own, I don't profit.
(Break)
The next day Kurt arrived at the house to find a note on his pillow. It simply read "Gone for a few days. Secret mission. Joy. -L" Kurt smiled. He could hear the sarcasm dripping from the last word. Then he frowned as he settled down on the floor pillow. He had grown used to hanging out with Logan, he was going to miss it.
(Break)
Logan walked through the streets of downtown Atlanta. He hated searching for his target. Too bad Kurt wasn't there to pick on. Maybe he'd have to bring him along on a less dangerous future mission. Then he spotted his target, a tall slim guy with an weird resemblance to some old cartoon character that he couldn't quite think of. He carefully followed the guy, waiting to get him alone. Though he looked harmless enough, he was a mutant with an ability similar to Rogue's, and he had been draining the life out of people and leaving them to die. Logan was supposed to find and neutralize him. He had been around long enough to know what 'neutralize' meant.
(Break)
Kurt was halfway through his prayers when he heard the familiar roar of a motorcycle coming up the long drive. He allowed himself a smile before continuing. Logan had been gone a week, and he had had time to set up a prank or two.
Logan walked into the house to see Kurt settled on his pillow, doing what looked like praying. He walked up the stairs and settled onto one about halfway up, patiently waiting for him to finish.
Kurt had just finished when a small paper bag landed in his lap.
"Vhat is this?"
"A little souvenir from my trip. Open it." Kurt peered into the bag, took out a flat rectangular box and looked at Logan questioningly. "Go ahead, it won't bite." Kurt removed the lid from the box to reveal a delicate silver chain with "Buttercup" written in fancy cursive dangling from it. Whatever reaction Logan had expected from Kurt, it surely wasn't for him to grin widely and put it on.
"Oh, danke, Logan! I love it!" Logan narrowed his eyes. He knew Kurt was pretending to like it to unhinge him. "I have a surprise for you as vell. Go upstairs." Logan didn't move. "Go!" Logan sighed and began to walk up the stairs. Kurt pulled out his phone, dialed the professor, let it ring twice then hung up. He teleported behind Logan as he was staring in disbelief.
Logan couldn't believe his eyes. What had previously been a vast empty room was now a vast... pink room. The walls and ceiling had been coated in bright pink paint, the floor was covered in thick pink shag carpeting. In the middle was a king-sized bed fitted out in princess sheets and matching comforter. There was a pink armchair, pink floor lamps, a pink wardrobe, a pink dresser, a pink chest at the foot of the bed, pink bedside tables, even pink curtains. There was not one square inch that wasn't pink.
"Do you like it?" Logan turned to Kurt, dumbfounded. He had been gone only a week. Kurt was quite happy with the results. This was above and beyond what he had imagined.
"How...?" He turned back to the room and blinked in surprise to find it back to the way it had been. Well, not exactly the way it had been. The rough edges where he had removed the walls had been sanded down and made flush with the surrounding wall. All that was needed was a coat of paint and you'd never know walls had been there.
"I'm guessing the professor helped you out with this. How much did he charge?"
"Not much, all I had to do vas vash the vindows."
"ALL of them?"
"It vas vell vorth it." Kurt glanced at his phone and frowned. "I must go. I'm late for morning training."
"Skip it. Tell whoever's in charge today I'm training you." Kurt smiled.
"I vould, but I'M in charge today. Do you vant to join? It's going to be fun. I'll give you a hint, it involves paintball guns."
"All right, I'm in." Kurt grinned and clapped his hand on Logan's shoulder. They disappeared and appeared out in the middle of the woods, in a platform built high into a tree, then on the ground among the group of mutants, then Kurt alone appeared on top of a gate, leaving Logan on the ground. He addressed the assembled group of adults.
"Guten Morgen, everyone. Danke for joining me so far in zhe voods for morning training. Ze rules are simple. Behind me is an enclosure consisting of trees, forts, platforms, trenches and all sorts of ozher hiding places. You may not leave zhe enclosure unless it is an emergency, as zhis is a combat simulation. I am going to teleport each of you to an individual location where you vill find a paintball gun and a backpack containing eye and face protection, 1,000 paintballs and enough Co2 for the duration. You vill not leave your place until everyone is in position and the gong sounds. All use of powers are encouraged. The session vill last 3 hours, and the vinner vill be zhe vun with the least amount of paint on zheir person." Some wit in the crowd shouted out "What's the prize?" Kurt grinned.
"A veek off of duties. Zhe professor has already approved it." Everyone cheered. "Any questions? No? Ok, let's get started, zhen." Kurt began porting each mutant to the locations he had prepared. He was soon down to only Logan, who he put directly in the middle. "Good luck, Sunshine!" and before Logan could reply, he ported to his starting area and rang the large gong situated there. He then picked up his paintball gun, loaded it, put on his protective goggles and backpack and settled down in a tree to wait. It wasn't long before he heard the pop of paintball guns and the frustrated screams of the 'wounded.' He grinned and jumped down to join in the battle. Just because he had designed the course didn't mean he was going to abstain from having fun.
(Break)
Logan stalked through the woods. He hadn't bothered with the eye or face protection but he had loaded his paintball gun and hung a tube of extra paintballs from his belt. He spied Kurt walking through the woods and took careful aim. He had just squeezed the trigger when Kurt disappeared, leaving the paintball to sail through the air where he had just been. Logan cursed. He must have heard the small hiss of Co2.
Kurt had the misfortune of appearing directly in front of Rogue, who reflexively shot him twice in the stomach. He was raising his gun to shoot her back when she kissed him on the cheek, grinned and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Rogue had the misfortune to land in the middle of a paint battle, and was soon covered from head to toe.
After the allotted time was up, Kurt ported to the gong and rang it. Back in the mansion, Charles, who had been observing with both his mind and the cameras set up throughout the course, projected the way to the gate in everyone's mind. When everyone had assembled Kurt perched atop it once more and addressed them.
"Once again, danke to you all for participating. All of your gear and guns may be placed in zhe shed beside zhe gate. I'm just waiting for zhe professor to tell me who zhe vinner is." Kurt coked his head, listening, then addressed the crowd. "It appears ve have a 3-vay tie between Kitty, Logan and... myself?" Kurt looked shocked. He hadn't intended to play to win, just for fun. "Zhe vinners are to report to him after lunch today, and the rest of you may take zhe rest of zhe morning off. You are dismissed." As the assembled mutants dispersed, talking about what fun this training had been, Kurt jumped down to the ground to congratulate the other winners.
(Break)
After lunch, Kurt, Kitty and Logan entered Charles's office and sat down as the professor addressed them.
"I know you are all wondering who will get the prize for winning, and after careful though I'm going to give each of you a week off from duties. Kitty, I have already made arrangements for you to visit your family, if that is still what you want to do."
"Yes, sir!"
"Good. For all 3 of you, the week will begin on Monday. Logan, Kurt, you may go wherever you please, or stay here if you like. Kitty, your college instructors will have work for you to take with you. Now, if there are no questions, you may all go about your days." Logan, Kurt and Kitty bid Charles farewell and went to begin making their arrangements.