At the Brotherhood
Blob and Lance were in the kitchen playing poker without chips, and eating at the same time. Wanda was busy wondering where Pietro got off to. Toad was in the living room watching a rerun of One Love to Cherish while eating bonbons.
Lance looked over at Todd. "Hey Toad! Why in the world are you looking at dried up soap operas?" "After being around the house all day with nun' to do, then you pick up new habits yo! Maybe I'll stop when things get better around here." Toad argued. "Things are better around here. Pietro isn't here being obnoxious." Lance rebutted. "That's true, but you and Blob are still louses. Ya'll don't do anything fun!" "You'll learn to appreciate us sooner or later." Lance said getting back to his game. "Yeah, well I'll think about it." Todd ended and finished watching the television.
Wanda walked downstairs from her room. "Has Pietro come back yet?" She asked to none of them in particular. But Toad answered. "Nope! Say baby-cakes, how 'bout you and me go on a date so I can stop watching these boring and entertaining soap operas." He suggested. "Are you out of your mind?!" Wanda yelled at him. "Actually, I lost my mind when I started watching that stuff. But maybe you can help me find it." He coquetted. Wanda dusted him off.
She walked in the kitchen and asked Lance and Fred. "Has anyone seen Pietro?" Lance answered while Freddy was still stuffing his face with croissants filled with cheese. "I haven't seen him since he got blasted over the phone by Kitty." He said nonchalant. "What were they talking about?" She asked seriously. "Because he offended her when he called me names behind my back. What can I say, she really cares about me."
His answer didn't help her at all. So she headed for the door. Toad saw as she was leaving. "Hey Wanda! Where you going? Peitro said not to leave here without him. Remember?" "Of course I do, but he's not going to keep me here worrying about him." She said dead serious. "But...but...but.." "No buts! I'm going to find him." she said persistently. With nothing further to say, she walked out the door.
Toad sadly sauntered over to the television and finished watching television. 'Man, now I'm never gonna stop watching this." He complained and took a seat in front of the T.V.
The skies were a pinkish blue, alerting nightfall. At least 15 minutes after Wanda left, they received an evening visitor. The doorbell rang and Lance opened the door. He gasped when he saw who it was. "Magneto! Um, if you're looking for Pietro and Wanda, then they're not here." He said shakily.
Magneto made his way inside. "Pietro may not be here at the moment, but that doesn't mean he will be able to escape my wrath." he said menacingly.
Lance, Todd, and Fred couldn't understand what Pietro could have done to make his father so angry. Lance, having the most backbone out of all of them, spoke up. "So, how are you going to find him?" asked Lance. Magneto replied, "I don't have to find him. He should be returning here some time soon. And when he does, I want for you all to hand him over to me." He explained.
Todd spoke next, "But, Pietro's our friend. We just can't turn our backs on him." He he said cravenly modest. Magneto didn't like what Toad said. "You mean the same way he didn't turn his back on you! Don't forget that he was the one who had your friend over there captured by the sentinels." He pointed to Blob. "But, we forgave him. So why does that count?" Todd asked again. "Because it appears that Pietro has chosen to deceive you once again." "What did he do?" Todd wanted to know, as well as the others.
"I am not going to tell you. In fact, I'm going to show you. I'm going to show you all." Magneto concluded before a small metallic orb floated in the house. In the middle of the orb was a rectangular T.V screen. The video of Pietro in the lair was displayed. Lance opened his mouth wide when he saw Kitty there with him. Toad and Fred were wondering why he would help out a member of the X men. Especially Kitty Pryde.
They heard every word that was said. When the video was finished playing, their trust for Pietro was distorted. Lance was just as confused as the others. "Why is here there with Kitty? Of all people." Lance asked in disbelief. Magneto answered his questions. "It seems as though they are partners in crime. From my understanding, he didn't tell you all what he's been up to lately." "No, he hasn't. I guess that would explain why Kitty asked to speak to him. Wait a second!" Lance shouted as he reminisced the time he was on the phone with her. "So, she lied to me?!" He shouted.
The house began to shake. Lance was so angry that he was sending tremors throughout the house. Todd and Fred tried to run over to Lance to calm him down, but Magneto stood in front of them, letting them know that they were not allowed to intervene.
Lance began to yell, talking to himself. "All this time! They were working together! She lied to me! And Pietro, that no account, backstabbing looser! They'll pay for this!" Lance had gained much malice for both Kitty and Pietro. "Where are they?!" Lance demanded, stopping the tremors from occurring.
"I trust you to not worry about that, Avalanche." Magneto stated. "I just need for you to capture him and deliver him to me. And for your loyalty, I will allow you all to rule parts of the world in your own fashion." He bribed.
Todd and Fred liked the sound of the idea. "So how come Pietro teamed up with that skimpy little X girl any way yo?" Asked Toad. "My guesses are: Pietro didn't count on you all to help him achieve his goal. He probably thinks you're worthless, invaluable, insignificant, and inefficient." Magneto insinuated. "Perhaps, he figured he get help from the winning team whether than counting on his friends for the fear that they would let him down." Magneto said, beginning to use reverse-psychology.
The way Magneto explained it, made them feel like they weren't worth anything. "Well I, Lance Alvers, am not insignificant! I'll show Pietro. We'll bring him to you in no time. All we have to do is figure out where he is!" Lance declared. "Pietro will come back sooner or later." Magneto assured him "See to it that Wanda doesn't find out about his capture. When you do succeed in catching him, press this button here to alert me and I shall retrieve him." He indicated the button on the metallic sphere that showed the video earlier. He handed in over to them.
As soon he left, Toad threw a sleuth of questions, "So how are we gonna catch him? He's too fast!" Blob agreed by nodding his head. Toad proceeded, "Besides yo, why wouldn't Pietro trust us? We're buddies. We've always been by his side. Why would he betray us like that? Does he really think we're not good enough?" Toad kept asking.
Lance got fed up with the interrogation. "Toad! SHUT-UP!" He yelled as loud as he could. He continued, "I don't know why Pietro betrayed us and I don't care. But we're going to teach him a thing or two not to underestimate the brotherhood of mutants!" Lance said angrily.
Blob had something to say as well. "This is the second time that no good Pietro turned his back on us. This time, I'm really gonna squash him! If he thinks I'm a loser, I'm gonna show him who the loser really is!" Blob said with his fists clenched.
Todd was sobbing, "I'm not worthless. Pietro how could you be so cruel yo? I know he didn't treat me right in the past, but this is unbelievable. But I guess that's what explains why he was being so polar bear." He wiped the tears from his eyes. "Get it together Toad!" Lance yelled. "I think watching all of those soap operas made you go soft. We're going to find Pietro! And when we do, he just better hope I don't take his head off before his father does! But first, I want to pay a little visit to a little traitor who made a fool out of me!" Lance began stomping out the door.
Toad gasped. "But Lance! Magneto wants us to catch Pietro first!" Toad reminded him. "Listen Toad, when I said Lance does what Lance wants to do when Lance wants to do it! And right now, Lance wants to have a little talk with Kitty Pryde!"
There was nothing Toad could say or do to get Lance to change his mind. "I just hope we don't get the blame when Magneto finds out we didn't go after Pietro." Toad whined. "Come on Freddy. It looks like we have no choice." Toad beckoned for Fred to come along with them.
They followed Lance out to the jeep. Unfortunately he didn't have enough gas to make it to the X mansion, so he had to stop by a gas station first. Though he would rather stop by the X mansion to confront Kitty.
The lair
Magneto returned to the lair to find the acolytes were still there with the three remaining satellites. "Why are you still here?!" Magneto demanded. Colossus was the first to speak. "Magneto sir, We were about to leave with the satellites. But the dynamics for their specific location is gone. Without them, we know not how to align them with the others." he summed everything up.
Magneto went over to the wall where the dynamics were supposed to be. "Of course. They take the blueprints, and they take the one person they know can help make this machine work." Magneto figured. "Release the juggernaut." Magneto commanded.
"I wanted this to go smoothly. To have everything functioning perfectly. But everything went awry the moment Pietro showed up." he said disgustedly. "I wanted to rule this world and share my glory with him as father and son. Wanda as well if she were to survive the ordeal. And if that's what I want, so it shall be." he ended ominously.
They released the juggernaut as they were told. As usual, when the juggernaut gained consciousness, the first thing he had on his mind was his brother Xavier. "Where is Xavier?" He questioned murderously. Magneto knew exactly what to say to get the juggernaut to work in his favor.
"Juggernaut, you seek revenge on your brother do you not?" "Yes. I will crush him!" Caine yelled. "I'm sorry to say this, but Charles has already been permanently eliminated by a young mutant named Pietro Django Maximoff. He is the reason why you are unable to fulfill your desires of revenge."
The juggernaut Grimaced an unpleasant look of rage. The veins in his face began to show and prove just how angry he was. "Where is this Pietro Maximoff?!" He said while storming across the room.
"I assume that you would want to go and search for him, however the only way off of this island is through my way of transportation." Magneto added.
Magneto brought forth a sphere of his size. The juggernaut entered and magneto closed it soon after. He launched the sphere across the ocean and sent it toward New York. Being that the Juggernaut was so heavy, the sphere wasn't going as fast as usual, but still fast enough.
Pyro couldn't understand why Magneto would put Pietro in harms way for the fact that he was his son. "Uh, boss?" Pyro stuttered out. "Are you sure you don't wanna use mastermind to rearrange his mind?" "No!" Magneto yelled. "Pietro has ruined everything far beyond repair. I knew if he ever found out that Wanda's life could be in jeopardy that he would oppose. It seems as though I was right.
Now he has forced me to take things to another level. It would be much harder and take much longer for me to get things back into place. So I'm sending the juggernaut along with the rest of you and the brotherhood to make an attack at the X mansion as soon as they capture Pietro. I want you to rally every X men there and imprison them so they will not be able to stop me in the future.
I will Inform Mystique that the X men are no longer ignorant of her presence."
Colossus asked the next Question. "But, how is the brotherhood going to be able to capture Pietro if the juggernaut finds him first?" "I only told him that to give him a purpose. If he was to target Xavier, he would undermine me, seeking only to appease his blood lust for his brother." Magneto answered.
"But what if juggernaut catches Pietro first?" asked Sabretooth. "That's the point. He won't be able to catch him. Pietro is much too fast. But if he does somehow manage to catch him, then Pietro will surely regret the day he decided to betray me."
"But I thought you wanted to rule the world as father and son. How will ya if juggernaut does away with 'im" Pyro asked. "Just leave that to me. For now, I want you to do as I say. As for me, I'm going to find Wanda."
At the X men
Before the sun completely left from the sky, Scott and the others returned. Bobby shouted as soon as he got out of the car, "Aw man! That awesome! I was not the first, but the third to be eliminated this time. I told you guys I could handle rigorous training!" "Yeah we're all happy for you Bobby." Jubilee responded discreetly. "No need to feel bad because you were the first to be eliminated Jubes." Bobby teased.
"I have to say that was pretty intense." Scott said, "I mean, with Jean moving objects around made it so unpredictable. Normally you can anticipate the droids in the training room." he continued excitedly. Jean was flattered. "Well it was all Rogue's idea anyway. Despite the fact that she was the second one to be eliminated." She giggled. "Now I just have to figure out how to clean this cement out of my clothes." She finished.
"I just wish Kitty and Kurt would have been there." Added Jubilee. Everyone nodded and agreed out loud. Rogue was the only one who wasn't saying anything. I just hope Wanda and Pietro were able to pull it off. And if I'm lucky, I'll be out of here soon.
Jubilee caught sign of Rogue's silence and asked, "So, what's on your mind Rogue? Normally you'd be totally into the training session, but this time you weren't. Care to tell me about it?" "Ah'm just tired. Ah guess it wasn't as fun as ah thought it would be." "What do you mean it wasn't fun?! That was great!" Jubilee shouted in felicity.
The students entered the anteroom where the professor, Storm, Logan, and Kurt awaited them. "Well look who it is." Logan started off. The kids were looking around aimlessly, trying to avoid the look on Logan's face. "So, where've you been?" He asked. Scott started of nervously, "Uh...we were just..uh," "Forget it! We'll discuss this later." Logan said while leaving.
The Professor greeted the children. "Welcome back all of you. I suppose you got in some good training?" He said shrewdly. Everyone bashfully nodded their heads while mumbling to themselves. Storm finished the conversation. "Excellent. Hopefully you all have worked up an appetite as dinner will be served in a few short minutes. For now, you all get washed up. We will be seeing you real soon."
As soon as Storm ended, all of the students, except Rogue, ran over to Kurt. All at once they were telling him how the day went. Kurt wasn't really paying attention. He was wondering when the professor was going to alert everyone else.
The professor and Storm entered his office. He took a moment to reach out to Hank and send a mental message. Hank? He called out. Yes professor? Beast responded. Have you come across a syringe that may have been in Pietro's possession? Asked Xavier. Yes professor, I have. I was preparing him for a CAT scan and removing excess objects that may have been attached to him when I found it. What's in it? And why is he carrying it around? Hank questioned. It's a long story Hank. I need you to bring that up to me this instant.
After the professor gave his demand, he began to reach out to specific students. Cyclops, Jean, Iceman, Jubilee, I want you all to see me in my office right away. There is something very important I need to share with you. Be here in the next three minutes.
Jean and Scott met with the others in the corridor leading to the professor's office. "What's so urgent that the professor has to send for us in less than five minutes?" Asked Scott. "I don't know, but it sounds like it's urgent." Jean answered.
They all walked into the office. "Please, have a seat.." Said Storm. They all did as they were told. "The professor has something very important to tell you. So please listen carefully. And no loud outbursts." She made herself clear.
The professor came forth. "I know that some of you may have noticed Kitty's strange behavior this morning." he began.
"Isn't it because she was concerned about Rogue's crush?" Jean suggested. "Or maybe because she has to memorize a passage in German." Bobby retorted.
The professor answered, "I understand that is probably what Kitty told you. However, none of it is true." All of the students gasped. The professor continued, "Kitty had a much bigger problem on her hand. A problem that involves a member of the brotherhood, Pietro."
"What did he do to her!" Scott jumped up in attack mode. "I thought I said no outbursts." Said Storm. "Sorry Storm. But if kitty's in some kind of danger, we'll be more than happy to help." Scott said crucially.
The professor proceeded, "Kitty is in some kind of danger. But it is not with Pietro. In fact, she and Pietro were involved on a mission together when they went spying on Magneto." The students had a look of surprise on their faces. "Pietro didn't trust the other members of the brotherhood enough to bring them along, so he entrusted Kitty to help him uncover his father's plan.
They left yesterday some time after the battle. They followed Gambit all the way to a remote island where they found your fellow teammate, Rogue, captured."
"Whoa! Rogue was captured!" Bobby shouted. Storm simply shook her head as she saw there was no point in reiterating herself. Jubilee continued after Bobby. "When?! How come we didn't know about it."
"Please." the professor pleaded. "I will explain everything along the way. Now as I was saying, Kitty and Pietro uncovered the secrets that Magneto kept concealed. The battle with the brotherhood was just a decoy to get Wanda to release what you call, hex particles.
When those particles were released, they managed to hide Sabretooth's scent from Logan. He crept into Rouge's room where he sedated her and took her with him to Magneto's hideout.
Pietro and Kitty hid themselves as the were listening to Magneto's plot. He is going to use Wanda to release those hex particles all over the world, thus reshaping it in his image. The fact that Wanda may not survive the process led Pietro to betraying his father.
Pietro has been secretly meeting with Kitty to tell her what to do and how to avoid being captured herself. As kitty is also needed in Magneto's plot to make an entire machine intangible. So far, He has managed to stop two major events from occurring.
Those events would have ensued another battle from the brotherhood, leading to another. That trip to the construction site was actually a trap meant for Kitty. Rogue was the one who set it up as Rouge is really being duplicated by Mystique." All of the X members dropped their jaw.
"She expected for Kitty to be going with the rest of you so she could inject her with a neural-paralysis bio-fluid. Pietro only speculated that she was going to frame the brotherhood for Kitty's kidnapping which would create another battle between you two teams to buy Magneto some more time.
In my opinion, I do believe he was right. Because the kind of time that Magneto needs is significant. None of you were to know anything as of yet because you would exploit yourselves to them. In other words, Mystique would have figured you all out already and things could have gone downhill." The professor explained as clear as possible.
"So why would Magneto need to Kidnap Rogue?" Asked Jean. "Because Rogue would pose a greater threat to the juggernaut. Without Rogue, you all will be very vulnerable to his attacks." Xavier answered.
"Where is Rogue now?" Scott asked. "She is here, along with Gambit and Pietro." "They're here?! In the mansion?!" Scott said, taken by surprise. "Yes. Gambit is With Rogue and Pietro is in the infirmary."
When the professor answered Scott's question. Hank walked in the room. "Here's the syringe professor." he said while handing it over.
The professor held up the syringe so the other students could see it. "This was supposed to have been used on Kitty if she had agreed to go to the construction site. Because Kitty changed her mind, Mystique was forced to hand it over to Pietro so that he and Wanda would corner her at the beach, and use it to capture her.
Thanks to Pietro, he prevented that from happening. Knowing that Mystique has the ability to allude her enemies, Pietro decided to use it on Mystique instead. He was planning on telling everyone else about this, but a turn of events led to one thing after another."
"So how do you know Pietro isn't lying?" Asked Bobby. "Because I've seen his memories and read his thoughts. They were genuine. And it looks to be that he's breaking himself off from his father entirely. And if his father were ever to find out, I'm afraid his treason would not be taken lightly. I want you to protect Pietro just as you would the other members of the X men. He is truly in grave danger. Not only by his father, but by the brotherhood as well." He concluded.
After the professor ended, the students got up from their seats and prepared to walk out of the door when Jubilee asked, "So where's the real Rogue?" "She's in the Jet room with Gambit." answered the professor. "Kurt and Kitty are in the kitchen with Mystique. I want Jean and Bobby to accompany them, while you and Scott retrieve Both Gambit and Rogue.
And I must say to you Jean Bobby, do not panic upon reaching the kitchen. Is everything clear?" The professor directed them. He gave them directions on what do when they reached their destinations. They all shook their heads signaling that they understood, and then walked out the door.
Jubilee and Scott went down to the jet room while Bobby and Jean went to the kitchen.
Kitty and Kurt were in the kitchen trying their best to avoid the questions Mystique was asking in the form of Rogue. "So how come ya didn't go to the beach?" She asked, obviously enraged, but discreet. Kitty answered nervously. "You see, we uh...got sleepy from all of the studying...and then we like, fell asleep for a little while."
"That's true." Kurt agreed. "We just had so much to do that, we just didn't have enough time." He smile shakily innocent. "Ah just don't undastand why ya keep changin' ya mind!" She retorted, beginning to to suspect them of knowing her true identity.
At that moment, Jean and Bobby walked in the room. Both Kitty and Kurt were relived when they saw their faces. Jean telepathically told Kitty and Kurt that the professor went over the whole situation. That made them twice as happy. So what's going to happen? Kitty asked Jean mentally. The professor has it all figured out. Just wait a few more minutes. Jean answered.
Both Bobby and Jean sat down and acted casual. Bobby was still freaked out by the fact they were in the same room with one of their arch enemies. "So uh,...how's the German coming along?" Bobby stalled.
Scott and Jubilee found Gambit and Rogue playing cards in the jet room. Jubilee was the one delivered the message. "Rogue, the professor told us all that was going on. We need you upstairs immediately." "Yeah, you need to make a quick trip to the kitchen. Gambit, you're welcomed to come along." Scott ended.
Gambit and Rogue got up immediately after they heard the Professor' ultimatum. They all ran to the elevator where Scott instructed Rogue on what to do when they got there.
It was before long once the group reached the anteroom of the mansion. "Alright Rogue." Scott commanded as they were standing outside the kitchen door. "Get ready." Upon hearing his command, Rogue slipped off her glove and raised her hand.
Scott sent Jean the mental signal. Jean looked over to Bobby letting him know it was time. "Hey Rogue," Jean said nicely, putting her hand on Mystique's shoulder, trying her hardest not to grimace in disgust. "Scott and the rest of us just wanted to say thanks for the escape. So there's just one thing left to do. " She spoke while walking her out the door.
As soon as the door opened, Mystique's eyes grew wide with surprise as she saw the real Rogue standing in front of her. Jean held her in place to keep her from running anywhere. Rogue stretched out her hand and made contact with her. Mystique fainted afterward.
Kitty and Kurt ran to the scene to witness the fall of Mystique. "Wow! You guys like, totally Rock!" Kitty said excitedly. Gambit was watching in interest. "My, ah like the way you guys work." He complimented.
"Stick around Cajun and ya jus' might learn a thing or two." Rogue coquetted, only a little. Bobby froze Mystique's unconscious body in a block of ice. Afterward, Jean used her telekinesis to move the block of ice down to the sub part of the mansion where she would be retained.