Darwinian Rhapsody: Romantic Evolution part 1
Title: Darwinian Rhapsody: Romantic Evolution
Category: Cartoons ยป X-Men: Evolution
Author: LejindaryBunny
Language: English, Rating: Rated: K+
Genre: Romance/Adventure
Published: 03-13-02, Updated: 03-17-14
Chapters: 33, Words: 93,521
Chapter 1: Jumping at Shadows
Darwinian Rhapsody
By LejindaryBunny
A totally awesome X-men: Evolution Fanfiction
A/N: Hey, your authoress the great and powerful checking in. This is to date my only Evo fic, but as it is really cool it will be long. In fact I have no idea how it ends at the moment, or even if it does end. But I do have a good ten or so chapters planned. It even has *gasp* a plot! And Bad Guys! Like, not the normal Bad Guys, who are, like, almost good guys in this Fic. BUT the normal good guys ARE in it. (pretty damn unusual for one of my fics) And they’re IN CHARACTER! There are however several new characters in the Fic, most notably my own character, Ebony, but a few of my friends characters might show up. Also, GAMBIT is introduced in this fic, as I am a huge fan of everyone’s fav sweet-talking Cajun thief. The Sentinels and their creator show up as well. BWAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA! Okay, now read the Fic. Oh, and a REVIEW is like a god unto ME. You shall be praised worshiped and sacrificed unto for doing so. And I mean that. All reviews (even flames)will be acknowledged and replied to in the next chapter. Inferiority complex? Nah, couldn’t be. Now, On with the show.
Chapter one…Jumping at Shadows
Ebony hastily shoved those books that were necessary for her homework into her small black bookbag. The girl, diminutive at only 4’9 1/3, was the newest X- recruit. She had shining black eyes and knee-length raven hair that was tied in a ponytail that started at the small of her back. It was the Tuesday of her third week at Bayville and as it was January shehad alot of catching up to do, especially since she hadn’t been to school for a month before then. She closed the locker.
“Yo,” spoke the figure who had been standing behind her.
“eep!” Ebony squeaked, surprised, then, regaining her equilibrium,” Um, hi.” She looked up, seven inches taller than her stood the Toad, the only one of the Brotherhood whom she was unlucky enough to have in her grade. “listen, if you’re going to pull any time consuming pranks on me could it wait until tomorrow? Because I’ve really got alot of homework and…”
“s’nothin’ like that, yo, I jus’ wanted to talk to ya, y’know,” the dirty blonde mutant explained.
This surprised her more than a little. “Um, okay? But could you talk and walk at the same time? If I miss my bus I can’t get a ride for another hour.” She started down the hall passing the English office.
“So you’re Ebony, right?”
“No, I’m like, Kitty. What are you, like, deaf and blind?” She twirled her hair in the proper fashion club manner.
“Sorry, yo. The cafeteria food’s got hallucinogenic effects.” He grinned.” So Ebony your real name? Thought I heard a teach call ya Kim.”
She made a face, “You must’ve eaten too much cafeteria food.” She started down the stairs. “will that be all?”
“Nah, I’d like fries wit that, yo.”
She surprised herself by laughing.
“Like I said I just wanna talk. That an’ I was kinda wonderin’ how ya manage to set the blue furred freak runnin’ on sight.”
Ebony stopped. “Go away,” she growled flatly.
“Hey, sorry, yo. I thought ya were doin’ it on purpose.”
“Well I’m not, Happy?” she opened the door and looked around. “And now I missed my bus too. Thanks bunches.” she sat down on the steps. “Now I have to ride home with Jean and Scott.”
He sat, no, more like squatted, no, well, he did that frog thing, next to her. Contrary to what she had heard he didn’t smell THAT bad.
“s’another thing, yo,” he said.
“What,” she demanded sharply.
“Why d’you hang out with the X-geeks if you don’t like ’em. And it’s obvious ya don’t.”
She crossed her arms petulantly. “That’s not so. I like the Institute and the X-men just fine. It’s just well, Scott’s a jerk and Jean’s a prep and Kitty’s like, a valley girl , and Evan’s a creep, Rogue’s got pms 24/7 and Kurt-“
He cut her off. “So you like the X-geeks but nobody in the X-geeks?”
“That’s, not the point.” She grumbled and leaned back against the wall.
“Nah, s’not, yo. An’ the reason I wanna talk to ya’s we got sumthin’ in common.”
She sighed. What could possibly make him think that? “What?”
“Got no friends, yo.” He waited for her to storm away indignantly.
But she didn’t. Instead she asked quietly, “What’s your name, anyways?”
He blinked. “S’Tolensky, Todd Tolensky,” he replied Bond style.
Todd? Well that figured.
“So’s your name really Kim?”
“Call me by it and I’ll go Pink Power Ranger on your ass.”
“S’cool,yo. So what’s your power? I ain’t seen ya do nothin'”
“Shadows. I can manipulate them, solidify them into simple patterns and turn myself into one. I’m working on carrying objects or people with me. I’m having alot of trouble with inanimate stuff though. Hence the clothing. “She gestured to her all black attire.
“Yo, you mean that stuff ain’t nothin’ but a SHADOW?” he asked, gaping at her.
“Correction, shadow CLOTHING. I patterned it off of stuff I saw at the mall. It’s a shame I can only do black. See I can solidify shadows into any material,” she touched the wall, drawing from it what seemed to be a contained black liquid. “This is it’s natural state. I can solidify it’s shape and molecular pattern into just about any separate material. Stone, plastic, wood, metal, cloth,” she demonstrated as she spoke forming it into a small stone, a sheet of plastic, a wooded mallet, a metal blade and a ribbon.” but it’s always black.” she sighed, dissipating the black ribbon. “And hey, look behind you.”
Todd turned to see his shadow spontaneously waving at him. “Cool. So you can freak people out, make stuff an’ turn inta a shadow? At’s pretty cool, yo.”
She nodded. “I can cast myself onto solid or liquid surfaces.”
“Was it like bein’ a shadow?”
“It’s kind of weird. Sort of like a picture with no perspective. Everything’s on the same plane. only two dimensions. All length and width no depth. That’s what solidifying it really is, brining it into the third dimension.”
“So’s that mean since it’s only two dimensions time don’t affect you in Shadow mode?”
Ebony blinked.
“Time bein’ the fourth dimension,” he continued.
“Um, actually…I’m not sure, I never really thought about it.” Now she felt dumb. She’d heard that the Toad wasn’t particularly intelligent and she’d taken it at face value. She decided to get the subject away from her. “so, you jump, right? And you have that…tongue..”
He nodded a bit sullenly and this time he changed the subject. Ebony guessed that his powers were a slightly sensitive topic. Well, with powers like that who wouldn’t be sensitive?
“So where ya from, yo?”
Damn, the discussion was back on her. “Grayling, Michigan,” and, taking the question to mean more than place she continued. “A few months ago my powers manifested and I had a revelation. “Her smile turned dark.
“What?”
“My parents were rabid mutant haters. Yep, turns out they hated all of us unnatural mutie freaks.”she smirked “I really don’t want to think about them.”
Todd nodded solemnly. “Know what ya mean, yo. So what’d ya do the? Or d’ya not wanna say, cuz that’s cool too.”
Ebony was yet again surprised, this time by the sensitivity coming from the usually snide if not completely rude freshman. She wondered what his parents must have been like. “I used my powers to sneak out, “she continued.” Neither of them realized that if I cast myself onto the floor I could get under the door. Anyway there was this really old cemetery I knew about, with a little stone house for the gravekeeper that nobody used anymore and I already had some of my stuff there. It was where I hung out when I wanted to be alone. Nobody knew about it really so…”
“Hung out in graveyard, huh. How’d ya eat, yo?”
She shrugged. “Shadows don’t set off mini-mart alarms, and nobody suspects a girl who looks eight of picking pockets. Then about a month and a half later Xavier and co. showed up. And hey, lots of things are better than graveyards, and I always wanted to see NYC. “She giggled.”DO I really look eight?”
“Only from the back, yo.”
She made a face but realized her anime status bust must look even bigger in comparison to the rest of her.
“Maybe you’ll have a growth spurt.”
“Somehow I doubt it. So where are you from?”
“Orphanage to orphanage, yo. An’ normality free two years this June. Mystique ‘adopted’ ’bout a year ‘n a half ago an’ here I am.”
She nodded and was about to reply when the noise of girls chattering came from around the corner.
“Guess soccer practice is out. I better catch my ride.” She stood up. “Um, see you tomorrow?”
“yup. I better get back or Lance’ll think I’m dead or somethin’. An’ I wouldn’t wanna get his hopes up, yo” He hopped up and off around the other side of the building.
Ebony crossed the parkinglot to where Jean was, headed for Scott’s car.
“Oh, hi Ebony, did you miss your bus?” The redhead smiled down, over a foot taller than the shadow mutant.
She made a face and said in her ‘sweet little girl’ voice,” Uh-huh. Can I get a ride with you and Scott?” she peered up with big dark eyes, “Please?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t make you walk all the way back to the Institute.”
Ebony thought she was much too patronizing. She hated people who assumed things about her because of her height. Next time she just might walk.
~*~
Well, what do you think of Ebony? Thank you very much for reading. DOMO ARRIGATO! Please review, as I said all is aprixxiated, positive or negative. We see more of the X-ge, er, X-men in the next chapter, and Ebony develops an INTERESTING PROBLEM as well as has a go in the DANGER ROOM. Till next chapter.
*LejindaryBunny*
Chapter 2: Teachers Can Be Cruel
Darwinian Rhapsody
By LejindaryBunny
A totally awesome X-men: Evolution Fanfiction
A/N: Yo! Bunny saying Hi again! Mwahaha! Chapters at the speed of LIGHT! Praise and Sacrifice goes out to ALL my reviewers but ESPESSIALLY the immortal named ‘Todd Fan’ who was my first reviewer! May she bare many sons! Or daughters if she prefers. Or just get her pick of hot guys. (I’m assuming you’re a girl, if I’m wrong you have permission to kis- er, kill me.) Okay, in this chapter Ebony goes to a teacher friend for advice and ends up being mocked about it. (This really happened to me about the same thing.) Then later she has a go in the Danger Room. As always a REVIEW is like a God unto ME! All reviewers will be acknowledged by name when I see them, responded to and Praised and Sacrificed to.
Disclaimer: Okay, my muse, Vincent, informs me that I forgot this section in the last chapter so here goes. I don’t own X-men, marvel does, and so does Warner Brothers, I think. I don’t own any of the characters either, except for Ebony, and she has a mind of her own. So you official types don’t sue me (I’ve got nothing worth taking.) And you fanfiction writers don’t steal Ebony; I might let you use her if you ask me though. Okay, On with the show!
Chapter Can Be Cruel
The next day in school Ebony couldn’t concentrate. She kept thinking about the conversation that she’d had the day before with Todd. After school yesterday the sheer weight of her homework had prevented her from thinking about it, but ‘d realized this morning that he was in practically all her classes, except for gym. In math class she found herself ignoring quadratic equations and instead wondering why he acted the way he did, he didn’t seem stupid or mean or disgusting to her, but maybe she hadn’t talked to him for long enough. But wasn’t an hour plenty of time? She found herself giggling remembering the conversation. The way he said ‘yo’ all the time had started out annoying, but thinking about it she realized that it was sort of kawaii. [A/N: ‘cute in a baby turtle sort of way’ for all you non-anime people.]
In French class she just watched him the entire period. His feet were on the next chair forward, chin on his hands and a look of almost god-like boredom on his face as the teacher reviewed -er verb conjugation. He must not have cared. Or maybe he already knew it. She noticed that his dirty blonde hair was NOT genuinely unclean, as it had been the day before. He must have showered. It did however, still look like it had been cut in the dark with a kitchen knife, although that wasn’t necessarily unattractive. She briefly wondered how that thought had come about, but dismissed it and continued appraising the boy. His eyes were large and were an uncommon orangey-brown color. His legs seemed to make up the largest bit of him and his feet and hands were slightly larger than normal. She noticed that his fingers were webbed up to halfway before the first joint. His skin had a slightly green tone to it, but not pronouncedly so. His face was rounded and looked as though not quite all the baby fat had ever melted from it, and his nose was just the slightest bit flat. Ebony wondered if Todd had seen her watching him, but decided that he hadn’t. At least he hadn’t seemed to.
In biology she wondered whether or not he actually ate bugs; she hadn’t seen him do it so far. And, if he did, was it really that gross? Didn’t they eat bugs in Africa? And in the bible.
After lunch Ebony had a study hall and went to the library as always. As was usually the case Mrs. S-Z [A/N: a real teacher of mine.] was in the library. She was a young English teacher, recently married, with whom Ebony had already become friends. In actuality Mrs. S-Z was a mutant herself and was aquatinted with Professor Xavier. She had a limited sort of telepathy in which she read the psychic imprint left in writing, thereby being able to understand exactly what the author meant, as well as their thoughts at the time of writing. It was a useful talent for an English teacher.
“Hello Miss. Ebony,” Mrs. S-Z greeted. She sometimes added miss, or mister in front of a student’s name. She looked up from the papers she had been grading.
“Hi, so, how are you doing?” she sat down beside the slightly older brunette.
“Hmmm, you freshmen just do not understand proper semi-colon use. How about you?”
“My semi-colons?”
“No, your doing.”
“Oh, I’m, um, okay,” she looked up at the ceiling. “Um, Mrs. S-Z, I’ve got this problem, and I was wondering if you could help, or at least give me some advice.”
She nodded and took a sip of her tea.
“Well, there’s this boy and I think I have a crush on him..”
“Oh, right you told me about this last week. Kurt Wagner, right? But you think he might be avoiding you.”
“Um, actually I decided that he’s a jerk on Thursday.”
“Good call. A guy runs when you get within five feet of him he’s probably trying to tell you something.”
Ebony made a face at the teacher’s sarcastic wit.
She took another sip of tea. “So then it’s someone else, is it?” “Well, sort of,” she said and launched into a high-speed explanation. “I only met him yesterday, well actually he goes to this school but we’d never really spoken before, but yesterday I missed my bus and we talked for an hour, but now that I think about it, it was his fault I missed my bus in the first place because he said he wanted to talk to me but that’s not the point the point is,” she took a breath, “I’m rambling aren’t I? “
“Yes and that’s an atrocious run on sentence,” she smiled. “So let me get this straight; you think you’ve got a crush on this boy, who you never met before but he made you miss your bus to talk to you.”
“Um, yeah, that’s about it.”
“Well, first some general advice, whoever it is don’t let him know you think you like him until you’re sure. You don’t want to hurt his feelings and you certainly don’t want to be laughed at for no reason.” She grinned, “For further advice I’ll need to know who it is. No, don’t tell me, I want to guess. Okay, I boy who obviously doesn’t go to the Institute, but does go here and you’ve never spoken before.”
The teacher cracked her knuckles. Here goes. After talking for an hour you suddenly realized why jocks don’t need brains and are now madly in love with the captain of the football team, Duncan Matthews.”
“No Way!” Ebony laughed, “Not even close.”
“So I can assume that it isn’t a jock. Okay, other end of the social spectrum. You never realized how fascinating advanced quantum theory was and are deeply infatuated with that nerd, what’s his name, Luke Sands.”
She shook her head. “I don’t even know who that is.”
“Oh! I’ve got it! The reason that you’re not sure you like him is it’s that boy ALL the girls are stalking, the bleach job mutant, member of the Brotherhood, what’s his name, what’s his name.?”
“Pietro Maximoff?” Ebony supplied.
“AHA! That’s it! Sorry, he’s in Miss. M’s English class. So is it him?”
“.You’re getting closer?”
“Hmm, like Maximoff, but NOT Maximoff? That’s a toughie. Maybe someone else who’s going steady with his mirror? Or another member of the Brotherhood? Oh I give up, just tell me.”
Ebony mumbled something.
“Sorry, didn’t catch that.” She took a drink of her tea.
“I said Todd Tolensky.”
Mrs. S-Z burst out laughing, spraying Ebony with half-drunk tea and earning a stern look from the withered librarian.
” . . . Hoo. So, who is it really?”
Ebony wiped the tea from her person. “Um. Would you believe that I was serious?”
Mrs. S-Z put a hand to her student’s forehead. “Are you feeling alright? Maybe you should see the nurse.” then she mumbled, “Or if you’re really serious the guidance counselor might be more appropriate.”
She sniffed pathetically. “You’re laughing at me.”
The teacher snorted back a chuckle. “No, no. Of course not, but he’s um, how can I put this? .Ew. Ew, I mean, Todd? Todd Tolensky, the Toad? He’s, green and he . And he’s not even a particularly nice guy!”
“He’ . and, and they eat bugs in Africa. And the Bible! They definitely eat bugs in the Bible! And.I guess I answered my own question.” The tiny mutant hung her head.
” so.” Mrs. S-Z eyed her as though she were trying to shove a fish into the teacher’s ear. “Hokay, advice, well. If it were me I’d stay as far away as possible and hope that the crush passes quickly,” she joked. Then she realized that it really wasn’t funny. She sighed. “Actually, you should probably get to know him and if he DOES turn out to be a nice guy, well, looks aren’t everything I suppose. I mean, look at Beauty and the Beast, or,” the lady chuckled, “The Frog Prince!”
“Humph.” Ebony crossed her arms defensively.
“I just wonder how your friends at the Institute will react.”
“What friends?” she grumped and stalked dejectedly out of the library as the bell to change classes rang shrilly.
“Poor kid,” the thoroughly confused English teacher muttered. Then she noticed the mass of ungraded English papers on the table. “Darn.”
***
Later during Ebony’s English class it took all of Mrs. S-Z’s willpower not to break down in gales of laughter every time she happened to look at Todd.
“Now,” she addressed the less than attentive class, “today we will begin our preparations to read the gothic novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.”
Ebony, along with the rest of the class, groaned pointedly. She shifted in her seat and tried to concentrate on the teacher instead of the back of Todd’s head. He, incidentally, happened to sit right in front of her in the front row of the double arc of desks.
“Alright, I know the sophomores may have told you things like, ‘oh my gawd Jane Erye is the most boring book in the universe’, BUT this is my FAVORITE book and you WILL like it.” She brandished an old, coverless, dog-eared copy of the book at them, full of post-it notes, bookmarks and underlining. “At least I hope you will. With some of your grades you can’t afford for you not to.” She smiled. The entire class sincerely hoped that she was joking.
Ebony gave a bored sigh. She picked up her pen and began carelessly copying notes on Charlotte Bronte’s life. Then something small and distinctly paper hit her in the forehead and bounced onto her desk. She eyed it curiously. It was a small, folded up piece of notebook paper with her name written on one side. She unfolded it and it turned out to be a short note.
*R u as bored as u sound back their? *
It was signed with a ‘T’. She glanced forward at Todd wondering why he was bothering to pass notes to her. She shrugged remembering that he had been the one wanting to talk to her, not vice versa.
*More so. * She wrote signing with an EB.
She refolded the paper and tossed it forward, hoping that it would hit his desk. It didn’t of course, she’d overshot. But he kicked it upwards before it hit the floor and caught it. Ebony thought that was pretty cool. Thankfully Mrs. S-Z wasn’t looking.
This time he didn’t throw the paper but passed it back to her below desk level.
*And we haven’t even started reading yet. *
She was a little surprised that he didn’t seem to write ‘yo’ as much as he said it. But then, you really thought more about your writing than your speaking.
*How much do you think we’ll have to read to pass? * She passed it back.
*Donno. What’re u doing after skool? *
*Training. Blah. *
*In that Danger room thingie? That’s gonna kill somebody 1a these days.*
*You were an X-man? *
*Nah, passed the test tho. That place is whacked, yo. *
Ah, so he did write it sometimes. She was about to write back when class ended. She stuck the paper inside her notebook and headed for her next class. Ugh, gym, volleyball. Lovely.
***
Ebony walked into the Danger Room nervously. This was her first training exercise and she’d been worried BEFORE Todd’s oh so optimistic comments. She was in her costume which was a black shadow spandex one piece with an ‘x’ cut in the shoulder and arms that became gloves. The metal doors parted before her with a very sci-fi whoosh hiss. The room seemed bare at the moment but for the person who stood in the middle of it. Scarlet haired soccer star Jean Grey smiled towards her encouragingly. In all honesty Ebony didn’t think that she was so bad except for the unfortunate fact that telepathy gave the shadow spinner the creeps.
“Hi there Ebony,” Jean greeted her cheerfully. “Think you’re ready for this?”
The tiny X-man gave a nod. She took a deep breath. Okay Ebs, you can do this. “So what do I have to do?”
“You’re going to have to navigate a maze/obstacle course. The maze is patterned as a high-tech enemy base and the object is to get to the center and find a way to safely disarm the doomsday device. You can use your powers in any way you see fit as well as anything you might find in the maze itself.”
“What if I get into trouble?”
“The professor and I will be in the control tower. We’ll shut off the course if there is anything that you can’t handle. But if that happens the exercise is over.”
“Okay. Lovely. Well, I’m ready.”
Jean nodded and walked somewhere out of Ebony’s sight. The training program began and her surroundings changed.
Now there were three doors in front of her, metal and sci-fi-ish but they didn’t part in the middle. She knocked on one of the doors. Nothing. Hmmm, how to get in? Walking to the farthest door on the left she put her ear to the door and listened. She heard a distinctly metallic humming, it didn’t sound like a good thing and she didn’t feel like dealing with an evil robot. The second door was quiet, too quiet, she thought, mimicking the old clichรฉ. The third door had something behind it that beeped every so often. She decided to try that one.
She eyed the slim fissure between the top of the door and the wall. She closed her eyes and cast herself onto the door, taking the place and form of her shadow. In the next room the living shadow flowed and when she was through returned to the third dimension.
There was no door in this room per say, but a portal with a force shield in front of it, there was no way she could get through it. She surveyed the rest of the room, a machine with strange symbols labeling at least twenty different buttons and on the wall a sign that she guessed to tell what each button did. Unfortunately she didn’t feel like deciphering the code they were in.
Ebony paused to divine the best method breaking the thing. She snapped her fingers; it was time to try out something she’d been wondering if she could work out.
She stood, her feet spread apart, across the room from the machine. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath her arms out in front of her, palms forward. She drew on the shadows around her feet, liquefying it in the air before her hands. She drew back and hurled the unformed non-energy solidifying it into a series of metal spikes only as it reached the target, then she shattered them as soon as they pierced the machine. It was totaled, nothing but shrapnel.
She giggled wickedly as the force shield flickered out. “Now, what to call it? Shadow Shard Shatter? Nah, splinter, Shadow Shard Splinter!” She giggled aging and thought for a moment. Then she changed her spandex into an all black Sailor Scout uniform, bows, boots and all. “Yep, that’s me, Sailor Eclipse.” She traipsed through the portal to the next room.
In the control tower Jean and the Professor watched as Ebony navigated room after room, even at one point, using a mixture of amateur karate and shadow knives to battle a menacing robot.
“She is most certainly energetic,” Professor Xavier commented, “And has no trouble finding new ways to use her powers.”
Jean nodded.
“But she is much too impulsive, she needs patience. I think that perhaps Ororo can help her with that area of her training.”
Jean nodded then said, “Look, she’s reached the last room.”
The two watched to see what the X-recruit turned mock Sailor Scout would do. She eyed the great machine carefully. She knew she should probably try to figure out whether to cut the red, yellow, or blue wire, but what if she got it wrong? And anyway it was just training, what could it hurt?
“What the hell,” she said standing and backing up. “SHADOW SHARD SPLINTER!”
The great device was not totaled, merely damaged. And Ebony felt the ground shake VERY unencouragingly.
“Uh, oops?” she said as the simulation shut itself down. “I died, didn’t I?”
~*~
Next chapter Gambit and the Sentinels are introduced. Will Todd find out someone has a crush on him? How will the X-men react? For that matter how will the Brotherhood react? Will Todd and Ebony be mocked mercilessly from both sides of this messed up Romeo and Juliet? Probably! All REVIEWS will RECEIVE praise and GLORY!
Chapter 3: AntiMutant Sentiment
Darwinian Rhapsody
By LejindaryBunny
A totally awesome X-men: Evolution Fanfiction
A/N: Hi! It is I once again! You mean you’re still reading? Am I good or am I good? Praise and sacrifice to all my reviewers, okay, so maybe lied a little about that whole response by name thing, but I only have the net at school! Forgive me if I’m a little pressed for time! Anyway, this is the chapter in which Gambit is introduced, as well as some of the X-men’s problems. From here on in there will be action, fighting, a bit more swearing and a few people will actually get HURT. Sorry, this chapter doesn’t have any Todd in it but hopefully Remy will make up for that. Even if he doesn’t the next chapter will be almost ‘toadally’ about Todd and the BoM.
To any of you who used to watch the old animated X-men religiously some of the up coming material may seem a tad familiar. But with all new characters, refined plot, more romance, some angst and best of all Ebony and the Brotherhood, I don’t think too many of you will mind. Oh, and no Jubilee, I made that decision early on. And scarier Sentinels. By the way, is anyone opposed to a little slash? I’m thinking of having someone have a little crush on someone else. Not telling who yet but even if I go ahead with it the poor guy won’t get anywhere. Also I am very fond of the sacred Rogue Gambit pairing so that’s coming. Um, let’s see, anything , I think that’s it for this author’s note.
Disclaimer: I don’t own X-men, I don’t own the Brotherhood (Unfortunate thing, that.) I don’t own the Sentinels. The only thing do own is Ebony. You can borrow her as long as you tell me first. I’m not trying to make any money off this so please don’t sue me. (I own about as much as Todd, Honest!) Um, I don’t own any of the mentioned radio stations either, I just used the ones I my city.
Chapter -Mutant Sentiment
Ebony lay on the couch in the TV room of the Institute, desperately wishing that something was on. She flipped past a Spanish soap opera, and When Echidnas Attack III, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Kurt was trying to sneak through the room without her noticing. She thought a moment. Why humor him? She decided, and leapt up, pouncing on him.
“HI KURT!” She squealed.
“Ach! Ebony! Get off!” he yelped from under her.
She smiled, “Okay!” She jumped up and smiled sweetly. “I didn’t see you after school.”
“I was, busy, ja, very busy. In fact I must go do my homework! Um, right now.” The boy looked frantic.
“Kay.” She bounced out of the room and into the hallway, giggling. That was actually fun, now that his aversion to her wasn’t as offensive.
“Hey, Ebony,”
She looked up startled. “Oh, hi Rogue. How are you?” Ebony was surprised that the southern goth was speaking to her. She had been under the impression that Rogue didn’t like her very much, too optimistic, she’d guessed.
“Ahm alright. Kitty an me were goin’ to go to the mall and were wuh wonderin’ if ya wanted to come.” The dark clad girl’s accent was heavy but not unpleasant.
“Um, okay,” she replied, glad that she now had something to do. “Just let me go get my purse.”
“Alright, we’ll met ya at the front door in a minute or so.”
“Kay, um, who’s driving?”
“Scott said he’d drive us there.”
She nodded cheerfully and traipsed off to her room, which at the moment she didn’t have to share. Grabbing her black purse she hurried down the stairs to where Scott, Rogue and Kitty were gathered.
“Like, hey Ebony, you like, ready to go?”
She nodded. Maybe Todd had been wrong, maybe she did have friends in the Institute.
“Come on girls, I don’t have all day,” Scott declared,
“We’re comin’ sugah,” Rogue told him and headed out the tall doors to his car. The others followed her, the only male obviously unhappy that the professor had asked him to spend his afternoon playing chauffeur.
In the red sport car Scott of course drove, and Rogue was in the passenger seat. Kitty and Ebony had to ride in back. There was the inevitable well- meaning fight about what radio station to listen to, each member of the group trying to convert the others to their musical religion. Kitty voted for the local pop station, Rogue for heavy metal and Ebony wanted to listen to the 80’s station. Scott eventually called driver’s privilege and tuned it to opera music, simply in order to annoy everyone.
“Come on Scott that is sooo lame! Please put it Kiss 107!”
” 95.5 The Nerve,” demanded Rogue.
“Nu-uh, the Buzz, please Scott?”
“If you three can’t agree on a station then I am leaving it on this. Consider it a lesson in compromise..”
“The Professor would be proud,” Ebony grumbled. Xavier’s star student tended to get on her nerves.
In the end they agreed on the Zone a rather well rounded station, with pop, rock, alternative and some older stuff. [A/N: Yes those are all radio stations in my area, no that didn’t have a point, I just didn’t feel like only writing ‘When they got to the mall.’ I thought it needed some prelude.]
When they got to the mall they split up, Scott going one way, the girls going another, deciding to meet back at the food court in two hours. They went to all the clothing stores and tried on different outfits. Ebony did so mostly for the fun of it, since anything she wore when she used her powers would fall off, or disappear entirely. There was, however one shirt she bought in order to copy it in shadow cloth, a cute midriff shirt with lace around the low neckline. Kitty bought a pair of shoes from a one-day only sale, and Rogue got a pair of black jeans with spikes down the side.
“Hey, look at these you guys!” Ebony exclaimed as they combed the racks of a small shop.
“What ya got theya, Ebony?” Rogue asked.
She giggled and held up a T-shirt that proclaimed, ‘Humans Suck!’.
“Lemme see one a those,” she took one off rack. “Now this here shirt knows what it’s talkin’ about.”
“I donno, like, wouldn’t the Professor not like that?” Kitty asked cautiously, eyeing a pink one of them herself.
“Ah don’ think he’ll mind.”
“Well, okay, the worst he’ll do is say he disapproves anyway.” Kitty picked one up and the three each bought one.
Soon it was time to meet up with Scott. The three gathered their bags and headed to the food court.
“So, like, do you think Scott will let us shop for another hour? We still haven’t been to all the stores.” “Ah hope so, ah-” Rogue was cut off rudely when a guy with wavy brown hair and a slim build, dressed in a blue shirt, black jeans and a brown leather duster barreled into her at a run.
“Wha don’t you watch where you’re going!” she demanded.
“Sorry, chere, no time to chat,” he said hurriedly in a strong Cajun accent, and ran past her.
“Like, the nerve of some people. I just can’t believe-” Kitty too was rudely cut off.
“Stop that man, he’s a hostile mutant!” yelled an authoritative man in a dark suit and sunglasses, follow by two similar men.
“Now wait just a second! What did he do?” Ebony yelled as they ran past the group.
The men, however, took no heed of her and followed the duster-clad teen at a run.
“Stop now and you will not be harmed!” Announced the leader.
“Dat so, mon ami?” he said tuning on a dime to face them, “But Remy don’t think he gonna come quiet.” He grinned roguishly .
The girls watched the happenings with growing interest. They saw Remy draw a hand of playing cards seemingly from nowhere, pulsing with energy.
“Get down, Cheres” he yelled to the three girls. Then threw the cards at the men one of whose head exploded when they made contact, the rest managed to roll out of the way, causing the cards to explode on the mall floor.
The crowd panicked and ran screaming in all directions, away from the scene. The two remaining men lifted their palms and began firing red laser blasts at the renegade mutant, who dodged them using a series of jumps and flips and retaliating with more cards.
Rogue and Kitty were transfixed by the pyrotechnic battle but Ebony’s eyes had fallen on the body of the dead ‘man’. The corpse should have been mangled and burnt beyond recognition, but instead the clothing had burnt off, revealing a body of steal and wires, badly scorched by the explosion.
“They’re robots!” Ebony exclaimed, taking in this information.
“Ah was wonderin’ about those lasers!”
“Come on he’s in trouble!” Kitty yelled. “Can’t you do that shatter blast thing, Ebony?”
She nodded and drew on shadow.
“HOSTILE MUTANT DETECTED.” One of the remaining two turned from attacking the mysterious mutant and directed its attention at Ebony.
“SHARD SPLINTER!” Ebony launched the attack at the robot. It fired a laser at her which passed through the unformed shadow, dissipating it. Ebony tried to duck out of the way but wasn’t quick enough, the blast tagged her on the shoulder.
“Ah!” she yelped in pain, the blast had burnt away part of her shirt revealing a nasty burn. She was on her knees whimpering in pain.
“Ebony watch out!” Rogue yelled as the thing prepared to fire again.
It never got the chance, falling as the original target blew it up from behind.
“Never fear, mon cherie.” He grinned. ” Remy tink that-ah!”
No one found out what Remy thought since the last robot shot him in the back of the head, rendering him unconscious.
“TARGET NEUTRALIZED. TARGETING ADDITIONAL HOSTILE MUTANT.”
“Ya’ll better back off ya robotic thug!”
Attention was now turned to Rogue, “SCANNING DEFECT DETECTED. OBJECTIVE, NEUTRALIZE.”
“Rogue, watch it!” Kitty yelled.
“Duck!” Ebony shouted simultaneously.
Rogue ducked as the blast came at her and the robot approached her.
“What in heck are you creeps?” she demanded.
“I AM SENTINEL. HOSTILE MUTANTS MUST BE NEUTRALIZED.”
It fired another blast
“Ah see,” she ducked out of the way, “Well we ahnt hostile suah, so you can just”
“TARGET IS HOSTILE TARGET MUST BE NEUTRALIZED.”
“Not on my watch,” Scott announced from the level above them, and fired his own optic blast at the sentinel. A gaping hole was torn in the thing’s midsection.
“HOSTILE MUTANT DEtECTed. TaRGeT Must BE NeuTRaLIzED. ALErtiNG HEAdquaRTeRs. HosTiLE MutANtS. TargeTs MuST be NeUtralizED TarGETs Must be Neeuuuu.”the sentinel’s speech worsened and it fell to the floor, inactive, but more whole than the other two.
“What in hell was that about?!” demanded Scott leaping down the stairs.
“Ah don’t know, Scott, they wuh chasin’ this guy here.” She motioned to the fallen young man, who couldn’t have been more than seventeen.
They heard sirens outside. “I think we better go,” Ebony squeaked, holding her shoulder.
“I want you to tell me exactly what happened, AFTER we get back. I think we’d take this guy back to the Institute.” He picked the mutant up and put him over his shoulder. “Can you walk, Ebony?
She nodded.
“Then let’s get out of here.”
Well, what do you think? Do I write Gambit okay? What do you think of the new Sentinels? Just wait until the start looking like students. Oops, shouldn’t a told you that. Next chapter revolves around the Brotherhood of Mutants as they have some Sentinel trouble of their own. Will they be able to handle the mutant hunting robots or will things get ugly for our favorite badass mutants? As always a REVIEW is like a god unto ME.
Chapter 4: Fast Food Hath No Fury
Darwinian Rhapsody
By LejindaryBunny
A totally awesome X-men: Evolution Fanfiction
A/N: Helloooooo. Welcome to the illustrious author’s note before chapter four. Actually this chapter was originally the next chapter and vice versa, but I decided that the new order just made more sense. YES, DOWN WITH THE OLD REGIME, THE DARK KINGDOM WILL TRIUMPH! MWAHAHA! MWAHAHAHAHA! Okay, dreams of Negavesion conquest aside this chapter is all about the Brotherhood of Mutants and how they handle a few Sentinels that come there way, mind you they have vastly inferior firepower to the X-Men, especially now that they’re just a bunch of teens fending for themselves instead of playing goons for Magneto and Mystique. By the way the chronology of the fic is this, it begins a few weeks after that episode with the ‘Bayville Sirens’ (oooo, I’m so scared, girl power mall rats in dumb looking leather and spandex.) And then splits off and runs parallel to anything airing after that episode, I will not change anything in the fic to fit with the ongoing events of Evolution.
Disclaimer: Anything you recognize isn’t you’re a telepath. Marvel owns X-men, Staind owns Outside. Duncan Matthews owned the Discman.
Chapter Food Hath No Fury.
The Brotherhood house was a boarding house whose previous occupants had been ousted by Mystique while she had still been with them. At present count it had five denizens, who were, obviously, mutants as that was the one requirement of being part of the was why it was called the Brotherhood of Mutants. The organization’s (currently absent) founder, Magneto, had toyed with the idea of sticking ‘Evil’ in the name just for sarcasm’s sake. He had, however, eventually decided against it deeming that it would be somewhat negative PR for a society that was currently recruiting teenagers. Also he realized that the entire point of the venture was that humanity was, in general, a bunch of dummies and assuming that they would understand the subtleties of his sarcasm would be self-defeating and hypocritical. The history of the Brotherhood, though, is hardly the point of this paragraph, the point (before the author got off on a tangent) actually being to give a brief introduction to each of the five Brotherhood members currently inhabiting the house. This point will be returned to now.
Lance Alvers was, at seventeen, the eldest of the group, though not it’s first recruit. As it’s first recruit had little interest in maintaining the household it was by the superiority of age that he claimed unofficial leadership and responsibility for the rest of the group during the absence of anything resembling adult supervision. In short he did his best to be everybody’s mom, though he would have denied it if ever asked, he would have preferred to be termed an older brother. His mutant alias was Avalanche, clearly revealing his mutant power of manipulating earthquakes. He was best known in school for his relationship with X-person Kitty Pryde, and for his dislike of her fellow X-person, Scott Summers.
Pietro Maximoff, otherwise known as Quicksilver, was sixteen. He was the son of the Brotherhood’s founder, not that he and his dad were on particularly good terms. Pietro was both quick witted and quick tempered, known to be hyperactive and someone to be kept away from caffeine AT ALL COSTS. His mutant ability, needless to say, was super speed, more like hyper speed. The boy was extremely attractive and knew it. He kept a mirror with him at all times and as many girls as possible. He practically had his own fan club. There was a rather nasty rumor around school that he was in Denial, though this rumor had yet to be proved one way or the other.
Freddy Dukes was the Blob. There was little else to say about him except that he was basically a good guy with a big heart, even if it didn’t have anything on the size of his stomach.
Tabitha Smith, or Boom Boom, was the newest member of the Brotherhood, and incidentally, a female. She was a fun loving girl and didn’t hold well with rules. It was this trait that had caused her to leave the plush Institute mansion and move into the ramshackle Brotherhood house.
And then there was Todd.
Todd’s room wasn’t the cleanest room in the house, that honor belonged to Pietro, whom Todd thought was ‘a spastic neat freak, yo.’ Nor was his room the second cleanest, that was Tabby’s which she had stolen from the by then gone Mystique when she had moved in. His room was, however, the third cleanest, something which one who knew him only casually would never have expected. In fact most of the Brotherhood was still under the illusion that it was most likely the messiest room in the house. This was because he didn’t let anyone into his room, not that any of the others really had a burning desire to see how the Toad kept his stuff.
He was in his room at the moment, listening to a CD on the Discman he had swiped from somebody or other, he forgot who.
“.All the times that I’ve tried, my intentions, full of pride But I waste more time than anyone.” He sat leaning against the side of his bed, looking at the ceiling, pointedly ignoring his homework. He sang along with the CD more loudly than he would have consciously decided, but the music was up as far as it would go, mostly in order to block out Piertro and Freddy watching Buffy. “But I’m on the outside I’m looking in. I can see through you, see your true colors. Cause inside you’re ugly, you’re ugly like me. I can see though you see to the real you.”
Then he finally heard the knocking. “Just a sec, yo!” he called, hastily pulling off the headphones, leaping up and to the door. “Yeah?” he asked opening the door partway.
It was Lance; “We’re going out for a burger, you coming?”
He shrugged, closing the door behind him. Lance was an ok guy, if you could get past the fact that he was head over heels for Kitty. Todd followed him downstairs.
“Yo Lance, can I drive this time?”
“No way Toad, you’re STILL fifteen.”
“Yeah, so? I can drive just as well as you can.”
“Oh yeah? Last time I was stupid enough to let you drive you almost got us all killed.”
“Hey, that wasn’t my fault! That other guy musta been goin’ at least ninety.”
“So were you,” Lance answered flatly. “For the last time you are NOT driving.”
“Man, that ain’t fair.”
Downstairs Lance called to the others, “Hey guys, c’mon.”
Pietro instantly appeared by the two, but it was a moment before Tabby sauntered in with Freddy at her back.
“Well Lance, let’s get this show on the road,” she grinned.
“Yeah, yeah, come on.”
His jeep was parked in the driveway and the five piled in. The owner drove, her highness called shotgun and Todd got stuck in the back next to the other two, as always.
The radio as always was tuned to the Nerve which no one but Freddy had a problem with and he wasn’t going to say anything about it. He knew he was the only one of them who liked country.
“SoToaddidn’tcatchyafterschoolyesterdayIlookedindetentionbutyouwern’tthere.” Pietro’s voice sped along with ease, but from now on his speech will be slowed down for reading facility. And, rewinding for a moment his last sentence was, “So Toad, didn’t catch you after school yesterday. I looked in detention but you weren’t there.”
“I was jus’ hanging out, yo,” he replied.
“IIII heard a rumor that you were with a GIRL,” he said mockingly.
“An’ I heard you were goin’ steady wit Duncan Matthews, so we’re even.”
“Take that back you little Toad!”
“Oooo, I’m scared. Lance, save me from Pretty Pretty Pietro.”
“Why you!” Quicksilver tried to throttle him.
“If you don’t shut up,” Lance growled, “I’m going to turn this car around.”
“Yes mom,” the two of them said, sitting back and shutting up immediately.
“That’s better,”
Tabby giggled.
“What are you laughing at?”
” .”
Luckily for peace within the ranks it was at that moment that they pulled into the parking lot of the local fast food establishment, termed by its customers the Gut Bomb. It had an official name, but no one cared what it was.
The group then piled out of the jeep and into the restaurant, striking fear in the heart of the manager that shift; the Brotherhood were regulars at the place.
The five had ordered what would have seemed like an outrageous amount of food, if one didn’t consider the fact that Freddy was with them. At their booth in the corner Lance ate, Tabby dined, Pietro nibbled, Freddy consumed and Todd munched.
“So who were you with?” Tabby asked him curiously.
“Nobody, yo.”
Lance grinned slyly, “Kitty says you were passing notes in English. She didn’t say who to though.”
“Yeah, so? If I tell you guys you’ll just rag on me, yo.”
“No we won’t,” Freddy said seriously. “We promise.”
“You can tell us,” Tabby told him sweetly.
“So who is she Todd?” Pietro asked smirking.
“Well.” he looked down at his french-fries. “Ebony.” He looked away.
Pietro looked like he was about to get ice cubes stuck in his nose from snorting his Sprite.
“I knew you were gonna laugh, yo,” he slumped further down in his seat
“Nobody’s laughing at you, man,” Lance said, ignoring the fact that Pietro was still sniggering.
“I think it’s cute,” Tabby said though Todd made a face. “So how’d you get her to talk to you?”
He shrugged, “just started talking. Guess she was too nice to tell me to go away.”
“Aw, I bet she likes you,” she told him.
He muttered something incomprehensible.
“Who’s Ebony?” Freddy asked.
“You know,” Lance said, “new girl at the Institute, black hair, really short. Her real name’s Kim Trufire.”
“Oh,” he said putting the name with the face. Then, “she’s so tiny.”
“Everyone’s tiny compared to you, Blob,” Todd said, “she’s not THAT short.”
“And you’re not that green, “Pietro chuckled wickedly.
Todd wished he hadn’t said anything about it. Of course they thought it was funny; who wouldn’t? The Toad talking to a girl, after all he was only the ugliest guy in school.
He didn’t get a chance to continue very long on that dismal train of thought as three men in business suits and sun glasses walked in and over to the table.
The leading man flashed a badge. “FBI, you five are under arrest. Come quietly and you will not be harmed.” The entirety of the restaurant turned to stare at them.
“Under arrest? On what charges?” Lance demanded.
“I ain’t done nothing!” Todd said.
“I don’t even know these creeps!” Tabby lied.
“Can’t we work this out?” Freddy asked.
“You’ll never take me alive Coppers!” Pietro proclaimed.
It was Boom Boom, naturally, who fired the first shot, a small blast at the feet of one of the ‘FBI’ and it was a part-time employee, of course who screamed. This caused the rest of the people in the place to panic and rush out the doors. Since it was assumed that the authorities were already there no one called the police, unfortunately someone did decide to tip the evening news.
Meanwhile inside the fight had begun. The first of the three fired on Boom Boom in retaliation.
“TARGETS PROVE HOSTILE. OBJECTIVE, NEUTRALIZE.” The ‘men’ opened fire on the group with laser beams from their palms.
“The hell are these guys?!” Todd yelped leaping out of the way of a laser burst.
“WE ARE SENTINEL, HOSTILE MUTANTS MUST BE NEUTRALIZED.”
Quicksilver dodged in and out between rapid fire from the second Sentinel, “Yeah right!”
Tabby was trying to fire off a bomb that would actually hit one of them as Lance started a very localized quake intended to knock their opponents off balance long enough to do so. Toad meanwhile drew fire away from the Blob who couldn’t move fast enough to dodge. Unfortunately all Avalanche’s tremor did was throw Todd off balance as he came down from a backflip, sending him down and into the wall as one of the crimson blasts connected with his ribs.
“Screw it Tabby,” Lance yelled, seeing the tide of battle, “Blow the whole place up! We’re getting outta here!”
She nodded at him and yelled to Freddy, “Get Toad! We’re clearing out!”
He nodded whacking the Sentinel, which had attacked Todd, away with a convenient table then picked him up. He hurried out of the building after the Lance and Pietro, passing Tabby as she built a large blast sphere, hurled it back inside and ran like Heek.
The Gut Bomb went up like God’s worst case of heartburn.
They were in the car and speeding when Todd came back to consciousness just in time to see them pass a news van speeding the other way. “Yo man, nobody ever said I’d hafta fight a pack a’ Terminator’s psycho relatives,” he said dizzily.
“Terminator’s relatives?” Freddy asked, happy that his friend wasn’t in a coma.
“They was metal, yo. I kicked one a ’em an’ it was like fightin’ a trash can only harder.” He rubbed his side gingerly but winced in pain. “They were robots or somethin'”
“Great,” Lance said irritably, “The last thing we need, mutant hunting killer robots.”
“Maybe they was it, yo.” Todd said trying to be optimistic despite his injury.
“Somehow I really doubt that.”
“Hey, look at it this way,” Tabby said, “They could have been fifty feet tall.”
~*~
So there goes the Gut Bomb, poor Kurt will be so disappointed; I know he loved the food there. Oh well. Next chapter, poor Remy wakes up to find himself in the institute and Hank examines a bit of Sentinel that Kitty thought to bring along. Also both the X-Men and Brotherhood get a look at how the media is skewing the two battles. It looks like a typical government cover up to go along with a secret agenda! As always a REVIEW is like a god unto ME.
Chapter 5: Aces Wild
Darwinian Rhapsody
By LejindaryBunny
A totally awesome X-men: Evolution Fanfiction
A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the holdup with this chapter, I got real busy trying to do all my school projects which I left each for the last minute. ^.^ That reminds me, I still have to do my global history paper, (due Thursday!) anybody out there know anything about nuclear proliferation in Pakistan? And I still haven’t done a lot of my homework.I’m turning into Todd! I’ll probably get bad grades in Math, Bio, and maybe global. But English, art, Theo and Gym should make up for it. Ew, the day I look to Gym for salvation. *,*
Anyway back to the story. In this chapter Gambit wakes up and is talks to Xavier and the X-crew and Hank discovers the oddities if Sentinels. Tanks to my Reviewers (All six I’ve seen so far, better than my other fic!) My muse Vincent insists on saying ‘lo. It’s his fault this fic exists. Well, his and a fateful math class when I was wondering which Evolution character would be the best kisser. But let’s not talk about my psychotic daydreams; let’s talk about my sociopathic Fanfiction writing!
‘0’! I almost forgot! The real reason I sat down to type this chapter! I found the Evolution comic books at my comic store this morning! And they don’t just re-write the episodes! All new X-men: Evolution stories! Go out and buy them! The art is GORGEOUS!
Disclaimer: I don’t own X-men, (darn!) I don’t own the Brotherhood (Double darn!) I don’t own the Sentinels (What kind of psycho do you take me for?) The only thing I do own is Ebony (yay!) You can borrow her as long as you tell me first. I’m not trying to make any money off this so please don’t sue me. (I have about as much material wealth as Todd, Honest!) Oh, and just for the record, Terminator belongs to Arnold Schwatzenegger or somebody.
Chapter Wild
It had been four hours since the incident at the mall. Xavier, along with everyone else, had heard the story of what had happened, thankfully before anyone had turned on the evening news. The way channels seven, eight, ten and thirteen were reporting it, several unknown mutants had intentionally raided the mall causing as much destruction as possible. True, there had been some property damages, thought Ebony, they had only been defending themselves, but that wasn’t the way Rita O’reily was reporting it.
“If you’re just tuning in,” the obnoxious news reporter said, “We’re here at the Bayville Shopping center and as you can see it sustained heavy damage in an unprecedented mutant attack earlier. Eye witness accounts say that a group of unknown mutants began destroying the mall and attacked three security guards who tried to intervene, resulting in the death of all three. The bodies have however been confiscated by authorities due to heavy mutilation. Similarly at nearly the same time across town another group of mutants caused an explosion at a local fast food restaurant, ending in the deaths of three and the injury of several other bystanders. Police believe the two attacks may have been coordinated. Back to you John.”
“Professor, do you think someone else really attacked the Gut Bomb?” Ebony asked, stroking her burned shoulder delicately.
“It’s possible, but it seems more likely that it was more of the Sentinels that attacked you in the mall. And unfortunately I do not think this will be an isolated incident.”
Ebony nodded and rubbed the bandage on her shoulder, under which was the burn blast she had received from one of the Sentinels. “Sheesh that stung. I really hope you’re wrong Professor.”
Rogue, who was perched on the edge of the couch asked, “So how’s that guy they wuh chasin’ Proffesah?”
“He’s still unconscious, I’m afraid, but hopefully when he wakes up he’ll be able to tell us more about this new threat.”
“I don’t really think so, Professor, I mean he was getting chased just like us,” Kitty put in.
“Perhaps so Kitty, but we must explore every avenue.”
“I hope he’s okay, those things really hurt and he got hit in the head.” Ebony looked worried. “He seemed really cool.”
“Hank assures me that he should be fine.” Xavier smiled, “ah, here the doctor is now.” He gestured to the large, studious-looking man with fur who stood in the doorway.
The Beast grinned, “Well ladies, your stranger has awakened. Charles, I think you wanted to speak with our guest.”
“Only if he is up to it.”
“He seems well enough. It took quite a bit of convincing to make sure he didn’t leap up and run out on us.”
Xavier nodded.
Kitty jumped up, “Oh I almost forgot!” she exclaimed, grabbing her purse and opening it. “I thought you might be able to figure out some stuff about these things if you had, like, a piece of one so I grabbed this.” She pulled out a slightly charred hand that would have looked very human, if it weren’t for the wires protruding from the end.
“Ew.” Rogue said simply.
Ebony shuddered.
“Why that will be very helpful!” McCoy declared. “Thank you, that was very sharp of you.” He took the severed appendage from her.
Ebony grumbled under her breath, “I would have thought of that if I hadn’t been busy getting shot at.”
The professor began to wheel himself out of the room, and then looked back, “Would you three like to come along?
The girls looked at each other and all headed for the door at once.
***
In the Brotherhood house the television had also been on.
“Yo, man! They’re makin’ us look bad on the TV! Sayin’ we blew the place up for fun or sumthin’.” Toad, lying on the couch with a bandage around his bruised, burnt and generally messed up ribs, winced with the pain of yelling. He hoped he hadn’t broken anything.
“So?” Tabby asked, “Not like we wouldn’t have.”
“Hey! I liked the food there!” Freddy complained.
“That’s not the point, Tab, the point is they’re blaming us for something we didn’t do!” Lance clarified.
“Yeah! It’s not fair! They attacked us!” Pietro pouted.
“An’ look yo! Somebody else busted up the mall! Bet it was more a’ them Terminator freaks.” He winced again. Maybe he should just stop talking for a while.
“And what do you want to bet it was the X- Geeks they were chasing?” Lance asked rhetorically.
Pietro nodded emphatically. “I’d say the odds are about mmm, well, they’re high, I can say that.”
“I wonder how many a’ ’em were there, yo,” Todd pondered.
Tabby grinned, “It was the mall. My guess is Jean, Scott and Kitty.” The rest of the group nodded in agreement.
“But they said there were,” Fred thought a minute, “five of them over there too. Who are the other two then?”
“You’re right, yo.” Todd started coughing just then, which hurt A LOT more than just talking.
“You okay, kid?” Lance asked.
“You try getting’ hit wit one a them blasts, yo, see how you feel.” He stroked the wound,
“Least it ain’t bleedin’ y’know. Even if it does hurt like hell.”
“Maybe we should take you to a doctor.” Freddy said thoughtfully.
“NO!” he yelled then clutched at his chest in pain. “Ow, yo,” he whispered hoarsely. He rolled from his side onto his back. “I don’ like doctors.”
“Oh.” Freddy said, “sorry.”
“s’okay.” He looked back at the TV. “Wonder if any a the X-geeks got tagged.”
***
Xavier, Rogue, Ebony and Kitty filed into the medical ward of the Institute. Inside on a bed lay the young man who had previously introduced himself as Remy, he was propped up with pillows and had a bandage around his head.
“Hello Cheres,” he said with an impish grin, “Yo miss me while I was out, no? An’ you must be Professor X.”
“Yes, my name is Professor Charles Xavier, and I run this place, my Institute for Gifted Youngsters. Something of a training ground for mutants to learn how to control and use their powers for the good of others. The girls here tell me that you were being chased by the Sentinels?”
“Zat what they called then?”
He nodded, “Can you possibly tell us why they might have been chasing you?”
“I was jus’ doin’ a little window shopping when dese goons say Remy under arrest for bein’ a mutant. I ask ta see their Id an’ they start shotin’ an I took off runnin’.”
“They fired first?”
“Remy ain’t dat unfriendly, mon ami.” He said.
“By the way, would you mind telling us just who you are?”
” Sure. My name’s Remy LeBeau an’ I just got up from New sometimes call me Gambit.”
“Really, how old are you?”
“Seventeen next birthday.” He grinned.
“So you moved up here with your family, is there someone we should call so they know you are alright?”
“Nah, I hitchhiked up here.” He said.
“You ran away?” Ebony asked.
“Remy don’t have no one to run away from, chere,” he smiled.
“You’re free to stay here if you like,” the professor told him. “The girls tell me that you’re a mutant and there are many more of your peers here than you’re likely to find anywhere else.”
“That sound good but what de catch, eh?” he asked.
“Curfew,” Rogue answered immediately.
“School,” Ebony told him.
“Training,” replied Kitty.
“Training Remy don’ mind. I tink I might as well try out de accommodations. After all, Remy wouldn’t dream of leavin’ a place wit such pretty ladies too soon, now would he?”
The girls blushed a little, especially Rogue.
“You would of course be free to leave if you begin to feel uncomfortable, but we do hope that you will choose to stay.” The Professor smiled, “Well, I suppose I’d better go register you at the school then. Do you think you’ll be able to start tomorrow?”
“I tink so,”
“And you Ebony, do you feel well enough to go to school tomorrow?”
“Yeah,” she grumbled, and so the Professor wheeled himself out of the room. “I’m just a little sore, and bruised and burnt.”
“You get hurt cause of Remy, petite?”
“It’s not that bad,” she lied, “I got one of the bast- er, bad guys but the other one blasted my shoulder.”
“You pretty good to take out one of dem, petite, tell Remy your secret.”
“Um, I control shadows. I can turn into one. Or make them solid. Or apparently make them go boom. My name’s Ebony, by the way.”
“An’ what about you?” he asked Kitty.
“I’m Kitty,” she giggled, “I can, like, walk through stuff.”
He turned to ask Rogue, but she had disappeared. “Where she get off to?” he asked the remaining two.
“That was Rogue,” Kitty told him, “You’ll probably meet her at dinner with everyone else. There are a lot of us too.”
“An’ what can she do?” he asked, curious.
They looked at each other, then Ebony told him quietly, ” She absorbs peoples energy, memories, and powers if it’s a mutant. She can’t touch anyone without hurting them.”
“Now dat a shame if there ever was one.” Remy stood up. “Now which of you ladies is gonna show me ’round dis place?”
***
Lance was washing the dishes, Tabby and Fred were watching TV, Todd had gone up to his room, and Pietro was busy doing the only thing he did slowly, drawing. None of them knew that they were being watched.
Outside a van had pulled up, it was painted pink and the writing on the side said that it was from Millie’s Flower Shop. There was no Millie’s Flower Shop in Bayville. Visible in the front seat was what looked like a woman in her late thirties with overly curly brown hair. However concealed in the back were two men in dark suits and dark glasses and there was an Apparatus. One of them sat at a computer monitor operating the Apparatus. The other watched a monitor that displayed the house they were in front of, making sure that no one was coming out. The Apparatus monitor bleeped.
“Presence confirmed,” he told the other man, “contact headquarters.”
The other one nodded and typed something into his computer, in place of the image of the house another image came. It was the head and shoulders of a man in his forties, he had dark, swept back hair and pale, yellowy skin, covering a thinly drawn face. He was smoking a cigarette.
“Yes?” he asked sharply.
“C-15 reporting. Mutant presence detected. Five anomalies. No humans.”
“Good,” he said in a quiet voice that dripped satisfied venom, “I want it done in two days time. You know your orders.”
The man nodded and canceled the link. Because he was his master’s unquestioning servant he did not ask ‘why not tonight?’ But, had he asked it the man on the computer monitor would have answered, ‘because I want them off guard.’
C-15 nodded to the other man who tapped twice on the divider between the front and back of the van. In the front the woman started the van and drove away.
Inside his room Todd had been laying on his mattress which happened to be positioned with a good view of the window, but he wasn’t looking out it at the moment. He was laying on his back with his arms crossed under his head staring up at the ceiling with his fool’s gold eyes. His shirt was off, his burn was too hot even with just the bandage. And besides, the shirt he’d been wearing, one of the very few he owned, had a gaping burn hole in it. His chest, which unlike his legs didn’t have the benefit of mutant enhancement, was bony and you could see his ribs through the bandaging. Because it got very little sun his torso was more pale than green. His worn jeans had received another hole earlier when he’d caught them on something, this time in the low thigh.
He sighed wishing he didn’t know what. Wishing that he wasn’t a mutant, or that he didn’t have such a sucky power, or that everyone would leave him alone or that humanity would just crawl into a hole and die. Or that HE could just crawl into a hole and die.
It wasn’t just that he’d gotten hurt. Yeah it was painful but he’d been beat up worse than this more times than he cared to remember. It wasn’t even just that somebody was specifically targeting mutants for death by killer robot. It was the fact that THEY were the ones getting blamed for it. That really pissed Todd off, and he wasn’t even sure why. It was like somebody was trying real hard to make people hate him and every other mutant more than they already did. And God, or at least the world, knew that most people hated them more than enough already.
His thoughts drifted to those of school and the people in it. Most people ignored him wholesale as though he didn’t even exist. Then there were the people who outwardly hated him like Duncan Matthews and his gang, people who acted on that hatred attacking him verbally or physically nearly every day. There were the X- geeks who seemed to exist in some pompous, holier than thou self righteous mixture of the other two. Then there was Ebony.
Chapter 6: Going Insane Falling in Love part 1
Darwinian Rhapsody
By LejindaryBunny A totally awesome X-men: Evolution Fanfiction
A/N: Good evening. Welcome to chapter six of this pretty damn good fic. First I would like to start by doing what I said in the first chapter, responding to my reviews.
WritingMoose: I wish my fic was god but good suits me just fine. Yes, the way she yells that is SUPPOSED to be corny; it shows that she is immature. Don’t worry though, she won’t be for too much longer. Glad you like my fic. ^.^
Akasha: Yes, I love Gambit/Rogue too, as you’ll see in this chapter. I’m flattered too!(
Todd fan: You’re a happy bunny? I thought that was me? ( I’m glad you like Gambit too, and Todd (See people? I am NOT alone) I certainly can’t resist a Cajun accent either!
Red Witch: I most definitely will write more!
Muffin_elf: see above. ^.^
Jacobtakemeunderyourwood: Please, Bridget, I know you’re trying to be a good friend but no more dumb reviews. Just stick to your O-town fics.
Well, now that that is out of the way, I have had a slight change of plans. The next four chapters (starting with this one) will occur, just not the way I had originally planned. I was going to have each of those chapters from a first person point of view, however, the real life Mrs. S-Z pointed out to me why that wasn’t a good idea. Too many characters spoil the plot I guess. So the next four chapters, which I have deemed the ‘Falling in Love’ sequence, will just feature a bit more personal thought and introspection than normal. I also am wavering on a side story I had originally planned. Ah well. So, with two days until what’s going to happen at the Brotherhood house happens there will be two days (one a chapter) of ‘normal’ life progressing.
Disclaimer: I own Ebony. I don’t own the Star or the Enquirer. I do own Stephen Cruz, Massha Cruz and all the movies mentioned in association with them. I redesigned the sentinels, but marvel owns them too. X-Men: Evolution is owned by Marvel and the W.B., this is for my own and anyone who wants to reads it’s free entertainment. Notice the word ‘free’, I’m not making money, please don’t sue me.
Chapter Insane (‘Falling in Love’ part 1)
Waking up for Ebony usually was not the ordeal it was for some; she was part of that dreaded race of Morning People. The alarm rang and she sat up before turning it off. This morning she completely forgot the dream she’d been having, a rather odd one in which it had started snowing, then raining, then raining frogs, like in those ‘Mysterious Phenomena’ books she liked. She smiled and bounced out of bed and into the shower, humming to herself and taking care not to agitate her burned, bruised, tender shoulder. She took quite a bit of time to thoroughly wash and condition what some considered to be her overly long raven hair. While doing this, as she often did, she considered to herself. What she considered was this.
Perhaps you have completely gone mad. Perhaps, but maybe you’ve only just come to your senses. How do you know if you are behaving rationally or not? That’s a good question, you can’t, can you? Let’s examine this: why do you like him? You don’t know if you do. Nnnnt WRONG! Answer the question. Well, you like him .what is the Colombian drug trade? I’m sorry Alex; I hit the buzzer by accident. Okay, try it another way, what isn’t a reason you you like him? Hmmm, you go back to the original question? FINE just answer something. Well, he seems lonely. He’s kind of cute. And well, he seems like a nice-
Someone knocked on the door. “Could you hurry up in there please?”
“Just a minute Amara!” Ebony called out. She rinsed the last of the conditioner out of her hair and decided that thinking in the second person might not be particularly healthy. Then she decided that she didn’t really care, turned off the water, formed a towel around herself out of shadow and let Amara have the bathroom. Sauntering to her room she closed the door behind her. She opened her closet, full of all black clothing of course. She hoped for the day when she’d be able to wear normal clothes without them falling off when she turned into a shadow. She picked out a pair of jeans and a shirt with long medieval-esque sleeves. She dissolved the towel away and dressed. Closing the closet door she remembered something that she’d nearly forgotten. She picked up her bag from the mall and put it in her backpack.
Down in the dinning room she joined several other X-students in the same sort of informal breakfast they had everyday, Ebony fetching herself a heavily sugared cup of coffee and a bowl of Oreo Os, no milk. Happily fed she then realized what she HAD forgotten.
“MY HOMEWORK!” she exclaimed, and ran to find someone else in her math class at a speed that only a hyper girl on a sugar high can manage. After five minutes of searching she ran into Rogue who was about to walk out the door.
“Rogue! Rogueroguerogueroguerogue!” she called. Ebony had a feeling that the southern girl was thinking about walking out the door as if she hadn’t heard her.
But the girl did turn and asked, “How ya doing Ebony?”
She put on a pleading face, “Um, Rogue, can I please borrow your math homework? I promise I’ll get it back to you before class.”
She shrugged and fished around in her bag before handing Ebony two sheets on written on graph paper. “Just get it back ta me, alright?”
She nodded emphatically and put the paper in her own bag. From behind them Ebony heard a cool voice with a sweet Cajun accent.
“You two cheres weren’t plannin’ on walking all de way to school were you?”
She shook her head though Rogue said nothing. “Would you give us a ride?”
“I’d be delighted, petite, but question is do YOU want ta come chere?” he asked Rogue.
The Goth shrugged again. “Sure, thanks.” She flashed him a rare smile.
The two followed him out to his car which had been picked up from the mall parking lot the night before. It was a black convertible with blue flames up the sides.
In the car Remy drove, it was after all his car, and Ebony sat in back because she was a little too short to feel perfectly comfortable in the front, which was where Rogue then sat.
“So, cherie, didn’t catch you at breakfast,” he said to Rogue.
“Ah wasn’t hungry,” she told him.
Ebony sort of tuned their following conversation out and turned to her own thoughts. What was he really like? Why had he decided she was worth his time in the first place? He didn’t seem to think too many other people were. Or was that a response to the way people acted towards him? If that was the case she wasn’t sure how she merited any different treatment, she’d never spoken to him before he’d approached her. That was what was really bothering her now. Why didn’t he think she was any different than the other ‘X-geeks’? WAS she different? If so was it obvious enough that anyone could tell?
“Well you sure are quiet, petite,” Remy grinned. “Somethin’ on your mind?”
“Nu-uh,” she smiled and shook her head. “Um, so what’s New Orleans like?”
“Like nothin’ you’d believe, mon amie. Where you from? You no New Yorker.”
“Michigan,” she said shortly. “Grayling. It’s boring and I like it better here.”
“You tink de Big Apple good, I take you home wit me, eh? You make a big splash on Bourbon street.”
Ebony flushed. Bourbon Street was the street women flashed their breasts for beads on Mardi Gras. “Um, thanks? But I think I like it fine here.”
They pulled into the high school parking lot. “Well, maybe I see you cheres later, eh?” He blew them a kiss as they parted ways.
Ebony’s first class was, luckily for her, a free this morning. It was a good thing because she had math second and needed a chance to copy Rogue’s homework. She signed in in the sparsely populated Cafeteria, which this early only held people who were in her free. She pulled out her notes and graph paper and copied the answers down, careful to change enough so that it seemed like her own work. She was absorbed in the graphs when someone spoke behind her.
“Yo.”
Ebony jumped, startled, nearly fell off the chair but managed to regain her balance. “Oh!” she smiled. “Hi.” Then she was a little puzzled. “Don’t you have gym now?”
“So? Mind if I sit down?” he grinned.
“Go ahead. I’ll just be a minute more with this.” She scribbled on the paper. “There, all done!” She bit her bottom lip cutely. “The school I went to in Michigan was an all girls Catholic school, so I always had this evil nun nazi breathing down my neck in study halls.”
“You went to school with a bunch of nuns? Did they hit your knuckles like in movies?”
“Nope they just yelled at you, and gave you detention for practically ANYTHING. I even had to wear a uniform.”
“Man that sucks. So how are ya?”
She rubbed her shoulder; “Crispy fried.”
“Huh?”
She grimaced, “You probably saw it on the news. That supposed ‘mutant attack’ on the mall. That was me and Kitty and Rogue, only we were the ones being attacked. By these robot thingies that called themselves Sentinels. One of them hit me with some laser in the shoulder.”
“So you guys really were the other one that got attacked, yo! We thought so.”
“You were at the Gut Bomb? Did you get hurt?” she looked concerned.
“Yeah. These things that were like Terminators big brother came at us and one of ’em got me in the ribs.”
Ebony chewed her lip. “That must have hurt! Are you okay?”
“Eh, been worse.”
“I can’t believe someone would build robots just to hunt mutants.” She pouted. “And then they tell people we started it! And that those things we blasted were humans. It’s like they’re trying to make us sound like monsters.”
Todd nodded. “‘S what a lot of em think already. Sucks yo.” He ran a hand through his hair. It was dirty again, she noticed. It must get that way very fast. “Humans are scum.”
For some reason Ebony brightened at that ‘cheerful’ thought. “I almost forgot! At the mall yesterday I saw this shirt and well, I can’t wear it but I thought you would like one.” She reached in her backpack and pulled out an oversized black T-shirt that said in white letters ‘Humans Suck!’.
Todd was surprised; she’d bought something for him?
“Unless you don’t want it.” she fretted.
“Nah, ‘s really cool, yo!” he exclaimed. “‘S just I didn’t get nothin’ for you.”
She beamed, “That’s okay, I just thought you might like it.”
“I do. ‘S my style, yo.” He thought for a moment. What could he get her? He didn’t know what she liked at all. Think Toad! He was drawing a blank. “You wanna see a movie after school?” he blurted, sure that he’d regret it.
First Ebony blinked, then she clapped happily. ‘Sure! Um, what movies are playing.”
“Um. ‘Roses at Midnight’ or ‘Attack of the Curse of the Revenge of the Return of the Blood-Eatin’, Brain Suckin’, Soul Stealin’ Zombie Werewolf Vampires from Mars part VII’.”
“The new movie by Stephen Cruz? Can we see that one? It’s supposed to have his daughter in it as the Martian Zombie Werewolf Vampire Princess.” Ebony grinned, Stephen Cruz was a B-movie writer/director who made millions on camp ‘horror’ films like ‘The Wrath of Dr. Kavorkiandstein’s Creation’. The ‘Zombie Werewolf Vampire’ series was supposedly his masterpiece. “People say I look like her only shorter, what do you think?”
“Like who, yo?”
“Massha Cruz, the actress, she’s only a year older than me you know. But she’s 5’11.” Ebony pouted.
“A little,” Todd said, “you’ve got a better nose though.”
She nodded. “Did you know, it’s all over the tabloids right now, apparently she recently moved to England to go to some boarding school and the ‘Star’ says she’s dating a vampire. The ‘Enquirer’ insists that she’s joined some witch cult. But they both agree there’s some sort of Adoption Scandal and she’s apparently English. I always thought she didn’t look very much like a California girl.”
Todd nodded, listening more to the fact that she WAS talking than what she was talking about. He was still rather stunned that she had consented, eagerly in fact, to go to the movie with him. Then he realized that alarm bells were going off in the back of his head and why. He had no money. Crap. Well, he’d get some by the end of the day; rob from the rich so to speak.
“So you don’t mind seeing that one? Or do you want to see ‘Roses at Midnight’?” she didn’t think he would, but he’d surprised her recently before.
“Nah, I like monster movies, yo. So, where should I meet you after school? Steps, locker?” Then he thought of something else. “Yo, uh, Ebony I don’t normally drive or nothin’.”
She smiled yet again. “That’s okay. The theatre’s not far. I don’t mind walking. And you can meet me at my locker if you want but we have got last class together.”
He nodded again.
The bell rang, “Oh dear. Math class.” She gathered her things. “Coming? Or are you going to skip again?” He grabbed his bag.
***
All day Todd couldn’t stop thinking about Ebony. He wondered why she’d agreed to come to the movies. Had she wanted to see the vampire thingy that bad? Or was it pity for him? That word was accompanied by a bitter taste in his mouth. Pity the one thing that he dint want. Or was it even possible that she actually wouldn’t mind seeing a movie with even enjoyed his company? Now he knew he was getting his own hopes up. But he didn’t care; it was a nice thought, even if it wasn’t true.
He skipped lunch in order to swipe enough money for the movies. Picking pockets was his forte and he figured fifty should be enough even if she wanted to get dinner afterwards or something. Yeah, like that’d happen.
Global History was the only class in which he sat behind her instead of vice versa and he spent the entirety of it staring awkwardly at the back of her head, instead of taking notes on the Babylonian Empire. Her hair was very long and very black but somehow it shined without having any color in it at all. It went down well past her waist and fell around her hips. He knew she had eyes that were such a dark blue that they were quite nearly black, but they were laughing, not cold. Like a moonlit midnight, he thought. Then he cursed himself for being a poet, or even trying.
‘Dammit Tolensky!’ he told himself. ‘Get it through your thick, slimy-ass skull that she DOES NOT LIKE YOU.’ How could she? She had apparently been chasing the elf freak and you saw how she was checking out that new guy with the duster, Dreamy or whatever his stupid name is. She’s just going to the movies with you because…why the hell is she going to the movies with you? Maybe she thinks it’s funny. I bet she’s just laughin’ it up with her friends. ‘Look everybody, Toad actually thought I was SERIOUS when I said I’d go to the movies with him! Can you believe it?’ Wouldn’t be the first time. How could you ever think she was different? .Because she is different, I can see that as well as I can see her god damn beautiful smile. And I donno if that means she’s the first real being with feeling I’ve met or if she’s just found bigger and better ways to be sadistic but so help me at this point I don’t give a damn!
***
Ebony couldn’t stop about Todd all day. She skipped lunch and borrowed Kitty’s makeup kit (thank gawd she like, never went anywhere without it) and put on just a little blush, eyeliner, mascara and lipstick. Not much but without it she was pale almost to the point of not having a complexion at all.
Their last class was Earth Science which seemed to drag on forever, a time during which their teacher discussed nothing but sedimentary rocks and the fact that children in Hawaii didn’t go to school. Finally after what seemed like six pages (and was actually four) of pointless notes, (they didn’t have to write down the bit about the Hawaiians) the last bell rang. Not realizing, or even caring that there were a million people around and would be just as many rumors the next day, she turned to Todd, who sat in the row next to her.
“Ready to go?” she asked.
“Sure, yo,” he sounded just a little nervous and Ebony realized that she couldn’t blame him, she was exceedingly nervous herself.
They didn’t talk much until they were free from the claustrophobia of the state institution and safely onto a public street.
“Um, did you remember to tell your friends you weren’t riding home with them?” she asked.
“Yup, you?”
She nodded, “I asked Rogue to tell Remy I wouldn’t be coming. He’s the mutant the Robots were originally chasing at the mall.”
“He crashin’ at the Institute?” Remy, that’s what the Duster jerk’s name was. What a dumb name.
“Yeah, he says he might leave though, so don’t be too surprised if he turns up at your place.”
Todd shrugged.
Once at the theatre he had to insist that he buy the tickets and everything, Ebony almost wouldn’t let him but backed down when he said the money wasn’t exactly his anyway.
“You want anything, yo?”
“Just popcorn,” she said merrily, “And Pepsi if you don’t mind, or do they have Coke here?” she was thoughtful, “Did you know diet Pepsi tastes like regular Coke? I’ve never been able to figure out why.”
He ended up buying two Pepsis, a large popcorn and a box of gummy worms. The movie turned out to be packed but they were early enough that they got decent seats. Before the feature they heckled commercials and celebrity trivia a bit. After all who really cared how much the stuffing Brittany Spears padded her bra with in her last video sold for on e-bay?
The actual movie was rather confusing. As far as Todd could tell the Martian race, (who were also wolf-like vampires, many of whom were mindless zombies) had been trying to take over earth since the fourth Ugblatt Dynasty. It was now the twelfth Ugblatt dynasty. The Emperor Zerosu was attempting hostile takeover once again and had sent his Daughter Princess Runa in command of the first shuttle. While the mindless drones were busy soul stealin’ blood eatin’ and brain suckin’ she met the son of the U.S. president whose name is Michael and fell in love with him. Realizing their love they go to tell their respective fathers that there should be peace between the two planets. President C. Phied has advocated peace all along but Runa’s father decrees that she be locked away until conquest is finished. Somehow she gets an SOS to her love, who disguises himself as a Martian and sneaks aboard to rescue her. Discovered by the guards he is hacked to pieces before her very eyes and when she tries to save him the Mindless Drones kill her as well. They die in each other’s arms, the entire scene taking place while they sing a corny duet about their undying love for one another. Upon discovering their children’s deaths the two rulers reconcile with one another and there is peace between the planets in honor of their love. Until the next movie.
It was during the love duet that something Todd really hadn’t expected happened. Ebony began crying, first sniffling, then a few tears, then she was sobbing openly into his shoulder. He really didn’t know what to do.
‘Aw man! She cryin’ what do I do now? Should I try and comfort her? Will she think I’m making a pass at her? Am I making a pass at he? Yo, my shoulder is gonna be soaked if I don’t do something!’
He put his arm around her, “don’t cry, yo,” he whispered, “I’m, um, sure they get brought back in the sequel?”
She was shaking, “I know but *sniff* it’s so SAD and I always *hiccup* get emotional like this!”
He sort of petted her until the movie wound to a close and her sobs subsided and the lights came on. She rubbed her eyes and sniffed she gave a weak smile. “I should have warned you I was likely to do that,” she said as they left the theatre, “Thanks for not being embarrassed to be seen in public with me like that.” She wiped her face with a napkin. “I must look disgusting like this.”
Todd stopped and did a double take. A girl had just gone to the movies with him the Toad and she was glad he wasn’t embarrassed to be seen with her? He’d had his arm around her and she was saying she must look disgusting? He searched for something to say, knowing he must look like an idiot just standing there. “Nah, you’re one a’ those lucky girls who stay pretty when they cry, yo.” Wait a minute, had he just said that she was pretty? Wait for the rebuke…
She bit her lip. “You’re completely wrong but thanks, that’s really sweet of , did I get all that on your shirt? I’m really sorry.”
“‘Sokay yo, I don’ mind. Hey are you okay to walk back to the Institute or do you want me to walk with you?”
Ebony smiled, “I’m fine now, really. You’d better get back too, it’s getting late.”
A few blocks from the theatre was where their paths diverged and they had to take separate streets home.
“Thanks for asking me to the movie I really had fun.” She was back to her cheerful self now.
“Thanks for comin’ yo.” He grinned.
“Any time!”
Then she did something else altogether unexpected. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, saying ‘bye’ and traipsing away before his paralysis wore off. When it did he practically bounced the entire way back to the boarding house.
***
I hope you like the chapter because it’s a bit longer than usual and I was up till midnight writing it! That might explain some of the end bits, eh? Not that I wasn’t going to write them. Well tell me what you think of it. I appreciate both constructive criticism and non-constructive praise. Next chapter Falling in love part 2, Truth or Consequences!
Chapter 7: Truth Falling in Love pat 2
Darwinian Rhapsody
By LejindaryBunny
A totally awesome X-men: Evolution Fanfiction
A/N: Hi again! *Cheerfully bounces* I have to be overly cheerful like Ebony or I get depressed like Todd. *Pouts* I hope you all liked the last chapter, it practically wrote itself. (And kept me up way too late in the process.) However the downside to Ebs and Todd writing the last chapter by themselves and leaving me out of the creative process is frustrating. Now I have to slip an extra chapter into the Falling in love sequence (this one) because I didn’t get to finish day 1 in one chapter. Therefor this chapter takes place only a few minutes after last chapter, instead of the next day as I had originally planned. Thanks to all my reviewers! Ah reviews! My anti-depressant.
Red Witch: You’ll have to keep reading for more on the cover up!
Muffinelf: I’m glad you think I write Gambit really well. Yes, those Sentinels were just plain dumb.
Todd Fan: Have I mentioned that you are one of the coolest people in the universe? I’m glad my story made your day: your reviews make mine.( Your favorite story? Is it really?
Foxglove33: *gack! * Fox honey, Bunny can’t breath! *Recovers from hug* I can’t believe I made it onto your favorites list. Anything special you want to see in the fic? Glad to have another Todd fan aboard. (Gee, who else would read this?)
Akasha: Another person who thinks I write Gambit really well? Does that mean I really do? Was last chapter soon enough for you?
Neva: Glad you think that I’m witty. Hope you like the rest of the fic too. ^.^
Cara: I watched that too (duh)! I think they should have left Rogue like she was from that. I understand that they had a character personality type roster to fill though.
About this chapter. You’re going to see a little bit of a new side of Ebony in these next two bits. There was a glimmer of it in the first chapter but it’s a little more obvious here. It’s how she acts when she’s not very happy with someone. (Don’t worry she’s upset with Todd!)
Disclaimer: Anything that you don’t recognize is probably mine, unless of course you’ve never heard of x-men. I own Ebony and little else.
Chapter (Falling in Love part 2)
The sky was quickly darkening as Ebony walked back from the movies, it was after all, the middle of winter. Even with her black jacket pulled tightly around her the air seemed distinctly colder than it had a few moments before, when she had had to part ways with Todd. She smiled quietly to herself; well at least she knew she was stuck for it. She definitely liked him. She sniffed, still a bit teary from the movie. Yes she knew it was just a space alien rehash of Romeo and Juliet, but it was still sweet.
At the time she hadn’t really been paying attention, too focused on the movie and her sobs, but now she remembered that Todd had put his arms around her while she was crying. His arms were wiry as was the rest of his build, but not quite bony. His hands a little bit cooler in temperature than normal and were also very smooth. like silk. Ebony giggled. Who cared if people thought she was weird, she liked him. There was only one question. Did he like her? And if so how much?
Part of her thought, well duh, of course he likes you. He asked you to the movies didn’t he? But the other part of her, the insecure part that whispered things to her wasn’t so sure. He could have just asked you as a friend, or just in return for the shirt. And even if he didn’t, even if he does like you back, is it worth it? You know what they’ll say in school. ‘Can you believe it? She’s the Toad’s girlfriend! Ew, I’d kill myself first.’ Or ‘if it was me, I wouldn’t date him if he was the last guy on earth.’ Then there was the fact that it would most likely ruin her chances of ever having another date in her life if things didn’t work out.
Ebony shook her head as though to clear the thoughts from it and bit her bottom lip. She shivered as the temperature dropped and contemplated going the rest of the way in shadow form. But she wasn’t far now and she didn’t want to risk getting lost; it was much harder to find her way in the dark world.
For a moment she managed to keep her thoughts on normal things, like how cold it was and the amount of homework that she’d have to do when she got back, and then she realized, the amount of explaining as well. She hadn’t told anyone where she was going or when she’d be back. It was three hours after school let out and it was quite possible that the Professor was looking for her by now. Then she remembered something else, and knew that he’d be wondering where she was. They’d had group training in the Danger room this afternoon.
She glowered at handy snow bank, which had done absolutely nothing wrong.
“Rats,” she ‘swore’ gnawing on her lip. Now there was no way she was going to keep this from the rest of the X-men. Xavier would want an explanation and wouldn’t take ‘I was out’ for an answer, and he’d know if she was lying.
A curse on psychics! May they all get lost at a UFO convention and go mad!
And not only would the news be out, but also the Professor would definitely ground her for missing training. Briefly she considered turning around and just not going back to the Institute, after all she’d run away before, why not again? Because she hadn’t had time to find another place to hang out in Bayville and staying with the Brotherhood would be a bit awkward at this point.
So she sighed a heavy sigh as she rounded the corner to the block that was taken up be Xavier’s school for ‘gifted youngsters’.
Inside the Professor had indeed been waiting for her. He was sitting in his wheelchair in the large mansion entryway; Scott Summers looming arrogantly behind him.
“We were about to go looking for you,” Scott said.
“Yes, we were worried about you. Where were you?”
“And why exactly did you miss training?”
For a moment she wavered between trying to play innocent to apply for sympathy or to be completely unperturbed about it and show them that she wasn’t always the sweet, helpless little girl she came off as. She decided on the latter.
Ebony shrugged fluidly, “I was busy,” she said coolly.
“What were you doing?” the Professor asked, hands folded on his lap.
“I was at the movies,” the tiny girl informed him with studied carelessness, running a hand through her dark hair.
“Did you forget that you were supposed to have group practice in the Danger room?” Scott interrogated.
“No,” she lied smartly.
“It’s dangerous for you to about out alone,” the Professor said worriedly, “with the Sentinels hunting-“
She cut him off, deciding to get the inevitable over with and at least be able to enjoy their reactions. “Oh, I wasn’t alone Professor.”
“I don’t think a human-“
She cut his sentence off again, “It wasn’t with a human” she informed him merrily.
“I’m afraid all the other recruits are accounted for, Ebony.”
“Oh, I wasn’t with anyone from here,” she said brightly. “I was with Todd.”
There was silence. Both the Professor and his star pupil looked stupidly at the beaming girl. The effect would have been perfect if Xavier’s mouth had fallen open and Scott’s glasses had slipped down on his nose. But sometimes Drama didn’t always agree with life. We’ll have to make do with the fact that they both blinked at least twice.
“Todd Tolensky? The Toad?” Scott finally managed; baffled
She cocked her head in cute confusion, “Is there another Todd in school? He asked me this morning and I figured it’d be worth skipping training. How long am I grounded for, Professor?” she asked him blithely.
“Three days, I’m afraid; you need to take training more seriously.” Xavier somehow managed to look unflapped and unflappable as always.
Ebony nodded and skipped smugly up to her room. Once inside her own territory with the door closed she crossed her arms. “So nyah,” she told them.
Her room was not the way she would have ideally wanted it she hadn’t had enough time yet to put any posters up or anything. But it had a bed and a dresser, a bookcase and her CD player. She pursed her lips. Music, she needed music. She walked over to the dresser (which had her stereo on it) and flipped through the CD rack/holder thingy. David Bowie, The GooGoo Dolls, the Bangles, the GoGos, Aqua, the Sailor Moon soundtrack, Everclear, the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, then she found it, Counting Crows. Into the CD player it went. Then she sat down on her bed to think and promptly forgot that there was music at all.
She lay on her stomach with her chin in her hands. “And what do you think of this mess, Mr. Fuzzy?” she addressed the stuffed snow leopard whom she’d had since she was five. His fur was by then more of a gray/brown than white by now and his spots blended with the rest of him but that wasn’t the point. “No, I know you haven’t met him yet. I was asking if you thought it was fair that I got ? It’s just I don’t want to die ‘t you take that tone with me!.Okay I’m , you want to hear about him?.Well he’s a little over six inches taller than I AM aware that everyone past fourth grade is taller than , do you want to hear this or not?”
***
Todd had found his way home in a daze; he now stood at the door of the Brotherhood house. He quite nearly forgot to knock, standing outside the door for several minutes grinning, before he realized that something was amiss.
“Somebody lemme in, yo,” he called, rapping on the door.
Pietro answered the door as usual. “Hey Toddy boy, where you been! Todd? Hey, Todd you okay man?”
The young mutant nodded mutely still grinning like an idiot.
” come in?” he asked mind boggled by his friend’s seemingly out of character behavior.
Todd nodded emphatically and followed the speedster indoors.
Lance walked into the room. “Well, look who’s finally back. Where have you been all day?”
“Movies, yo. ‘Attack of the Curse of the Revenge of the Return of the Blood Eatin’ Brain Suckin’ Soul Stealin’ Zombie Werewolf Vampires from Mars part VII'”
“If the movie was as long as the title no wonder you’re late,” Lance said.
Tabitha sauntered in, “The one by Stephen Cruz? Isn’t it supposed to be a love story or something? A tragedy?”
He nodded again. “A B-movie.”
“How was it?” she asked.
He shrugged.
Lance noticed something, “uh, what happened to your shirt, Todd?”
Pietro blinked, looked from the grin on the boy’s face to his still quite damp shirt and exclaimed, “OH! I GET IT!” and promptly burst out into gales of laughter.
“What is it Pietro, c’mon tell me,” Tabitha begged.
He sniggered, “Hee, aha, heh, he, Toad, *snort*, *chuckle*.”
“Yeah, what is it?” Lance asked, curiously.
“Yo, I’m still in the room people,” Todd finally managed.
Finally Pietro’s giggle fit subsided and he wiped his eyes. He put an arm around Todd and a fist to his own chest; “Our little Todd is finally growing up.” He sniffed Dramatically, “I’ proud.”
“Will you spit it out already Speedy?” Lance demanded.
“Get off me already,” Todd said, shoving the slender boy away from him, “‘S no big deal yo, I uh, went to the movies. With Ebony yo.”
“Woohoo,” Tabby said, “That is news.”
“Good for you Todd,” Lance said.
“Did you kiss her? C’mon man, tell me you did!” Pietro seemed excited.
The lanky freshman blushed, embarrassed. “Not xactley yo.” He mumbled. Then even less audibly he continued. “She kinda, nah, she really started cryin’ yo an’ I kinda just put my arm around her, yo. An’ then we was walking home and shmm mumble mumble.”
“Didn’t catch that, Toddy.”
“She. kinda kissed me, yo. But not really, yo,” he told the platinum blonde almost defensively.
Pietro rubbed his hands together. “Not bad for your first date ever my friend. Not bad at all!”
“It wasn’t a date yo.”
“She let you put your arm around her right? Then it was a date and she knows it.”
From the other room Freddy called, “You guys! The movie’s on!” Lance and Tabby, not seeing much point in staying, left.
“Now,” Pietro said drawing Todd aside, “You let the Master help you and there’s no way you can go wrong.”
“I don’t need any help, yo, I don’t think it was even really a-“
Pietro’s puppy eyes stopped him, “Aw, come on, please.”
Todd crossed his arms and sank down onto the couch. “Fine yo, put don’t ‘spect me to do everything you say just cuz.”
“Of course not! It’s always your choice whether to use my expert advice or not.” He sat down next to Todd and put his arm around him, “Now let’s see-“
“Yo,” he said mockingly, “This mean we’re on a date?”
Pietro removed his arm. “You’re not my type. Now like I was . Okay first. Hmmm, where to start? I’ve never had such an unspoiled student! I know! I’ve got this cologne that will drive girls wild. She’ll be-” He noticed his raised eyebrow. “Or maybe you should start with something more basic. Hold on a sec.” He disappeared for literally a split second before running back in with a good-sized bottle. “Here.”
“Whas it smell like, yo?” he asked.
“Sorta vanillay, try some on.”
He did so, rather self-consciously.
Pietro paused a minute, presumably smelling his friend. “Good. That’ll do for now. You can keep it by the way. It doesn’t mesh with my personal fragrance. Now where were we?”
***
Well I hope you liked the chapter. I know it’s a little short but that’s because it was originally supposed to be part of last chapter (before both parts doubled in size). Tell me what you think, especially of how I write Pietro, I’m not sure if I have his personality quite right yet. Praise and constructive criticism is appreciated, flames will be used to heat the Brotherhood house.
Chapter 8: Consequences Falling in Love part 3
Darwinian Rhapsody
By LejindaryBunny
A totally awesome X-men: Evolution Fanfiction
A/N: Hello again! Sorry I couldn’t post yesterday, but had to write this nasty Global History report about Deforestation in Brazil and Nuclear Proliferation in Pakistan and that’s all I had a chance to type. Don’t think you wanted me post that didja? ^.^ Well thanks to all my reviewers. Gee, I’m mildly popular! I love you guys you make my day.
WarKnyte: Glad you like it. Hope to keep you reading! ^.^
Red Witch: I thought the date was cute too! Todd’s a sweetie isn’t he? All the troubled ones are. Pietro is indeed the dating master. The question is who he dates. ^.^ You don’t absolutely have to say it, but it does keep up my morale!
Akasha: I try to update once a day! (Sometimes homework gets in the way though, ()
Linkin-spike: I’m happy that you’re happy with Remy. Sorry about the lack of Rogue’s POV, I’m putting it in this chapter instead! I tell you I have been a Gambit/Rogue fan since second grade, literally.
Foxglove33: I try to balance my writing! Glad you think I pull it off well. ^.^ Some authors try to be funny and fail miserably. I only do that in real life! Some writers try to be dramatic and fail pitifully. I do that in reality too! Some writers try to be romantic and fail utterly. I haven’t gotten a chance to do that yet! That’s right, Bunny’s never had a boyfriend.( (And already I’m 16, whahhhhhhh!) I really do go to an all girls school! *hugs Foxy* YOU are the one who RULES!
Wizardess: you like Todd so much?
Todd Fan: It really is your favorite? I’m so glad! *hugs her* You’re my Best Friend. Yep. How much you wanna bet Piety has a few more tips up his sleeve? And maybe a few setups hm?
By the way, I have some good news for y’all! This Monday (April 15) I’ll be getting the Internet for my computer at home! Do you know what that means? That means that not only will I be able to update over spring break (I was wondering what I’d do about that!) I’ll also be building my own Evolution website! You’ll get to see all my cute pics of everybody! I’m a good artist, anime style. I’ve been drawing four five years now. You can see Ebony! And my cute pic of Todd in his Humans Suck! T-shirt. I have stuff of the Brotherhood and Remy too. And of course the fic will be up there. Should I leave in the author’s notes?
I found the perfect song for Ebony to Todd! Michelle Branch’s All You Wanted. Number three on the CD, listen to it! Here’s the refrain if you can’t though. .If you want to, I can save you. I can take you away from here. So lonely inside, so busy out there and all you wanted was somebody who cares.
Isn’t it perfect?
What’s that? You want to know about this chapter? Oops, kinda got on a tangent there. ( Okay, this chapter is the next day (after the Date) in school. You can imagine what kind of rumors there are even if people just saw her talking to him at the end of science! But there’s more! Like I said a minute ago the Rogue POV is in this chapter. And the chapter after this? If this on doesn’t run long it will be just what the Men in the Flower truck were up to.
Disclaimer: I own Ebony, I managed to come up with her powers all by myself then found out that guy on Static Shock did practically the same thing! (He’s creepy though, Ebony’s much cooler! I don’t own X-men. I don’t own the Brotherhood. Todd is however my personal court jester and consort. (The fact that Marvel created him is merely a technicality!) Um, I’m not sure who owns The Magic School Bus, but I assure you that it isn’t me.
Chapter (Falling in Love part 3)
For Todd getting out of bed in the morning was an ordeal. The alarm would ring and he wouldn’t even bother to get up and turn it off; he’d use his tongue to press the snooze alarm. Then he’d roll over and pull the covers up over him and sleep for ten more minutes. The alarm would ring again, (actually it was more of a harsh buzzing sound) and that time he’d sort of bat at it blindly with his hand muttering until he turned it off. Opening one eye he’d glare sluggishly at the alarm and try desperately to remember why he bothered attending school, or even waking up before three in the afternoon.
Usually the reason he’d come up with was something like ‘what if the school burns down and I don’t get to watch?’ or ‘What if Duncan Matthews chokes to death on his Jell-O and I’m not there to laugh in his face?’
This morning was no different; except for one thing.
He lay sprawled across the bed sort of half on his side, half on his back. One arm was thrown over above his head the other hanging off the side of the bed. His feet hung off the end slightly. The blankets had been wrestled down around his waist during the night revealing had anyone been in the room, his bare, burned chest and a little of his green and blue plaid boxers.
The alarm rang and an annoying buzzing sound broke the confines of his dream. Less than half awake his tongue flashed from his mouth and hit the snooze button. He made a sort of snorting sound of satisfaction and turned over, grumbling.
“Stupid..’ sleepin’ yo.” He pulled the blanket up over his bare shoulder from where it had slipped. For ten minutes he lay in a pleasantly foggy state between sleeping and waking. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew there was something he wanted to remember, something that had happened the night before. But at this point it wasn’t as important as holding on as long as possible to the last vestiges of his slumber.
The alarm went on again.
“Shut up!” he muttered unpleasantly, whacking at the alarm until he managed to turn in off. He rolled onto his back and opened an eye, glowering at the clock for daring to inform him that he had forty-five minutes to get to school. Why the heck did he go to school again? Not like they were teaching anything useful, maybe he should he remembered. Ebony. For a moment he decided that it must have been a dream. Then he realized that if it had been real he ought to have the ticket stub in his pocket still.
He sat up lethargically and ran a hand through his hair, which didn’t do anything for the tangled mess. He grabbed his ratty jeans which were lying in a heap where he’d left them and searched the pockets. He pulled out a slip of paper and gazed at it blearily. Sure enough it was the ticket for the campy horror movie he’d seen the night before, with Ebony.
With some effort he stumbled to the bathroom. He stared at the shower. Should he bother? It had only been a few days after all. He shrugged. Didn’t know why he was bothering but he might as well.
In the shower he turned the water onto cold, it helped him wake up. Not that the house really had an abundance of hot water anyway. He scrubbed himself quickly and washed his hair with the cheap stuff they had. Tabby had some for herself but anyone who touched it was dead.
He got out as quickly as humanly (or mutantly, well, no not mutantly, I suppose Pietro could have been faster) possible. He toweled off and went back to his room as Tabby was coming up to shower. She seemed marginally surprised that Todd had been there.
In his room again he pulled on his jeans and eyed the shirt on the floor. It was of course the same one he’d worn the day before. He’d always felt a sort of supreme apathy for the way he dressed, what reason did he have to care? This morning however he felt instead, a vague need to wear something clean. But that was the only shirt he had, since the other one was ruined.
Then he recalled the gift he’d gotten the day before, the one that had given him the nerve to ask her to the movies. He pulled a black T-shirt from his book bag in the corner. He looked at it.
‘Humans Suck!’ it proclaimed.
“Damn straight yo.” He pulled it on. He looked at his clock. Almost time to leave. He picked up the bag and walked toward the door. On his way out he caught a glimmer of the small bottle sitting on his dresser. Huh, well, what could it hurt? He picked up the bottle and eyed it for a moment apprehensively. Then he shrugged and put on some of the cologne that Pietro had given him. He was right, it did smell vanillay. Then, after having taken three or four times as long to get ready as he usually did (although his hair was still wet and unbrushed) he walked downstairs.
In what passed as the dining room Freddy and Lance were finishing up their breakfast, Tabby was presumably still in the bathroom doing her make up and Pietro was watching The Magic School Bus, for lack of anything better to do. Todd sat down on the arm of the couch to wait until it was time to go.
Pietro grinned at him, “Looking good man.”
“Whatever yo,” he replied apathetically. “There anything better on? What we stealin’ cable for if we ain’t gonna watch it?”
“Oh, but it’s amusing! And educational. This is the episode where they visit Ralphy’s Spleen.”
He snorted. “I ever tell you you’re real messed up?”
“Hmmmm, I think so. Nice shirt by the way. Where’d ya get it?”
He mumbled his answer. “Ebony gave it to me yo.”
The platinum blonde nodded. He glanced into the kitchen. “Ah, looks like it’s time to go,” he said as Lance finished breakfast and Tabby came downstairs.
***
At the institute Ebony woke effortlessly as usual, but for once lay in bed wondering whether or not it would be worth leaving her room at all, ever. But of course, her optimism, or maybe it was just habit, prevailed and she readied herself for school, trying to prepare herself mentally for stares and rejection and headed to the dining room. The room was more filled with people than it usually was; unfortunately for her, and when she entered it, for just a moment, everyone stopped.
***
Ah was standin’ in the back of the dining room with everyone else, but Ah wasn’t eating. The rumor had spread like wildfiah the night before, but unlike everyone else Ah wasn’t there to gawk. Ah was there to make sure that the poor girl didn’t break down under the weight a stares and whispers. Ah know about stares and whispers. Ebony hadn’t come in yet but everyone was exchangin’ what they had heard.
“Ah HATE gossip,” Ah whispered under mah breath, listening so Ah’d know just what the poor girl was up against.
“Did you hear?”
“From the Brotherhood.”
“The Toad? You’re kidding!”
“.ditched Danger room practice so.”
“So Scott told Jean and.”
“.Talking after science class.”
“.in her study hall. He skipped class to.”
“Do you know who saw them last night?”
“That kid, Jamie? Why was he.”
“.at the movies.”
“Yeah! I saw them! The ugly guy, he had he arm around her.”
“.some love movie I bet!”
“.says she was crying on his shoulder!”
“.heard they were kissing.”
“Ew! Doesn’t he have that.”
“.you mean the guy with that tongue?!”
“I heard he blackmailed her.”
Ah didn’t know how much of it to believe, how much was distortions and how much was just plain not true. Ah didn’t really get time to wonder because she walked in, an’ the room froze. Ah saw her stop and look up and around the room, and Ah saw her expression change from her familiar smile to one Ah woulda been more comfortable seeing in the mirror. It was a look that shut the world out and told it to crawl inta a pit an’ die.
Someone said something, Ah’m not even sure who it was, but Ah just wanted to smack them.
“So is ?”
“Is what true,” she asked in an icy whisper, knowing the reply Ah’m sure.
“That you’re dating the Toad.”
Her eyes hardened further, if that was possible and she said in a dead voice. “Yeah.”
The room exploded again.
“Ew, you’re not serious!”
“How can you.”
“He’s so.”
“.eats bugs!”
“.smells bad.”
“.never showers…”
“Are you nuts?”
Ebony didn’t stay to hear it, and Ah couldn’t blame her. She turned on her heel with the feral grace of some solitary black wildcat, and swept from the room. Ah tried to follow her but it was hard to get through the crowd. When Ah finally made it out of the room she was sitting on the long stairway her hands over her eyes, Ah was sure she was crying. Ah sat down next to her.
“What do you want? Come to ask me if he accidentally swallowed my appendix?”
Under other circumstance Ah woulda laughed. “Ah just wanted to see if you wuh okay.”
“I’m fine,” she growled. “He didn’t hurt me.”
“Ah meant if you wuh lettin’ those losers get to ya. An’ Ah can see that ya are.”
She looked up.
“Now Ah may not know why your datin’ Todd, but Ah do know that you must know what your doin’, an’ if ya know what your doin’ then ya can’t let idiots stop ya with nothin’ but their own stupidity.”
She sniffed. “But they’re right, I am weird!” she wailed.
Ah ran a hand ovah muh glove a little bitterly. “Sugah, in case you forgot, we’re mutants.”
“But, oh Rogue.”her voice broke and she began to sob again.
An’ then Ah noticed someone standin’ at the foot of the stairs.
“Something wrong, cheres? Maybe Remy can help.”
Remy LeBeau was the most unfortunate thing in mah life an’ Ah had only met him two days ago. He was tall, mysterious and handsome an’ his Cajun accent was entrapping. Ah was hopelessly in love with him an’ it made me want to die. Ah ran muh hand ovah muh glove again.
Ebony couldn’t talk for the moment so Ah answered for her. “Ebony’s havin’ some social problems an the gossip ain’t helpin'”
“Ah, so dat de ting everybody talkin’ about.” He looked at Ebony, “Petite, you don’ listen to what anybody say but you. Eh, what you say Ah take you cheres to school ‘gain. We can take de long route this time an’ you can get a little air before you need to talk to no one, non?”
She nodded weakly and stood up. “Thanks,” she whispered.
We walked out ta the car without anybody noticin’ an’ Ebony got in back. Ah sat next to Remy in the front.
He glanced back at Ebony once before we got goin’. “Ah don’ think she wanna talk right now, eh Cherie?”
Ah shook muh head. Ah watched him as he started the car. Ah noticed that his eyes wuh red, Ah had thought they wuh brown before. Ah wished Ah had gotten a ride with somebody else.
“So what you up to Cherie? I haven’t seen you round de halls too much.”
Ah shrugged, “Owah class scheduals mus’ be different.” Ah sat for a minute then said, “Maybe we’d better let Ebony think.” Ah excused muhself from conversation.
He nodded and put the radio on quiet. Nobody spoke again until we got to the parkin’ lot.
“You be okay now, eh petite?” he asked her.
She nodded slowly and got out. Ah reached for the door.
“You hold on a minute, Cherie,” he said.
Ah stopped and looked at him. He was jus’ lookin’ at me for a minute an’ Ah wondered what he was thinknin’.
Then he chuckled softly. “Well it look like Petite ain’t de only one wit trouble ahead.”
“What do ya mean?”
He went to brush muh cheek with his hand an’ Ah flinched back intinctivley.
“You tink Remy not know what he doing, Cherie?” He held up a gloved hand. He stroked muh face and a lock a muh hair. “What would you say if Remy told you he tink he in love?”
Ah stared for a minute, “Ah.” Ah turned away. “This can’t work,” Ah whispered an got outta the car.
As Ah walked inta school this time Ah was the one in tears.
***
Well, um, it’s 1:30 am now, and I don’t think I’m going to finish an entire day of school in half an hour so I guess I’ll just have to add yet another chapter. (Sorry, I got a late start and I’m a slow typer.) Ah hope y’all didn’t mind Rogue thinkin’ in her accent. Ah tried not puttin’ it in, but it didn’t read right. An’ thanks to that Ah’ll be stuck in muh southern accent all day tomarra, ( It’s pretty good, Ah’ve been practicing since Ah got to play X-men with muh friends in second grade. Jamie, the leader, took storm an’ her best friend got Jubilee, so Ah got stuck with Rogue and Ah developed a deep bond with huh charactuh.) Next chaptuh, the rest a the second day (ie, the entiuh school day). What will everyone at school think? What’s Rogue going to do? Please review, praise and constructive criticism welcome. Flames are gonna be used ta heat the Brothahood house. Tell me how ya think the Gambit/Rogue is doin’.
Chapter 9: Newton’s First Law of Motion Falling in Love part 4
Darwinian Rhapsody
By LejindaryBunny
A totally awesome X-Men: Evolution Fanfiction
A/N: Welcome back! Man, I was sooo Po’d this morning! The only episodes they showed were the two starring Jean! Humph. That just ain’t fair, y’know? Ah well, now I get to type my own Evo. Lets see, Um, reviewers, I love you all dearly but I forgot to print your reviews out so I’ll have to respond next chapter. Sorry. So, this chapter is another unanticipated extension of the last. Like I said, my Dad wouldn’t let me start typing until late. I’m not sure if I could have finished it even if I’d started at the time I wanted.
Therefore this chapter is what happens during the school day and after. This is the last chapter of the four part ‘Falling in Love’ sequence. You can already guess how the school’s gonna react, but are Ebony and Todd going to be able to look each other in the face? What’s poor Rogue going to do? Just what sort of dating tips did Pietro give Todd? All this and a bag of chips! By the way, ask your science teacher about the chapter title if you don’t understand. Oh, and Mrs. S-Z is in this chapter again. (sorry if she says anything you wouldn’t, real Ms. S-Z!)
Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men: Evolution. I merely toy with it as I please. I own Ebony, even if she does seem to have a mind of her own. Ms. M is another teacher at my school, she always makes my best friend and I sit across the room from one another. Supposedly she’s a bad influence! ^.^ The still life’s real too! I have drawings! .ew.
Chapter 9. Newton’s First Law of Motion (Falling in Love part 4)
In the winter at Bayville High before the first morning bell people usually hung around in the Cafeteria. This was not so much because they served breakfast as it was because it was marginally well heated, at least better than the below zero the outside was. When Ebony entered the building it was of course her first instinct to go there as she always did. Then she stopped and realized that the lunchroom would be absolutely full of people, all of whom if they hadn’t heard the latest news by now would have before they’d been there ten minutes. She didn’t want to deal with that again, especially not for half an hour. She was there early because despite the fact that Remy had taken the long route for her they’d left very early in order to avoid the same problem she’d be facing in the cafeteria.
She turned away. She’d just sit outside the door of whatever her first class was until the teacher came and unlocked it. What was her first class this morning? Right, art. She sighed heavily. At least there were only about ten other people in that class, not counting Todd. She slunk towards the art room. She was very, very glad that the next day was Saturday.
***
Todd followed the rest of the Brotherhood from the jeep into the building. He had a lot on his mind. Was Pietro right? Did Ebony decide that last night was a date? He ran a hand through his still damp hair. How should he act around her if she did? How was she going to react to his wearing the shirt she gave him? Every little thing was making him tense this morning. Someone might have told him he had butterflies in his stomach, but he knew what that felt like, and it didn’t feel anything like this. He felt nervous, edgy, apprehensive, fidgety, and high-strung. If someone had walked up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder he probably would have ended up in orbit.
He walked into the cafeteria and was completely and totally unprepared for what happened next. Usually when he went someplace people ignored him as much as possible, they acted as though he wasn’t even there. But not today.
Everyone stopped immediately and looked at him. Most of the talking stopped. He froze.
Then it erupted again.
“Omigod, that’s him.”
“You were just kidding right?”
“Someone actually.?”
“.Heard it from Kitty.”
“That’s disgusting!”
“It’s just a ?”
“.that he kissed her.”
“.at the movies!”
“They were making out!”
“You’re kidding!”
The room seemed to be spinning. First Todd was embarrassed; he could tell that he was blushing redder than he ever had in his life. Then he became angry and it was his yellow eyes that burned scarlet. He turned, raging, and leapt from the room.
He hurdled blindly through the halls until he crashed into a open door. He stood, and glared at it.
“Don’t get in my way!” he snarled at it and skulked roughly to his first class, where he hoped know one would be.
***
Rogue marched into the cafeteria and sat down at an empty table. At the moment she didn’t care, and so didn’t notice what everyone was talking about. She had her own problems. How could he? How dare he tell her that? When she could never touch him. Never share so much as a single kiss. How dare he tell her he loved her, when she was so in love with him? She put her head down on her arms and cried.
***
None of the lights were on yet. She blended into the shadows so well he nearly didn’t see her. It was only the nearly white tone of her hand that caught his eye at first, but then he saw her. She was sitting with her arms around her knees which were pulled up to her chest and her head was down, her raven hair obscuring her face.
“Ebony?” She looked up; he could tell that she’d been crying. That made him angrier than before. “You didn’t go in the lunchroom did you?”
She shook her head dismally.
“Don’t. ‘S humanity at its worst.” He sat down next to her, but wondered if maybe he should just leave. “So why’re ya cryin’ then?”
“I’m not,” she lied.
“Oh.” He shifted uncomfortably. “So I guess ya didn’t hear all the shit they was talkin’.”
“Oh I heard it all right,” she said icily, “from everyone at the Institute.” She did an imitation of Professor Xavier, “We must learn to accept everyone. Pff, yeah right.”
He nodded, unsure of what to say.
She looked up at the dark ceiling. “Todd, there’s something I need to know.”
“Whasat yo?”
“Was last night a date? I mean, what I mean is. was it just about me getting you the shirt, or. do you really. like me?” she stammered, blushing deeply.
Hell, nothing to lose, right? “Yeah. I really do like you Ebony.”
“Good. Because I like you a lot.” she scooted closer to him. “And I don’t care what anybody else says!” She looked at him. “You smell nice,” she smiled for the first time that morning.
“Uh, thanks. Pietro gave me some stuff.” She grinned rather embarrassedly.
The hall light came on, and a fifty-something woman in slacks was tapping her foot in front of them. It was their art teacher. “What are you two doing here? You aren’t supposed to be here before first bell.”
“We’re sorry ma’am,” she said milking her ‘cute little girl’ appearance for all it was worth. “We weren’t very popular in the cafeteria this morning. It won’t happen again.”
She looked from Ebony to Todd, “No, I suppose you weren’t,” she remarked, as revolted as most of the student body. “See that it doesn’t happen again.”
“We promise Ms. M,” she smiled and she and Todd stood up and followed her in the door as she unlocked it.
In the middle of the room was a hideous conglomeration of junk. A typewriter, some dried Indian corn, an ugly lace curtain over a wooden window frame, a birdcage, a rusty bicycle with a basket and a crappy raggedy-Anne doll in an ancient baby carriage.
“Yo teach, what is ‘at?” Todd demanded.
“It’s a still life,” Ms. M snapped, “You’re all going to be drawing it. Any angle you like.” She busied herself at her bombzone of a desk. She was a Professional watercolor artist. She also drew people’s houses.
The first bell rang and students began to slowly come into the room trying to get in before the bell which would ring five minutes later, telling them that they were late for class.
Todd and Ebony sat down at desks in front of the least ugly (but far from aesthetically pleasing) portion of the still life, the bit with the window and the birdcage. As other students came in they got a few stares and mumbles of disbelief but they both tried hard to ignore it. By the time everyone in the class was in the room there was a desk on either side between them and anyone else.
The teacher began her obligatory fifteen minute lecture before they began, (and the woman complained that they never had any time!) about what a still life was (as if they didn’t know) and how they were going to do a sketch before making them into watercolors.
“This is so dumb,” Ebony said when they were finally allowed to begin drawing. “Why can’t we ever draw anything alive?”
“Cuz Ms. Anal Retentive can’t paint anything that moves an’ thinks the rest of us are just as impaired. Least she ain’t makin’ us do anymore a them contour line drawings.”
She rolled her eyes. They’d done contour line drawings the entire previous two weeks. Those were where you couldn’t look down at your paper and couldn’t pick your pencil up once while still trying to make it look like your hand.
The teacher swooped down on them, “Quite! Art should be done in perfect silence!” she hissed.
***
“Today,” the lovely young English teacher began, “we will be discussing the elements of a Gothic novel like Jane Eyre.” She paced smiling around the front of the room. “A Gothic novel has a love story, an element of the supernatural, something of a mystery, and. a Byronic hero.”
The class wondered what that was; Ebony wondered why Mrs. S-Z was grinning at her, pointedly.
“A Byronic hero is dark, brooding and mysterious. He’s not always the most attractive male in the story, his outward appearance usually mirroring his troubled soul. A Byronic hero always has a deep, dark secret in his nearly unknown past. He does things one would not always consider, hmmm, completely moral? But he isn’t a bad guy! Don’t think that. His terrible past leads him to do rash things in tough circumstances.”
Ebony looked at her teacher who winked slyly at her, she blushed and the Mrs. S-Z passed onto the topic of ‘element of the supernatural’.
The dark haired girl looked in front of her at Todd, and remember that two days ago she been wondering why he’d bothered to pass a note to her. Now she knew.
At the end of class Ebony tried to slink out of the room behind Todd without her teacher noticing, but she shook her head and waved her over. Ebony told Todd she’d catch up with him in their next class. She walked over to the overhead projector where Mrs. S-Z was adjusting her notes for the next class.
“So tell me what really happened. I’ve heard too much not to be deadly curious.”
“Um, asked me out to the movies.”
She nodded.
“And so we went to see ‘Attack of the Curse of the Revenge of the Return of the.”
“I’ve heard of it,” she cut off the paragraph long title. “Go on.”
“And well. I sort of know how much people cried during ‘Titanic’? That’s how much I cried. on his shoulder. And he kind of well. had his arm around me.” She blushed.. “And after the movie he walked me home. part way and I, I um. Kissed him. on the cheek. That’s really all that happened.” She looked away. “But. um this morning we were both kinda upset, about all the nasty rumors you know. And we met up, accidentally in the hallway before class. I asked him. and he said, he said he did like me.”
He teacher grinned and chucked. “Good for you. But you’re sure you know what you’re doing? You’ve already seen how much flack you’re both going to catch.”
“I know.I’m trying not to care.”
“Sometimes that’s hard. Do you need a pass? I’ve probably made you late.”
Ebony nodded and she scribbled a signature on an ‘actually has a decent reason for being late’ slip.
Ebony dashed off.
***
After Global Studies was Lunch. But Ebony was absolutely petrified of going into the Cafeteria. She couldn’t sit like she usually did, quietly at the X table. They’d all just stare at her. Everyone would stare at her and whisper about her behind her back. She didn’t know if she could even stand being in the lunchroom.
She told Todd this.
“So don’ sit with the X- geeks.” He said, “They can’t kick you out just for not sittin’ with ’em.”
“But. where would I sit?” she asked quietly.
“You can sit with us. I can’t promise the guys won’t tease you a little, but they do anything to upset ya an’ I’ll frickin’ take their eyes out, yo.”
” .” She smiled.
As they walked into the lunchroom many people were staring at them, but not as many as before and both tried their best to pay no attention. Both had bagged lunches (Todd had swiped his out of somebody’s locker) so they headed straight for the Brotherhood table. Everyone else was already there.
“Yo guys, Ebony don’ feel like sittin’ with the X-geeks today, that okay with you?” He gave them a look that said ‘it better be’.
“I can understand that.” Tabby said, “Sit down girl.”
She sat next to Todd near the edge of the table.
Todd felt some need to introduce them all. “uh, Eb, this is Lance, Freddy, Tabby an’ Pietro. Guys this is Ebony.”
“Hey,” Lance greeted.
Freddy waved.
Tabby nodded and smiled at her.
Pietro raced around the table and shook her hand very quickly. “So you’re the girl who’s stolen our Toddy’s heart!” He wagged a finger at her. “Shame.”
She flushed nervously. “Um, hi?”
Pietro nodded, “Of course, of course. It’s a pleasure to have you with us.”
Lunch passed pretty much uneventfully, she caught a few strange glances from the X-men once they found out where she was sitting. She chatted a little with the Brotherhood; they were easier to get along with than she would have thought. Lance asked how Kitty was, and Freddy wanted to know why she was so short. (She really didn’t know the answer to either).
The next class was the only one Todd and she did not share. He had to go to gym today because he kinda wanted to pass. Ebony, not wanting to stay in the Cafeteria alone, went to the Library.
***
Todd hurried to his locker for his gym clothes. When he got there, he found that someone was waiting for him. And it wasn’t anyone he wanted to see.
“Well if it isn’t little Toady Tolensky,” Duncan Matthews sneered at him. “Heard you got yourself a girlfriend.” He had three other jocks behind him as a goon squad.
“Least one of us got one yo,” he countered, preparing for the nearly inevitably beating.
“Funny. No frog face like you has the right to date any girl in my school.” He cracked his knuckles.
“Huh, last I heard this was a public school yo.”
“Guess you heard wrong. Now are you gonna back off or am I gonna break your face?”
The goons nodded and leaned forward agressively.
Normally this was where Todd would begin his cringing and muttering ‘please don’t hurt me’ routine, but something today had emboldened him .”You can try Matthews, I wouldn’t want you to make a fool of yourself though.” He smirked. “I’ll give you one chance to keep you pretty face.”
“I’d like to see you try, Toad.”
“Come and get me.”
The quarterback lunged at him. He evaded him neatly with a backflip.
“Missed me.”
“Well are you three going to help or not?” He demanded of the goons.
They rushed at Todd.
He leapt onto the lockers and then flying kicked one of the goons into the wall, then flipped back onto the lockers.
“Holy! Eric!”
The unfortunate young jerk, I mean jock, groaned and clutched his chest. The two other goons took one look at the supposed ‘easy target’ and took off down the hall.
“Hey! Hey what the hell are you doing!?” Duncan yelled. “Cowards, well, I can take care of you myself Jackie Toad,” he glared up at Todd.
“Oo, I’m scared. Come an’ get me.” He raspberryed Duncan from atop the lockers.
Duncan glared and advanced on the lockers preparing to climb them. Todd jumped to the other side.
“Nyah. Not gonna get me like that, Matthews.” He grinned.
Duncan clenched his fists. “This isn’t over Tolensky,” he snarled.
“Whatever you say, yo. I’ll be waitin’.” He gave him a wave.
“C’mon,” he pulled the fallen jock up and they sulked to class.
Todd grinned gave a whoop of triumph. He couldn’t believe it; he’d just stood up to Duncan and not gotten the stuffing beaten out of him! For now at least. Next time he’d probably be facing the entire football team, but that wasn’t important right now. He could hardly comprehend how easy it was. He opened his locker and bounded happily off to gym class.
***
The rest of the day passed as well as possible for the two of them. Todd told Ebony about his fight with Duncan. She was upset (but secretly flattered) that he’d been fighting about her but glad that he’d stood up to the bully. She’d gotten the Brotherhood phone number and promised to call over the weekend.
She found Remy in the parking lot at the end of the day.
“Hey, Petite, you look happy,” he said, “I told you your day get better, no?”
She nodded happily and got in the car.
“But where mon Cherie?”
“Oh. I think she got a ride from Scott.”
He sighed. “Well, I tink she come around eventually.”
Ebony wasn’t sure exactly what he was talking about but she nodded happily anyway, just glad that things were the way they were.”
***
Well. What do you think a’ the chapter? Next chapter we finally find out what’s going to happen at the Brotherhood house. All I’ll say is, nothing good!
Chapter 10: Growing AntiMutant Sentiment
Darwinian Rhapsody
By LejindaryBunny
A totally awesome X-Men: Evolution Fanfiction
A/N: Hi again! Well, I checked the TV guide this morning. Next Saturday is a new episode! (Yay!) They’re introducing Scarlet Witch, Pietro’s sister. Question is will she be staying? If so on what side? But that has absolutely no bearing on this story! What does, you ask? The fact that in this chapter, bad stuff goes down at the Brotherhood house. Will the mutant rebels ever be the same? Ah, reviews, like chocolate.
Todd fan: We’re all getting older. I remember the original Power Rangers. It was actually the real Mrs. S-Z’s idea that Todd was something of a Byronic hero. I loved the idea though and had to put it in! Did I mention that she reads this? She’s in love with Kurt (and she’s married too, shame! () so I have to be nice to him. (Will the real Mrs. S-Z please stand up? Heh.)
Akasha: Yup, Gambit said he loved her. Poor thing. Well, Remy doesn’t give up that easily. I’m sure they’ll get together eventually. I’m writing as fast as I can for ya! ^.^
Wizardess: It was, wasn’t it? WarKnyte: I thought it was a little fast too, but Todd and Ebony are setting their own pace. (They won’t listen! *sob*) Eb’s too damn perky to take things slow and Todd’s never been in this situation before. Don’t worry; this story won’t be ending any time soon! I hate endings too. *sniff*
I would like to take this opportunity to say that I’m soooooo Hungry! My mom is enforcing this diet and exorcise plan because she got us tickets and backstage passes to the Blink 182 and Green Day concert this June. My god, I need Foooooood!
Disclaimer: I own Ebony, that’s about it. I don’t own X-men, I don’t own Digimon. Please don’t sue me.
Chapter Anti-Mutant Sentiment
Three A.M. at the Brotherhood house. A pink van drives up and parks across the street. A man creeps from it. He crosses the street and walks silently to the door. From his palm comes some sort of lock pick. He unlocks the door. Noiselessly he is inside. He finds a place, in the kitchen. He puts it down and adjusts a few buttons. He creeps as silently out as he did in. No one has heard him. Now his master has only to wait. Mission parameters fulfilled.
***
Morning may have dawned bright and early that morning but Todd did not. He slept in as late as he possibly could despite the sounds of Saturday morning cartoons from the downstairs. He rolled over as sleep began to recede on its own. He opened his eyes part way and yawned very widely. He literally rolled out of bed and onto the floor before leaning back against his bed in a crouch. He stretched and yawned again. [A/N: making the author sleepy.] He pulled his clothes on, still the ‘Humans Suck!’ shirt, left his room and hopped down the stairs.
In the living room Pietro and Freddy were watching Digimon, Lance was eating a doughnut and Tabby didn’t seem to be up yet. He sat down at the table.
“Mornin’,” Lance greeted.
“Good.*yawn*.morning.” Todd grinned and picked up a chocolate doughnut with sprinkles. He ate it in two bites.
From the other room came high-pitched anime voices. Todd winced. “How do they watch that, yo?”
“Beats me. I think Pietro has a thing for the one with spiky hair.”
“Yo, don’ they all have spiky hair?”
“Don’t ask me, I’m not the one who watches it.”
He called into the other room. “Yo, Petey, you’re killin’ my ears. Could ya turn that crap down?”
“It’s not crap!” Pietro yelled, insulted, but turned it down a notch. “It’s highly intelligent entertainment with a beautiful message about how we should live our lives.”
“Whateva. There any coffee made Lance?”
He nodded.
Todd jumped up and over to the coffee maker. He poured himself a cup. Then he stopped. He cocked his head. “Pietro, I thought I asked you to turn that down!”
“I did turn it down Todd!”
“Then what’s that beeping?”
“You’re hearing things man. You oughta get that checked.”
Todd shook his head. “Nah man, I seriously hear beeping. Where’s it comin’ from?” he tipped his head trying to discern where the beeping was coming from. He crept to the left. No, not over . Aha! He yanked open the cupboard.
1:00
0: 59
0: 58
“It’s bomb!” Todd yelped, barley realizing what the clocked device was in time. “Get out now!”
Luckily the Brotherhood was smart enough not to question this. There really wasn’t time to ask him if he was sure.
“Get Tabby!” Lance yelled to Pietro as he, Freddy and Todd hurried to the door. He zipped up stairs and joined them as they ran as far down the street as possible. They were about a block and a half away when it happened.
BOOOOM!
The house when up in a ball of blazing heat and flaming debris littered down around them.
They stared. That was all they could do at the moment. Tabby had woken, still held maiden style by Pietro, but she was staring too.
It was Freddy who first spoke. ” happened?”
“It. it was a bomb yo. Somebody bombed our house.” Todd stared disbelieving.
“I’m still asleep, right?” Tabby asked.
Pietro shook his head somberly and set her down, she was still in her nightgown.
“Who the hell?” Lance demanded.
“Why would someone bomb us?” Freddy wondered.
“Donno,” Todd said quitely. “Man, yo. All our stuff.”
“What. what are we gonna do now Lance?” Pietro asked.
He didn’t take his eyes off the three story fire. “There’s only one thing we can do,” he said in a very grave, resigned voice.
“Oh man, you can’t be serious!” Pietro protested.
Lance nodded. “You wanna sleep in the park?” he asked.
They heard sirens.
“C’mon. Let’s get going.”
***
Ebony woke up early even on Saturdays in order to watch her cartoons. She crept down before most of the rest of the house was awake and down to the TV room. From eight until twelve she would watch hours of child- preteen television. Cartoons amused her. She was very upset when in the middle of the second episode of Digimon a special announcement came on.
“We interrupt this program to bring you a special news bulletin. Only a few minutes ago there was an explosion at the Bayville Community Boarding House, Rita O’reily is on the scene.”
“Dan, I’m here at the site of the explosion, an event which authorities speculate was an act of mutant terrorism. Authorities have not confirmed whether or not anyone was inside the building when it went up. And although as you can see behind me, firefighters have the blaze under control it may be hours before anyone can go inside with any degree of safety.”
“Oh…my god, isn’t that the where the Brotherhood lives?” Ebony jumped up and raced out of the room toward the Professor’s study.
“Professor! Professor Xavier!” she raced in.
“You shouldn’t shout so early in the morning,” he told her looking up from his desk.
“But Professor! Turn on your TV! There’s been some kind of bombing!”
He turned on his TV. “Act of Mutant Terrorism?”
Kitty came through the wall yawning. “Like, what’s all the commotion about Professor?” her eyes fell on the screen. “Oh my gosh, that’s where Lance lives!”
Ebony nodded.
“You don’t think they were inside when..”
The Professor looked at them; “I have no idea I’m afraid.”
The doorbell rang.
“Well, they seem to have gotten out all right after all.”
“That’s them?”
He nodded.
The two girls looked at each other and dashed from the room, Xavier wheeling himself behind them.
In the foyer Ebony yanked open the door. Kitty threw her arms around Lance.
“Lance! I thought you were dead!” she cried.
“We, uh, just saw the news,” Ebony explained. “It looked bad but they made it sound worse.”
“Aw man, not the news again yo. What’re they sayin’ this time?”
“That ‘The authorities speculate that it was an act of mutant terrorism.'” She imitated.
The Professor wheeled himself into the room. “Please, tell us what actually happened?”
Lance disentangled himself from Kitty. “We aren’t really sure Professor. Toad barely found the bomb in time. We don’t know who could have planted it. And, we were wondering, since we really have no other place to stay.”
He nodded. “Certainly you may all stay here. Tabitha, Lance I expect you to inform your friends of the rules. I will have rooms prepared for you.”
“Uh, thanks.”
He nodded and left the room.
“Man, this sucks.” Tabby stomped away.
Freddy gaped around. “Wow.”
Pietro zipped away for a moment, then back. “Aw, the place isn’t that big Fred.”
“Like, you guys want me to give you the grand tour?” Kitty asked.
“Already seen it but sure.” Lance grinned.
“Okay!” said Freddy.
Pietro shrugged. “How about you, Toddy?”
“Nah, I think I’ll jus’ hang out yo.”
Kitty and the tourists wandered off.
“I can’t believe someone would just randomly bomb you guys’ house.” Ebony smiled faintly. “I thought for a minute you went boom with it.”
“Nah, just a little dusty.” He brushed some ash out of his hair.
She smiled. “I’m glad you’re okay.” She hugged him. “Have you had any breakfast?”
” , yeah, breakfast. I ate. ‘Bout three seconds before I found that bomb yo.”
“That must have been awful. C’mon, let’s see if we can find your new room. They’re absolutely awful before you do anything with them though.”
***
The room he followed Ebony into he would have called anything but awful. Plain, maybe but it was the single nicest bedroom he’d been in all his life.
“Wow, yo. ‘S nice.” The room was spacious with a large bed, a dresser, a stereo, and wall to wall carpeting. He sat down on the bed’s comforter. “I feel sorta outta place, y’know?”
She sat down next to him. “You’ll get used to it I suppose.”
“I donno, this place really isn’t my style,” Todd looked at her.
“I know, but I’m kinda glad that you’re here.”
“You are?”
“Of course!” She nodded. “You want me to show you around?”
He shrugged. “‘S up to you.”
***
Scott Summers saw something sort of strange as he walked out of his room. [A/N: Heh, alliteration.] Avalanche, Quicksilver and the Blob being led around the mansion. On his way to the Professor’s office he passed Tabby as well.
“Professor, um, what is the Brotherhood doing here?”
“Their home was bombed this morning. I expect you to treat them the same way you would anyone else in this house.”
“Yes professor.” He turned to leave.
“Scott?”
“Yes?”
“All of them. Tell the others I expect the same mature behavior form them as well.”
***
“Ah man, Scott, not Maximoff,” Spyke complained.
“And the Toad? You have got to be kidding me!” Kurt hoped.
“I heard Ebony was going out with him!” Spyke exclaimed.
“Ve all heard that mine freund.” Kurt shivered.
“Apparently she is,” Scott told them. “The Professor wants us to treat them all like everyone else.”
“Treat the Brotherhood like X-Men? fat chance,” Spyke mouthed off.
“Maybe we won’t see zem too much?” Kurt was optimistic.
“I want you two to spread the word for me, okay?”
The two nodded, hardly believing their misfortune.
***
Well, that’s it. Sorry about how short it is. I promise the next chapter will be longer. I’m thinking about doing it first person POV for Todd. What do you think? Well, what about the Brotherhood’s predicament? Pretty bad eh? Mutant Terrorists my arse, what do they think they’re trying yo pull? Till next chapter!
Chapter 11: Your Elbow Is In My Spleen!
Darwinian Rhapsody
By LejindaryBunny
A totally awesome X-Men: Evolution fanfiction
A/N: H’lo again! Sorry that I didn’t update yesterday, my Dad was like, ‘You want to type another chapter? No computer for you!’ That’s my dad, the computer nazi. *sigh* But I’m back so ha! Like I said I haven’t been on the net so I can’t respond to your reviews this chapter. (Hope they were good though!) But! This is going to be a cool chapter, I think. Certainly longer than the last one. Wee, into the double-digit chapters!
It’s a continuation of the day from last chapter, Saturday, and everyone is a little, um, shook up or something, donno how to describe it, about the Brotherhood’s misfortune, or if you see things the other way, the X-men’s misfortune. Kurt shows up for this chapter a little more than he has before. Personally I don’t think he and Todd really hate each other on a sub-conscious level. They’ve got too much in common. There will be a bit with Todd’s POV and Dr. McCoy reveals what he has determined about the Sentinels. Oh, and Todd gets to meet Remy. Should be fun.
Also, I decided I was at the point in the story where some people might be wondering whether I have any day/chapter continuity. Well I do, here’s the timeline.
Ch1. Tuesday
Ch2. Wednesday
Ch3. Wednesday
Ch4. Wednesday
Ch5. Wednesday
Ch6. Thursday
Ch7. Thursday
Ch8. Friday
Ch9. Friday
Ch10. Saturday
Ch11. Saturday
By the way, does anyone else have this problem? When I write or read a lot of a character I start to talk a bit like them (you should have heard me after the fourth Harry Potter book, Bloody ‘ell!) And now I can’t stop saying ‘Yo’. Can anyone tell me if this is normal, or should I seek help? Oh, and Mrs. D was my Earth Science teacher last year. Yes, she really did talk about Hawaiian children and how they didn’t go to school because they could play the guitar for money.
Disclaimer: Me Ebony. They X-men. Tarzan king of jungle!
Chapter Elbow Is In My Spleen!
In the halls of the Charles Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters someone silently crept, avoiding being seen. He was dark and mysterious. He was on a mission. He was on the hunt. His eyes flashed. He was going to find out what the heck was going on here!
Kurt stayed out of sight as he followed the two through the mansion. He could hear and see them, but they could not see or hear him. His tail twitched and gold eyes gleamed. He grinned a fangy grin. Stalking was fun!
It had been twenty minutes ago that Scott had told him what had happened, that the Brotherhood would be living under their roof, at least for the time being. But this didn’t really bother him; he was a tolerant kind of guy. Sure the Toad managed to get to him on occasion but that was an amicable enmity. No it was something far more powerful and dangerous that drove him than anger or hatred. It was curiosity!
He had of course heard The News the day before and found himself hard pressed to believe it. Tolensky, with a date? With Ebony no less! The girl seemed too perky and cute to even think about a guy like that. Besides, it was the Toad! And everyone knew what he was like. So when Kurt had heard that the Brotherhood was moving in he’d found it the perfect opportunity to find out what was up with that, and play detective at the same time. He’d even pulled on his PI (private eye/investigator) hat before searching the mismatched pair out.
Now the two were talking in the bedroom hallway, and he was crouched behind a statue. They’d just come out a minute ago and conversation seemed to indicate that she was going to show him around. He pricked up his ears to listen.
“So where do you want me to show you first, upstairs, downstairs, the dining room?”
“Donno, yo. Just so long as we stay away from the ‘Death And Nasty Gadgets upon Entering this Room’ room.”
“Huh?”
“The d.a.n.g.e.r room,” he explained.
“OH!” she giggled, “That’s pretty funny! Pretty true too.”
Kurt remembered why he would want to stay away from the room. It had been his first day at the Institute and for some reason the Professor wanted to make Toad audition before letting him join the X-men. [A/N: Can someone explain to me why he did that? He didn’t make anyone else!] So after the guy had gotten past Storm and the security system he and Kurt had started chasing each other around the mansion. He’d done a random teleport jump but Todd had caught hold of him and they’d both ended up in the Danger room. Not a pretty sight. Kurt shook his head.
The pair started down the hall. He waited a moment and began to follow them down the hall noiselessly. He ran a three-fingered hand over the brim of his detective hat. He would get to the bottom of ‘The Case of the Bedraggled Boyfriend’.
***
I followed Ebony through the long hallways sort of filing the location of places like the bathroom and stuff away for future reference. I didn’t how like I’d be here for so there were things I kinda had to know. Maybe Lance’d be able to find us another place soon. This loony bin sure didn’t feel much like home. I made sure to remember where Scott’s bedroom was, if anybody here deserved a good practical joke he did. Who knew, maybe someday the guy’d crack a smile.
“Well, um, that’s this floor,” I watched her hair swing about her as she turned contrasting starkly with her real pale skin. “The next floor up only has Cerebro and that’s not much interest to non ‘Psychopaths’.” She blended psychic and telepath together. I wondered why she disliked psychics so much, not that I’m real fond of ’em either.
“C’mon, there’s got to be more to this place than that.” It certainly looked pretty big from outside.
“Well, yeah. But most of it’s off limits or just not in use yet. We could stop by Dr. McCoy’s lab I suppose.” She bit her lip cutely. At least, I thought it was cute, so sue me okay?
“Didn’t he teach for a while, yo?”
She nodded. “Uh huh, but then his powers kinda went nutso, and he couldn’t teach anymore.”
“Sure, we can drop by his lab.” I really didn’t care about seein’ the guy or nothin’ I just wanted an excuse to keep around Ebony for a while longer. Plus, an’ I’ll let ya in on a little secret, I kinda like science, biology ‘n chemistry an’ stuff.
So we started down the hall again, but then I heard somethin’ a kind rustlin’ noise an’ I stopped an looked around. There was nobody else in the hall.
“Yo, Eb, you here that?” You gotta understand I was still a little jumpy from, y’know findin’ a bomb in my kitchen that morning.
“Hear what?” Guess she didn’t.
I looked around again an’ I saw this big potted plant kinda move. I motioned for Ebony to stay quiet an’ I took a leapin’ dive over the plant and right on top a’ the blue boy.
“Ach!” he yelped an’ we sorta wrestled around tryin’ ta pin each other. Just like the last time I checked into this freak motel. “Get off of me!”
“Why were you sneakin’ around Fuzzball?” I demanded.
“Zat’ of your buisness!” he tried to wriggle out from under me.
“Wow, do you two know how funny that looks?” Ebony observed.
By unspoken mutual agreement we got up an’ dusted ourselves off. A guy’s gotta know when there’s no point sacraficin’ his dignity for somethin’,
“So why were ya sneakin’ around?” I asked again.
“I vasn’t ‘sneaking’,” he persisted.
“Oh yeah I bet you always hide behind plants for fun. An’ what’s with the Bogart hat yo?” I kicked the hat towards him. It had fallen off while we .
He picked it up. “Hey, treat zhe hat with respect! And vhat makes you think I vas sneaking anywhere huh? I do live here after all.” His German accent was getting on my nerves again.
“An’ so do I for the moment. It look like he was sneakin’ to you Ebony?”
“Well, kinda. What were you doing, Kurt?”
“.Looking for zhe Maltese Falcon?” he asked hopefully. “Or not. Vhy do you care anyway?”
“I found a bomb in my kitchen this morning; forgive me if I’m a little paranoid yo. So just tell me why you were followin’ us, since that is obviously what you were doin’.”
Blue boy looked at his wrist, “Vhoops look at zhe time, I had better be going.” He ‘Bamphed’ away before I could get hold of him.
“Damn fuzzball yo.” I didn’t really hate him, y’know. He just annoys me. The guy’s as much of a freak as I am but he tries to act all cheery an’ crap. Not only that but a guy wit that much blue fur got no right to pick on somebody who’s skin’s a little green.
“Um, do you still want to see the lab?”
I shrugged an’ followed her. What I really wanted was know what Wagner was doin’ followin’ me.
Ebony knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
She opened it. Inside was this chemist kinda lab with beakers fulla strange liquids an’ some equipment I didn’t recognize.
“Ah, Ebony it’s nice to see you. I was just about to show the Professor what I’ve found out about the Sentinels. And who is your friend?” The big furry guy adjusted his glasses. “Ah, young Mr. Tolensky. I’ve heard some interesting things about you from the science department at school.”
“Like what, yo?” I wondered what kinda crap the teachers were sayin’ about me these days.
“That you show a rather surprising amount of interest in science class for one thing. And that you do remarkably well on tests. Mrs. D told me that you’d probably have the highest grade in the class if you ever turned in your homework.”
“Yeah, so?” I’d have to try harder to look disinterested. I could ruin my image otherwise.
“Um, you said you found some stuff out about the Sentinels?” Ebony asked.
“Why yes. Would you like me to tell you?”
She nodded.
He got some creepy lookin’ thing off his desk. It woulda looked like a hand except it was burnt and had wires stickin’ outta it.
“Notice that the hand robotics have some sort of covering? I tested it. It is indeed organic, human in origin in fact.”
“Yo, you mean them things are like cyborgs?”
He shook his head. “A good guess but no. The DNA structure is too homogeneous. It couldn’t have occurred in nature. No I believe that the flesh was grown in a lab chemically and then grafted onto the machine. What little of the mechanics are intact seem to indicate that the internal technology is very complex. More complex and advanced in fact than our government will currently admit to having.”
“So, what’s that mean?” Ebony really didn’t understand.
“‘S like in some sci-fi movie. Maybe they were designed by some faction of the government an’ they haven’t told the president about ’em, right Doc?”
“I’m afraid that is a possibility. One which I must now discuss unfortunately, with the good Professor. So if you children would be so kind as to let me close the lab for now?”
I was major weirded out as I followed Ebony outta the room. I mean, killer robots? Killer mutant hunting robots? Killer mutant hunting robots that look human? Killer mutant hunting robots that look human and maybe were designed by Ralph Nader or somebody? An’ I thought my life was weird on Monday!
“Wow, I wonder who really created them?”
“Donno, somebody with a lota money ta play with.” I looked at a clock on the wall. Just past noon. My stomach growled. “Yo, you hungry?”
“A little,” she admitted.
“Then why don’t you show me the kitchen next?”
We wandered downstairs and through the momentarily empty dining room.
“I’ll go find us something to eat,” she chirped and skipped into the kitchen.
I stayed in the dining room waiting for her. It was dimly lit right now and I leaned against the far wall looking around. I spotted someone standing in the doorway.
“So you de one stole petite’s heart eh? Tell Remy your secret mon ami.”
It was the Frenchy guy in the duster and black bandanna, the one Ebony had said the Sentinels had been after.
“Ain’t no secret, mon ami,” I mocked, “I’m just perfect that’s all.” I grinned.
“If you perfect I wanna meet God, eh? But, still, she got it bad for you I see.”
“So? You jealous?”
“Moi? C’est vous qui es vert, non?” he winked.
It was a good thing I took French or I’d never be able to figure out what the guy was saying. But as it was I knew that he’d said ‘Me? It’s you who is green, no?’ I decided to beat him at his own game. “Es ce que tu ici pour un raison ou seul ici moquer moi?” Are you here for a reason or just to mock me?
“Tu parle francais mon ami?”
I shrugged. “Hard not to learn something when you have to hear it for an hour everyday for years on end. So was there a reason or not?”
“I heard you used to bunk with ma cherie.”
“If I knew who that was it might help.”
“I believe she is called, Rogue.”
I wondered if he knew what he was doing. “Yo, you know you can’t touch her right?”
He nodded.
“Well what do you wanna know?”
“What kind of thing you think she like for a gift eh?”
“How am I supposed to know? She wouldn’t talk to anybody, least of all me. You might ask Pietro.” Why was he asking me this? Didn’t the guy have anything better to do?
He nodded. “Oops, ton petite retourne.” He ducked out of the room with a casual wave. I shook my head. What a weirdo.
Ebony came back in with sandwiches and sodas. “There wasn’t too much to choose from,” she said.
“‘S cool yo.” I took a sandwich.
“Were you talking to somebody?”
I shrugged. “That French guy.”
“Oh, Remy. He’s actually from New Orleans. Did he say anything?”
“Not much in English,” I said truthfully. I had some respect for the fact that the guy might not want everybody to know about his thing for Rogue.
She nodded, “He seems to do that, slip into French without realizing it. I guess he spoke it most often where he was from.”
I shrugged and took a bite of the sandwich, “Shcoul yho,” said forgetting not to talk with my mouth full.
She smiled. “Gee, thanks.” She looked around the room. “I wonder where everybody is?”
“‘S a Saturday, they’ve probly all gone out somewhere.”
She thought for a moment. “All your clothes got blown up with your house this morning, didn’t they?”
I nodded. Technically the one other shirt I’d been in possession of must have been ashes by now. “Why?”
“Well, if we don’t do something about that the Professor will probably make you borrow Scott’s.”
That wasn’t a happy proposition. I wondered where she was going with this. “So.?”
“So let’s go to the mall and get you some!” she beamed.
“What if there are more of them Sentinels yo?” Did she really want to go back to the mall so soon after that? I wouldn’t a wanted to see the Gut Bomb again, even if it had been still standing.
“Oh they probably won’t be there.” I wished they could bottle whatever made her so optimistic. “Oh poo. I just remembered; I don’t have any money. Oh well, we can get some!”
“I ain’t borrowin’ money from the Professor yo. I think he got some kinda grudge against me.”
“I wasn’t suggesting we borrow money from anybody.”
I gave her a blank look.
She pouted, crossing her arms and sticking out her bottom lip. “And I thought you and a reputation as a pickpocket.”
I blinked. That had been the last thing I’d expected to hear from her. Then I remembered, hadn’t she said something about picking pockets when she’d lived in the graveyard that first day he’d talked to her? She was one complex little thing. “Uh, yeah. Sometimes yo.”
She nodded. “I’ll see if Remy will drive us.”
I shook my head as she traipsed off. What have you gotten yourself into this time, Tolensky? I asked myself.
***
Well, what do you think? Next chapter Ebony and Todd go pickpocketing, then clothes shopping! Pilfering and pants; loot and leather jackets! It’s a mutant Bonnie and Clyde! This next chapter I’m making up as I go along in ‘Shop till you Drop!’ or ‘Mallrats: Silent Bob not included!’
Chapter 12: Gainful Enjoyment
Darwinian Rhapsody
By LejindaryBunny
A totally awesome X- Men: Evolution fanfiction
A/N: Heloooo! Sorry for the chapter delay! My Dad was spazing again! He even wouldn’t let me go over to my best friend’s house! Why does everyone seem to think that she’s a bad influence? I actually went to the mall day before yesterday with my friend Bridget. We convinced some cashiers that my she was pregnant! Hahaha! Hmm, let’s see. ooo, I know, reviews!
Akasha: Yes, the BoM is much nicer than the X-geeks. Yes also, high school is that bad (And I even go to an all girls catholic school!) Thanks for recommending me to your friend, Queenduckie!
Red Witch: I thought it was about time too!
Frumious Bandersnatch: Glad you like my characterization for Todd! I suck at spelling too, that’s what spellchecker is for!
Foxglove33: Yay, I’m awesome! Duncan Donuts, heh. Yeah, I hope he stays clear too.
Did you mean ‘lackey’ or did you actually mean that they wore ‘lacey’ jockstraps? (heh frilly jocks.)
Todd fan: Hope you liked Todd’s POV I put it in for ya!
WarKnyte: yes, the BoM and X-geeks under the same roof will be funny. There will be plenty more Gambit/Rogue (It’s my main sub-plot) I hope they put it in the cartoon too, I can’t stand her mooning over Summers like that!
Queenducky: I love new reviewers! *Hugs her* I love/ am obsessed with Toad too. (Gee, I didn’t think you could tell!) I used to be obsessed with Remy too! (Gee, we’re a lot alike!) Tell Akasha I think that you two are real cool! I’ll keep writin’!
Cera Toynbee: I feel honored that you have reviewed my fic. *Kneels down and kisses ring* I used to read too much slash too, it’s everywhere. I sometimes balk at OCs too. I thought he’d say something like that. He probably goes there every Mardi Gras! I have a lot of those Cds. I don’t know much about Pietro, I’m doing the best I can; have any tips for me? Mrs. S-Z IS a mutant, not all the mutants are teenagers even in Evolution. Can you imagine Xavier and Magneto as teenagers? (I feel a plot bunnie coming on!) Mrs. S-Z is acquainted with Prof. X. I came up with the movie title last year (It was one of the original scenes in the Fic.) Do you think I should actually write the script? I’ve been toying with the you thought it was funny. I think the fic is good too, gee I hope I don’t sound too arrogant! I’ve been developing the idea for a year! Yes, reviewing is a pain, I’m glad that you’re going through the trouble for li’l ol’ me. I certainly will keep writing!
Few, past the 40 review mark, woohoo! Oh, I almost forgot! Today at the mall I bought a pair of spiked bracelets, just like Todd’s ^.^ I’m wearing them now! In this chapter Todd and Ebony go to the mall! There’s some picking of pockets and a lot of trying on and buying of clothes. Hehe, Toddy’s gonna get a new outfit!
I had a hard time with the chapter title. I changed it 5 times and STILL hate it!
Note: this chapter is rated O for obsessive Toad worship.
Disclaimer: If you don’t know who owns what by now you’re kinda dumb.
Chapter Enjoyment
“You can just drop us off if you want,” Ebony said to Remy.
“Dat okay Petite, I tink I look around too. I promise not to follow.”
She smiled and nodded. But in the sweet way, not the clueless way. She traipsed out of the room before Remy, grabbing Todd’s wrist as she passed him.
“C’mon!” she chirped.
“Nice car,” Todd commented when they were outside. “Oops, I just realized, Lance’s car musta been totaled in the explosion.”
“Um, he’ll probably be upset about that, won’t he?”
In the mansion, the only thing that kept Lance from weeping over the passing of his Jeep was the fact that Kitty was in the room. “What you gonna be shoppin’ for, hm petite?”
“Clothes,” she said brightly, “Todd needs some because all his stuff got blown up this morning. And I’m going to look at jewelry. Why are you shopping, by the way?”
“Jus’ for dis an’ dat. Nothin’ particular.” He tipped his head and murmured, “Maybe jewelry not a bad idea, eh?”
“Hm?”
“You want de radio on petite?”
The mall was pretty much back to normal when they got there. The burn marks had been cleaned and only one store was still closed, and it was a health food store so very few people cared.
“Remy see you two later, eh?” he gave a careless wave as he walked away.
Not being sure on the depths of the Cajun’s morals Ebony waited until Remy was out of sight to clap and rub her hands. She surveyed the crowd and nodded to Todd. “You go down towards that way, I’ll take the end of the mall with the bookstore and toyshops and stuff. Meet back here forty five minutes good for you?”
He shrugged. “Sure.”
“Kay then,” she grinned and bounced down through the mall. Todd turned his own way and got down to business.
***
Ebony leaned against the wall beside KB toys. Mentally she tightened the shadow material of her bra to restrict her chest and loosened her shirt She formed a black teddy-bear purse and slung it over her shoulder. Now she really looked eight. She giggled and surveyed the crowd. Mother with screaming child, no. Gaggle of valley girls, no. Creepy old lady, definitely not. Aha, man in suit, mid thirties, looks like he’s in a hurry. Perfect! She smiled sweetly and skipped right into him, knocking herself over. Her lip trembled.
“Oh, I’m sorry little girl, are you okay?” he reached down to help her up. She grabbed his hand and got up, then hugged him around the legs, deftly slipping his wallet from his pocket into her bear bag.
“I’m sorry Mr,” she said wide-eyed. “I was lookin’ for my granma.”
“Are you lost?”
“Ah ha,” then she looked around. “Oh there she is!” She smiled and tittered, skipping off in the general direction of the creepy old lady. The man hurried on his way.
She headed off to the bookstore once the man was out of view. Her next target was an oblivious-looking, nerdy young man who was browsing the Bat Man novelizations. She bumped into him, grabbing his e-bay Joker wallet and disappearing it.
“Hey, watch it!” the pimply boy complained. “I haven’t got time for this!”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to Mr. Wayne sir.”
The acknowledgement of his fandom seemed to appease the geek, at least until twenty minutes later (after Ebony was long gone) when he realized he didn’t have any money to buy ‘The Dark Knight Returns’ with.
“I wonder how Todd’s doing?”
***
Todd was doing just as well, albeit using slightly different methods. He passed casually behind a group of valley girls, (the same ones Ebony had left) who were busy ogling the newest *NSync video and removed their allowances from various places on their persons without them noticing he was ever there. He preformed the same maneuver on several non-Bayville High jocks in the sports store and a couple of gamers in their native habitat.
He ducked into a bathroom and counted the money, ditching the extra wallets and change purses in a trashcan.
“$258, not bad. Better ‘n usual yo.” He pocketed the gains. And glanced at a clock as he left the graffitied stall. Time to go find Ebony.
She was lounging on a bench near where they’d split up eating a soft serve chocolate ice cream. “How’d it go?” she asked brightly as he approached.
“Pretty good,” he sat down. “Little over Two-fifty. You?”
She giggled. “Turns out the first guy I got had an absolute stash. $623 all total.”
He grinned. Sometimes that would happen. “Coo. So now what?”
“Now we get you some clothes.” She got up.
He sighed and wondered if he was really doing this. He followed the small girl into a clothing store.
Happily she scurried from rack to rack pulling various articles of clothing off. She’d take an item and hold it up to Todd, if she shook her head, it was back to searching, but if she nodded she handed it to him. Todd somehow had been under the impression that the shopping process would have involved him a little more, but apparently not.
When Ebony was satisfied she turned to him. “Now’s the really fun part, now you go try them on and show me.”
He flushed. Now this, this was going to be embarrassing.
He went into the changing room with an absolute heap of clothing. The guy in front of the rooms looked at him funny, but a glare prevented the man from saying anything. Inside Todd surveyed the pile. How was he supposed to know what to try on first? He sifted through the garments pulling out a pair of black jeans and a long button down DragonBall Z T- shirt. He shrugged and tried them on.
“Are you done yet?” she asked.
He came out.
“Turn around,” she twirled her finger.
He turned self-consciously. “Um, like this?”
“Mmmhhh,” she clapped. “That’s good. Go try on the others now.”
He went back into the small room and looked in the mirror. “Hmph, not too bad.” He changed again, this time into baggy camouflage pants and a dark green tank top.
She paced around him, “That’s cute! But.” Those legs are going to waste; she finished in her own mind, blushing even at the thought.
“What?” he asked confused.
“Try something else on, I’ll be right back.”
“O…kay.”
She hurried off. When he came out again in khakis and a blue plaid shirt she had an odd looking item in her arms.
“Hmmm, the pants are okay. Lose the shirt though. And try these on.” She handed the stuff to him.
He went in again. Yes, this was definitely one of the more embarrassing things he’d done, ever. Then he looked at the clothes she’d handed him and he was mortified. A sleeveless shirt made of clingy metallic blue material, a spiked belt and black leather pants.
“Yo, you uh, hand me the wrong stuff?”
“Please? Try it on, for me?”
Turning a bright red that did nasty things for his complexion he put on the garb, managing to suppress the blush as he walked out.
Ebony
Nearly
Died.
For several seconds she only stared.
Todd turned, “What, do I have somethin’ on backwards yo?”
“Wow. Just, .” Unlike his skinny arms his legs were really well was . She blushed again, so did he.
“Does it, look okay?”
“Ye, yeah,” she managed. She took a deep breath. “I know what it needs though. C’mon, let’s pay for this stuff.”
Todd changed back into his normal clothes while they bought everything he’d tried on, plus a few more pairs of jeans and shirts. He carried the two large bags out of the store.
“So, uh, what did you say it needed?”
“Hold on one second.” She ducked into a store, shelled out $300 for a single item and $60 more for another and came back. She handed him the bag.
He looked in it. “Yo! Eb, that is so cool!” a leather jacket and steel toed boots.
“Do you want to change into the stuff?”
“Sure, yo.” They headed through the mall towards the bathrooms. He stopped as they passed a mostly blacklit store. “Hey, how much we have left?”
She checked, “We’ve still got a good two hundred dollars.”
“Come in with me, there’s somethin’ in here I kinda want.”
“Okay.” She followed him.
Now, mostly Todd didn’t think overly highly of anime, but there was one thing common of there characters, especially in Pietro’s ‘Digimon, that he really liked. He picked up the goggles. [A/N: Like in the movie!]
Ebony snorted. “They make you look like Daisuke, only not.”
“I jus’ think they’re cool, yo. You think so?”
She nodded.
They bought them and headed again towards the bathroom where Toad changed into the new outfit.
Ebony was transfixed. He was in the blue metallic shirt, the leather pants, the spiked belt (that matched the wrist cuffs he still wore) the leather jacket, the boots and the goggles on top of his head. He looked completely different, and yet still exactly the same as he had before. His skin was still greenish, and his hair looked like it had been weed whacked, his fingers were still webbed and he was still slouching. But somehow now he looked good, not inspite of these things but almost because of them.
Todd viewed his attire a little uncomfortably. “I feel kinda bad yo, spendin’ all this money and not getting’ you anything.”
“That’s okay!” she beamed. “I really enjoyed shopping with you.”
“Well, thanks, but. Aw man, jus’ stay here okay?”
She smiled and shrugged and watched him go into a small store.
He came back almost fifteen minutes later with something in a jewelry box, [A/N: but not ring shaped, don’t have a spaz attack on me!] he handed it to her.
She opened it. “Oh my gosh,” she whispered, “it’s so pretty.”
“Yeah, I kinda thought you’d like it,” he grinned sheepishly. It was a bracelet made of smoothed jade stones. “We got no more money though, well, ‘nough for lunch or somethin’.”
“That’s okay I absolutely love it. Um, but I’m sorta bad at putting on bracelets, would you help?” she offered her wrist.
“Sure yo.” He fastened it to her wrist. “Yeah, I guess it is pretty. But it wouldn’t look half so nice on nobody else.”
She looked up at him, blushing. Should I kiss him? She wondered, is it to fast for me to kiss him? I’ve never kissed anybody before.
Aw, man. I gotta kiss her. She just so, man, what if she doesn’t want me to kiss her? What if I’m a bad kisser, yo? I ain’t never kissed nobody before. Aw hell.
Todd kissed her. It was a cute, tender, first kiss and it made Ebony melt into his arms. He held her.
The group of valley girls walking by were very jealous.
The kiss broke after a moment; after all it was the first for both of them.
“Oh dear,” Ebony was blushing and her eyes were wide.
“Was that a um, good ‘oh dear’ or a bad one, yo?”
“A good one,” she nodded emphatically.
“Good.” He kissed her again, his arms around her.
“‘Ello, mon am-” Remy stopped several feet away. He smirked.
It was a few seconds before they noticed him.
“Oh! Hi Remy!” she smiled. “We’re ready to go if you are!”
***
‘NUFF SAID!
(Well, until next chapter! Please review!)
Chapter 13: The Case of the Not As Bedraggled Boyfriend
Darwinian Rhapsody
By LejindaryBunny
A totally awesome X- Men: Evolution fanfiction
A/N: Hello again! Woo, and now a word ! To you!
Akasha: Sugar highs are fun. Good for mental coffee breaks. (Ie daydreams about ‘fictional’ guys)
Todd Fan: Everyone seems to have liked Kurt’s hat. I thought it was cute. Glad you liked the chapters.
Queenducky: You know that and I know that but my Dad don’t know that. The thought of Todd not being a mutant makes me want to would the fun in that be?
Red Witch: I like Todd gets the girl fics too! (Gee, as if you couldn’t tell.) I’ll read Ronin Toad as soon as I get a chance! Thanks for the tip! I was hoping it’d have Toad in it! He’s been sorely lacking in recent episodes. was that shower scene in Walk on the wild side. That wasn’t very long though, and he only poked his head outta the curtain!
Cera Toynbee: Tee hee, I like Captain Hook, he’s cool. You were drooling? Think about me writing it! I need to get my keyboard cleaned! Yum is right, leather heh. I thought that was a nice idea. Yes, they are indeed kissing now. Another fan of Kurt’s hat? Maybe he should keep it around. Lance will hopefully be getting another car. Where’d he get the first one, anyway? I sometimes miss things when I read too! So I forgive you! *Hug* Mrs. S-Z tries to keep a low profile! Oh, by the way, she says she’d never actually call a student a ‘nerd’ but oh well, poetic license. You think I should right the script? I’ll get right on it! Well after this chapter anyway. I may use the Xavier and Maggie as teens in a future chapter of DR. Glad you like the title, it was a bitch to come up with!
Wow, that was a little long winded. By the way I have an idea for a cross over like thing too. You know those fics where they have the cast of one show as the cast of something else? Like the cast of X-Men as the, oh I don’t know, Gilligan’s island? Like Scott would be Gilligan (just as an example) and he wouldn’t be playing him he’d actually be him? Well I have an idea for one of those with the Evolution cast in the movie Labyrinth. You’ve seen that, right? Rogue would be Sarah, Gambit as the goblin King, Toad as Hoggle, Beast as Ludo, and Kurt as Sir Ditimus. Am I missing anyone terribly important? Do you think it’s a good idea?
So, in this chapter, hmm, let’s Kurt is on the case again! Will he get, er, find a clue? Who knows, but this time he’s narrating Detective Style! Also, Todd gets his X-Men uniform and isn’t very happy with it. Gambit gives Rogue something. What is it? Sore wa himitsu desu! (That is a secret!) You’ll have to read the chapter. (My friend generously gave me the idea!)
Disclaimer: I own about as many of the characters as I own acres of land in Idaho. one! I own Ebony. (The land is technically my Grandma’s but she has it given to me in her will!)
Chapter Case of the (Not As) Bedraggled Boyfriend
It was a lazy Saturday afternoon. I was in my office (the TV room, technically) with my hat pulled down over my furry blue face. My name is Kurt Wagner, Private Investigator. Although, the case I was on at the moment was more of a civil service, no monetary exchange involved.
The Toad was an old rival of mine, a small time criminal who hung around with the gang known as the Brotherhood. His given name was Todd Tolensky, but I gotta say the other moniker suited him better. He was sleazy, tactless, and he had bad hygiene. He wasn’t very popular even in the circles where unpopular was considered in. So when the rumor started going around that he’d found himself a sweetheart I thought it was worth investigating.
Miss Ebony Trufire was certainly a sweet little number, and I mean to stress the ‘sweet’ and the ‘little’ part. The kid stood at only four foot nine and seemed to be cheerful all the time. She was the new doll in town, in from some place in Michigan. The fact that it was her really put me on the case. She really didn’t seem the type to go for someone like Tolensky. I thought there might be something shifty in the mix.
Despite what I said earlier this case did have something of a personal note to it. From the moment she’d arrived I could see that she was sweet on me; what girl wasn’t? I suppose it comes with the job. Unfortunately, this time I wasn’t interested, there was only one doll I was interested in. I told this to Miss Trufire. Heartbreak can make a girl do funny things; I’d hate to think that I’d driven her to someone like Tolensky.
Someone walked into my office. I looked up; it was Kitty Pryde, a charming lady if there ever was one. I was attracted to her, but she only had eyes for Lance Alvers, the leader of the gang Toad ran with.
“Oh, hi Kurt. Um, why are you mumbling to yourself? And like, what’s with the hat?” The Doll was a knock out, but she wasn’t the sharpest cookie in the package.
“I’m a PI, sveetheart.” (Unfortunately my German accent gets in the way of my otherwise perfect Bogart.)
“A what?”
“A gumshoe, an agent, a Private Investigator.”
“Huh, oh, like I get it! You’re playing detective movie!”
Dolls just don’t understand my line of work. “This case is as real as the nose on your face, kid.”
She nodded; I guess she thought she was humoring me. “So, like what’s the case Kurt. I mean, Detective?”
“That’s classified information I’m afraid Ms. Pryde.”
“Oh come on, you can tell me. I bet I could help.” She giggled. How could a guy resist that? So I gave her the lowdown.
“I smell foul play in Bayville. I want you to get the skinny on the sparks between Tolensky and Miss Trufire.”
“Like, come again Kurt?”
“I need you to interview the Brotherhood an’ anybody else you think might know something about Toad and Ebony.”
“Oh, okay. Can do chief.”
“Try to be discreet about it. Got it doll face?”
She nodded. “Gotcha.” She saluted improperly and turned to go. She really didn’t have a handle of the character she should be playing.
Then she turned sharply and told me in a sultry voice, “And Wagner, I’m not your doll face.” Then she pussy-catted her way out my door. I grinned. Maybe she was getting the hang of it.
***
Kitty had let down her hair and was carrying a small note pad; after all if she was going to do this for Kurt she might as well play along.
The first ‘informant’ she ‘contacted’ was Lance.
“Hey, Kitty, I like your hair like that. You should put it down more often.”
“Gee, thanks Lance. Um.” Kurt had said to be discreet. She tried to think of a good way to start the conversation. “So, like what’s up with Toad and Ebony. I heard they’re dating or something?”
“Yeah, weird isn’t it? They went to the movies or something and now all of a sudden they’re an item.”
“So they did in fact go to the movies?”
“Well, as far as I know. Say, that reminds me do you want to see ‘Roses at Midnight’ with me tonight?”
“Sure! That sounds great Lance. I’ll see you later.” She turned and scribbled some notes on her pad, walking off to find her next witness.
“So, Pietro, I like heard this rumor that Toad-“
“Yeah!” he replied excitedly, not letting her finish. “He and Ebony are hot stuff! I can take most of the credit though,” he told her arrogantly.
“Like, how so?” she jotted the information down.
“Well, without me the boy would be totally lost. I’ve been giving him dating tips.”
“So is that why Ebony’s like, dating him?”
“Well I hate to sound self centered, but most likely. After all I am the Master.”
“Ah huh. Well, gotta go.”
She found her next target in the dining room eating something that was either a sandwich or Mount Kilimanjaro. “So, you heard anything about Todd and Ebony?”
“Well,” he said between bites, “I donno. I heard some stuff but it looks to me like they’re just good friends.” He took another bite, “I don’t know if Todd really even wants a girlfriend.”
“Really? That’s like, not what I heard.”
“Well, it’s just my opinion but I think he really just needed somebody to talk to. He seems awful lonely a lot of the time.”
She nodded and took the information. “Is there like, anything else you can tell me like, maybe how they started hanging out?”
“Sure, Todd wanted to talk to her for a while I’m pretty sure. He sort of ambushed her at her locker a few days ago and just started talking.”
“Thanks.” Kitty frowned at the pad as she walked away. Great, now she had conflicting information.
Tabby was in the TV room, which Kurt had apparently since departed from, playing a search and destroy video game.
“Um, Tabby?”
She paused the game. “Yeah?”
“I was like, wondering if you knew anything about Toad and Ebony.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Well, um, anything you know is good.”
She shrugged. “Ebony’s really annoying. Seems kind of clingy. I don’t know if Todd’s gonna react well to that.”
“So they are like, going out?”
“Looks like it. Why do you want to know?”
“Like, no reason. Just curious. Well, I’ll let you get back to your game.” Kitty waited to jot down the notes when she was out of the room.
Next on the list was the only material witness to the goings on, Jamie Madison, a twelve or so kid who’d gone to see a monster movie and come back with something a lot weirder.
“Oh, Hi Kitty,” the boy piped.
“Hi Jamie. Like, I heard you saw Ebony at the movies the other day?”
“Yeah, it was gross! I think I saw them kissing!” he confided disgustedly.
“But you aren’t sure?”
“Well, it was dark and they were in front of me. And it was during this awesome scene where a bunch of these Zombies were getting hacked to pieces! Then they started hacking apart the Michael guy and it got kinda mushy.”
“Um, that’s nice. Can you tell me anything else, about them, not the movie.”
“Well Ebony looked really upset after they came out, like she’d been crying. I don’t know why though. Maybe that guy did something to her.”
“Thanks a lot Jamie.” She got up to leave.
“Hey, Kitty, will you play Mortal Kombat with me?”
“Um, I’m not very good at video games. Why don’t you ask Tabby? She’s in the TV room right now.”
“Okay!” he leapt up with preadolescent fervor.
Kitty considered who she could interview next. She seemed to be out of all the likely candidates. Maybe Rogue would know something. Only one problem, she had barely come out of her room since after school the day before.
She knocked on her friend’s door.
“What d’ you want?” Rogue snapped.
“It’s me, Kitty. Can I come in?”
“Whatevah.”
She opened the door and walked into the darkened room. “Are you like okay Rogue?”
“Ahm fine.”
“Um, okay,” Kitty didn’t really believe her but if she wanted to pretend she was alright. “Um, I kinda wanted to ask you a question.”
“What.”
“Well, do you know anything about Ebony and Todd?”
“Yeah, I know that you’re making them miserable with your gossip!” she glared.
“But I’m trying to find out what really happened.”
“Look, you need to just stay out of other people’s business!” Rogue’s anger flared. “Your jus’ makin’ them miserable when they’ve got a chance to maybe be happy! Happy! At leas’ somebody round here has that chance! Jus leave ’em alone! Leave me alone too while you’re at it!”
She buried her face in the pillow.
“Rogue?”
“Just go away!” came a muffled sob.
Kitty thought it best to leave. Out in the hall she wondered what had made her so upset? Kitty decided she should tell the Professor. If Rogue was that unhappy about something.
“Professor?” he was in his study.
“Yes Kitty?”
“I think something’s wrong with Rogue.”
“Yes, I sensed her distress. Did she tell you what was the matter?”
“No, but she got really upset when I asked her about Todd and Ebony.”
“You really shouldn’t go around spreading rumors Kitty,” he advised.
“But I’m trying to find out so that there won’t be anymore rumors.”
“Hm, that does seem like a worthy cause.”
“Do you know anything about it Professor?”
“Well, I’m not sure I should say Kitty, if they wanted you to know they’d tell you themselves.”
“Could you like, just tell me your opinion Professor?”
“Well, I suppose. If you really want to know, I don’t think the relationship will work out. But, I’m afraid that’s all you’ll get from me Kitty. Now if you’ll excuse me?”
She nodded and left the office, committing the Professor’s words to paper.
***
The three mutants returned from the mall mostly unscathed this time. However, Remy looked a little bemused but not upset. He seemed to have gotten nothing at the mall. Ebony looked zoned out and Todd looked disturbingly smug. The size of their shopping bags more than made up for Remy’s lack there of.
Kitty was just leaving the Professor’s office when they walked in the door. It took her a moment to recognize the boy standing next to Ebony.
Is that him? She thought to herself. I can’t be! He actually ugly. [A/N: Kitty would say he looked passable if he looked like a god!] She ran off to report this and her other findings to Detective. She was beginning to think that something strange really was going on here!
Todd turned to Ebony. “Can we put these away? The bags are exactly as heavy as they look.”
She nodded and they headed for his room. He put the things down on the floor; he really wished that he had as much strength in his arms as he did in his legs. Then he noticed the box on his bed.
“Yo, whassat? I hope it ain’t another bomb.” He eyed it suspiciously.
Ebony looked at it. “Oh! It’s your new uniform!” she exclaimed. “Open it! I wonder what it looks like?”
He opened it cautiously, still worried about booby traps. What he found inside was worse than a bomb. “No way I am wearing that EVER!”
“What’s wrong?”
He shoved it at her. He was right, it was pretty awful. It was a green spandex bodysuit with a black frill thing around the neck and oversized black gloves and boots. It resembled the outfit of a (very depressed) court jester from a renaissance fair. Oh, and it had a black X on one shoulder.
“Um, that is pretty bad. Maybe we should see the Professor about this.”
“Did he pick it out yo?”
“Well, I’ve heard that he does but I’m sure this is some kind of mix up.”
“All I can say is it better be, yo.”
The two made their way to Xavier’s study.
“Um, Professor,”
“Yes?” he put his hands together over the desk.
“We were kinda wondering.”
“Skip it.” Todd held up the outfit. “What is this yo? Some kinda bad joke?”
“No, that is your team uniform, Toad.”
“Yeah right. What are you trying to pull?”
“I assure you that was designed with you and your powers specifically in mind. It is purely functional.”
He held up the frill, “Oh yeah, what’s this do ‘Professor’, cut down my wind resistance? Or is it ‘designed’ to make my opponent underestimate me?”
“You’ll have to trust me with this I’m afraid.”
“Trust you? The only reason I’m here-“
Ebony nudged him. “Maybe you shouldn’t fight with him Todd,” she murmured.
He gave a defeated half snarl and slunk from the room.
“Sorry to bother you Professor,” she said in parting.
“Quite all right Ebony.”
Out in the hall Todd grimaced. “Yo, am I the only one who can see that he’s got some kinda grudge against me?”
“I’m sure he doesn’t! I mean there’s gotta be some reason.”
“Eb, you think too highly of people.” He eyed a bowl of fruit in the hallway. “He thinks I’m some kinda clown maybe I should juggle a couple of these at his head.” He picked up three oranges.
“Can you actually juggle?” she asked curiously.
“Sure,” he replied. “Max, this guy at the orphanage taught me. He got dumped there by his parents when they caught him after he’d run away and joined the circus.” He started juggling the three oranges.
“Why’d they bother tracking him down if they didn’t want him anyway?”
“Guess they couldn’t stand the thought a him bein’ free of ’em. Toss me a few a those apples Eb, I’m a little outta practice.”
“How much can you juggle at once?”
“Eight. Max said I was a natural.”
“Oh, that’s nice. Let’s go put your new clothes away. Maybe we can figure out a way to make the professor give you a new uniform.”
***
He tapped on her door. No answer. He opened it gently. For a moment he thought no one was in there. But then he saw her asleep, lying on her side. He walked up beside the bed. She’d been crying. He brushed away a not quite dry tear from her cheek. His hand was gloved.
“Please don’t cry Cherie.” He reached into the inside pocket of his duster and brought out a very small box wrapped in silver paper with a blue bow. He set it on the dresser beside her. Glancing only a little sadly back at her he departed the door closing behind him with a soft click.
***
It had only been around one in the afternoon when she’d fallen asleep but now it was dark out. It was winter, so it only meant it was six or so, but still. She closed her eyes again for a moment. She’d been dreaming. She’d been at a costume ball in a beautiful castle. At first she’d been lonely, staying by the wayside, until someone asked her to dance. He was a handsome prince, but a dark mask hid his face. It was a beautiful dance to music only possible in dreams, they’d danced for hours and hours. But then she looked down. She wasn’t wearing her gloves. She’d looked up, for a moment they stood and everything seemed for one tiny second that it was alright again. And then the prince had shattered into a trillion particles of dust, his mask dissipating just soon enough for her to see his face.
“Remy,” she whispered the name like the name of something utterly forbidden. She turned quickly to hide her face from no one when a glint of silver caught her eye. She looked at it. It was a small box no bigger than two and a half inches square, wrapped in silver with blue ribbon.
“What?” she picked it up. “Who?” carefully she undid the bow and took the top off the box. Inside was something else silver. A single chocolate candy, nothing more. But beneath it was a small slip of paper. She took both little objects out.
‘A kiss for Mon Cherie’ was all the note said, that was what the candy was, a Hershey kiss. Tears welled in her eyes. Delicately she unwrapped the thing and held it in her mouth until it melted completely, and until even the taste was gone.
***
I was in my private room when Ms. Pryde returned.
“Kurt, I got a lot of information, but not all of it makes sense.”
“Zhat happens sometimes sweetheart. Just tell me what ya got.”
“Um, well Lance says they’re an item. And Pietro says he’s giving Toad dating tips and thinks that’s why they’re dating. But the Blob thinks their just friends. Tabby doesn’t think he and Ebony are right for each other. She said she thought she was too clingy for Todd. Um,” she flipped the page on her notes. “Jamie says they might have been kissing at the movie and Ebony definitely came out crying, but he doesn’t know why. Rogue got really upset and I think she said she thought they had a chance to be happy. The Professor doesn’t think their relationship will work out.”
I nodded. This was more or less what I already knew, but now at least I had some confirmation, and the opinions of a few key witnesses. “Anything else Ms Pryde?”
“Um yeah! I guess they just got back from the mall and it looked like they’d gone clothes shopping. From what I could see he was mostly dressed in leather.”
Tolensky in leather? I shook my head. That was a thought to give even an experienced PI like me nightmares for weeks. I took off my hat and brushed back my hair. “So do you think he picked ’em out himself sveetheart?”
“I donno Kurt, they had a couple of bags though. Ebony kinda like looked dazed. Like she’d been hit with something.”
“Think he hit her?”
“Remy was with them.”
I didn’t know much about this LeBeau guy. He was newer in town than Ebony, just up from New Orleans. Didn’t know how far I could trust him. “Why don’t you go see what he thinks?”
“Right now?”
“Nah. How about you and me have a drink, discuss somethin’ other than a case for once.”
“Like, you mean soda right?”
“Whatever you say doll.”
“Sure I-” she glanced at the time. “Oh shoot Kurt! I can’t I promised Lance I’d go to the movies with him. I’m sorry.”
“Some other time zhen, Ms. Pryde, I am open to rain checks.”
“Okay.” She turned to go.
“Ms. Pryde?”
“Yes Detective?”
I shook my head. “Nothin’.”
She left.
Don’t you come out cryin’ too babe.
***
What do you think? Its got mystery, its got romance its got angst and eventually it has action. What more does it need? Oh, and I need help, now I don’t know if I’m for Lance/Kitty or Kurtty. Darn!
One more thing, the Scarlet Witch in Evolution is SCARY!
Please review!
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