Post by ReadingTrance on Dec 21, 2013 17:43:53 GMT -5
UNCANNY X-MEN #2
The Brotherhood
The Brotherhood
“Let’s move!” Jean shouted at her fellow X-Men.
Bobby, Rogue, Angel and Toad followed behind Jean. Each team member wore their signature X-Men outfit, aside from Bobby who was yet to receive one.
The team of five gathered in the X-Jet, which resembled an SR-71 ‘Blackbird’ and was also the X-Men’s primary means of transportation.
“What is going on?” Bobby quietly asked as he strapped himself into a seat next to Rogue.
“There’s an emergency nearby at a human-mutant nighttime social mixer. We need to intervene before it gets out of hand. Cyclops and Colossus aren’t back yet, so we’re gonna be following Jean into battle.”
“Time to pop your mission cherry, Bobby.” Toad cackled from the seat across the aisle.
The fear in Bobby’s eyes was quite visible. Rogue gently placed her gloved hand on top of his hand and flashed him a warm smile.
“This is a good first mission. Everything will be fine, I promise.”
Jean took her seat in the pilot chair. She quickly flipped several switches and pushed a couple of buttons.
“Everyone strapped in? Here we go.”
The X-Jet’s engines roared to life. Rogue’s grip on Bobby’s hand tightened.
“I never did like flying.”
Toad again entered the conversation. “Are you serious? You can fly!”
Rogue’s eyes widened. “That’s completely different! Ask Angel.”
Angel, who was seated next to Toad, shrugged his shoulders and then nodded in agreement.
Jean activated the holographic camouflage as the X-Jet left the ground, rising up from its underground home until it was above the school. Bobby watched out the window as the ground below them closed like a hatch, revealing itself to be the institute’s basketball courts.
“Never would have guessed a giant jet was hidden under the basketball courts.”
Bobby spoke to himself, as no one else could hear him over the jet as it took off at full speed.
---X---
“Fire! Fire! Fire!” John Allerdyce mockingly shouted as he sent fireballs flying at innocent humans in the nightclub.
The loud dubstep playing in the background muffled the screams of humans and mutants alike.
“Pyro! Stop. We’re just supposed to scare them. Magneto said to not harm any of the mutants.” Wanda Maximoff placed her hands on John’s shoulders.
Pyro lowered his flamethrowers. “My Scarlet Witch, if you insist.”
“Thank you.” She whispered in his ear, kissing his cheek as the chaos continued in front of them.
“You can’t do this!” A random mutant covered in scales from the crowd tackled Pyro to the ground.
Scarlet Witch turned to a nearby table and used her magic abilities to move it and smash it against the mutant that was on top of Pyro.
The mutant was knocked unconscious. Pyro slowly got back to his feet and then walked over to the mutant.
“Burn in hell.” He aimed one of his flamethrowers at his lifeless foe.
Suddenly, half of his flamethrower was enveloped in a thick coat of ice.
“Chill out, bro.” Bobby stood in front of him.
The X-Men had entered the fray.
Pyro looked up to find them standing in front of him. “The fu-“
Jean used her telekinesis to send Pyro into a nearby wall, watching as he bounced off of it onto the floor.
“Rogue, make sure these people make it out of here safely.” Jean ordered.
Rogue nodded as she began herding innocents towards the exit.
“The X-Men? Brotherhood for life!” A nearby mutant charged Bobby.
Bobby got forced to the ground from a solid punch. Toad and Angel quickly aided him as Jean found herself facing off against Scarlet Witch.
Toad leapt at the large mutant that had attacked Bobby, but the mutant knocked Toad aside with ease. Angel took his turn, spreading his large wings as he approached the enemy.
“C’mon birdy. Let’s see if you’re a tough guy.”
Warren smiled as he lifted his hands in a loose fighting stance. The mutant charged at Angel, but Warren nimbly jumped over the enemy, using his wings to softly land behind his foe. He quickly delivered several strong blows to the mutant, sending him to the floor.
On the other side of the club, Scarlet Witch was shooting magic bolts at Jean. As a counter, Jean kept lifting objects to block the projectiles.
“Mind if I join this dance?” A man joined the battle wielding an extendable metal staff.
Neither Scarlet Witch nor Jean Grey recognized the man, so they both entered a defensive mindset. Jean quickly attempted to read the man’s mind, but was unable to. That had never happened to her before.
“In this situation, it would appear that you’re the old maid.” The man spoke to Scarlet Witch as he took out several playing cards.
Jean watched as the cards turned a bright pink and then the man threw them towards Scarlet Witch. The cards hit nearby objects and exploded upon impact, sending Scarlet Witch into unconsciousness.
The man turned around and gave a friendly, charming smirk to Jean Grey. She returned a half-hearted smile.
Then, the loud dubstep music had stopped. Pyro’s fire had been spreading, most likely destroying the music equipment.
The silence was broken with a single cry. “Help!”
Jean quickly followed the male voice, finding the rest of her team was doing the same.
The sound was coming from the bar, which had been covered with wreckage, trapping the screaming man.
“Someone help me...” He hopelessly yelled.
“He’s stuck behind the debris.” Bobby updated Jean. “I put out the fire, but can’t do much more.”
Jean closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After opening her eyes again, she carefully began telekinetically moving the rubble. As she did, smaller pieces fell from above.
Bobby froze several pieces in place and Toad snagged some smaller fragments with his tongue. A few seconds later, the man had a way out.
“I hopped behind the bar. I thought it’d be safe.” The man was breathing heavily as he tried to stop panicking. “I’m sorry. Thank you so much for saving me.”
“It’s what the X-Men are here for. No need for a thank you.” Angel replied. “Come on, I’ll escort you out.”
Angel and the man walked away, as Jean looked around the nightclub. The members of the ‘Brotherhood’ had disappeared amidst the rescue.
“Bobby, put out whatever fire you can. Toad, stick by him and make sure he makes it out in one piece.”
The man with the staff was sitting at a table, sipping at an alcoholic beverage.
“I figured this was a pretty good reward for our good deed. Care to join me, ma ami?”
“We need to get out of here in case this place falls apart.” Jean strolled towards him. “Thank you for the help. What’s your name?”
He again flashed his charming smile, speaking with an unidentifiable accent. It seemed to be a mix between southern and French.
“Remy LeBeau, at your service. I’ve also commonly been referred to as Gambit, but the lady may choose her preference.”
“Well Gambit, I think we should get going.” Jean motioned for him to follow as she walked away.
Remy pounded the last of the beer before following behind her.
---X---
The X-Men gathered around outside the nightclub.
“Who’s this?” Angel asked as Jean and Gambit exited the building.
Police lights fluttered as civilians surrounded the front of the club.
“A friend. He helped us inside.” Jean answered.
“Jean! Angel! Toad! Can we get a word!?” Reporters shouted from behind the police blockade. “Who are the two new members of the team?”
Bobby tried to stay out of sight behind his fellow members while Gambit ignored the press.
Rogue eyed Gambit. “Who are you exactly?”
“A nobody. But I’m sure you’ll see me around.”
Gambit winked at the pretty southern girl before turning around and running down an alleyway. Acrobatically, he jumped over a chain link fence and gracefully landed on the other side. He gave the X-Men team a salute before strolling off in the other direction.
“Who is that man!?”
“Was anyone hurt?”
“Who attacked the nightclub?”
Rogue shook her head. “These reporters really never stop.”
“Let’s get out of here.” Jean slowly levitated into the air. “Rogue, get Bobby. Angel, please help Toad out.”
The two flying mutants obeyed Jean’s orders, helping out their ground-bound allies. They grabbed hold and took off, flying closely behind Jean towards where they had left the X-Jet on a nearby hospital rooftop.
---X---
“I’m sorry. The X-Men interfered, father. There wasn’t anything more we could do without risking our lives.”
Scarlet Witch knelt down in front of the Brotherhood’s leader – Magneto. The leader of the Brotherhood sported red armor and a purple cape, wearing a matching red metal helmet.
“Your mission was still a success. We proved our point. Mutants are dangerous. And now the people will retaliate.”
Scarlet Witch raised her head. “May I ask why you want them to hate us?”
Magneto was sitting in a royal throne-like seat. He leaned forward as he explained his thought process.
“I don’t want them to hate us, Wanda. I’m simply proving that they in fact do hate us. They always have and always will fear mutants. Humans and mutants cannot coexist together. One day everyone will realize this and the Brotherhood will be prepared to protect mutant kind through any means necessary.”
Scarlet Witch nodded in response. “I understand.”
“Now it’s time to take the next step. Is everyone ready?” Magneto leaned back in his throne.
She looked up at him and gave a simple one word reply. “Yes.”