Onward!

-Vendetta

Never Insult a Lady (Or You'll Pay)

X…With Jean, Scott, Beast, Logan, Xavier, and Jubilee…X

"That can't be right." Beast broke the silence at last. His eyes were squinting hard at the photograph into front of him, and his jaw was set in rigid confusion.

"But it is," Jubilee chattered back, somewhat nervously. "Jean just got her ultrasound done today. That's what it looks like, all right."

Scott stared at the picture through his ruby lenses. "That's impossible," He burst out.

Jubilee shrugged, smiling awkwardly as she tried to deliver her cold remark with the same casualness Vendetta used. "Hey, it's not like you were there or anything. Only the father was allowed to be there too, so—"

She clamped her mouth shut as Scott angrily tore his glasses off and shot his laser vision at a vase in the hallway.

Quietly Beast murmured, "Therefore no one was allowed with her to the ultrasound, Jubilee. We don't know who the father of the child is—but it certainly isn't me!" He added quickly at Logan and Scott's fearsome glares.

"We ca-can't be positive." Jubilee stammered. Scott and Logan ignored her and proceeded with their fearsome glares. Beast shifted under the spite in their eyes. He had no clue why suddenly they were both out to kill him. Ever since that stupid rumor…who had even started it anyway? He groaned inwardly. He had a likely suspect in mind. Why was he always getting blamed for everything? He shook his head and noted how the two jealous men's eyes followed his movements—well, at least Logan's did; he couldn't be sure about Scott's eyes under those sunglasses.

Jean glanced between the three men, each of them accused of being the father to her false child. Logan was angrily yelling at Scott, Scott was preparing to rip his glasses off and possibly kill everyone in the room, and Beast was just standing there, shaking his head and sighing a lot.

"Look, everyone," She began placating them. She would love it if they would just figure out the truth once and for all. Her hopes rose a little. After all, Vendetta wasn't here to interrupt her.

Jubilee hesitated only a second before leaping in front of Jean and holding out the ultrasound. "The doctor says it's a boy!" She screeched loudly. "And that it looks just like its father!" With that, Jubilee raced quickly out of the kitchen. Loud shouts could be heard from a distant hallway. Jean decided to ignore it and focus on telling all of them the truth, but by now it was too late.

"It looks like me!" Scott was the first to yell.

"No, it doesn't!" Logan snapped back.

"It bares no resemblance to me." Beast began quickly. Then he leaned down and peered closely at the 'ultrasound'. "Actually, it's a rather ugly-looking thing. No offense, Jean." He added.

"None taken." Jean Grey replied honestly. How could she be offended? It wasn't her child. She studied the picture again and curled her lip in distaste. The closest relative that baby could have belonged on Granny Grey's fridge.

"It looks a lot like Jean to me." Jubilee piped up from around the corner. Her head was poking out from the hallway that led to the kitchen. The elder mutants turned slowly to her and stared (while Jean fought to unleash her anger and go Phoenix on the twerp) until Jubilee giggled nervously and slipped back into the hallway.

Beast squirmed again, cleared his throat, and directed his sharp yellow gaze on where Jubilee was a moment ago. She had looked uncharacteristically nervous. He frowned harder, trying to figure out her purpose behind this obviously false ultrasound. Was she working for Vendetta? And why? Dr. Hank McCoy slipped his gaze to the Professor this time, who had long given up on settling this complicated ruse of Jean's pregnancy. The doctor straightened his spine and turned back to Wolverine and Cyclops, determined to set the matter straight himself. The two mutants weren't looking at him anymore. Instead, Logan was angrily jabbing his fingers—it was better than jabbing his claws—at Scott. In return, Scott was retorting with an insult somewhere along the lines of 'Shorty'. Beast winced. That will certainly anger him, He noted, watching as Logan's claws snapped out. With one more glance to Xavier, he saw that the Professor was warily watching them both.

Beast ran his hand through his darker hair and exhaled loudly. He was starting to see why Jubilee chose to help Vendetta: it currently appeared to be the winning side. It would take a miracle to untangle all the messes that little brat—whom he was starting to question about whether or not she was even a mutant—had created. Beast contemplated it for a moment. The problems could be resolved quickly and easily with just a few calm explanations, but the chances of Vendetta allowing her mess to be smoothed over so easily? Very unlikely! The only way that would happen is if for some odd reason she was unable to do something about it, unable to trick and befuddle the poor mutants of this school any longer.

But the likeliness of that happening…

Beast shook his head firmly. No, it was impossible, really. Something like that couldn't happen.

…Meanwhile…

"No!" A cat screech was heard loudly through the halls.

"But, sister!" Charomi protested, clutching the paper sack tightly in her hands.

"Never!" The kitten insisted as she angrily lashed her fluffy tail. Charomi made pleading, shining eyes at her and held out the bag. One quick sniff confirmed Vendetta's worst nightmare. She wrinkled her pink nose and scowled. "I refuse! Now leave me alone!"

Her sister glared harder and pressed the bag forward determinedly. "You have to eat it, Vendetta!" She pointed out. "You're a cat, and cats eat cat food!"

"Not this cat!" The black-and-white kitten retorted.

Charomi stared pleadingly for a few minutes, but finally ripped her gaze away and stared, transfixed, at the cat food bag. "It's been proven to help prevent hairballs." She argued softly, touching the bag with her finger.

Vendetta scowled deeply. "I don't need—"She cut her off with a brief cough. "I don't have a—ack, just get me some water already! No, not the cat food,you idiot!"

X…With Magneto and Mystique…X

Magneto coughed and bit down gently on his fist. He certainly hoped she hadn't heard the sound that marked his position. Nervously he looked down again, studying the shiny steel bars he'd used to wrap around and form a safe house, or perhaps a panic room. It couldn't be considered a room though, much less a house. It was too small—it barely held him and his food rations as he sat there as he had for an entire twenty-seven hours. He rubbed his sore arm painfully; it hurt to move, so perhaps it was a good thing he had little room. So far, the hiding place had served its purpose: Mystique hadn't found him yet.

Maybe she hadn't heard the cough.

"Magneto…" Her voice called over the tense quiet.

Okay, so she'd heard him. Maybe she'd forgiven him—or hopefully would be willing to listen to his side of the puzzling story.

"Magneto…" She repeated, an edge of danger in her voice. "You're dead when I find you!"

Magneto narrowed his eyes and screwed up his face, hoping that he'd concealed the metal fort well enough from her sharp yellow eyes. But maybe he hadn't, in his rush to avoid every mutant power known. Perhaps he hadn't realized how dangerous it would be if Mystique turned on him.

Another voice sounded. "So what, we rebelling on the boss?" It asked.

"Not exactly." Mystique answered vaguely. Magneto could picture her eyeing the scenery around her, her fists clenched tightly. He'd be okay, as long as those fists didn't wrap around his windpipe in suffocation…what if she copied Pyro's power and...? He frowned hard and tightened his grip on his knees as his teeth ground into his knuckle. Outside, his former subordinates were still talking.

"Wait. I thought you died in the first movie, Toad."

"First movie?" The sound of Toad's lengthy tongue snapping made Magneto open his eyes and scowl into the sound's direct of origin. How distasteful; hopefully Toad hadn't eaten a bird again.

"Yes." Mystique sounded impatient. "The first movie. You and Sabretooth both—"

"NO! They can't know yet!" A voice yelled from a short distance behind Magneto. He grimaced and tried to place it, but the shrill holler seemed to be a new one. "Vendetta," It continued. "What are we going to—?"

The inane whine was cut off first by a loud caterwaul, and then the sound of Mystique yelling in anger. Toad started screeching and yelling, pleading for the new attacker to spare his life. Another thrilling shriek rose in the air, and the sound of Toad's whimpering arose.

After a few silent moments, Magneto crawled out of the metal contraption he'd locked himself in and studied the scene. Mystique was nowhere to be found, and Toad was lying on the ground, half-conscious and still moaning. Good. The vulgar pest deserved it. Magneto sniffed and strode forward more confidently, trying to pretend that he hadn't been hiding from his unofficial second-in-command—make that former second-in-command.

"Mrrow." The Brotherhood leader glanced down and looked at the small scrap of fur beside his feet. It was wriggling and absentmindedly sitting on Toad's face. It yawned loudly and outstretched its claws, causing Toad to mutter a few pleads under his breath.

"A cat?" He said aloud, somewhat disgusted and completely confused. When did the cat get there?

"Oh, there you are!" The new voice cooed. The owner of the voice—a teenage girl with a chipper grin—raced over and plucked the cat up. In response, the cat pulled desperately at Toad's skin with its claws, trying hard to stay on the ground and away from the girl.

After his desperate attempt to escape from Mystique, he'd gotten quite sidetracked and, well, lost. "Miss?" Magneto asked, frowning inwardly. The girl looked up expectantly. "Where am I, exactly? I'm afraid that I—"

"Silly Maggie!" The girl giggled. Magneto did a double-take at her and frowned hard. Maggie? Does this child have me confused with someone else? "You're at Xavier's School for the Gifted!"

"P-pardon?" He stammered, eyeing the moss-covered building to his west. The girl didn't lie: he was at Charles' mutant school. That meant that the girl holding the oddly upset-looking cat was most likely a mutant. He straightened and tried to appear casual. "Yes, of course. Could you please direct me to the front entrance?" The girl beamed and waved to the front gate.

This was most likely a foolish idea. An idea that could get him killed—or some fresh new minions. Plus, his rebelling subordinates were still out here as well, probably scouring the area for him. They probably wouldn't try to sneak inside Xavier's mansion. Then again, they had all gone mad. Who knew the reason they rebelled so abruptly? Magneto sighed and shook his helmet-covered head once before heading in the direction of the gate. Once he got there…he'd plan it on the way.

Meanwhile, from inside the shadows of the trim bushes in front, two yellow eyes glowered treacherously at his retreating form. "I'll kill you, Eri—Magneto. Just you wait."

The girl was chattering on endlessly to Magneto, her arms still trapping the cat. The black-and-white hairball struggled a moment before stretching its head over her shoulder. Without a single movement, its scheming eye twitched into a knowing wink. In response, the hidden mutant's eyes narrowed as she smirked, her gaze flipping back to the unsuspecting Magneto.

Oh, he's dead.

Well, I finally got the chapter out. Um…don't kill me?

So I finally got to writing what happened with Magneto and Mystique. I hope all of you reading this enjoyed it; let me know in a review!

So there'll be maybe, I dunno, two or three more chapters. Yeah, I said that before, but I say that again since one of those chapters will be an epilogue. If you have any requests for CHARACTERS TO GET DRIVEN INSANE, let me know and I'll try to make your dreams come true…here in FanFiction world.

(Vendetta's 'Hit List')

-Storm

-Magneto

-Jean

-Whoever else the reviewers want to see tortured!