Where do I take this pain of mine
I'd run but it stays right by my side
***
It sure was hot. Toad woke up and wiped the sweat from his face. The
sheet wrapped around him on the hammock felt like a heavy wool
comforter at this point. He looked next to him. Jasper was asleep and
also sweaty. Seems excersize does that to a person....or persons. He
couldn't help but smile though.
Jasper, aka Paige Banks, was actually a very beautiful woman. For
once, Jasper didn't need to tempt him with Wanda. In fact, he
tried...and Toad seemed utterly disgusted by the thought. He had
insisted Jasper become his own self...female. The difference between
Jasper male and female was very slim but important. He leaned down
and kissed the slender shoulder. She was absolutely gorgeous. She
definately blew Wanda out of the water.
Jasper replied with a tired sound but made no other response. Toad
removed the sheet from himself and carefully crawled from the hammock
and walked into his bathroom. After taking care of "important
matters" he grabbed some sweats and put them on.
He frowned. By now, he knew Magneto was back in his cell...and would
have noticed by now that Toad was missing. He wondered if it was
worth it to "sneak out" and spend intimate time with.....well...her.
A deeper frown. =Toad, you have to think of something or you'll never
get what you want.= Then the smile came. He was sweaty and in just
sweatpants. His hair was messed up from Jasper's grasp. He could fake
it easy.
***
So tear me open, pour me out
There's things inside that scream and shout
And the pain still hates me
So hold me, until it sleeps
***
" Toad?" Magneto gasped, waking up to see the smaller mutant
wandering about the room.
" They think I'm worthless too."
" Eh?"
Toad dropped to his knees and crawled to Magneto's cell, hands on the
bars. " Magneto....I don't want to admit that you were right."
" Right? About you being worthless?"
" Yes."
Magneto smiled. " Anything else?"
" I'm sorry. I've been under a lot of stress and I lost who I was.
I've always been worthless Toad. I should be lucky that you're taking
the time to allow me to be even the pawn. I have nothing else."
Magneto tried not to laugh victoriously and muffled Toad's hair,
lifting his chin, " I suppose with such prostration, I should forgive
you."
" I swear never to disobey again."
" I knew I wanted you on the team for a reason. You're just like a
dog, y'know that?" Magneto chuckled, " No matter how much you go
through...you come back with your tail wagging."
" That's me," Toad agreed humbly.
Magneto frowned, " What did they do to you?"
" I'll be fine. Don't fret over me. You're the important one."
" Pietro and Wanda...where are they?"
" I heard something about....." he looked around, trying hard to
think, " I think Stranger said he would hide them off the ship,
knowing you'd come for them."
" Off where?"
Toad thought harder, " Yukon Territory. Out in the wilderness."
" Impossible!" Magneto spat. " He'd freeze them to death?!"
" I'm sure he'd be extra careful with them. He seemed to have great
plans for them."
" I have a feeling they've underestimated you, Toad," Magneto smiled.
" Oh?"
" Thinking you weren't a threat to them. In fact, you are my perfect
little spy."
Toad smiled proudly, " I don't deserve such praise, Master."
" I know, but if I say it you'll get those keys for me."
***
Just like a curse, just like a stray
You feed it once, and now it stays
***
Toad was beyond crafty, fooling seemingly everyone with the
intelligence he hid away for times when he'd need it most. Why waste
it? He pretended to sneak through the halls, knowing already the
guard had purposely left the key in the "break room" for him to pick
up.
Stranger had gotten everything he needed from Mangeto...and gave Toad
the go-ahead to do with him as he pleased. It made him smile. He had
relayed his plan ahead of time as well as introducing his "partner in
crime," Jasper. Stranger was all too eager to play along for
amusement's sake.
" I have it, Magneto," Toad whispered, returning to the cell and
unlocking Magneto's door. Magneto remained silent and stepped out,
watching Toad carefully as the smaller mutant seemed to crouch
humbly, as if afraid of being beaten.
" Let's go. I'm not going to dawdle."
" Wait," Toad urged. " I know my way around the ship. They've taken
me all over the place for different things. Let me lead you. I
overheard Stranger say he was going to check on them. We just have to
wait until the ship lands."
Magneto was amazed at the strategy Toad was able to create. He made a
note of it. Despite his threat, perhaps he would give Toad a little
more respect. But, he did as Toad suggested, following him to
a "hiding place" where they could wait out the trip.
***
There's things inside without a care
And the dirt still stains me
So wash me, until I'm clean
It grips you, so hold me
It stains you, so hold me
It hates you, so hold me
It holds you, so hold me
Until it sleeps
***
Toad sat quiet for a long time before turning to Magneto.
" Maybe you should stay here. They're gonna wonder where I am."
" How do I know you won't give me away?"
" I'm your devoted slave, Magneto. Always was."
Magneto nodded and sat back to let Toad free. He checked carefully
before hopping down the corridor...leaving Magneto unaware that he
was heading back to his quarters.
" Todd, I wondered what happened," Jasper said. " I woke up and you
were gone."
" Be wise not to worry about me right now, Jasper," Toad warned. " I
got some serious plans I have to focus on."
" I know." Jasper smiled. " I found you." He tapped his head, " And
saw the whole thing. Such a devil you are."
Toad chuckled as he pulled off the sweats and put on the uniform. He
tossed Jasper's to him. " I may need you...so cover me."
" What do you have in mind?"
Toad smiled and motioned for Jasper to come close. He shared his
thoughts with him and smiled.
" Oh, you wicked wicked creature," Jasper cooed.
***
So tell me why you've chosen me
Don't want your grip, don't want your greed
***
" You're back?"Magneto asked quietly as Toad slid back with him.
" I did my check in. They won't be looking for me for a while."
Magneto nodded. All the better. Toad would be a better lookout than
himself chancing it.
It was about 4 hours until the spaceship finally landed. Magneto and
Toad had spent the four hours pretending the other didn't exist.
Feeling the friction between ground and craft was a relief.
" Wait for it," Toad warned then hopped out. Magneto was swift to
follow. He soon recognized the corridors and knew the way out. What
he didn't know was just HOW precise Toad had been in planning this
ordeal. Even down to the "occassional" guard pacing or scouting so it
didn't seem "too easy." Magneto was too smart for that....if it had
been too easy, he'd know too soon it was all fabricated. But, Toad
had other methods to ensure these tricks worked precisely.
In all honesty, four of the guards had spotted them. They even
reported it. Toad even winked at one to ensure things were going just
fine.
" There's the hatch. Let's go." Toad whispered, hopping to the open
hatch and into the snow. Magneto felt Toad was perhapsa little too
enthusiastic. He was, after all, in just a pair of sweat pants. No
shoes....no shirt. He wouldn't last long. No matter. Toad had proved
he was of more worth than Magneto had him figured for. He'd lend him
the cape for warmth.
Toad held the cape tightly around him, looking about for some clue.
The calls from the woods were faint but he turned to Magneto and
pointed. He didn't say anything though and hopped off. Magneto still
felt the effects of the collar about his neck and was forced to run
after the younger mutant rather than fly.
He followed him to a cabin. He stopped short and called for Toad to
return, which he obediently.
" I don't like this."
Toad stood upright, " I can go on ahead...check it out. If there's
nothing to worry about I'll signal you."
Before Magneto could respond, Toad was off and to the cabin. He hated
not being in total control. But, Toad had been with the aliens
several days...knew more than he did. He wasn't going to chance Wanda
and Pietro. Not to some aliens.
***
I'll tear me open, make you gone
No more can you hurt anyone
And the fear still shakes me
So hold me, until it sleeps
It grips you, so hold me
It stains you, so hold me
It hates you, so hold me
It holds you, so hold me
Until it sleeps
***
It took a few minutes but Toad finally returned with a wide smile, "
I think it's okay to go in. There's a guard there....but he's asleep.
Pietro and Wanda are inside tied to the poles. They also have collars
on. The ropes are too tight and made of some strange material. I
couldn't free them."
Magneto placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, " No matter. I'll handle
this. You keep an eye out."
Toad nodded and followed a bit behind Magneto, stopping at the cabin
door and watching the woods.
Inside, Magneto saw a tired Wanda and Pietro. One tied to either
pole. Between them sat the sleeping guard on the floor, wearing a
goofy sombrero. If the guard woke up, it'd be no real fight. He
looked rather puny. Quietly, he knelt beside Pietro, motioning for
him to keep quiet. He untied him and hen motioned for him to help
untie Wanda. Never a word was said.
He motioned for them to follow...but after turning around, he heard a
zipping sound. Upon turning to investigate....nothing but the guard.
" The wonderful world of holograms," came a familiar voice...one that
made Magneto's heart jump into his throat as he eyed the guard. He
lifted his hat to reveal a cruel expression...the expression of Toad
on a mission.
"TOAD?!" He turned around, " But..."
In hopped in Toad in sweats....who stood upright...and took the form
of Jasper. Both fully uniformed figures eyed the confused mutant.
" I told you I'd never forgive you," The real Toad muttered angrilly.
" How could I? You left me there to die....even `saved' me from
nothing...to kill me."
" Toad..."
" And I also shall never forgive you," Jasper smiled evilly. " You
tried to steal from me."
" Jasper," Magneto hissed, remembering him from the files of Black
Womb II.
" Don't talk to me," Jasper laughed, " You tried to steal `im from
me. `E belongs to me. I punish those `oo commit offenses against me."
" Who are you to play God, Magneto?" Toad accused. " You may be a
mutant but you're no holier than the rest of us. Just more deranged.
I can be crazy too."
Before Magneto could protest, Jasper came up from behind and placed a
hand on his head, dropping Magneto unconscious with the psychic
sting.
" What do we do with `im?"
Toad looked around with no expression. " Find anything that'll burn
and drown him in it."
He walked off to himself find some things. He was quick to find
cleaning chemicals, gasoline, kerosine and other dangerous articles.
" You're really going to do it, aren't you?" Jasper asked. Toad eyed
him angrilly.
" If you're backing out now...leave. This man has done nothing but
torture me....mess with my mind and emotions. There was nothing more
between us than that of a master and a slave. I'm seeing to it that
I'm always going to have my freedom from him.....me...and every other
person he's screwed over."
He finished his handy work and walked outside. " Got a match,
Jasper?"
Jasper was right behind him and nodded, pulling out a match and
holding it up, " It will cause an explosion with all that stuff you
used."
" Then blow it up. I don't care. I just want him dead." He gave a
wicked smile, " For me....for the members of Black Womb II....for
dumping Pietro with foster parents.....for abandoning Wanda in that
hospital....for pretending to be an angel....." he shook his head
angrily, " A wolf in sheeps' clothing...a devil with angel wings.
KILL HIM, JASPER!!!"
No further order need be given as Jasper tossed the flame into the
cabin and was swift along with Toad to get out of range as the cabin
blew up, causing a grand explosion that cinged the trees and
shrubbery.
" What do we do now?" Jasper asked.
Toad smiled at him, " We take care of other issues."
***
I don't want it
***
Jasper and Toad returned to Stranger's ship, greeted by cheers and
whoots.
" That was indeed a wonderful performance!" Stranger cheered. " Ah,
you are an amusing pair."
Toad nodded. " Always knew I should have taken drama." He wrapped an
arm around Jasper, " But, special thanks to my stand-in and
supporting actor."
Claps and laughter. Toad turned to Stranger and frowned, " There's
one last thing I have to ask of you before we leave."
" And that is?"
" The release of the Brotherhood of Mutants and X-Men."
" Release them?"
" You have all you needed on file." Toad insisted. " We both got what
we wanted."
Stranger scratched his chin and looked over his crew. " Well, I
suppose we could do that. After all, we'll just conquer them all in a
few years anyway."
***
So tear me open, but beware
There's things inside without a care
And the dirt still stains me
So, wash me, `till I'm clean...
***
Toad ran into the harvest area and began to unlock the doors in a
hurry. The group watched him curiously until he opened Blob's cell.
The massive mutant charged at him. Had it not been for the powerful
leap and sticking to the ceiling, he'd have been done for.
" Get down here, Toad! I'm gonna pound you into pancakes!"
" Wait!"
" No, no wait." Pietro chimed in, " NOW!"
" We owe YOU a favor." From Lance
" Don't rock my boat, Yo!"
" An eye for an eye, Slimeball!" From Rogue.
" Then, let's look the other way, shall we?" From the frightened
Toad.
" TOAD!"
" No, Wanda! Not that!"
*ZAP*
" Yeeeeeeeowch!"
Toad dropped to the floor and let out a whimper as the mutants came
in closer. He felt a fuzzy tail wrap around his neck. " Vat's the
meaning of zis, Toad?!"
" Spill it!" From Blob.
" Back off!" Came the warning from Jasper. " Certain circumstances
make a man do crazy things."
" That's no excuse," Wanda hissed.
" Yeah, becuz of his crazy fit, we all had to go through some painful
whatever," Rogue defended.
" I went through it too!" Toad yelled. " Now you get a TASTE of what
I've gone through."
Everyone fell silent and looked at him curiously.
" That's right. That painful little whatever....I had to go through
that almost non-stop for the first FOUR YEARS of my life! Now you
have a slight understanding of what it's like to be me. You want your
revenge on ME now for causing you that pain I bet."
" Got that right, Toad," Lance replied, punching his hand into his
palm.
" So did I. I wanted Magneto."
Silence.
" Magneto was the one who attacked our planes," Jasper said. " And
the one behind Black Womb II."
" I don't remember what happened since that morning in Japan, as far
as Black Womb goes....BUT...I DO remember waking up in catacombs to
Magneto's promises. The fool I was, I believed him...thought he'd
bring me home. But that didn't happen. He never intended for me to
come home....never intended me to even get back to New York. He tried
to kill me on the California Coast. If it weren't for Stranger and
his ship, I'd be dead for sure. And to top it ALL off...when Magneto
escaped....he left me for dead."
" Sounds like Magneto to me," Wanda scowled.
" So, I wanted my revenge too. I knew if I had you and Pietro....that
he'd come back for you. Stranger released me as a project and hired
me as an officer. He wanted Magneto's test results...and I wanted my
revenge."
" Where is he?" Pietro asked.
" Hn...hopefully in a zillion charred pieces." He replied with a
cruel smile. " Unless you want the same, I suggest you go while you
can."
" Violence never solved anything, Toad," From Kurt. He was retorted
with a scowl.
" I know nothing BUT. I'm cool now, but I dunno how long I'll be able
to see clearly. ALL of you...you've all left some deep scars."
" Such a drama king," Blob commented, picking him up. " I thought we
were your friends, Toad. But, if you'd rather be an enemy....I'll be
glad to oblige."
Blob raised a fist. He hesitated however, seeing the serious unphased
stare in Toad's eyes. He wasn't playing.
" Put him down or I'll put you down," Jasper warned.
" How about you stay out of this," Rogue retorted. " Ah think this is
a fight between us and the Toad."
Toad smiled and eyed Rogue, " You'd kill your own brother?"
Gasps....
" You heard me right. I was adopted from the orphanage in York by an
American woman named Ms. White."
" After that Clue game?" Pietro asked.
" For quite a few years..she was my adopted mother...even though I
never called her that." He glanced at Rogue again. " You were also
adopted."
" By Irene..."
" And MYSTIQUE! Ms. White was Mystique! We were both adopted by the
same person with different identities. I suppose," he smirked, " that
makes you my sister." He peered over his shoulder, still dangling
from Blob's hands, towards Kurt, " Guess that means we're brothers
too. She's your REAL mother."
Kurt grit his teeth. Jasper took a step forward but Rogue stepped in
front of him. This would be a match from Hell if either decided to
fight.
" Give me Todd...and we'll let you out of `ere without any further
trouble." Jasper tried negotiating.
" What do you see in this Scumbag anyway?" Lance asked, unfamiliar
with who Jasper was per se.
" He's my partner."
" Obviously, but why?"
" You have a pathetic mind," Jasper retorted. " We are partners in
this plan, yes. But we are partners otherwise."
" Jasper's my lover!" Toad cried out. Strange stares from everybody
on that one. It was already known by a couple of them about the
pairing. Pietro, Wanda, and Rogue. But Kurt, Lance and Blob were left
in the dark. Still for those who knew...hearing Toad say it so
proudly and directly was still a shock.
" Why I love `im are my own reasons." Jasper replied. " It's none of
your concern."
" But...you're a guy," Blob pointed out.
" I'm neither male nor female...yet both. I'm one `oo creates as a
father...one `oo creates as a mother. Shapeshifters tend to be closer
to godship than anyone else. In a single-sex environment, we can make
everything all better." He eyed Toad again. Blob didn't like the look
and finally put him down.
" We'll show you the way out."
***
I'll tear me open, make you gone
No longer will you hurt anyone
And the fear still shapes me
So hold me, until it sleeps
***
" So, you never intended anything to happen to us?" Pietro asked
quietly, sitting next to Toad in the bridge.
" No. I was sorta bluffing. I had a feeling you'd give in."
" Y'know, Toad, I'm sure you're welcome to come home with us," Wanda
replied. She felt odd not having him all googly-eyed at her.
" No."
" Then, come to the Institute," Rogue offered. " Ah'm sure the
Professor could..."
" No."
" Then....what?" From Lance.
" I'm...going with Stranger. Jasper and I....we're...going to his
home planet. It's like...a new life...I have the chance to start all
over. And I want it."
" We're gonna miss ya," Blob said. Toad smiled and nodded, " I'll
miss you guys too. May not have been the greatest all the time...but
it was still good enough."
" Ever coming back?" From Kurt who had remained rather quiet.
" Perhaps," Jasper anwered first. " We'd like to try and get our
lives together. Perhaps after things are running smoothly, we could
return to Earth."
" We'll beam you down," Toad said without any expression, somewhat
ignoring the conversation. Yes....he'd be back....but it wouldn't be
for a friendly visit.
***
Until it sleeps...
***
" Will you be able to let `er go?"
" Hmph," Toad replied. " The thought of her makes me sick."
" She `urt you that bad?"
" A lot of people hurt me. I plan to see them all get what they have
coming to them."
A long silence before Toad turned and smiled at Jasper sitting across
the quarters on a "milkcrate" seat.
" But, that's in the future. Look at me. I've got someone to love me.
I've got a boss who admires me. I'm going to be powerful. I have come
to terms with Black Womb...and I'll never have nightmares about my
infancy again. I have the confidence to take on great adventures and
create great things. My motivation is running wild. I can't wait to
get started."
Jasper smiled and walked over to him, " Think you'll ever want to
settle down?"
" If you mean having a family....I'm looking forward to it."
Jasper leaned in, placing a kiss on Toad's lips...one which he
accepted and returned. He felt as though a great heavy burden had
been lifted from his shoulders. He'd be respected on Stranger's
planet. He was assured of that.
" Toad, Jasper, we're ready," Came the order of a small alien peeking
in on them. " Long trip ahead of us."
" Suspension?" Jasper asked.
" To ensure the speed doesn't do any harm. You've not adjusted yet."
Toad leapt from the hammock and smiled, " I'm ready. The sooner we
get there, the sooner I can let loose my creative talents."
" It's good to have you aboard, Sir," From the little alien.
Toad followed him, feeling the presence Jasper had behind him. " I
think this is the beginning of grand adventures."
" Tales of conquest and stories....we could be in the `istory books."
Toad smiled again. " We'll see each other when we get there then."
" I can't wait."
