Scene: A street (canal) in Venice. There's nice little Italian music playing.

A gondolier sails down the canal, passing under a bridge that a dark figure is running across.
Mastermind pauses at a corner. He sees a policeman coming. They pass each other. The policeman sees a man carrying a kid.

Policeman: [Good night.]

As Mastermind turns around, his eyes are glowing blue. Next he passes a man in a hat, who sees a young lady.

Hat Man: [Good evening, miss.]

Mastermind keeps going, and metal things start to move.

Mastermind: Magneto?

He runs, and is trapped by a railing and a street sign. He jumps into a lower street. A gate blocks his path, and Magneto flies down. Mastermind wiggles his fingers.

Magneto: Your illusions don't work on me, Mastermind. I see you as you are.
Mastermind: What do you want with me?
Magneto: I have a job for you.

Roll credits!

Scene: A bridge in New York.

There's lots of traffic.

Taxi Driver: C'mon, I don't have all day!

He inches forward, and we see Wanda in the back.
Suddenly, one of the bridge towers bursts into flame, followed closely by the others. Everyone starts getting out of their cars. It's really very disturbing and 9/11-ish.
The flames take the form of the front halves of running horses.

Taxi Driver (sees a gas truck): The tank's gonna blow! Run!

Wanda looks up at the tower, and sees a dark figure. It's Pyro.

Scene: Outside Bayville High.

Kurt and Amanda are walking together. She says she wants him to meet her parents. He's nervous, and says his image inducer hasn't been working well lately. They go around a corner.

Amanda: That's okay. I want them to meet the real you anyway. *turns off hologram*
Kurt: Amanda! Someone might see me!

He drops his books and runs behind a really narrow tree. This not being a Looney Tune, it does nothing to hide him. The hologram flickers back on.
Across the street, someone does see him. But it's only Toad. He eats a fly and laughs to himself.

Kurt: Look, I'll come, okay? But I'm just not ready to show up at your house looking like, well...like me.

They see smoke in the distance.

Amanda: Hey look!
Kurt: Something's on fire!

Scene: A road near the bridge.

Scott and Jean are speeding along in his car. They see the bridge is on fire, and head towards it.

On the bridge, Wanda fires a hex bolt at Pyro. He falls from the tower. He manages to swing to another standing-place, but drops something, which Wanda picks up.
Pyro shoots flame at the gas truck, which explodes. Wanda is knocked over the side of the bridge, but clings to the edge. She narrowly misses being run over by a falling car.
The bridge is collapsing, the tower is melting, it's very bad.
Scott shoots a bit of debris that's about to fall on someone. Jean telekinetically throws something else into the water. Then it starts to rain. Yeah, here comes Storm.
Wanda pulls herself up. Jean sees her and comes to help. It stops raining.

Scott: Storm's got things under control.
Jean: Who was after you? Was that Pyro?
Wanda: Yes. It's a message from my father.
Jean: What kind of message?
Wanda: He wants me to stop looking for him, and his errand boy, my brother.
Jean: But...Pietro's not hiding. He's back with the Brotherhood.

Scene: The Brotherhood house.

Pietro is watching TV. Onscreen, some guy is holding a snake, which bites him in the face.

TV Guy: Aah! Get it off me!

Blob comes in with a tray, blocking Pietro's view. He puts it down on the coffee table. Pietro inspects the sandwich.

Pietro: Blob...I *said* horseradish, butter, lettuce, and grilled onion on the *side*. Try to keep up, willya?
Blob: Oops, sorry Pietro. I'll go make ya another one. *exits* Buttered onion, lettuce, grilled horse on the side...um, no...
Pietro: And no crust! *bangs on the remote* Ah, now the picture's gone again! Toad, hello-o!

Todd is on the roof with the antenna. Pietro orders him to move along with it. The picture is perfect just as Todd is balancing on the very edge.

As Lance comes in with a dirty rag, Pietro is watching more TV. Now there's a guy in a sweater. He talks some, and then his eyes bug out. Then the picture quits again.

Pietro: Are you done fixing your transmission yet? I got dates tonight, y'know.
Lance: Yeah, I'm done.
Pietro: Nothing personal, but, as a member of my team, ya gotta look a little more...presentable.
Lance: *goes to leave*
Pietro: Hey, while you're up, would you mind moving the armchair? It's blocking my view of the tube.
Lance: Sure. Glad to.

Lance makes an earthquake. The chair bounces across the floor, narrowly misses Pietro's head, and flies out the window. Todd falls past with the antenna.

Pietro: Hey, now look what you-
Lance: I've had it with taking orders from you!
Todd: I've had it with bein' your TV antenna.
Fred: I'm tired of doing all your cooking for you! You didn't even notice the radish roses! I'm through!

Fred throws down the plate. The sandwich bounces and reassembles itself on Todd's head. Todd, for the record, is completely tangled in the antenna wires.

Pietro: Hey, Magneto put me in charge for a reason. The only way you're gonna join his crew is if you act like a team. To have a team, you need leadership. Strong, decisive, fearless- huh? *sound like record cutting out* Wanda?!

He sees her walking past the window, and runs to the closet.

Pietro: Don't tell her I'm here!

Lance goes upstairs, and Todd answers the door.

Todd: Babycakes! You've come back to me!
Wanda: Out of my way. *goes to living room* Where is he?
Todd: Pietro? Hidin' in the closet.
Wanda: *blasts the door open* Where's Magneto?
Pietro: I don't know! Honest! He only contacts me when he needs me!
Wanda: What's *this*? *show's Pyro's thingie*
Pietro: I dunno. Looks like a ski lift ticket.
Todd: "Ararose". Hey, must be Mt. Ararose. The local ski resort. Just say the word, Poopsy, and we'll be sippin' cocoa by the fire.
Wanda: Ugh.
Todd: But I'm your servant! Your slave! Just tell me what I have to be to win your love!
Wanda: Someone else. *blasts him away*
Todd: Someone else? *gets an idea* Hey, I can do that.

Scene: Amanda's house.

Ding dong!

Amanda opens the door. Kurt is wearing a suit, adjusting his tie, and holding some flowers.

Amanda: Kurt, you're early.
Kurt: Okay, I'll leave.
Amanda: No silly, it's fine. Come in and meet my parents. *they walk* Mom, Dad, this is Kurt Wagner.

Notes: Woo! She pronounced his name right! ^_^

Dad: Kurt, it's a pleasure.
Kurt: Here, these are for you. *gives flowers* I mean, for your mother. *takes them back* I mean, Amanda's mother!
Mom: *takes flowers* Thank you, Kurt. I'll go put these in water.
Dad: Why don't you show him around, Amanda? I'll get us some cold drinks. *goes into kitchen with Mom*
Kurt: Oh, they hate me already!
Amanda: Relax, Kurt. *straightens his lapels* Everything is going fine.
Kurt: You're right. Nothing to worry about. *watch fizzles and dies* Oh no! My image inducer!
Dad: *backs out of kitchen with tray* Cold drinks for everyone!

Notes: Now, Kurt is wearing his uniform. Which means the suit was only part of the hologram. So then, how was he playing with the tie? The artists need to get their act together on this point.

Commercial break!

Dad: Coming through! *bamf* Kurt?

Kurt teleports into the kitchen, and bangs on his watch until it starts working. Mom is filling a vase with water. She turns around and they both scream.

Mom: Kurt! You startled me! I didn't hear you come in.
Kurt: Uh...soft shoes?
Mom: I'll just go put these in the living room.

As she leaves, the watch dies again. Kurt bangs on it.

Dad: Kurt? Are you in here?

He teleports back to the living room, and his inducer goes on just as Mom looks up.

Mom: I must say, Amanda, you have the most- aah! Kurt! *drops vase, Kurt catches it and hands it back* But, you were just in the kitchen.
Amanda: Um, Kurt's on the track team.
Kurt: *nods*
Dad: Ah, Kurt, there you are. Well, Margali, I'm starved. Are we about ready for dinner?

They walk away. Kurt and Amanda sigh.

Scene: Outside Amanda's house. Point-of-view shot as someone approaches.

Scene: Amanda's kitchen.

Kurt: That was a delicious dinner, Mrs. Sefton.
Mom: It was so nice of you to offer to do the dishes.
Amanda: Oh, Kurt's really considerate. He gets the grades too. And he has the nicest friends.

The window shatters and Todd jumps in. He lands on the narrow strip in front of the sink.

Kurt: Toad!
Todd: Hey, Elfboy, I need to borrow this.

He steals Kurt's watch while Mom is conveniently looking the other way. Then he falls back into the sink.

Todd: Ew, I touched soap!

Kurt grabs the watch back and puts it on. Dad comes in, Todd spits goop at him, then tackles Kurt to the floor.

Dad: I can't see!

Mom slips on a patch of water and knocks Dad down.

Kurt (while fighting with Todd): Mr. and Mrs. Sefton, I really apologize for this!

The boys roll into the living room. Todd gets the watch and jumps onto the chandelier, which falls and smashes on the grand piano. Kurt recovers the watch as Mom and Dad come into the room.

Todd: You're makin' a scene!
Kurt: Toad! You're going to blow my cover!

They bang into the table the flowers are sitting on.

Amanda: Oh no! Grandmother's vase!
Kurt: I got it! *catches vase, tosses to Amanda*

They roll across the floor, knocking over another table. Mom and Dad crawl behind them, picking up knickknacks. Kurt crawls across the back of the couch, dragging down the curtains as Todd tackles him. Finally Kurt kicks Todd out the window. He rolls over and looks around.

Kurt: Mr. and Mrs. Sefton...I don't know what to say.

Todd sticks his tongue through the window and grabs Kurt's watch.
Everyone stares at everyone.

Amanda: So...who's up for dessert?

Scene: Mt. Ararose

Wanda is riding in a big tram. A guy comes over.

Tram Guy: Nice view, huh?
Wanda: Mm.
Tram Guy: Going up for the skiing?
Wanda: No.
Tram Guy: I'm a skiing fool, babycakes. *grins*
Wanda: Toad!
Todd (as image inducer dies): What gave me away?
Wanda: *hexes him out of the tram*

Wanda gets out at the top, and her scarf blows away.

Overalls Man: Don't you worry, miss, I'll get it for ya. *hops after it*
Wanda: Tooaad! *hexes him again*

Wanda sees Pyro, on a snowboard, grab a ski lift. She puts her own board half on and takes the next chair. A guy sits next to her.

Accent Man: Nice day for skiing, ja?
Wanda: Yes, it's...*looks at him*...beautiful.
Accent Man: I am Eric, the ski instructor. I haven't seen you here before.
Wanda: No, I...*sees Pyro board away*...gotta go. *jumps out*
Accent Man: Vait! *jumps out, falls down, inducer quits* (in Todd's voice) Ah rats, I was that close.

Wanda follows Pyro through some trees. Where he goes over a jump, she stops and watches him. He goes into a metal dome.

Wanda: Magneto.

A metal sphere flies up and sprays gas at her. She coughs and passes out.
Todd comes over the hill and sees her being dragged into the dome.

Todd: Wanda!

Commercial break!

Kurt is looking sadly at a picture of himself and Amanda.

Todd (comes through the open window): Hey Nightcreeper!
Kurt (furious): You! You ruined my life, you bug-eating scab! Give me back my inducer!
Todd: Hey, I'm sensin' some hostility!

Kurt screams and tackles Todd. They fight all over the floor.

Todd: I just wanted to talk! Is this a bad time to ask you for a favor? *pins Kurt* Look, I don't have your inducer. But I'll give it back, promise. I just need your help on one teensy-weensy matter.

Scene: Magneto's base.

Magneto is talking to Wanda, who's strapped to a chair. She's not interested in anything he has to say. He says her obsessive pursuit of him is becoming a liability. If she won't join him willingly, he'll have to use other means.
He opens a door, and Mastermind comes out.

Magneto: Mastermind is going to alter your memories. Hopefully, your mind won't be too damaged in the process.

Mastermind wiggles his fingers, and his eyes glow.
A memory of being sent to the asylum becomes a day at the fair.
A tray of food in her cell becomes a picnic with dad.
Magneto's apparent death in "Day of Reckoning" becomes an evening with fireworks.

Scene: Outside the dome.

Todd: You just have to get us in. I'll do the damsel rescuing.
Kurt: Fine. And the minute we're out, we go get the inducer.
Todd: Er...*pulls the watch out of his pocket*
Kurt: *grabs it* You slimeball! That's it, I'm outta here.
Todd: Wait! I just wanted to look good for Wanda, like you do for Amanda.
Kurt: You mean like I *did*, 'til you showed up!

So Todd is drawing on their common angst, and Kurt is starting to feel guilty.

Kurt: Aah...somebody kick me.
Todd: Aright! *turns on inducer* Now we be rescuing, ja ja?

Kurt 'ports them inside. They hide as Gambit and Pyro come a-patrolling. Then they hide behind some boxes. Colossus comes to investigate, but finds only a ring of smoke.
The two boys find Wanda's room. Mastermind is still working on her.

Mastermind (apparently using telepathy): Magneto...you have intruders.

Kurt and Todd jump down, trampling Mastermind on their way to Wanda. Todd tries to pry open the cases holding her hands.

Kurt: Hurry up, willya?
Todd: Sorry, I skipped this heroing class. You got a better idea?
Kurt: *leaps forward, grabs Wanda, teleports three feet* Just that!

Kurt gives Wanda (unconscious) to Todd, and 'ports all of them out.

Magneto and his gang come in.

Magneto: Wait. Did you finish the job?
Mastermind: Yes.
Magneto: Then we let them go.

Scene: A cabin at Mt. Ararose.

Kurt: You can put her down, you know.
Todd: In a minute.

Wanda wakes up and looks at Accent Man. He leans down to kiss her, and the inducer dies again.

Wanda: Toad! *jumps down, pushes him away* (to Kurt) Get me outta here!
Kurt: You know, he's a slimy worm, but he *did* put his life on the line for you.

Todd looks all dejected.

Wanda: Ohh...(sincerely) Thank you.

Todd looks a little happier, and eats a fly. Wanda is completely disgusted, and leaves the room.

Todd: I'm my own worst enemy.

Scene: A park at night.

Kurt: I thought your parents weren't letting you see me anymore.
Amanda: Yeah, but they don't know you like I do. You're kind, and you're gentle...
Kurt: ...and I destroyed your house...
Amanda: They can forbid all they want, I'm not giving up on us! And I hope you're not either.

Scene: The Brotherhood House.

Todd: So, let me get this straight: you don't hate your father no more?
Wanda: Not really. I know I did once, but...I can't seem to remember why. It's all a blur.
Todd: They really did a number on your head. Let me tell you, Snookums, when you were a kid-

A blur zips him to the kitchen.

Todd: Hey!
Pietro: Why do you want to start all that again? She's much happier this way.
Todd: But-
Pietro: Look, she doesn't hate her father, that means she'll stop looking for Magneto, and hang around here more. Near you.
Todd (thinks): You got a point. Okay. I'll keep my mouth shut. Besides, if she don't hate her father no more, then there's hope for me!

He jumps back toward the living room.

Musical People: T! O! A! D! Tooaad!

The End

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