Tempest in a Teapot

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> Tempest in a Teapot Chapter Thirteen
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> Disclaimers Apply
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> A/N Goddess Foxfeather, Queen of Mad Plotbunnies, BUSIEST WOMAN ALIVE ™, Prophetic Muse, Hamster Witch and Uberbeta… Scotland, eh? Hmmm… InterNutter, TC, Maxwell Pink, Dracena and Greywolf are loverly and wondermous for archiving/hosting. J ProPhile: Finish yet? Morgan: *gloke * Readers/Reviewers: Just a few more, I promise, lol.
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> “He’s not a crane now?”
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> Logan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know. He seems to like Mark’s fancy footwork…” He stepped back as Kurt executed a series of turns and leaps that narrowly missed some expensive lab equipment and Bobby, who shouted his protest. “Kurt, down!”
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> Kurt paused, then leapt in what could only be described as a meek manner onto the medical bay bed before settling back onto his heels and tucking his face into his elbow.
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> Beast emerged from his office, his glasses dangling from his fingertips as he gazed wearily at the scene before him. “Ah, good,” he sighed. “Someone put clothes on her.” He smiled weakly at Storm, who was swathed in what appeared to be gauze sprinkled with glitter, as she lay on the bed nearest the office, her toes wiggling in time with music only she could hear. “Are we any closer to finding out what triggered these particular transformations?”
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> Bobby nodded. “Jubilee says Storm got a book for her birthday, something about garden faeries. It arrived in the mail with the teapot, but it’s not from the same person.” He held out a wrinkled, stained mailing box. “It smells like sh…crap,” he edited, blushing slightly as the Professor raised a brow at him.
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> Beast gingerly took the box. “Thank you, Bobby. Anything else?”
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> Professor Xavier sighed and glanced at Kurt. “It seems he had been watching a nature special on PBS when Storm offered him some tea. He’s taken to doing that a lot since Kitty has gone. And Todd… no one has found him yet and I’m afraid I lack a good…connection.”
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> “In other words,” Beast said, his voice heavy with exhaustion, “too much static in the channel?”
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> “Something like that,” the Professor admitted. “Kitty is missing as well. I cannot even begin to think where they would be together.”
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> “Maybe we should find Caliban?” Bobby suggested slowly. “You know, since he does that thing…” He looked at the floor and avoided the dual gaze of his mentors. “Or not.”
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> Professor Xavier ducked as a thrown fireplace tool soared over his head and clattered to the floor harmlessly. “I see Mark is back,” he commented, moving aside as the ersatz knight made his grand entrance, clattering coconut halves together as he wove between people near the doorway. “Who the Hell gave him those again?”
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> “He overpowered me,” Jubilee sulked, appearing behind Mark in the doorway. “And I’m weird but I’m not gonna fight with a man holding a fireplace poker.”
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> As Mark knelt before him, the Professor asked as an aside to Jubilee: “How are the other girls? Are Rogue and Amara okay?”
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> “Pissed off but fine other than that,” Jubilee responded, eyeing Mark warily. “He’s got a nasty burn on his wrist though. Amara grabbed him when he tried to dunk her in the pool.”
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> “Yes, I saw that… Henry, could you get some ointment for Mark’s arm while I…ah… hear his petition?”
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> Mark bowed his head low, the fireplace poker held before him like a sword. “My most humble apologies, my lord King,” the Englishman murmured. “I have failed you. I accept my punishment as is my due.”
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> Professor Xavier raised another brow, ignoring Logan’s muttering litany of proposed punishment ideas. “Rise, Sir Mark of Novo Castria.” He studiously avoided the bemused gazes of the other, non affected people in the room as he held out his hands, palms up, for Mark. When the knight errant had laid his hands on the Professor’s palms, the older man continued in a calm voice. “You have not failed me, good knight. In fact, you are to be rewarded for your bravery and daring.” He nodded at Beast, who came forward with the ointment. “My…chamberlain will take you to your rooms where you may have a well deserved rest before your next quest.”
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> Mark smiled tightly. “If it is all the same to you, my lord, I would rather not rest. There is much witchery afoot on these grounds. I can only imagine the mayhem in the village!”
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> Professor Xavier sighed. Jubilee and Bobby exchanged glances before moving forward as one. Dropping to one knee before Mark, Bobby said in his best, polite tone. “As your page, I humbly request that you obey the king’s command. You cannot fight the witchery without being rested.”
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> Jubilee, snorting at Bobby’s words, laid a hand on Mark. “Look, just go to bed, kay? You’re being all Fruit Loops.”
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> Mark frowned. “Unhand me, fiend!” He swung his arm, knocking Jubilee back into Logan’s safe grasp. “You let the witches in!” he shouted accusingly at Bobby. “This place is cursed!”
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> “One would think,” Beast muttered. Dropping the ointment, he grabbed a hypodermic needle from the counter under the medicine cabinets and jabbed Mark in the buttock, through layers of denim and fabric. Mark howled in indignation before reeling on Beast. The sedative worked fast, though, and within moments, he was slumping towards the floor, his eyes rolling back in his head.
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> “I think,” Logan said shortly, “we should just move and not tell ‘em where we went.”
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> Storm’s sudden, shrill shriek cut off whatever anyone else might have said. She arched in the bed, her heels and shoulders seemingly the only points making contact with the mattress. After a moment, she collapsed, her eyes tightly closed. “What the FUCK was that?” Jubilee cried, her hand over her heart.
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> “I think it’s wearing off,” Beast shot back, hurrying to the bedside.
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> “The sedative?”
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> “No,” he replied to Logan, “the poison.”