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Magneto had kept silent the entire flight. Toad followed suit, too busy with his own thoughts or not wanting to interrupt his "master's" concentration. He landed them both on a rocky cliff off the coast of California. Toad had almost fallen asleep from the gentle winds but when solid ground hit his sneaker, he was awake and stood wearily, overlooking the high cliffs and rocky depths below. The jagged rocks sticking like jaws from the ebb and flow of rapid-like tides. " Why are are stopping here?" " I am giving you a chance to say anything you have to say." " Why did you help me?" Magneto was quiet a moment. " You are the first member of my Brotherhood of Mutants. I owe you something." Toad crinkled up his face and turned away, watching the water again...the salty winds blowing in his hair. " So that's it? You OWE it to me? Do you think I deserve it?" " When have you ever proven yourself?" " I'm obviously little threat to your enemies. Wasn't I a good enough ‘toadie' for you? Bringing as much information as I could? I'm not a demi-god. I'm an orphan boy with no life to look back on...and who is so wrapped up with nothing but a shell of what used to be an existence. The fault is not mine." " Such intelligent words, Toad." " Todd. I want you to call me by my first name." He peered at Magneto over his shoulder, " You've never given me that respect. And we're not close enough for you to talk to me like a close friend." Magneto nodded, taking off his helmet, " Todd." It felt good to be in charge. He turned away and watched the sea gulls overhead. " Why did you bring me into the Brotherhood?" " Do you want an honest answer?" " Yes." " There was a small chance for great potential, which you never really showed. But, I knew you'd give in and do as you were told. Potential or no...you were obedient." " I was your pet." " Yes." Toad lowered his head. " You owed me the rescue. What now?" " You will continue to be obedient." " If I refuse?" " Do you?" Toad turned around, " I've learned there is more to me than even I knew. I'm worth more than to be some yes-man. Some expendible pawn for you to play with and throw aside. You are heartless. Why should I care about your team? You don't care about anyone in it. Don't care for me...the other boys...Pietro...you're just boosting his ego so he can cater to your needs. False security. Wanda....what you did to WANDA." " Is none of your business." Toad was silent a moment. Magneto sighed, " If you refuse, that is your choice. I can't force you." " Glad you're seeing reason." " I promised one way or another I'd take care of you." Toad eyed Magneto curiously. That tone...he didn't like it. Before he could react, Magneto had him by the shirt and lifted him up and over the cliff. " Frog-legs have been a favorite dish of mine since I was a teenager." Magneto smiled. " Pity the rest of the frog had to suffer. Live, grow strong...then die when things are beginning to look good." Toad held onto Magneto's hands, not chancing the strength of his clothing. He let out a frightened whimper. " I've gotten everything I could possibly get from you, Toad. If you can't obey me anymore, then you are of no use to me. And you know too much to be left to wander. So, keep a stiff upper lip." He smiled. " And say good-bye. I'm about to end all of your problems for good." Toad let out a cry as Magneto began to let go. But, suddenly, he stopped. Magneto glanced up and frowned, " What...is that?" *** How it happened neither of them knew. One moment they were on the cliffs and the next, they were in some metallic room...but Magneto couldn't control it. He dropped Toad, who landed on his behind on the hard floor. " Where are we?" " How should I know?!" Toad hissed, " I was too worried about how many pieces I'd be chopped into." " You are aboard my ship," A voice replied. Both glanced towards the sound to see a strangely dressed man. " Who are you?!" Magneto demanded. " You'd never be able to pronounce my name in your tongue." " Stay where ya are, Stranger, or I'll slime ya." The figure laughed, " That will suit me fine. That's all you need to know. I'm a stranger from another planet." Toad groaned, " Nightmares, Puppy Mills and Aliens...oh my." " Don't be alarmed. I'm researching your species." " For what purpose?" Magneto accused. " An invasion?" " That's not for you to know." The two were grabbed by some smaller aliens and dragged along, thrown into cells into some strange area of the ship beside each other. " My life just can't get any worse." Toad sighed, crouching in the corner. " It's enough punishment to be stuck here with you." Magneto stood up and looked around, " I'm not about to be caged up like some animal. No one imprisons Magneto...for long." " So comic-booky...speaking of oneself in a third person perspective." " Right," Magneto replied sarcastically. " If this were a comic book, you'd be wearing a jester's outfit and playing the part of my fool." Toad scowled. He was beginning to hate Magneto's company more and more. He wished he'd just...vanish! And never talk to him again! *** " Row, row row your boat gently down the stream..." " Row, row, row...STOP!" Toad screamed, throwing himself forward. " If we sing this stupif diddy ONE MORE TIME I'm gonna pull out my HAIR!!!!" " Got any better ideas?" Magneto asked, staring at the floor in complete boredom. " Well, great mastermind of the diabolicle things mutants do....why don't you get us out of here?!" " Would you rejoin the Brotherhood?" " I'll take BALLET classes and wear a pink frilly tu-tu and audition for the lead female role of SWAN LAKE! Just get me the hell OUTTA HERE!" Magneto smiled. He loved getting his way. He was about to reply when one of the aliens entered. " Hmmmmnnnnnyes," he muttered, looking over the prisoners. He opened Toad's cell and placed a collar on him before he was able to object. With a push of a button the shock made Toad leap forward. " Quit it, Yo!" " Forward." He replied calmly, forcing Toad forward and into a lab. He turned pale seeing all the strange gadgets. " Another lab? No more labs...I want to go home." He whined. He turned, " Jasper!" The little alien gave Toad a push into the examining table and strapped him down. He fought in vain until the shadow of Stranger peered over him. " Earthlings are the faery tale of far-off galaxies. What great things can be told if tests were run on them." " We are not your average Earthlings. We aren't like other people." " I see," Stranger replied, putting gloves on and poking and prodding at Toad's body. " No needles. No experimental drugs or gasses. No more torture." " Eh?" Stranger asked. Toad remained silent then began to squirm with discomfort. Magneto was about to doze off in his cell when he heard the horrible blood-curdling screams and cries. He shot awake and to his feet. Whatever they were doing to Toad, it wasn't pleasant and he was next. He looked around for something that could prove a way out. He never said it out loud. But...four days of singing Row Row Row Your Boat nonestop was enough to drive anyone mad. How Toad managed to keep a tune amazed him. He had more focus than he had him figured for. No matter. Who cared about Toad's musical talents. He had to get out...and fast. There was a world to conquer! And no one was gonna do it before HIM! He noticed a sleeping guard across the room and tossed a screw at him. It woke him and brought him over. " Watch it!" " An amazing ship." " Yeah, took forever to build." " So, how do you work everything?" " Keys open doors, Cell keys open cell doors, buttons and features do different things. Depends on what and where." " Interesting. I'd love to see everything." " I dunno." " C'mere." The guard was stunned, " Eh?" " You have something on your face. Let me get it." He wiped at his face but Magneto insisted it was still there so the guard leaned in. Rumor was that Earthlings were stupid so what harm was there? Lots. Magneto grabbed the guard's whiskers and slammed him face first into the bars and pulled the key from him. He unlocked his cell and replaced the guard in his chair. He'd be out a while. But, it was too dangerous to make an escape now. *** Magneto cast worried eyes to Toad who lay in the fetal position in the cell next to him, curled up and quivering. Toad had not stood up for hours...not even crouched...just remained curled in a painful ball. It was late...so Stranger said...and Magneto was scheduled to be studied the next morning....but not if he could help it. After a few more hours, he glanced back over at Toad. He looked to be sound asleep. He reached out and unlocked his cell. It was then he felt those glowing eyes. " So, you did it? And at my expense?" Toad accused. " I told you no one could hold me very long." " Great great. Now...unlock my cell. I don't want another day like today." A long silent pause. " C'mon, Yo! Magneto, open my cell! I wanna go home!" Magneto still stayed quiet and then looked at the key and tossed it, sending it into a vent and out fo sight. " MAGNETO!!!" " Sorry, Toad. I had planned to drop you into jagged rocks to ‘take care of you.' But, this is a lot better. No evidence to be found. No way to pin anything on the Brotherhood. It was amusing while it lasted." With that, he turned and casually walked out. Toad slammed himself agains the bars, " You can't do this!" The tears of frustration and fright ran down his cheeks, " You have to let me out! Don't leave me! DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND!!! NOT AGAIN!!!!" It was no use. Magneto had already gone. He had no clue what would happen to him...but knew Magneto would certainly get out alive. The man was unkillable and untrappable. But....Toad...he was stuck. No one knew where he was...or did they care? He screamed obsenities and carried on crying out for release until he was exhausted and dropped, covered in sweat and tears. " How...could you...leave me behind....again?" He sobbed. He leaned helplessly against the bars, wishing for comfort. Jasper...Wanda....even one of those X-Freaks. SOMEONE who would be able to make him feel safe. " Is this it?" He sniffled. " Is this how The Toad meets his end?" He slammed his head against the bars, " Now I'M doing it! DAMN YOU, MAGNETO!!!! I HATE YOU!" He was red and flushed...and panted from the exertion of energy, " I don't care how long it takes or even WHAT it takes. I'm not dying now. I'm coming back to hunt you down, Magneto. The Toad owes you a favor." To be continued... | ||||
