Maisie and the X-Men

One: The X-Men

"Are you sure about this?" Eddie asked as he and Maisie packed some things from her room. Maisie nodded.

"Yeah! Maybe this school won't get broken into!" Maisie exclaimed. "Right Sebby?" Sebastian barked.

"You asked about the dog, right?" Eddie questioned.

"Yeah, and the bald man said it was fine if I kept him since he's my helper. Plus, the other kids'll like him."

Other kids...? Eddie! I've just had a brilliant idea!

"Oh yeah? What idea is that?" Eddie rolled his eyes. Venom snaked out of his back so that both Eddie and Maisie could hear him.

"We should go with her to this place!" Venom exclaimed.

"I don't think that's a good idea..." Eddie admitted.

"Shut up, Eddie. It's brilliant." Eddie just huffed in response.

"I think that'd be fun! We can learn how to be heroes together!" Maisie agreed. Eddie sighed.

"I'll start packing. After I help you finish." Maisie grinned.

"Awesome!"

"How's the packing going?" Anne asked, leaning in the doorway.

"It's going. Did you just get back?" Eddie responded. Anne nodded.

"Yep. We got off the plane a few hours ago," Anne confirmed.

"How was it?" Maisie wondered aloud.

"It was amazing! We spent most of our time at the beach, and we went scuba diving. I actually have pictures!" Anne replied.

"That sounds fun! Doesn't explain why you smell different though," Maisie admitted. Anne and Eddie each raised an eyebrow.

"Is that bad?" Anne asked.

"I dunno. It's just different. Right Sebby?" Maisie stated.

"We'll put a pin in that for now. So when are you guys leaving?" Anne asked.

"What? Anxious to be rid of us?" Eddie teased.

"Well, once you move out I can turn your room into an office," Anne joked back.

"I hate you."

"No you don't."

"You're right. He doesn't," Venom agreed. The group shared a laugh before a silence fell over the room.

"In all seriousness though, it should only be a few days. Then we'll be out," Eddie said.

"Don't worry, though! We'll come visit all the time! I promise!" Maisie exclaimed with a grin.

"I know you will. Eddie still needs my constant help," Anne remarked.

"Well, if you keep talking like that, maybe we won't visit," Eddie retorted. Anne rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah, I'm so worried. Anyway, I've gotta go start dinner. Don't wait up."

After dinner, Eddie and Maisie finished packing Maisie's room before heading to bed.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Anne asked as her and Dan got ready for bed.

"Yeah. They'll be fine. If they can save the world, they can live on their own. Besides, they'll be surrounded with people who are more like them," Dan pointed out.

"Yeah...I still can't help but worry a little bit about all this though...I mean, I've never even heard of mutants, but now I find out Maisie is one. It's crazy."

"But, not crazy enough that it doesn't make sense." Anne huffed a laugh.

"I guess not..."

Eddie and Maisie spent most of the next few days packing their stuff and, before they knew it, Charles Xavier was there to pick them up.

"Bye Maisie! Bye Eddie! Take care of each other!" Anne and Dan called after them. Maisie and Eddie waved goodbye and got into Charles's jet.

"Was the jet really necessary?" Eddie asked.

Eddie...I feel sick...

"Good. Now you know how you make me feel. Constantly," Eddie jeered. There was a sudden sharp pain in his side. "Ow! Did you just bite my kidney?!"

Yes.

"Why?!"

Because I don't like you.

"You can't just eat people's kidneys because you don't like them!"

"Who are you talking to?" a young woman asked as Eddie and Venom were in the middle of their argument. Eddie jumped up out of his seat in shock.

"Whoa! I didn't even notice you!" Eddie admitted. the woman laughed.

"I get that a lot! Sorry to frighten you! My name's Levy. And you are?" she asked.

"Eddie Brock. So I'm assuming you're a mutant since you're on this jet." Levy nodded.

"I am. I can control celestial bodies. Like meteors and comets."

"So don't piss you off. Is that what you're trying to tell me?"

"Something like that," Levy said with a laugh. "What's your power?"

"I eat people."

"I....really don't think that counts..." Levy laughed nervously.

"I'm kidding. Actually, I have a symbiote that basically turns me into a superhuman."

"Oh nice! What about your kid? Can she talk to animals or something?"

"No. She brought her dog because she's blind. He's a service dog. I mean, she does have her glasses, but something tells me they won't hold up to our way of life."

"I see. And I can't imagine how expensive they must be."

Yes. They were very expensive. But it was worth it.

"No kidding. It's a miracle I could even afford them."

"So what is her power?"

"Honestly, I don't know really know."

"Well, if the Professor recruited her, I'm sure she's got one."

"What's he like, anyway? I've only heard speculation and hazy stories. Almost like he doesn't want to be seen."

"It's not that. He just doesn't want people to find out that his students are actually all mutants. So, he erases their memories every time something happens. I guess a side effect is that not many people can remember him clearly."

"Wait, so he could wipe the memories of everyone in the city?!"

"Yep. If that's what he thinks he needs to do. He really cares about his students, and considers them his children. It's nice, and it makes for a comfortable environment. Even for newcomers, I guess." Levy gestured to where Maisie was sitting. She was clinging to the arm of another little girl with short brown hair.

"She's always found it easy to make new friends. Unfortunately, we've been moving around quite a bit over the last year, so she hasn't really been able to keep in contact with them. Not for a lack of trying, of course."

"Well, I assure you, the friends she makes here will be with her for life. For both of you."

"That's good to hear. Hey, shouldn't we be at the mansion by now?"

My thoughts exactly, Eddie. I feel like my guts are gonna spew.

"We have to travel to the Maldives to pick up a young mutant there. Then, we'll head back," Charles responded from the pilot seat.

No...

"Fine by me. I can do this for the rest of my life if I have to," Eddie remarked before feeling a sharp pain in his side again. "Cut that out!"