X-Men: The Gifted Ones

7. MAGNETO HEADQUARTERS, LOCATION UNKNOWN

"You tell them, Magneto!" Wanda said, giggling. It was never a good sign when she giggled. Erik realized he smelled smoke. He looked over and saw curls of smoke coming from the ropes that bound Emma and Riptide and realized the rope was burning.

"Erik, tell that scarlet-haired witch to stop this!" Emma said furiously.

Erik chuckled, "I thought you were psychic!"

"She's not listening to me."

"Scarlet Witch... I like that as a nickname..." Erik said pensively. He walked over to Pietro, "And ...you, young man, your nickname should be Quicksilver. You're fast, and with that silver hair of yours..."

Pietro beamed with pride, "I like that!"

"Erik, this isn't the time for nicknames," Emma exclaimed as the rope smoldered.

"Quicksilver," Erik scolded. "Untie them? I can assure you that they will leave you alone if you two stop playing pranks."

Wanda, enjoying the sound of her new epithet of Scarlet Witch, looked sheepishly at Erik as Azazel appeared intact. He examined his body to make sure it was all there and that the bratty teenager had not left any part of him behind. He left nothing to chance with those two.

"Are you all together now?" Erik teased. "Nothing important left behind?"

Azazel scowled but nodded.

Quicksilver slowly untied Emma and Riptide. They were clearly angry, but relieved at being able to move freely.

Mystique had watched the scene unfold with annoyance until she realized someone was missing. "Has anyone seen Angel?"

Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver looked at one another which caused Erik and Mystique roll their eyes. Erik looked over at Scarlet Witch and Pietro to find them giggling. It boded ill.

"Where is Angel?" Erik demanded.

Scarlet Witch tried to appear innocent. Erik knew she was anything but. The girl batted her eyes and smiled, "Oh, she's just ...hanging out in the hallway!"

Erik huffed, "Wanda, what did you do?"

Quicksilver looked at his feet and smiled sheepishly, "Angel had a situation... similar... to Mystique with the tar!"

Erik looked at them in horror.

"You'll find her in the hallway, just... hanging out," Scarlet Witch replied, feigning shame. "She seemed pretty ticked off when we left her there."

Erik looked at Mystique and they both rolled their eyes and walked down the hallway to find Angel. They could hear Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch laughing. Emma, Azazel and Riptide were foolish enough to try walking toward them to confront them. Angel, after all, was one of them. These two scamps were outsiders and they didn't trust them and their pranks. All it took was for Scarlet Witch to shake her head and smile.

"Let's...not," Emma cautioned, backing away. She had had enough hijinks for one afternoon. She walked toward Magneto and Mystique to find out what had happened to Angel.

"This is just wonderful," Erik bellowed when he finally located Angel. She was dangling from the ceiling, suspended in a rope-and-tar spider web strung across the hallway. He could see Angel was clearly uncomfortable, contorted in the web with her limbs twisted and her wings and hair covered in tar. He wondered how she would even manage to clean herself off. He was certain she had done something to deserve this, but enough was enough. The twins had to learn how to manage their anger. If the Brotherhood was against each other, what could he hope to do against humanity? "Will you two let her down?!"

"Sure," Wanda winked.

There was a snapping sound and Angel crashed from the ceiling onto the floor. She was a tangle of ropes, tar, and pure fury. Erik felt no sympathy for her. "You want to prevent a repeat of this?" he demanded. "Then leave the twins alone. You're all supposed to train them!"

Riptide balled his hands into fists. Erik gave him a warning glance, "If you use your powers on them, use them in the interests of training. You want these two on your side. You want them loyal to you. This continues, we'll never make any headway against our enemies. Charles Xavier is recruiting new mutants. I am sure he does not have these issues." He looked at Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, "And the two of you need to learn some respect. Maybe some... one-on-one training with me will help you do that. Or I can let the others continue to torment you? Can you all agree to work together?"

"Yes, Sir," Scarlet Witch replied, humbled. She wasn't sure what one-on-one training with Magneto would mean, but she was certain she wouldn't like it. Even Quicksilver replied deferentially. He learned quickly that while the man may be a fairy, he could easily kill with a flick of his wrist and drive nails from the wall into anyone's skull without a second thought. He had no regard for life, especially human life. Quicksilver figured Magneto wouldn't even think twice about killing him if needed. You couldn't take chances with angering this man. This was a man Quicksilver wanted to respect, even if he did act a little light in his loafers.

Erik noticed he had the two difficult teenagers where he wanted them. It was time for training to begin.