Ain't No Party Like a Brotherhood Party

Music blaring in the dark foyer, Boom Boom danced around excitedly, the spinning lights of a stolen disco ball flashing above her."Glad you guys made it," she laughed, inviting in Rogue and Kitty who looked around the converted villain's lair with surprise.

"May I take your coats, m'ladies?" bowed an obsequious Toad, his usual ripped clothes had been traded out for a light blue suit, ruffles and a cummerbund peeking out from inside the jacket.

"We aren't wearin' coats," Rogue drawled, her Southern accent sweet as buttermilk.

"Nobody is," Toad kicked the ground, "Boom Boom, why am I doing this?"

"Cause it's classy, now man the door, I need to get these ladies something to drink," Tabitha grabbed both girls by the arm and dragged them into the adjoining room.

"Guess y'all really did fix this place up," Rogue looked around, the packed living room had many of the holes in the walls papered over and calk now filled the cracks caused by Lance's temper tantrums.

"I mean, we did most of it today," a nearby Blob grunted over the noise. He was currently in suspenders behind a table, shaking a steel cocktail maker in his meaty palms.

"Don't you love it?" Boom Boom enthused, "think of all the parties we can do here now: we can bring over X-People, Acolytes, Bayville Sirens, you name it." With a hoot she threw a set of tiny plasma ball in the air, letting them pop and explode above the crowd of people.

"Jesus, Tabitha, powers," Kitty grabbed her by the arm.

"What? I brought a few small fireworks, that only I can use," she shouted into the crowd, "People love it."

Indeed they did, the assembled humans and mutants from Bayville High let out a cheer, grooving to the music as Boom Boom cackled.

"Loosen up, girly," Tabitha teased, "now about that drink."

"Oh I'm good," said Kitty turning her nose up at the brown liquid Blob was pouring into a set of plastic cups. He winked at her, running his hand through his mohawk once he was done.

"No ****, phooey?" Boom Boom sounded almost upset but she still kept up her red-lipped smile. "Well I guess, we'll have to find you something else to help you loosen up, Kitty. What--do--I--have?"

As if on cue, a grumpy Lance entered the room, his usual brown vest having been swapped for a dapper jacket and button-down.

"Seriously Boom Boom, no one else dressed up. Why on earth did you make me go...?"" He stopped mid-sentence, eyes falling Kitty as she smiled.

"You're looking pretty sharp, Lance," his date in the pink cardigan tittered.

"Kitty...hey!" The broodish punk smiled, his complaints about his outfit entirely forgotten.

Boom Boom elbowed Blob, who scrambled under the table, handing Lance a trio of red roses.

"...uhhh, oh! Oh!" The mutant Avalanche fumbled with the foliage, before presenting them to Kitty, "I bought these for you."

"Ya, clearly did," chuckled Rogue.

"Aww they're lovely," Kitty reached through Rogue's arm to flick her in the stomach, "thanks Lance."

"Sure," Avalanche smiled through his ruffled hair, giddy with unearned pride. "Why don't I show you the kitchen, we stole--I mean bought quite the spread."

The two lovebirds walked into the crowd, Kitty passively phasing them through as she rested her head on Lance's shoulder. Blob let out a tragic sniffle.

"There there don't cry, Fred," Boom Boom said comfortingly ,"would watching Rogue and I kiss make it better?"

With an exasperated frown, Rogue shook her head, "Really bad idea, Tabitha."

"Aww, just a little peck," the blonde teased, "how bad could your powers be?"

"Pretty dam bad," the goth leaned against the wall, one of Blob's drinks now in her hand.

"Worth a shot," Boom Boom laughed, sidling up to Rogue.

Taking a sip, Rogue swallowed and shivered, "You're crazy, and I cannot believe you got all this past Mystique."

"Her? She's barely ever around anymore," the punky blonde shrugged, "we all thought she was dead to be honest."

"And all the guys agreed to this?" Another drink, the space between Rogue's eyebrows was starting to feel warm.

"I mean...," Boom Boom started, the inopportune arrival of Elliot interrupting her.

"WHAT THE FUCK, BOOM BOOM?"

"...most of them," the blonde truant rolled her eyes.

"Can I take your coat?" Toad croaked at the new arrival, but Elliot just ignored him and stormed toward Tabitha.

"What are these people doing here?" The boy looked around nervously, his hands jittery._ _Phrases like _Partners, It's Complicated, BFFs and Rivals _flashed before his eyes as Elliot was bombarded with a house party's worth of relationships. "These people shouldn't be here."

"Oh don't get your boxers in a twist," Boom Boom shrugged, turning away from Rogue to stare down her latest roommate.

"I...I can't...deal with this many people right now," Elliot stuttered, flashing back to his close call with Amanda and Kurt that afternoon, "you need to tell them to leave."

"Mmm, not happening," Boom Boom shook her head, a plasma bomb materializing in the crook of her thumb, "what I'm going to do is tell you to calm down, or I'm sending one of these babies up your nose."

"I'd like to see you try as the Brotherhood's new roomba," Elliot shot back, power radiating from his finger tips.

"Can we all just take a breather?" Declared Rogue, moving to impose herself between the quarreling mutants, an equally concerned Blob coming up behind her. "I can shut this whole party down right quick if you two don't cool it," and so saying she removed one of her black gloves, her pale skin almost glowing in the shadows.

But Boom Boom, eerily confident, just held up her hands and shrugged, "How about we make your favorite bed-mate the guest of honor, Elliot? Would that make you feel better.""

Ice ran down Elliot's back, his hands shaking as he met Tabitha's sneer. "Leave her out of this."

"Her?" Boom Boom guffawed.

"I'm not joking," Elliot's voice went cold, "you aren't capable of understanding what she is."

The wispy haired blonde just shrugged and snickered, "Do you even know where she is?"

Eyes wide, Elliot just turned and bolted up the stairs, charging toward his room as Boom Boom laughed.

"Jeez, what was that about?" Rogue eyed the blonde bomb dispenser warily.

"Latest Brotherhood addition, Elliot," Boom Boom rolled her eyes, "I should probably be ****, he's crazy powerful, but the creep sleeps with a sex doll."

"A what?"

"Sex doll," Boom Boom nodded, smirking in the flashing lights, "pretty sure it's his girlfriend, practically treats it like it's human."

Upstairs, Elliot threw open his door, his sense of mounting terror confirmed. His girlfriend and first victim of his powers was missing.