Perfect

Perfect By: Mikazuki Senshi Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men:Evolution characters, nor do I own the song 'Perfect' by Simple Plan. I just thought it fits Pietro nicely. Dare I write the same for Draco Malfoy?? Or should we spam Delena/Aneled Hupp's account until she posts Makeshift Angels?? Oh, the many possibilities... ~o~o~  
  
Pietro was walking quietly for once. Not running, not shooting his mouth off at randomly anybody. Just walking. And thinking. About his father.  
  
Hey dad look at me  
  
Think back and talk to me  
  
Did I grow up according to plan?  
  
Always, his father had had some great plan for him, along with all of their kind. But he expected the most out of Pietro. For reasons unknown to the speed mutant, Magento thought that his son should be the best. He did everything his father said, but, somehow or another, Pietro was not good enough. A frown marred Pietro's usually smirking pale face as he remembered one of the few times he and the Brotherhood had gone out and tried to act like they were normal people. That had ended in disaster, especially when they found Magneto waiting at their house. 'He was so angry,' Pietro thought bitterly, walking a little faster. 'But not at the others. No. My father was angry at me.'  
  
Do you think I'm wasting my time doing things I wanna do?  
  
'Cuz it hurts when you disapprove all along  
  
::Flashback::  
  
Lance tried to park the old jeep quietly as the Brotherhood boys arrived back at Mystique's house. All they had done was gone out to a freaking fast food joint to get burgers because they'd run out of food at the house. But the problems had started when they decided to get food from the local supermarket. Toad had spotted a roach. He moved closer, in for the kill. Pietro looked up, "Uh, Toad, I REALLY don't think that's a good idea," he started to say.  
Too late.  
Toad's tongue was out and had grasped the roach. Screams erupted from the other shoppers, shocked at what they saw. Not a roach in a supermarket, oh no, their primary concern was not that there were insects in their supermarket. They only saw the six foot green tinged tongue sticking out of the boy's mouth.  
"MUTANT!" a woman screamed, drawing even more attention to the foursome. "THEY'LL KILL US ALL!! RUN!!!"  
"Oh my god," Lance groaned, leaning on their cart of essentials, rubbing his temples. He straightened, glaring. "What's your problem??" he demanded angrily. "It's not HIS fault YOUR store has ROACHES!!"  
The outburst only spurred on the anti-mutant cries. There was no way they could get through the crowd to leave, no, the people were not so kind. Some teen in the back was trying to shout above the noise to let them go, they'd done nothing wrong. Instead of helping, the girl's yells had landed her on the floor in front of the Brotherhood. A red mark was on her face. "JOIN YOUR KIND, YOU FILTHY MUTANT!!" someone shouted. "TRYING TO PRETEND YOU'RE ONE OF US, ARE YOU?!" There was hate in every face in the crowd. "You will NEVER be able to live as one of us, you FREAK!"  
Suddenly, everyone's faces were devoid of emotion, then they were confused. "What happened?" someone asked, voicing everyone's thoughts.  
The girl got up. "It's all right, I just tripped," she said, smiling. "Don't let clumsy old me keep you from shopping."  
As the crowd dispersed, she turned to the Brotherhood. "The name's Lockpick. They won't remember a thing. Enjoy."  
  
::End Flashback::  
  
And now I try hard to make it  
  
I just want to make you proud  
  
I'm never gonna be good enough for you  
  
Magneto hadn't been too pleased when they finally arrived, neither had Mystique. It turned out she had been in the crowd and had managed to avoid getting her memory of the events 'locked'. She'd gone directly to Magneto, and while the boys watched 'Lockpick' -and two others, apparently twins- disappear into a black hole that appeared out of nowhere, she was telling the master of magnetism how they's screwed up and blown their cover, probably upsetting the entire plan. Whatever said plan was.  
'And while she chewed out the others, she left me to face my father alone,' Pietro remembered, suddenly tired, hurting as the memory flashed before his eyes. God, he hated the memory. The next day, that and the entire night before, Pietro had been subject to Magneto's violent and twisted idea of a lecture. He'd returned to the Brotherhood three days later, sufficiently healed. Lance hadn't believed him for a second, but then, Lance never believed ANY of the things Pietro had ever told him, truth or lie. But Lance was a good guy, and respected Pietro's privacy. The younger teen had at first been grateful for this, and still was, but sometimes he almost wished Lance *had* demanded an answer. So he could have someone to turn to.  
  
I can't pretend that  
  
I'm alright  
  
And you can't change me  
  
His dearly beloved father had tried time and again to break his spirit, so he would follow orders without question. None of the other Acolytes or Brotherhood members needed it, they either bought the speech or needed the money. Some, namely Gambit and Pyro, did it mainly for the excitement and chance to use their powers. Unknown to all but Magneto, he really didn't think this war on humanity was necessary, but he'd do anything to gain his father's approval.  
  
'Cuz we lost it all  
  
Nothing lasts forever  
  
I'm sorry  
  
I can't be perfect  
  
Oh yes, he'd tried, he really had. Heck, Pietro had even gotten the missions *right* but it was never good enough for the 'crazed magnet boy' as Pyro had dubbed him one day. Pyro wasn't one to talk about people being crazy, but it hadn't mattered. The fire crazed freak had been high.  
  
Now it's just too late and  
  
We can't go back  
  
I'm sorry  
  
I can't be perfect  
  
I try not to think  
  
About the pain I feel inside  
  
Did you know you used to be my hero?  
  
All the days you spend with me  
  
Now seem so far away  
  
And it feels like you don't care anymore  
  
Pietro knew he and his father couldn't go back to the way it had been, before Magneto had gotten so wrapped up in his mutant versus human war. Pietro had looked up to his father with typical child hero worship. Back then, before the mutant soon to be known as Quicksilver knew he had mutant capabilities, his father had taken him to the park often, played his games and read the child stories. When Wanda had been taken away, he was sad, but kept it inside. He knew his father wouldn't want him to be weak. Not long after that, he discovered his incredible speed. Ever since, Pietro had never been sure if his father truly cared for him, or if the man kept him around simply for his mutant capabilities.  
  
And now I try hard to make it  
  
I just want to make you proud  
  
Pietro had made near perfect grades in school, even considering he was out a lot on missions for both his father and Mystique, the hag. She was like Lance in how she suspected he lied about his loyalties, but unlike his friend, the shapeshifter bought his lies. He was an honor student, held leadership positions in many clubs, and was well liked, even considering that everyone knew him to be a mutant.  
  
I'm never gonna be good enough for you  
  
I can't stand another fight  
  
And nothing's alright  
  
At first, the mutant persecution hadn't bothered him- no one really associated with his friends enough to cause them trouble. The war on mutants had taken backseat to his schoolwork- until his grades started slipping. Pietro knew for a fact that he did all the work right. Hell, he'd gone so far as to as Lance to help him on his homework, as the older boy had actually made time to go to some of his classes when he was Pietro's age. Both knew he was right, so Pietro never brought up that his teachers were prejudiced against him for being a mutant. Besides, Lance had his own problems.  
And then they were all expelled. Pietro had taken it in stride, being able to run to the next town for class there- at least no one knew he was a mutant. The others had stayed at home while he did this. Todd and Fred weren't much for school, and Lance was furious about the bigotry of the teachers and staff.  
  
Nothing's gonna change the things that you said  
  
Nothing's gonna make this right again  
  
Please don't turn your back  
  
I can't believe it's hard  
  
Just to talk to you  
  
'Cuz you don't understand  
  
The only thing that had really hurt was what his father had said. It was one of the night where he stayed with Magneto instead of the Brotherhood when the old man found out about Pietro being expelled. He'd sneered at the boy, telling him his ambitions were worthless and that no one would every hire him because his ideas were stupid and he was a mutant. "Even when mutants rule no one will care about your foolish dreams and ideas," he had said, the scorn had been all too evident in his voice. "You're a fool to think that you can be more than what I know you are: a stupid little fool who thinks too much of himself."  
Magneto had turned his back on him when he tried to explain himself more clearly, and how it would be a benefit to mutant kind. Determined not to let Magneto know how much those words had hurt him, the speed mutant had walked away with his head held high. He spent the evening laughing and joking with Pyro as they played videogames. Pyro looked at him during a lull in the conversation. "Don't let the crazed magnet boy get to you," he told him in a low voice. "Your ambitions are bloody brilliant and good enough to get you anywhere, no matter who dominates the world. No matter what, don't give up."  
Pyro had helped him a lot, especially with his writing classes. It turned out John was an avid writer and could make stories appear out of a single word. Everything was great until Pietro was called out of class one day. Gambit was at the office, waiting for him. "Gambit, what's up?" he greeted the thief. There was something wrong, he knew it. His carefree expression disappeared. "Gambit, what happened?? It's not Pyro right?? He's just at the base, isn't he?!"  
"Sorry kid," Remy said, voice shaking. "Aussie was in an accident. H-he got caught in the middle of a gang war..without his lighter..."  
"No, this can't be happening." Pietro started losing it. "Pyro'sokayyou'relyingtomehe'snotdead. JOHN ISN'T DEAD!!!"  
Gambit was shaking his head. "I'm sorry Pietro," was all he could say.  
Pietro ran to Magneto. "Tell me he's not dead!" he practically sobbed, tears threatening to overflow. "John isn't dead."  
A hard punch landed across his face. "Pull yourself together!" Magneto snapped, staring down at the fallen boy coldly. "Pyro was weak. He did not have the intelligence to carry his lighter at all times, and to not go through territory such as that without any of the others. Furthermore, he disobeyed a direct order to stay at the base. And if you know what is good for you, you will not display such weakness before me ever again. Is that clear??"  
The boy nodded and feigned heading back to school. Instead, he walked for what seemed like an eternity, ending up at a warehouse across town, holding a sheet of paper with an address on it, something he'd found in the groceries the day Toad had nearly blown their cover. He knocked on the door. A boy with hair more red than Pyro's had been opened the door. "I need to see Lockpick," he said softly. "It's important."  
The other boy quirked an eyebrow. "And who are you??" he questioned as the twins appeared behind him.  
"It's okay," one said. "It's Quicksilver." He turned to the lemur sitting on his shoulder. "Tell Lockpick Quicksilver's here."  
  
~o~o~  
I looked up from my laptop, eyes empathetic, and yet questioning. "If you couldn't tell anyone else, why did you tell me? You don't even know me, Pietro."  
"I know. That's why I told you. And... I want you to keep it secret, 'kay, Locke??" He looked so very desperate and alone.  
I nodded. "Very well. Come by and visit again sometime, Pietro."  
He never did. That evening, Pietro Maximoff took an overdose of a combination of sleeping pills and passed away due to heart failure. At least that's the story I tell, the story all but those who knew him best believe. You see, no combination in any proportion of sleeping pills could have killed Quicksilver, it goes though his system too fast. You see, right before he left, he asked me to save him from the pain. And I did, the only way we both knew.  
I locked Pietro's heart muscles, instantly killing him.  
Only one other mutant knows the truth, and he's locked in an insane asylum, also my doing.  
His father, Magneto.  
  
~fin~  
  
AN: Uh huh. Yeup, I killed him. Well, technically Lockpick did. In case you didn't get how she sent him to the insane asylum, it drove Magneto over the edge that she'd gone and killed Pietro. Not that he cared for the guy, just because Quicksilver was 'useful'. By locking up parts of his mind, including his mutant abilities, she was able to convince the police that he'd attacked her and that he was psycho. Which he already was, she just gave him a nudge off the cliff.  
  
Pietro: Why didn't you kill him??" Lockpick: I wanted him to live and to suffer. Besides, do you want to spend eternity with him?? Look at the bright side, you're with your buddy John now.  
  
Pietro: What about Lance?? He'll miss me! A lot!!  
  
Raven: I'll fix it! ::Glares at Lance, who falls dead and joins Pietro and John::  
  
Lance:: YAY!! No more Kitty!!!  
  
Alesca: Review please!! 


End file.
