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THE ODDITIES written by Richard 'Kurogo' Palmer
Warning: This Fan-fiction deals with mature such as substance abuse, profanity and violence.
Massachusetts Academy, 7 PM, Tuesday.
"Come on Kevin!" Paige pleaded.
"No!" Kevin said as he headed down the hall.
"It's not like it's going to waste your time." She followed him; she'd been following him for some time trying to get him to use his talent to help her with some personal problems.
"I said No, dammit, and I mean No." Kevin said. Sanctuary, the men's restroom was just ahead.
"Why not?" Kevin ignored her and ducked into the restroom. With a brief hesitation she followed. "Dammit Kevin why not?!"
"Shit, girl, you got balls I'll give you that! What If I weren't the only guy in here?" Kevin Stared back at her, "Okay I'll tell you why not," he leaned in close, "Cause I don't get involved in personal shit! Comprende?"
"It's a simple surveillance mission, Kevin, from what I've heard you've done a hundred of em." Paige pleaded, "Look, Jono isn't talking to me, a lot less than usual even. Just find out what's bugging him."
Kevin sighed, "Why me, huh?"
"Because you're the 'maniacal masochist of this motley crew' or at least that's what you continue to claim. If Jono shoves it'll only spur you on."
"Dammit." Kevin muttered, "Well, I guess now I have to do it."
Paige smiled, "And why is that?"
Kevin glared back at her, "Don't give me that, that was a challenge and you know it." He walked out of the rest room. "That was a dirty trick."
Paige walked out after him "Wunnit though?"
______________
Massachusetts Academy, After Classes.
"Jono, My man," Kevin said as he walked out to meet Chamber after school the next day, "My main man, Wassup."
::I'm not in the mood Kevin.:: Jono replied.
"Oh, C'mon man, why the shoulder, What have I done to you?" Kevin smiled, "aside from piss you off like I've done to every other guy at this school."
::You're being nice Kevin,:: Jonothan replied, ::It makes yer conspicuous.::
"Alright then I'll cut the bullshit," Kevin said as he pulled out a Cigarette, "You got country girl Guthrie worried sick about you. You haven't said more than two words to her all week. And comin from a guy trying to renew relationships of his own I'd like to know why?"
::I know she put yer up to this.:: Jono replied.
"Give the man a stogie," Kevin smirked, Jono shot a glance at him. "Okay, alright, if my bein' a pain in the ass will hinder things at this point, consider me shut up."
::Yer want to know why I'm not speaking to her? Or anyone else for that matter?:: Jono asked, Kevin nodded. Chamber pulled his scarf down a bit, ::This is why, Why would anyone want to get close to a freak like me.:: he pulled the scarf back up, ::Sometimes I think I'm cursed.::
Kevin looked at Jono questioningly, he dropped his cigarette, "That's it. You're not talking to Paige because you're a mutant. ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR HEAD!" Jonothan shot Kevin the same angry look, "In case you haven't noticed, laughing boy, we're all mutants here. And I don't think any one of us has a life devoid of tragedy."
Jono grabbed Kevin by the collar, ::Tragedy? I got me bloody face blown off! I can't eat or drink, let alone smile or breathe… how do you think any tragedy in your life compares with that?::
"Over thirty death sentences, man. I was a fucking lab rat, and when it came to a point when I lost all hope, even more so than you captain gloom, I killed myself intentionally, on several occasions actually, just hoping that one time, JUST ONE TIME, I wouldn't come back." Kevin sighed, "Now if you still want to beat my face in, go right ahead. It'd be better if you took your aggressions out on me, someone who can take it, then let it all get bottled up and hurt someone who doesn't deserve it, like Paige."
Jono let go of Kevin, ::Yer don't know what it's like. Yer could never know. Yer killed yourself to try an stop the pain, yer took the easy way out.::
"In most cases I'd agree with you, man, but in asylum 7 a body bag was the only way you left." Kevin looked Chamber straight in the eye, "When you get sent to some mutant death camp where the only options are to die or be stripped of your humanity, come back and tell me what choice you made! Me I didn't have any explosive ability or even someone who gave a rat's ass. Hell I didn't have a reason to live at that point, but things change, and people change. And I eventually found life worth living again." Kevin straitened his jacket; "But back then, death was all I had."
::Cry me a river, mate.:: Jono replied. Kevin grabbed him by the arm.
"I'm gonna do a lot more than that bro," Kevin grinned, "a lot more." Pack your bags, we're going on a road trip."
::But…::
"An' I don't wanna hear no feakin' 'buts', I'm about to show you the world my friend. Least you could do is sit back and enjoy the ride."
Jonothan looked at Kevin questioningly before Kevin let go of his arm. He sighed as he left to get a change of clothes. Angelo walked up to Kevin as Jono went off to his dorm room. "What the hell was that all about Vato?"
"That," Kevin said as he pulled out another cigarette, "was about family and reality. So I'm taking Chamber on an unscheduled field trip."
"I wouldn't do that man," Skin said as Kevin lit up his cigarette, "Ms. Frost will have your ass if you just up an' leave."
Kevin pulled the cigarette out of his mouth, "Ooooh, I'm shakin."
"This is serious man!" Angelo responded.
"Look, Frost can suck it." Kevin said as he took a drag off of his cigarette, "There are times when a man's got to shove the textbooks and learn the hard way."
Skin shook his head, "Fine then. For your own sake, Vato, I insist that you bring me along."
Kevin took the cigarette out of his mouth and placed a hand on Angelo's shoulder, "Look, Ange, You’re a cool guy, an' we're pal's, right?" Angelo nodded, "But I don't need no damn babysitter."
"You'd be axle grease without me, pal." Angelo said, "and aside from that I know how to handle the White Queen. You need me."
"Well, You've got ten minutes." Kevin said as he looked at his watch, "After that I'm gone."
"Fine." Angelo said. He dashed off to the dorm to get ready for Kevin's road trip.
______________
New York, twenty-seven miles west of Albany.
Chamber sat in the sidecar of Kevin's motorcycle, a 1990 Harley Davidson Fatboy, Quite a bike in Chamber's opinion. But he didn't say anything about it to Kevin. He, Kevin, and Angelo were headed to some area in New York, for reasons that only Sequel knew at this time. Sequel was a rude and insulting man, he thought he knew it all sometimes, and other times he didn't care if he didn't. He and Jono weren't exactly friends, but they didn't hate each other either. All in all, Chamber wasn't sure why he was here. Kevin seemed determined to show Jono that life wasn't as hopeless as it seemed. Maybe it was how Kevin tried to tell him. If there was something to convince Kevin life was worth living after what he went through at Asylum 7, it was worth it to find out why Kevin's outlook changed so drastically.
"We're coming in on the home stretch." Kevin shouted, "If you got anything to say now's the time to say it."
Angelo looked around it all seemed like barren farmland, "How's about where the hell are we?"
"About to get our asses kicked if my information's wrong." Kevin replied. He pulled up a dirt road. Before the building came into site Jonothan heard the loud music blaring from it. The building itself looked as though it was condemned; it was a run down old farmhouse in disrepair. Kevin pulled up and turned off his bike. Angelo jumped off as Chamber looked around. There were several other motorcycles outside. "C'mon, Jono, You want a reason to live life, I'm about to give it to ya."
"I sure as hell hope you know what you're doing, Vato, cause a Hell's Angels party is the last party I'd like to crash." As he finished his sentence Kevin turned and glared at Skin.
"Don't even insinuate that I'd hang out with a buncha twisted freaks like the Hell's Angels."
Angelo held both hands up and said, "It's cool, It's cool, I didn't mean nothin' by it!"
Kevin removed his helmet, "Those rat bastards are the almost the direct opposite of everything I've come to believe in life."
They followed Kevin as he opened the front door to the house. He looked around. It was a loud wild and obnoxious beer-fest of a biker convention. Loud music was blaring, men and women in tight leather were dancing and drinking, several people were passed out. Kevin walked inside like he owned the place. He walked right up to the stereo and unplugged it. All eyes shot to this man.
"Oh, bloody hell Kevin!" Jonothan though, "What the hell are yer doing now?"
"Everybody come see the greatest show! Gather up all juggolows and roll. Everybody come see the greatest show! Gather up all juggolows and roll. Oh, yeah! Damn, baby, Damn! Get your ass outta the way cause here we come! We's bringing this spectacle into your town! We got creepshows! Freakshows! Wicked! Whoah!" Some of the bikers joined in with him; "Most people don't like these Oddities! Most people would love to have a shot at me! If you think you're to good for us sideshow freaks let me know, so I can whip-smack your cheeks! C'mon!"
"Everyone come see the greatest show! Homeboy let me tell you where to go. Come and be down with the Clown! The great Oddity freakshow's in town!" The crowd joined in "Everyone come see the greatest show! Homeboy let me tell you where to go. Come and be down with the Clown! The great Oddity freakshow's in town!"
"I'm a side show loony, watch me get nuts!" sang a large bear of a man, "I do back flips out infronta Mack trucks! In high school the chicks always gave us 'but's', cause I'm nine feet tall and my boy's are Cyclops!"
"I can swim shark filled waters!" Sequel returned.
"Yeah well, I can chew nails up an' spit out quarters." The big man grinned, "Don't cry for your daddy what's that gonna do? When he's just as shook as you?"
Sequel stopped singing, "Crash, Crash Bartlett, Damn it's been quite awhile hadn't it?"
"About two years now." The big man replied, "I hear you came around while I was gone on business though. At any rate, it's nice to see ya!" he turned to the crowd "Here's to Kevin!"
The crowd raised their beers in response.
"What brings you out here? On the run again?"
Kevin shrugged, "No, Still refuse to let them try to make me seem normal, but no."
"Arright." Crash said and then he turned to the crowd again, "To Hell with normal!" again the crowd raised their beers.
"Just came by, heard you was in the area." Kevin said as Crash's attention returned to him.
Crash chuckled and slapped Kevin on the back; "Well have yourself a good time, lotsa folks waitin' to see ya! Welcome back to the family." He turned back to the crowd, "Here's to Family!" the crowd grew silent. "I meant this family, fools, the Oddities!"
Again the bikers raised their beers.
"What the hell is this?" Angelo asked as they headed down a hallway.
"A group of outsiders. Rebels without a cause and all that crap." Kevin said as he looked for as room where he and his friends could spend the night, "The only difference is this biker group was founded by a mutant and a sideshow freak. Not all of the members are mutants, but all of the members are mutant supporters." He opened up the door to a shabby run down room, "They were already seen as weirdoes and freaks, even the ones who weren't mutants, they decided to hell with it, and called them selves the Oddities. Crash for instance is a social misfit, he comes from a family of industrialists, he actually owns Bartlett industries, but he doesn't socialize well with the upper class crowd."
"Kevin? Kevin Dallas?" came a voice from behind them, "Like the majestic Phoenix the man we know as sequel once again rises from the ashes from whenst he passed." Said a young blonde man as he approached. Like Sequel and the rest of the bikers he was dressed almost entirely in leather, except for the white Shakespearean style collared shirt underneath his jacket.
"Hello, Chuck."
"And who be these gentlemen that accompany you?"
"Jono meet Charlie Benton, AKA Shylock. He's a Shakespeare nut."
Charlie pulled his own head off of it's shoulders and held it out in his hand as he spoke, "Ah, alas poor Yorich, I knew me well."
Angelo looked at Charlie funny as he reattached his head.
"Yeah Charlie's a kick." Kevin replied, "he's great for parties." He walked into he room and set his stuff down, "We're parking here for the night," he said to Chamber, "but don't get comfortable yet, there's someone you gotta meet. Ange can you take my bike to the Garage? After that you can head back into the main room and join the party if you'd like."
______________
Angelo wheeled Sequel's motorcycle into the garage out behind the farmhouse. "Hello?" he called out. There were a lot of bikes there, and a lot of loose parts strewn about. "Hello?"
"Hello." Said a voice from behind him, Angelo turned to see a man in a long overcoat, with frizzy hair and goggles over his eyes, grease covered his face and he was wiping off a socket wrench as he approached, "Can I, uh, help you?"
"Kevin Dallas wanted a tune up on his bike if it ain't too much trouble."
"Dallas?" the man said as he scratched his head.
"Sequel?" Angelo said, "the mutant biker who doesn't die?"
"Oh yeah, Sequel." The guy said as he pulled out a box of screws he opened the box and walked over to the bike, "let's just see what's wrong here." He said as he took a handful of screws and stuffed them into his mouth.
"What the?" Angelo said as the guy munched on the small metal objects.
"I'm sorry," he said as he handed the box to Angelo, "want some?"
"No," Angelo declined, "Thank you."
The guy shrugged and continued to look at the bike. "Hey," Bartlett said as he walked into the garage, "new guy!"
"It's Angelo, man." Skin replied.
"Okay, Angelo, so I see you've met Roy." He said as Roy continued to peer at the bike. "Yeah Roy's a special case. He found out he was a mutant when his parents caught him drinking Drano underneath the sink. Funny thing was it cured his failing health." Bartlett sat down as Roy fumbled with the motor a little bit, "It seems that Roy's digestive system only give him nutrition from stuff that would be toxic to everybody else. His teeth are even better suited for toxic digestion; they're like a natural adamantium alloy. It's also left him a little light in the head in most areas."
Roy stood up, "the transmission needs more fluid, your sparkplugs could stand to be replaced and the brake drums could use a little tweaking. Would you like any other changes?"
"Changes?" Angelo said.
"A day or two and the right parts I could install a voice recognition system, maybe a stealth mode?"
"Uh… no, just the tune-up." Angelo said. Roy shrugged and bit down on a sparkplug.
Crash Bartlett walked Angelo out of the garage, "He's a prodigy with mechanics, but a little retarded otherwise. He doesn't even know his last name or where he's from, never learned it."
Angelo looked back at Roy who was happily working away in the garage, completely oblivious to the rest of the world.
______________
Kevin and Jonothan walked up the stairs to the second floor as they neared the top a small man sailed over the balcony, "Kevin you little son of a bitch, where the hell ya been all this time?!" Said the midget as he knocked Kevin down.
"Hey Bill." Kevin coughed.
"Me an' Owen got worried sick about you."
"Don't cry for me," Kevin laughed as he got up, "I'm already dead."
"Not you, lame brain, the bike." Bill said as he followed Kevin up the stairs, "We were worried you'd smash it up in one of your stupid stunts. That used to be our bike Y'know."
"Yeah, an you'll never let me forget it."
::Why did yer give up the Harley?:: Jono asked.
"My little brother had a hard time fitting on it, didn't you Owen?" Bill said as he turned to a figure further down the hall. Jono looked in the direction Bill was looking, expecting to see another midget. Instead a towering Eight and a half foot figure lumbered up to them, "Yeah, It was kinda small."
"So you guy's where's Marty?"
"He an his wife turned in early, they're probably still up though, if you want to talk to him?" Bill said. Owen just nodded.
Kevin smiled and walked to the door at the end of the hall. Chamber looked back at the Simmons brothers as they went down the staircase. In an odd way this was kind of a comfort. Here, Humans and Mutants were living together without the hateful stares. Nobody felt like freaks because they were all rejects of society, and now that didn't even matter to them.
______________
Angelo sat across from the indoor bar of this rundown old farmhouse. These truly weren't a bad sort of people. Everybody was accepted and they all looked out for each other. It was like family. A sense of belonging that Angelo first felt when he was in his gang back in LA, and had been able to recapture since he joined Gen-X. Sequel ran with a good crowd, rowdy but good.
Skin looked over at a young lady at the bar. She'd been sitting alone there for some time. She appeared to be in her early twenties, and from what he could see took good care of herself. She had the type of figure that you usually saw in beauty magazines, the too good to be true type. Angelo shrugged and walked over to her, "Hey, Chica, I seen you here all alone. How'd you like to dance?"
She turned to him and smiled, for the first time Angelo saw her face, she had a full beard. "I'd love to." She responded.
______________
Kevin knocked on the door and a young lady's voice asked, "Who is it?"
"Halloween part five!" Kevin smiled, "I'm Baaaaaaack!"
The woman inside opened the door only after a short pause, "Kevin Dallas, Damn! It's been some time kid!" she said, she was a very pretty woman, maybe in her early thirties, she didn't look like she fit in with the biker crew, she had a nice nightgown on, no visible tattoos or piercing, and her long red hair was well kept.
"How's Marty?" Kevin asked.
From inside a voice came, "Why don't you ask me yourself? I'm not dead yet!"
Kevin and Jonothan walked into the room. On the bed was a man who looked like he had been in more than one bad car wreck. His limbs were all distorted, his head was in an irregular shape and his skin wasn't even a healthy color. "How you doing old man." Kevin said as he walked up to him. They hugged each other, slapping each other on the back. "How's life treating you old man?"
"Can't complain," Marty Replied, "I've got my good days and my bad days, just like everybody else." He looked over at Jonothan, "Who's you're friend?" Marty asked.
"Marty, this is Jonothan, a good friend of mine."
Chamber walked up and Marty shook his hand, "It's good to meet you," Marty said, "The names Marty, Marty Derricks."
::Me name's Jonothan Starsmore, Mr. Derricks.:: Chamber replied. ::You been with the Oddities long?::
"As long as I care to remember," Marty replied, "Best family a guy could have. I was a circus freak before this, was born looking like I came outta some car wreak. Folks called me Road kill and other such names, here I'm another one of the guys." He sighed, "I'm not complaining about my life as a circus freak, It put food on the table. But a guy does have to follow his dreams. So I formed the Oddities with Bartlett, who you've probably already met. One man, one mutant forming a haven. We're not the most sociable family in the world but we look out for each other." Derricks sat up, "But it really is a dream come true, Me and Crash always talked about how someday humans and mutants would treat each other as brothers. It's happening right here in this house." He coughed a bit and lay back down. His wife came over to help him catch his breath.
"We should probably get him some rest." Mrs. Derricks said. Kevin nodded and walked out of the room. Chamber followed.
______________
Kevin walked outside to see Jonothan sitting on the back steps. He let the screen door slam behind him as he sipped on the beer he had just grabbed from inside.
::Is that who yer wanted me to see?:: Chamber questioned.
Kevin nodded, "The old man's been like a father to me, He put my mind in perspective."
::What kinda mutant power would do that to a man.:: Jono wondered out loud.
"He's not a mutant," Kevin said, sipping his beer again, "Bartlett is the founder with the mutant powers. Marty, He was just born deformed. The guy's amazing though, I don't think I've ever seen him get angry at anybody."
::How is he?:: Jono asked, suddenly concerned with the man's health.
"He's stayed alive for thirty-five years, he'll be around for quite a few more." Kevin smiled. "I hope." He thought to himself.
::Why share this with me?:: Chamber asked.
"Because off all the Gen-Xers, you might get the most outta it, that you should know by now. These people aren't freaks, no one looks at each other and thinks mutant or midget or deformity. They know each other by name, they think of each other as family. They look at what's inside." He paused and sat down by his friend, "Yes there are those in the world that are quick to judge us by what we look like, I won't bullshit on that point. But there are those who don't judge people until they know them, people like Marty… People like Paige."
Chamber looked up at the sky for a minute and then looked back at Kevin who was finishing off his beer. ::Thanks, mate.:: He said.
"We cool?" Kevin asked.
Jono paused for a minute, ::We Cool.:: he replied.
"Good, than one more thing." Kevin said. Jono looked at him, "You tell anyone I opened up like this and I'll kick your ass." Kevin said as he finished off his beer.
Mentally, Jonothan Starsmore smiled. Right now, the world seemed a little less dark.
Angelo walked out to join his friends, "Man, Kevin, you got a great little extended family here. I mean great. There's a bearded Chica in there who can really burn up the dance floor!"
Kevin nodded, "Jessie Denmon, great girl. Runaway from a rich family in Canada." He lit up a cigarette; "She joined up since the last time I was here."
"Man, you follow up with these people, just like they were your real family. That's great." Angelo said as he sat down, "Why'd you leave 'em then?"
Kevin shrugged, "Thing's happen. Sometimes a man wants to travel alone. Y'know, stuff like that."
"This is what life should be like, Vato, non-judgmental." Angelo said as Kevin handed him a beer.
"Should be." Kevin thought, "Should be but it ain't."
The End.
______________________________________________________________________________________
The legal stuff: The Characters from Generation X and the concept of Mutants and are a product of Marvel comics and it's employees and are used without permission. Christina Laine is based off of the Samurai Spirits character Cham-Cham, Beyond that she's a character of my own creation. Kevin Dallas is a character of my own creation, all rights reserved. "The Oddities" theme is property of the Insane Clown Posse and Stephanie Music/ Cherry River Music and is used without permission.
No talking Chiuaua's were harmed during the making of this Fan-fiction.
I would like to dedicate this particular story to the memory of Andre Rousimoff, a big man with an even bigger heart.
