Sunday, June 2, 2013

MSI: Episode 1 Pt. 4: Pre-Tribal Council

            TIPPY-TOE – Orange
           
            The tribe appeared on their beach. The sun inched closer toward the horizon. A chilling wind blasted through.

Captain America placed his shield against one of the trees near the shelter. He pulled off his boots to dump out the sand. “I’m going to rinse off in the ocean.” He sighed. “Anyone care to join me?”

Nightcrawler snickered.

“What?” Captain America ran his hand through his blond hair. It stayed pushed up as if he had bed head.

“It sounded funny you asked for someone to join you.” He clinched his hand into a fist and mocked punching himself. “Ich punch drunk? Ich bin müde.”

“What?” Wiccan asked.

            “Tired,” Nightcrawler translated. “I’m not joining the Captain for a swim.”

            Wiccan rubbed the back of his neck. He pulled off his boots and placed them next to Captain America’s. “I’ll join you.” He shook a bit. “Though it’s chill.” He rubbed his bare arms.

            “Oooh,” Thing thought he said under his breath.

            “God, not like that. I have a boyfriend.” Wiccan turned red. “Really, Captain. Not like that.”

            “I know.” Captain America started to walk toward the ocean.

            Storm’s eyes whitened and the winds died down.

            “Thanks?” Wiccan looked at her. He followed Captain America.

            She nodded. “I too am tired. I’ll join Kurt in an early slumber. We’ll get up before the birds to see if we can catch whatever animals they have for us tomorrow.”

            “It’s a plan.” Nightcrawler used his fist to bump Storm’s.

            She complied.

            Thing and Beast made sure the shelter was secure enough to hold their weight. Wolverine went to get more water. Invisible Woman tended to the fire.

WICCAN (The ocean was behind him. He was still in his white shorts and no shirt.): I don’t know why I froze up during the challenge. It didn’t cost us the win, but I felt like I let everyone down. I’m better than that. (He sat up straight.) I am. (He slouched.) At least I think so. If Teddy was here he’d tell me something. He’d make me feel less crappy. (He peered at his hands in his lap.) I’ll do better.

            Captain America jumped in the ocean and swam out a little bit.

            Wiccan waded in the water toward Captain America. “I’m sorry.”

            He turned. “What?”

            “At the challenge, I froze up. I failed.”

            Captain America nodded. “Sure. We didn’t lose. There’s next time.”

            Wiccan appeared confused. He slapped the water with one hand and squinted to keep the splash-back from hitting him in the eyes. “But you called on me to do something. I couldn’t.” He dunked his head back to get his hair wet. “I have to speak to cast anything and I couldn’t get the words out.” The water pushed him back and forth. He couldn’t maintain a position.

            He looked at Captain America treading water without being pushed closer to shore or further away. Like a statue he maintained a position. Who didn’t admire that?

            “Tomorrow we’ll have more food. That’ll help give you back some of that concentration you might have lost.” Captain America moved closer to Wiccan and then headed toward the shore. “I’m going to hit the shelter.” He snickered. “You know instead of hay.”

            Wiccan gave a weak smile. “Sure.”

WICCAN: It helped a little bit. Not as good as Teddy. But I don’t have much choice. I can’t even remember how I got here. Squirrel Girl did say that would happen. I wonder if it’s happening to Wolverine or Deadpool? They’re the healers. I should be able to cast a spell on us to keep that from happening to anyone, but I can’t recall the words. Sucks.

            MONKEY JOE – RED

            They appeared on their beach. Deadpool shouted at Squirrel Girl after claiming to hear her speak. Thor hit him in the head with Mjolnir and that silenced him for a few moments. Vision lifted Deadpool and walked him near the shelter and dropped him in the sand close to the fire pit.

            “That was a load off.” Vision laughed at his own joke.

            Jamie Madrox agreed with a mild snicker.

            Gambit grabbed the water bottles. “Mademoiselle Black Widow, care for a midnight stroll to the watering hole?” He offered his arm for her to hook on to.

            She rolled her eyes and picked up a few of the water bottles to help. “I can go to watering hole…sebya.” She used her index finger to pull at the bottom part of her bikini to keep it from riding up.

            Gambit followed her sauntering.

            “Eyes.” Black Widow gestured with her hand from his eyes to hers. “I’ll help you if you keep your thieving hands to yourself.”

            “Oui.” Gambit led the way.

GAMBIT (Still in red swim shorts. He sat on a log.): It is colder than I thought. (He pulled on a white t-shirt.) Anyway, the plan’s to get Black Widow to play harder to get allowing everyone to think we’re not aligned. (He pulled down his gloves over both his hands, making sure they were on as tight as possible.) She’s a spy. Not much trickin’ her. Though mutant charm might be enough. (He grinned.) Or a bit of Cajun rub-a-dub-dub Gambit bathing with her in a tub. (He wiggled his eyebrows.) No tub here. Just da ocean. And I hate salt water. 

            They made it to the watering hole. A well in the ground with a bucket that they lowered on a rope. Gambit dropped the bucket in. Black Widow pulled the rope up and poured the bucket of water into a few of the open bottles Gambit held. 

            “You thinking of voting off who?” She filled the last of his bottles and dropped the bucket back in.

            Gambit pulled the full bucket back up, making sure not to pull to fast. “Oui. If we stick together and you act disgusted by my charms, we might have a chance to make it.”

            “Not an act. And that didn’t answer my question.” Black Widow held her bottles and Gambit filled them.

He missed a few bottles getting her wet. He admired her for a moment, until she cleared her throat. “Answer my question.”

“Deadpool,” Gambit said. He wanted Deadpool gone because Deadpool was immune to Gambit’s charms.

“Agreed.” Black Widow wanted Deadpool gone because his unpredictable nature made it difficult for her to read him.  

Back at the campsite, Deadpool moaned and rolled over, putting his face into the sand. He breathed in and then coughed himself a wake. He heard the crackling of the fire. No one was talking near him. He lifted his head and saw that no one was around.

“No one is great company, if I do say so myself.” Deadpool sat up Indian-style. “And I did. I like Indians. They’re great being stolen from.”

Deadpool surveyed camp. Where is everyone? He groaned.

DEADPOOL (He wore a red t-shirt, tan shorts and his mask that protected people from his true look.) I’m surprised this sand castle survived high tide. (He continued building it.) Could be because I’m behind this big rock that’s about forty feet from where high tide ends. (He shrugged.) Possible. Oh, who do I think should be voted out? Everyone. Everyone sucks. You can quote me on that. You did? Well done.

            Emma Frost walked toward Deadpool grinning. “Where is everyone?”

            He shrugged. “Don’t care.”

            “I’ll cut to the chase. Who are you voting for?”

            Deadpool stood, dusted off his shorts of sand. He scratched the back of his head, making his mask move. Sighing, he shifted the mask back into place. “What does it matter?”

            “You’re quitting?” She put a hand on her hip. Her blond hair fell on her bare shoulders. “Sand under my feet isn’t as comfortable as people suggest.”

            He wiggled his toes in the sand and giggled. “No, it’s not.” He pulled his gun out of the holster he still wore despite being in shorts. “I’m not quitting.” He twirled the gun on one finger and placed it back in the holster.

            She closed her eyes. “We’re alone for a moment more. If we work together, we can fool people into thinking one thing, while we do the thing that gets us further.”

            “You’re not as concise as you normally are.” Deadpool sat on the edge of the shelter’s bed. He stretched and yawned.

            Emma Frost held her stomach. “Hungry.”

            He nodded. “Fine. I know that I’m a target. They want to vote me off. The funny one. The one that has something to say about everything that’s said. Why wasn’t I picked as host?”

            “They wanted someone with a tail.”

            Deadpool’s index finger shot into the air. “I was good with construction paper in school. Making one would be so easy.”

            She raised her eyebrows and sat next to him on the bed. “So? Time’s ticking.”

            “Human Torch.”

            She looked confused. “Why?”

            “No one likes a flamer.” As if that reminded him of a job he didn’t want to do, he moved over to the fire and made sure it was still burning. “I can’t believe I feel the need to be productive.”

            “Survivor instinct.”

            “Who else will vote with us?” He poked the fire with his stick. “That would actually hurt.”

            “What—never mind. I’ll handle gathering some votes. You’re going to have to suggest Human Torch some way.” She patted his leg. “I’ve never seen your legs.” She stared at them. “They’re nice looking.”

            He shook his head. “I’m turning red all over.” He realized he wasn’t wearing his costume. “Well that line works better when I’m fully clothed.” He tapped the side of his head. “Why don’t you convince them.”

            She pointed at the cameras that floated around them. “Not a rule breaker. My persuasion skills are strong without the need of my mutant power.”

EMMA FROST (Wore a red bikini, hair pulled back and put into a ponytail. She sat near the ocean, the waves not touching her.): I haven’t vegetablized Deadpool yet, because I need him. I need to align with someone no one would expect. And in order to get this to work I have to vote for someone else. Another that the majority wants gone. He suggested the flamer…I mean Human Torch. (She paused, thinking.) What if those with two code names voted off people with one code name? We’re a minority. (She shook her head as if to remove the thought.) It’s hard to think clearly with not enough food. My memory is also tricky. I don’t recall how I got here, I just know I must win. (She grinned.) And the only way to win is to team up with someone unexpected.

            Emma Frost and Deadpool dragged Jamie Madrox out into the trees. Jamie Madrox adjusted his shorts and sat on a tree stump.

            “Walking around without a shirt makes me think that I’m at home relaxing, not in a game for an alien’s amusement.” He stared at a floating camera. “No offense, Mojo. And have any of you seen my shirt? I’m going to drop dupes like Deadpool does joke bombs if I don’t find it.”

            “You get one freebie, Jamie. One.” Deadpool held up a finger. “Next time, I’m going to knock you around a bit just to see him multiply.”

            “How any of your dups are talking to other people?” Emma Frost leaned on a tree using her whisper voice. She might have used her telepathy, but people fear if she’s in their head, she’s taking information without asking. Putting a target on her back if she wasn’t careful. And she wanted to be careful.

            “Only me.” Jamie Madrox tossed up his hands. “So what’s the plan?” He leaned forward on his knees.

            “You’re a leader, what’s your plan?”

            “Being leader is tiring.” He mocked a yawn, even gesturing with his hand to quail it. “Do you have a plan?”

            She nodded toward Deadpool.

            He groaned. “Human Torch.”

            Jamie Madrox’s eyes widened. “Really? He helped us gain a lot of ground in the challenge today. He’s got fire at his fingertips.” He pointed at Deadpool and then at Emma Frost. “Do you know how to start a fire with your fingertips?”

            Emma Frost’s blond ponytail danced while she shook her head.

            “I know how to ignite a fire with my butt.” Deadpool pat himself on the back.

            “Not the same thing,” Jamie Madrox said.

            Emma Frost elbowed Deadpool. “You have to convince him. Tell him your reason.”

            “He’s cocky.”

            Jamie Madrox rolled his eyes. “We knew that. What difference does that make? We need all the strong players.”

            Deadpool laughed. “And who do you plan on voting off? Me?”

            Jamie Madrox thought about what he had said and who was on the tribe. “Right. Everyone’s strong. I don’t know.”

            “You’ll keep it in mind?” Deadpool sounded a little desperate.

            “Are you okay?” Emma Frost asked.

            He nodded. “I do want to play. Better than sitting in a room all by myself.” He started singing.

            Jamie Madrox held up one of his hands. “That’s okay. Really.” He put his hand on Deadpool’s shoulder. “If you promise to keep your signing to yourself, I’ll think about it.”

            Deadpool pretended to zip his lips shut and toss the key.

*****

            Deadpool walked away from Domino. Domino headed toward the fire pit where Human Torch tended the fire and Vision perfected rice.

            “Five minutes until we eat. Well, you eat and then we head to Tribal.” Vision stirred a stick to mix the rice. “Isn’t it to our benefit that I do not have to eat?”

            “More rice for us.” Jamie Madrox said in unison with four dups.

            Emma Frost stood near the tribe’s flag. Deadpool joined her.

            “Domino said she’s in.”

            “How did you convince her?” Emma Frost asked. She stared at the rest of the tribe, except for Gambit and Thor, stand around the fire. “It’s going to be close.”

            “I showed her mine. She showed me hers. We knew we had to stick together.”

            “Guns?” Emma Frost looked at him.

            He folded his arms and nodded. “You know me too well.”

            She rolled her eyes. “I hope not. I didn’t even use my telepathy.”

HUMAN TORCH (He wore red board shorts and no shirt.) I’m not going anywhere. I’m not stuff. Pun intended. (He touched his arm.) Sizzling. (He winked.) Oh, and I hear through my Alliance of Awesome that some crazed masked man is trying to vote me off. (He turned serious.) Bring it on! Bring it on 2! –which sucked—and Bring it on forever! I don’t even know if that’s a film. I got no internets to inform me of stuff. I’m just informless right now. (He slouched.) Gotta go and vote off a douchebag.

            Vision called everyone in. They ate a bit of rice and prepared to leave to go to Tribal Council. They stood on the mat near their flag.

            “You’re all here. Good.” Squirrel Girl’s voice came over speakers from somewhere. “I press the button.”


            They teleported. 

...to be continued

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