xp_logs | LOG: Wanda and Forge, in the garage, with the toolbox. (Reply)

Returning from Germany, Wanda brings Forge a belated Christmas gift, and finds that the boy's been quite busy in her absence.

It wasn't that hard to locate Forge, not if you knew even a little bit
of how his mind worked. Wanda ducked through the door leading to the
garage and headed towards the jeep they had been working on since before
the holiday break. Having just gotten back from Germany herself, she
wasn't surprised to find Forge trying to make up for lost time.

She spotted him half-way under the jeep and crouched next to his legs.
"Seems you have been hard at work," she said, placing the silver case
she'd been carrying next to her on the floor.

"Wanda!" Forge wheeled himself out from under the Jeep, a wide smile
on his face. "You're back! Oh man, wait until you see what I've done
to the suspension linkages, it just came to me last night. There's no
way they're going to overstress this time, I've tied them into the
steering control module and..." he waved a hand apologetically.
"Right, I know - just show you that it works. I have to warn you,
Danielle's been helping out, so if you smell crazy on the brakes,
that's all her."

Making a few more adjustments under the vehicle, Forge pulled out a
remote from his pocket with a set of keys dangling from it. "I figure
one last stress test to see if she's roadworthy? I didn't take her out
at all while you were away, you'll definitely want to check this out."

One button press lit up the overhead lights around what used to be the
rusted-out frame of the Jeep. Now fully encased in a glossy black body
that would have looked more appropriate on a Humvee, the vehicle had
been rebuilt like a more perfect Frankenstein's Monster. Another
button started the engine remotely, as it sprang to life purring like
a hunting cat. Wanda could see in the reflected light a subtle
incorporation of the school crest into the paint job on the driver's
side door. An excellent touch, indeed.

She grinned, obviously delighted. "Have I mentioned lately that you are
a genius?" she asked, sticking her head into the opened passenger side
window. "I am glad you worked out that overstressing problem, that was
the one big problem we were having. Last time I checked, anyway."

Taking a second, she stopped and swung herself under the jeep. "Ahh, I
see you've also secured the few things that were bouncing around under
here. Oh, and I brought you a gift." Wanda nudged the case towards him
with her foot as she poked and prodded the underside of the jeep. "I'll
give it a once over with the powers once I get out from under here."

"Everyone with the gifts this week," Forge muttered, opening the case.
He blinked at the assortment of tools inside. "You people are spoiling
me, you know. My parents never even bothered to get me stuff I like,
and they're made of money." He wiggled under the Jeep
shoulder-to-shoulder with Wanda. "Thanks."

Wanda smiled at him as she poked at an incredibly well welded piece of
equipment. "You're welcome. I figured it would stop your complaints
about the lack of good tools in the garage." There was a teasing tone
to her words. More and more she'd come to realize that she was taking
Forge under her wing. Not in the same way that Hank was doing but in a
way that was needed, at least. Social aspects are just as important
sometimes.

"But the cool thing?" Forge continued, placing his hand on the bottom
of the chassis, "Less than two microns of vibration slip. And that's
with the engine at mid-level RPMs." Thumbing the control, he cut the
engine and slid back out from under the vehicle.

"Reinforced adaptive tolerance frame, it'll soak up jolts like a
sponge. Couple that with triple-piston gas suspension, and you've got
a ride that'll coast smoothly over a battlefield of rubble.
Single-shaft coaxial transmission means there's no gearbox, shifting's
handled electronically, with a manual backup. Gear ratios are
independent to each wheel, and computer controlled. Uncontrolled skid?
Not possible in this baby." He rattled off the features like a
professional used car salesman, obviously proud of his work. "GPS
waypoint system, docking port for network communications back to the
school here, and a radio system that'll pick up and boost signals all
the way from Vladivostok if we crank it. And the speakers?"

Forge grinned and pressed a red button on the remote. Instantly the
walls of the garage seemed to vibrate with the force of the bass
coming from the vehicle. Wanda could see Forge's mouth moving, but no
sound coming out until he silenced the audio system.

"I said," he repeated, "is it cool, or what?"

"I think you just made my hair move," she said wryly, standing up.
Flexing her hands, she quirked an eyebrow. "Let me take a real look at
this, yes?"

Within seconds, the red glow of the hex rings had surrounded her hands
and Wanda sighed. It had been a while since she'd used her powers.
Carefully, she studied the strings, not touching but simply inspecting.

"Interesting."

Forge watched her, obviously eager to find out what she was seeing.

"There are still strings attached--nothing will ever change that. But
none of them feel like they used to." The rings disappeared as she let
go of her power. "All of the strings are for things that would not
normally happen. I think it's finished."

Forge couldn't restrain himself, jumping in the air and pumping his
fist. "Yes!" His exuberance was overwhelming, and he rushed forwards
to throw his arms over the hood of the vehicle in a hug. "Did you
know," he asked, standing up straight, "this is by far the biggest
thing I've ever built? And it works. That's so damn cool."

Straightening his shirt, ignoring the oil stains along the right side,
he walked slowly around the Jeep, buffing out small fingerprints with
the tip of one leather-gloved finger. "We've got to take it out on the
road. Oh, but I promised Dani I'd bring her along so long as she
doesn't freak at my driving. And I figure Kyle will want a ride as
well. Think everyone will want to go into town tonight?"

"I think this jeep will ride smoothly enough for a pregnant woman,"
Wanda mused, leaning on the side of it. "Going into town is a lovely
idea. After we've changed into some better clothes, that is." She
pointed to his stained shirt and her roughed up, faded blue jeans that
were showing hints of her knees.

"What do you mean?" Forge said, glancing down at his shirt. "This *is*
my good shirt. I'll just throw a jacket on and we'll grab everyone."

The fashion part of Wanda simply died at that point. "You don't have
another good shirt?" she asked, staring at him.

"Look, it's got buttons and everything!" Forge was quick to point out.
"I mean, I could go change into my Xavier's sweater, if that'd work.
Oh, wait..." he paused in thought briefly, "burned through the sleeve
with the soldering iron. Oh well, I can wear a jacket over it, right?"

"~Men and their idea of _fashion_.~" Hrming at him, Wanda eyed him and
she watched as he fidgeted a little bit. "Well, there is nothing to be
done about lack of good shirts now. You can, however, wash it.
I fully expect to stop for dinner--we are traveling with Kyle and
Dani--so a clean shirt will have to do."

"Lack?" Forge echoed, "what's wrong with this shirt? Put on a tie,
and I'm practically ready for the runway." Given that the shirt in
question was a light blue cotton shirt with assorted oil spots and was
probably a size and a half too large for Forge, Wanda began to assume
either complete delusion on the boy's part, or more likely simply the
fact that he'd never put any thought at all into what he wore.

Snorting softly, Wanda sighed. "I think we'll leave that for another
time. Right now, though, you need to let Dani and Kyle know that we are
going somewhere tonight. And you need to wash your shirt." She paused.
"A shower might help as well. How long have you been out here working
on the jeep?"

"What day is it?" Forge joked. He checked his watch, then sniffed at
his shirt and frowned. "Oh. You've got a point. I'll run up and tell
Kyle and then email Dani. This is gonna be SO cool..."

Leaning her head on her hand, Wanda couldn't help but smile a little.
"Go on, I will clean up the mess in here. Or else Scott might come in
and hose you down."

"That's the smell of genius, you know," Forge shot back, heading out
into the hall. Taking another sniff, he crinkled his nose. Genius was
definitely doing laundry.

"It certainly is the smell of something."