Umm, I'm gonna go ahead and send this now, even though the pic that goes with it isn't finished yet.

See, I put out a 'Renaissance Faire' challenge on the Gallery, and answered it myself with a pic of Bobby playing a mandolin while Hank and Remy covered their ears in anguish in the background. Glockgal said I had to write a story for it-so I did. It's called 'The Mandolin' for lack of a better name.

If you come up with a better name it would be greatly appreciated.

Disclaimer: Nobody in this fic is mine except for Three Fingered Dan. If Marvel wants him they can have him. I'm not making any money.

The Mandolin
by Quincunx

Underneath a banner which read 'Fourth Annual Renaissance Faire' in big Gothic letters, Bobby hummed gleefully to himself as he searched the trunk for his special accessorie.

He was interrupted by a strange sound...

*Clank* *clank* *THUD* *CLANK* "Merde!"
(Gambit struggles desperately to get his helmet off)

"I can't see a t'ing in dere! Bobby, dis is de last time I let you talk me into renting a costume from a guy named 'T'ree Fingered Dan'!"

"But Dan has the best costumes in town-I got my tunic from him!"

"Dis tunic?"

"Yes, dis -- I mean THIS tunic!"

"Dis tunic here, wit' de big yellow stain on de front?"

"Ah, but that's why I brought this!"

(Whips out a large cloth-wrapped package and proceeds to unwrap it)

"What is dat? A really funny lookin banjo?"

"THIS is a mandolin, I'm going to hold it over the stain-no one will know it's there!"

"AND it'll look great with my costume!"

(This conversation might have continued, had they not been interupted at this point by a grinning blue furball.)

"What are you two doing in the parking lot on this splendiferous day? Everyone else is already -- Oh, my stars and chainmail! Is that a Mandolin?"

"Yep"

"Apparen'ly"

"Wherever did you find it?"

"In the attic!"

"But, my frozen friend, if you take it inside, people will expect you to play it -- and you don't know how to play the mandolin."

"Sure I do -- I've been practicing!"

"How long you been 'practicin'?"

"Since this morning"

"My, that long."

"I'm really good at it, listen!"

*Twang* *twa-ang* *CLUNK*

"Urk ... I think your mandolin needs tuning."

"Tuning?? I t'ink you need to check it for diein' squirrels!"

(A blissful look crawls across Bobby's face -- he's thoroughly lost in music that only Moira could love)

*TWANG* *Squeeeel*

"Mon Dieu! Dat's de worst t'ing Remy's ever heard!"

"AUGH!!!MY EARS!!"

...*TWAAAAAAAANG*...

"We got t' stop dis! people'll t'ink we're stranglin' babies or sometin'"

"Woe, though it pains me to do so -- you hold him down, I'll get the mandolin!"

(Remy tackles Bobby while Hank grabs the evil mandolin)

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

*Smash* *BAM* *TWAAAAANG*

"My mandolin!"

"Well ... I think it's dead Jim."

"Non, we have to make sure!"

*Sound of what's left of the mandolin being charged*
*KA-BooooM*

(Hank stomps on the ashes a bit-to thunderous applause from the group of people who'd come out to see who was strangling babies)

"I think we can declare this area secure and safe for the passerby"

"Oui ... Bishop would be proud."

"My Mandolin!!!"

"Hey, Henri, we make a good team don' we?"

"Indeed we do! Shall we set out on a quest to find the ale tent together?"

"Sounds good t' me"

"MY MANDOLIN!!!"

"Henri?"

"Yes?"

"Bobby said he found de mandolin in de attic -- who do you suppose it belonged to?"

"Where is it!?"

"I am certain it is up here somewhere."

"Charles, when I left my mandolin in your care it was under the condition that it be taken care of -- and returned to me!"

"I am sorry, old friend. I am sure it will turn up."

"See that it does! Or else it will be the start of another war between us!"

"Magnus! Wait! Come back!"

~Finis~

What do you guys think?
Quincunx, who thinks that half of Magneto and the Prof's Big Battles were started by stuff like this.

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