A New Day for Maggott

[Slarti]

I’m posting this one for my husband, who wrote it four or five years ago. He liked the Maggott he did.

He slowly bites through the double-decker hamburger, savoring the experience. Ketchup slides out from under the bun and drips onto the tray sitting on the table. These past few weeks have been amazing to Japheth, who was nicknamed Maggott years ago. These past few weeks have been heaven, because for the first time in a decade he has been free. His mutation, that is his digestive system given sentient life as two large slugs, has vanished. He can taste food. He can indulge in eating, which most people take for granted. He can experience the hamburger instead of relying on his slugs to eat for him. He is free. Each day of these past few weeks has been a new day.

"Ag, that's good. Goooooood stuff. Hmmmmm," Maggott says, while closing his eyes and soaking up the moment. "That's lekker."

His thoughts are there in the tiny deli, but they are also not. He is also thinking of all the other activities he plans to experience. He thinks of sunbathing on a hot summer beach, staying at the best hotels as he travels America, and continuing to try all the foods he never could try.

"You really like that burger, heh?"

Maggott turns to see who is speaking to him, and locks eyes with a rough looking man, probably near 40, who is sitting in the booth next to him.

"It's my first time," Maggott says with a grin. "I've never had a hamburger before, oke."

"Never had a burger!"

"Nope, never, nada."

The man has black hair with strands of gray throughout, is wearing an old green jacket and had been reading the newspaper strewn across the table in front of him. There is a headline about Spider-Man fighting some local mob. Another headline is about Statue of Liberty repairs being complete.

"Name's Dennis, but my friends nicknamed me Dinky," he says as he stretches out a hand to shake Maggott's hand.

"My name is Japheth."

For a moment he almost tells him that he is nicknamed Maggott, but decides not to do it. Besides, it really does not fit anymore anyway. Not since about three weeks ago. It was a morning Maggott will never forget. He had a dream during the night that Eany and Meany, the small-dog-sized slugs that were his mutated digestive system, were exploding from his abdomen. It did not seem like a strange dream at first, because that's what they did all the time. This time, though, they only crawled along the floor of his apartment a few feet before they stopped cold, as if they were paralyzed.

"Girls, girls!" Maggott heard himself cry out. "What's wrong ladies? Is someone here? Are you 'kay girls? Are you girls sick, hey?"

Suddenly, he heard himself moan and fall over in bed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the slugs still motionless. Then, they turned and quickly crawled up the bedposts and toward Maggott. Though these creatures were a part of him, he felt scared of them. He had not been scared of them for a long time. Then, he sensed they were scared, too. The pain hit again. It was coming from where his stomach would be if he had one. He wrapped his arms around his body and clinched his eyes shut. When he opened them, the slugs were gone. Back inside of him, he guessed. The room began swirling like a whirlpool. He felt himself sinking into the bed. The sheets were slowly swallowing him as he was a fish and the bed was the whale. But, the pain was gone. So, he closed his eyes and let himself get carried away.

The next morning, Maggott awoke to a brand new world. It was the beginning of a new chapter in his life. He was soaking wet from sweat, but he felt strong. Not the surge of strength he would get when Eany and Meany would consume enormous amounts of energy or matter. No, he just felt rested and whole for the first time. Then, he realized what was different. There was no wriggling of slugs in his body. He was not blue either, which happened when they were outside of him feeding. He also heard a sound that was ecstasy to his young ears. He heard a rumbling in his stomach for the first time in a long time. Somehow, he had a stomach.
After sitting in bed for a long time pondering what had happened, he decided to call the X-Men. It had been a few months since he had been one of them.

I loved being an X-Man, but felt too weak compared to the others to stick around long, Maggott thought.

"No, that's not true," he sighed to himself. "I left the X-Men and later Generation X because I was embarrassed by my abilities more than anything. The slugs were unstoppable. The dolls could eat through anything. But, instead of embracing my ability, I always tried to hide where the girls really came from. Don't know why. Doesn't matter, hey? They are gone. Now, I need to know why."

He called the X-Men's School for Gifted Youngsters and the phone rang for what seemed like an eternity. He kept waiting for one of the team to pick up. He could almost here Ororo's voice or that of his buddy Wolverine. But, there was nothing.

"Jawelnofine, no one home," he said. "Ag, probably a nasty mutant crisis. I almost miss those. Of course, I only went on a few with those guys and gals."

He hung up the phone and paced around the tiny apartment that he has recently called home. It is an apartment that is paid for with a stash of money he had swiped from a tyrant years ago-a tyrant who took advantage of him. It is a time that Maggott does not want to remember and rarely thinks about.

He picked up the phone again and dialed information.

"Hi there, doll," he said to the operator. "I'm looking for the number for Avengers Mansion."

Eventually, he talked with Jarvis, the Avenger's butler and all-around man in charge of the mansion. After an explanation of how he knew the X-Men, he got down to the reason for his call.

"I'm trying to find the Beast," Maggott said. "Do you okes have any idea where he could be? Has he been by lately? It is a mutant emergency."

"I see," Jarvis said with a sincere voice. "No, the Beast has not visited the Mansion in a number of weeks. Perhaps, I could help?"

"Ag, I hope you can," Maggott said. "I got a basket of questions and am not sure where to begin."

"Might this be in reference to the fact that all the mutants around the world are losing their unique abilities, Mr. Maggott?"

"Just Maggott, is fine my man. You say all the mutants are losing their powers?"

"Yes. It happened yesterday and the Avengers are investigating what may have happened. They believe it was probably the work of a scientist and fanatic called the High Evolutionary. Our own Scarlet Witch was momentarily weakened, but she still has her hex abilities."

"Thanks, Jarv. I think I've found my answers for now. Now, I'm going to go take a walkabout. Later."

"Yes, good day, sir. I will inform the Avengers of your call."

Maggott snaps back to reality and looks around the diner he has wandered into today. People in business suits are hurrying through their coffee, young teenagers are pawing at one another in the corner, and Dinky is still examining the newspaper.

So, this is what normal living is like, he thinks. No fighting other mutants, no crazed hunters trying to steal your slugs. Ag, this looks good.

He pays the waitress and heads out the aging diner door to soak up the sun outside. It hits his face and he smiles thinking about the life he will lead now. Maybe I'll go back to the mansion, try to find Logan and hit the town. Maybe I will track down Beastie boy and we can find us some cuties. Or maybe I'll head out west and settle down there.

He begins walking down the block and continues to reflect on his life. He reviews where he has been and where he would like to go. Some days he just wants to sit in the park all day and party all night. Other days he wants to make a name for himself by becoming the next Cyclops or Captain America. He has thought about returning to the X-Men many times. Of course, it sounds like there are no X-Men now. Besides, without his powers he is free to live a normal life.

Japheth, baby, you need to stop thinkin' so hard, Maggott thinks to himself as he strolls down the sidewalk. Without the girls I'm not much help to any super team. And Captain America, I'm not.

"Stop, please," a voice commands from behind Maggott.

He spins around to see who is talking. To his surprise it is the man, Dinky, from the diner. He is standing perfectly still and almost seems to be sleepwalking. His eyes are unblinking and seem to be looking through Maggott. Not at him.

"Dink, man, what ya want with ol' Japheth?"

No answer.

"Answer, me, hey? You're creepin' me out."

Suddenly, Dinky's eyes began glowing like fire. Maggott begins stepping away from him. Slowly, at first, then more quickly. Maggott moves just in time, as beams of red light blast from Dinky and slap the sidewalk in front of him. Chips of concrete fly through the air and pelt Maggott's skin. An older woman walking a white poodle screams and runs inside the diner, almost dragging the dog behind her.

"What the? Some sort of super creep. And me without my slugs or my strength. What's an ex-mutant to do?"

Maggott speeds around the corner, into the alley behind the diner. From behind him he hears more pedestrians screaming and cars slamming into one another. He assumes the cars are slowing down to watch this man-thing following him down the alley. Maggott glances back over his shoulder. Dinky is rounding the corner, but slowly, almost as if he is unsure where to go or what to do. Dinky looks around the alleyway, even though Maggott is within plain view.

"Aaaaaarrrrrrgggh!" Maggott cries out and stops dead in his tracks. His head is pounding, heartbeat racing skyward, and his stomach is on fire. "No, no, no, no, no. Not again. Why?"

He flings himself behind a dumpster and clutches his gut. Tears of pain fall from his eyes. He recalls his conversation with the Avengers' butler weeks ago, how Jarvis explained that some lunatic scientist took away all of the mutants' unique skills. Has something happened since then? Images fly through his mind: Slugs, the X-Men, Generation X, food, slugs, Dinky, the Shadow King, the sun and moon, and slugs, slugs, slugs. He tries desperately to keep from passing out from the pain.

Dinky is standing above Maggott now. It seems the man's confusion is gone. He is looking directly into Maggott's face.

"You have been identified as a mutant," Dinky says with a human, yet computer-like voice.

Maggott raises himself up onto one knee.

"You're one of those sentinels, right?" Maggott asks. "I heard about you guys on the news and from the X-men."

"I am created to serve Bastion, to infiltrate the human population, and stop the mutant threat."

"I get it. When all the mutants went away, you didn't know what to do. So, you kept on being human, probably even fooled yourself."

"That is irrelevant. You are a mutant and must be dealt with quickly."

The eyes of the sentinel who was known as Dinky begin to glow red hot again. Maggott makes no move to try and run. He simply remains crouched in front of the man-machine, looking into his eyes and, surprisingly, Maggott grins.

"You know, for being robots you guys aren't too smart?"

Without warning, the sentinel's mouth drops open, sparks begin flying from its head and body. The fire in its eyes goes out, as Maggott watches his two slugs do their work. Eany has launched herself at the back of the sentinel's head and is devouring its neck. At the same time, Meany has dove into the sentinel's back and is eating its body away.

"Good work, dolls," Maggott exclaims as a bluish hue flushes over his skin. "Good work indeed."

The sentinel sparks and crackles from the gaping holes in its frame. Maggott watches as the slugs devour most of the machine. He turns his head back to the alley's entrance, though, as sirens sound in the distance.

"No doubt this commotion caused some concern," he says. "I think we best be on our way before the law shows and mistakes me for a giant mutant Smurf. Come along, dolls."

Maggott bends down and gently picks up Eany and Meany, one in each hand. He then stands and lays each one on a shoulder. He jogs to the end of the alley and slips through an opening in the wooden fence, just as he hears the sirens stop close by.

"It was a new day, now it is the same blooming routine," Maggott sighs as he makes his way past piles of garbage behind these ancient New York buildings. He tries to fight back the sadness that he feels inside.

"No time for regrets or feeling sorry for myself, ag. How 'bout we catch a Bioscope, ladies? I am sure there are some flicks we can all agree on. Or maybe we'll go out to the Statue of Liberty. Haven't been there in a long time. Any ideas, dolls?"

[steyn]

Slarti, tell your hubby he gets a 9 out of 10 for afrikaans slang. That "blooming" should be "blerrie".

Otherwise, nice!