Unwilling Weapon

Don't Fight The Tail

Billy had arrived at the mansion with Teddy and Tommy in tow — and they were both grinning wide and clearly in on whatever plans Kate had for her Halloween costume, though she had been insistent that no one could know what she was planning and made Billy promise not to spill her secrets.

"Okay, I get that you tell your fiance everything, but Tommy, really?" Kate teased, trying to look stern as soon as she'd finished hugging Billy, and he just laughed.

"He's sneaky when he wants to be, and he asked Strange why I was learning with amulets," Billy explained as he held up the pendant for Kate to see.

But before Kate could examine it for herself, Tommy darted in to get his hug. "Long time no see!" he said as he spun her around.

"And whose fault is that?" Kate said, laughing as she returned the hug. "Pretty sure you were invited to the team."

Tommy grinned sheepishly. "Yeah — uh. David was having a minor crisis. His future ghost self or whatever showed up again?" He shrugged. "I told him I'd help. Maybe I'll join the X-Crew after my best friend becomes incorporeal."

"Anything we can do?" Kate asked, but Tommy just shook his head.

"Nah, he's got his mind pretty well made up on becoming a ghost. He just... wants to travel the world, see the sights before he stops having a body." Tommy grinned. "And hey, I'm not usually one to take it slow and smell all the roses, but I'm really good at getting around the world."

Kate just grinned at him before she turned to Teddy. "And what about you? How's life while Billy's all holed up with Strange?"

"I've actually become pretty good friends with Ilyanna," Teddy replied with a little smirk. "And gotten most of the wedding planning done. All that's left to do is pick a date — we just have to talk Tommy and David into staying in one place long enough to come," he added with a teasing smirk Tommy's way.

"Hey, I'll stay still for my own brother's wedding!" Tommy protested, and Kate just laughed at the three of them as she led them back into the mansion.

Billy draped an arm around her shoulders with a grin as he handed her the amulet in a little leather bag. "Don't touch it with your bare hands until you're ready," he said. "Strange figured it would be better if we didn't do anything potentially permanent while I'm still — you know — learning? So whenever you're done with the costume, just take off the amulet."

"Smart thinking," Kate agreed as she put the leather pouch in her pocket and grinned at her friend. "I tried to get Kurt to tell me what he's going as so we can match, but he refuses."

"Probably thinks it wouldn't be fair, seeing as yours is secret," Teddy pointed out.

Kate just shrugged. "Only for a few more hours," she said, patting the pouch significantly. "I'm going to spend all Halloween this way. Just to get used to it before the party."

"Smart thinking," Billy chuckled. He gave her another warm hug. "See you at breakfast, Kate. We'll be up nice and early so we can't possibly miss the show."

..............................

Kate wasn't usually an early riser, but she'd slept lightly, excited all the way down to her toes about her costume, and as soon as the sun was up, she decided she just couldn't go back to sleep, so it was definitely time. She reached over to the nightstand, slipped the amulet over her neck, and let out a soft sort of gasp that turned into a giggle as the spell ran down her spine, over her skin, like a warm shower, leaving blue fur in its wake — though when she grew a tail, she cried out for just a second, because — okay. Painful. But totally, totally worth it.