Welcome to the world of Nymphs. This chapter is the entire backstory of the Hummels and I hope you enjoy it. I warn you it's long but there's so much to cover and I didnt want to miss anything out.
A long time ago (no, not in a galaxy far, far away) there were three nymph tribes in Ohio: the Rochérs, the Hummels and the Malleys.
The Rochérs were a tribe originally from France who'd managed to escape their captors in their homeland's forests and lived now semi-integrated with humans. There weren't enough of them to live successfully on their own, totally apart from humans with only two large families and one smaller one so they lived in a quiet place out in the more open areas in Ohio, hiding in plain sight as they thought of it.
The Malleys were a small tribe of only six small families who kept very much to themselves and live peacefully apart from both human and other mythical creature societies (of which there are a few but I shan't go into detail on them). They spoke rarely to members from the Rochér clan to enquire to their relations to other tribes or other species but this was their only real contact with the outside world.
The Hummels were similar to the Malleys in that they kept very to themselves although they were a much larger group with up to 45 families at some points. They were in no doubt the largest tribe in Ohio yet managed to stay the furthest from the outside world and best hidden, rarely leaving the woods where they resided.
Now here comes the sad part.
There was a war; A war between nymphs and werewolves in the next state over, Kentucky. The nymphs were losing badly as despite many of them possessing special abilities, they were overwhelmed by numbers and fled to Ohio. These exiled refugees managed to run into and get help from the Rochér clan who hid them from the wolves for as long as they could until they themselves were discovered.
The war became larger involving the Ohio residing wolves and soon the Rochérs and refugees were killed though not without a fight. The wolves' numbers had been lowered significantly but that didn't stop them. News of their deaths spread to the two remaining nymph tribes in Ohio and immediately the Malleys set about getting ready to up sticks and move out too. They knew they'd be next as they had been the ones that kept contact with Rochérs and would surely be the easiest to find. They moved across into new unclaimed territory and integrated themselves into human society, keeping secret their true identities. One of the Malley tribe members had the ability to control lightning and found that when they moved to the human world they could control electricity too. This did wonders for the tribe as the member - a girl nicknamed Bolt - managed to hack into bank machines and create accounts for all the members complete with money and a long history to match to create a better illusion that they'd always been living as humans.
After two months of successful undetection the Malleys decided amongst themselves to inform the Hummels that the threat had passed and that hopefully it was over forever. They knew of where the Hummel territory was located and knew the way in, the safe route in anyway so it was decided. Bolt, and her best friends Ariana and Gabbe left to visit the Hummel tribe.
"Are you sure about this B?" asked Gabbe as they neared the territory boundary line.
"Yes. We have to tell them about what's happened. We can't let them stay in fear that something might happen to them. It's our responsibility to tell them." Bolt replied as they walked steadily closer.
"Tell who, what?" came a wary voice form nearby. The three girls froze; Gabbe clinging to Bolt who stood firmly and confidently.
"Hello. My name is Bolt. We're here to give a message to the leader of the Hummel tribe. We come in peace. We're nymphs,"
"What is your message?" asked the voice. A person stepped forward into the light from a hole in the canopy above them and revealed himself to be a tall, wary male with dark hair and a defensive stance.
"That the attacks on nymphs by the wolf tribes from both Ohio and Kentucky have ceased. We have reason to believe they have stopped. We wish for your tribe to know this as our information on you is scarce but we believe you to keep little to no contact with anyone outside of your tribe. We wish to convey this good message." Said Bolt bravely.
"This sound very positive. Please come with me," he said. He indicated for them to follow and they did so, Gabbe still nervous, Bolt still acting brave and Ariana merely trying to take in the forest they'd never visited before.
"Brother who are these?" asked a man with similar features to their guide as they neared what appeared to be civilization.
"Fear not Felix. They are fellow nymphs. They bring good news. Assemble the tribe, they should know. I'll take them to Tyrone." The man named Felix nodded and rushed off leaving the girls to continue following the man whose name they did not know. They reached a large tent made from forest materials such as woven reeds and vines and the guide stuck his head inside the opening. The girls heard a mumbled conversation before they were invited inside.
"I should hope these are not spies Christian." Said the leader of the tribe, Tyrone.
"No, no. We're not spies, honestly." Bolt said quickly. "See,"
She balled her hands and formed a ball of electricity and showed it to Tyrone.
"Wolves don't have any powers. Ever. That's their main weakness. They're reasonably fast and strong but have no powers at all. It's all we've managed to learn form them from our brief encounters with them."
"Interesting. Such insight and such an interesting gift. I don't think we have anyone here who can do anything similar." Mused Tyrone. "Now, your message?"
Bolt repeated their message to Tyrone and he was very happy to hear the news.
"We would also like to suggest a system. We know you keep no contact with the outside world but would like to suggest a messenger of sorts. So that every so often you could keep informed about any suspicious wolf movements. We hope to only improve your safety and would like to add this is only a suggestion and if you do not wish for this that is perfectly understandable." Bolt said.
"A messenger? Hmm... That sounds like a pretty good idea actually. We've found that keeping no connection to the outside world has both helped and hindered us. We know we have less chance of being found by having no connections but also realise that we also have no idea of the situation. I would indeed like to explore further this messenger system idea. Would it be possible to arrange a meeting with the leader of your tribe to discuss this further?"
"Why of course. Rochelle would be delighted to meet with you. Is there any time that you would prefer?" said Bolt.
"Would in two days time be unreasonable?" Tyrone said.
"Not at all. I shall tell Rochelle as soon as we return. Should she meet you where we encountered your guard earlier?"
"Guard?"
"I believe his name was Christian." Bolt remembered.
"Oh Christian? Well he's not a guard as such. More a lookout really. But yes, where you encountered Christian should be fine. I shall send someone out to the meeting place at around noon in two days time then."
"Great. We'll hear from you soon then," smiled Bolt.
"Indeed you will." Smiled Tyrone. "Until then young one. Bolt I believe it was,"
"Yes, that's me. C'mon Gabbe, Ariana. We'll leave you to tell your tribe the good news,"
"Goodbye then Bolt."
Rochelle - the Malley leader met with Tyrone and together they set up their system. Once every four or five days, a messenger would give general news to a member of the Hummel tribe who would wait for the messenger in the clearing merely 3 minutes from where Bolt, Ariana and Gabbe met Christian. It was decided that the messenger would change each time so that the Hummels could get to know and recognize the Malleys.
"Why do I have to go be messenger?"
"It's your turn Burt. You can't shirk responsibilities. Now go, before I find your father."
"Urgh fine."
Burt was not one for social interaction. He preferred solitude and the forest. He knew he had to go but had been dreading it since he'd been told it was his turn by the previous messenger, the Hummels had also agreed to interchange their messenger.
Burt walked slowly to the meeting clearing and waited on the Malley messenger in a state of annoyance, sitting on a fallen tree and making a flower bloom and curl back in on itself over and over.
"Hello?" called a voice.
"Hello." Said Burt, standing hurriedly and straightening himself out. He wanted to look presentable at least. He spotted a girl a few metres away, half hidden by a tree.
"Not one for socializing much either?" he asked, smiling slightly.
"Not really," she sighed. She moved forward into the light and closer to Burt.
"It's okay. I'm like that too. I wish I hadn't had to be messenger. I'm crap at talking to people."
"Ooh, dare devil." She laughed. She pushed her deep brown hair out of her face and sat onto the log Burt had been sat on just a moment ago. "Aren't you too young to swear?"
"Hey! I'm seventeen," he said, sitting too.
"Oh, sorry." She laughed. "You look a lot younger,"
"I'm still not sure it's a help or a hindrance." He sighed, twirling a flower in between his palms.
"That's like what I do," said the girl. She pulled a flower from the floor and made it change colour in her palm before changing it from a bluebell to a snowdrop.
"That's so cool," He smiled. "I'm Burt."
"Elizabeth," she smiled back. "I'm also seventeen."
And that, it seemed, was that. Burt and Elizabeth became instant friends, arranging to be the messengers so they could meet up more and more often. Everyone noticed how Burt became a lot more sociable, a lot happier after their first meeting but never said anything. They watched from afar as the two fell in love.
"I wish I didn't have to go. I wish we could stay together all the time. But you have your family here and I mine with the humans." Sighed Elizabeth one day.
"I wish we didn't either. I wish I could go out and see the human world like you do. You're so brave out there. Stepping out of our world into theirs."
"It's not that brave," she blushed. "It's mostly all I know. I've forgotten what life was like when everything was peaceful and we lived in the forests. It's nice out here."
"I still think it's brave," Burt said.
"You think too highly of me then," she smiled.
"So what if I do?" he teased.
"Well, I'll just have to show you one day what it's like out here. That it's not so bad or brave."
"I would love that you know, to see beyond the trees." He said, face falling to gaze at the floor.
"Why are you so ashamed of living here?" she asked, lightly pulling his chin up so their gazes met.
"Because it means I can't be with you,"
"But you're with me now," she said.
"But you can't stay. You can't stay away from your people or I mine."
There was a short pause in which neither knew what to say before Burt spoke again.
"Maybe I will leave this place." He said.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because I don't like watching the person I love walk away from me all the time."
"You... you love me?" she asked. He nodded, avoiding her gaze now, lips pursed nervously.
"You crazy fool, falling for little old me," she lifted his chin again and brought their lips together into a soul bonding kiss, a kiss that decided everything for them.
About a year later - a year of excitement and moving into the human world and mixing in seamlessly with humans and of Elizabeth falling pregnant with a son - things took a turn for the worse. The wolves were spotted again. Though they were seen in the next state over, the nymphs in the next state sent a message to both Ohio tribes that they looked angry and impatient. That they had overheard that their plans were big and much more thought through than their previous attempts at just going in and going crazy.
Undoubtedly this worried both tribes became seriously worried. The Malleys suggested the Hummels moving into human society, that way if the wolves were to try and search the woods for them, they'd come up empty. They agreed and with the help of Bolt's electrical skills, they managed to integrate all of them into human society. The connection in the next state over soon confirmed that the wolves had been and returned to their new base unsuccessfully, having found no trace of the Hummels and had no connections or leads to follow. This clamed everyone down and they began to relax into their new lives amongst humans.
A few years after this, when Elizabeth and Burt's son Kurt was aged 4, the Ohio nymphs learned that the wolves had been involved in a territory war with another wolf tribe and their numbers had taken a considerable dive.
When Kurt was aged 7, they learned that the Ohio wolves' numbers had increased again and had taken on all of the survivors from the opposing tribes clan after they had lost their territory. At this they went into hiding, separating themselves from the human world as much as they could so that no one could find them.
"Kurt honey come inside, it's not safe outside,"
"But the flowers are out here Momma," young Kurt, aged just 7 and a half, sighed as he got up from the small flowerbed he'd created.
"I know sweetie but it's not safe. I'm just trying to look after you honey,"
"It's okay Momma. I just like it out there," he traipsed into the kitchen, closing the door behind him. Burt appeared and swept Kurt playfully into his arms, slinging his son over his shoulder in a fireman's lift whilst using his second ability of telekinesis to lock the door properly.
"Let me down daddy!" Kurt cried, legs kicking playfully and wildly until Burt laughed and placed him on the kitchen worktop.
"I don't like not being able to go outside." Kurt sighed.
"I know honey. And I don't like not letting you out but we have to stay safe. And soon we'll make a basement so you can make flowers in peace honey. Somewhere just for you."
"Just for me Momma?" Kurt's eyes lit up.
"Just for you Kurtie pie." Elizabeth smiled, tapping Kurt's nose lightly and kissing his cheek. "Now come on, it's beddy byes time."
"Can you read me a story tonight?" Kurt asked happily as Burt picked him up and helped him down from the worktop.
"I can read you a story Kurtie," Burt said as he followed his energetic son towards his bedroom. Elizabeth smiled at them as they walked to Kurt's small bedroom in their tiny woodland cottage. It saddened Elizabeth to have to hide out here but it was all she could do to protect Kurt.
She returned to washing the dishes as she had been doing before she called Kurt inside and gazed out of the small window and froze. She spotted a glint of dark brown eyes outside in the darkness. A moment later it was gone and but she couldn't look for their return as Burt entered the kitchen again.
"Where's that angel book Kurtie likes?" he asked before seeing Elizabeth's expression.
"Lizzie? What's wrong?"
"They found us." She whispered. Burt's face paled.
"What do we do?"
"There's no way out Burt. We'll have to fight but I've no idea how many there are. I just saw the one,"
"I'll be back in a minute then." Burt said, picking up a small children's book from off of the shelf and returning to Kurt's room.
"Kurtie. Can you stay here and read to yourself a minute? I'll be back in a moment and I can read to you where you got up to. Okay Kurtie pie?"
"Owkay Papa," Kurt said, pulling the book towards him on the bed and opening it to the first page and admiring the pictures. Burt took one last loving look at his son before returning to the kitchen to Elizabeth's side.
"Let's get this over with." He sighed. He pulled Elizabeth into a desperate, fleeting yet passionate kiss and wrapped his arms around her. "I love you. Never forget that,"
"I love you too." She sniffed, her eyes tearing as they carefully unlocked the door to approach the oncoming fight.
Together, Burt and Elizabeth made a good tag team. They found six angry wolves bearing down on them as they exited their woodland cottage, who all immediately leapt at them. They fought them off skilfully, using their abilities to create vines out of the soil and entrapping some of them whilst Burt managed to push another back using his telekinesis and Elizabeth managed to cause another to fall to it's knees in pain via her mind control ability. But soon they learned of their skills and figure out how to avoid them. Burt sustained several large deep cuts across his shoulder from one wolf's claws and Elizabeth became pinned down on the floor by another. Burt pushed the wolf off his wife and kicked it backwards and into a tree. He attempted to heal her using his third and final ability but her wounds had barely begun to heal before another wolf was upon them and Burt had to remove his hands from her wounds to send a telekinesis shockwave backwards at it. But there always seemed to be more advancing.
Unknown to anyone, Kurt had heard the commotion from his bedroom and tiptoed towards the kitchen and peeked his head around the door. Upon seeing the fight he then ran forward to help.
"STOP!" he yelled as he skidded to a stop beside Elizabeth. He jumped on the spot and on landing pounded his fist into the dirt. He sent out a massive shockwave that rippled through the ground, creating a metre high wave that knocked out four of the wolves and threw the others wildly backwards as a force-field pushed the remaining three wolves backwards. He stood back up shocked at his own actions as much as Elizabeth on the ground. Burt stood by his son's side and watched as the remaining wolves retreated. When he was sure they were definitely not returning any time soon he desperately turned to Elizabeth on the ground.
"Lizzie? Honey, are you okay?" he asked, pressing his hands desperately to her wounds.
"Not really. Kurtie, you're such a brave little boy. You've made your Momma proud," she managed, clutching at her side with one hand and placing her other on Kurt's tiny cheek.
"Momma, you're gonna be okay, right?" he asked, his bottom lip quivering like his voice. Burt was still working like mad over her but his powers had been weakened by the wolves' attacks. His own injuries causing his abilities to have become damaged, his healing powers were dampened and his telekinesis practically gone. Sweat practically poured from his forehead in his efforts but Elizabeth took her hand from Kurt's cheek and placed it over Burt's, stilling them.
"Don't strain yourself Burt. Don't weaken yourself so."
"No. I won't loose you Liz." He said, trying again to use his powers.
"Burt. One of them bit me. I know I've no way out of this now. Let me go," she said, tears in her eyes.
"I don't want to. I won't let you. I need you Lizzie." He said, his tears falling onto her now bloodstained clothes.
"Momma, don't go." Kurt said, silent tears streaming down his face at the sight of his dad crying.
"I'm sorry honey. Momma has to. But remember Momma always loves you. Momma's so proud of you."
"No Momma. Stay!" he cried, clutching her hand in his tiny ones. She squeezed them tight in return as Burt leaned over her. He kissed her, feeling his heart shatter and soul tear apart as she faded away, her heart growing weak from the wolf venom.
"I love you Elizabeth. Elizabeth Malley-Hummel." He cried as she smiled at him one last time.
"I'll see you again. One day we'll all be together again." She sniffed, tears leaking from her eyes silently and rolling down her cheeks.
"I love you."
And then she was gone, the light in her eyes dulled and vanished as her heart beat no more and Burt openly wept over her. Holding both her and Kurt close to him.
The next day they buried Elizabeth in the forest, having cleaned the blood from her and dressed her in her favourite pale blue dress. Both of them cried and Kurt made flowers grow over her grave, Elizabeth's favourite snowdrops and bluebells. A week later they decided to move back into human society and met up with members of the nymph tribes. There were a fair few left, but many were killed battling the wolves thought they were sure to take down as many as they could with them. Elizabeth's sister Bolt, one of the survivors, was surprised to see Kurt still alive though she'd never say it. She thought he was so small and defenceless but when she heard of her sister's death and Kurt's defending them, she pulled Kurt into a long deep hug and cried into his shoulder.
News travelled fast that the wolves had been defeated. The only news of survivors was the three that survived Kurt's attack and two others who'd been cowardly in their own attacks and had retreated when things started going pear shaped. Five wolves in the entire state however, was an incredible feat for them as they had been outnumbered nearly 2 to 1 in their attacks.
Kurt became a highly respected member of the group of 27 surviving nymphs and his powerful attack became a well-told story. He mostly hid whenever he heard the beginning of the story being told and wouldn't return until at least an hour later. Even then he'd hide behind his father or Bolt shyly.
Growing up after that wasn't much fun for Kurt. When he was 8 he turned invisible for the first time, scaring the living daylights out of Burt when he saw him disappear. Burt tried to take it lightly, saying that they couldn't play hide and seek any more because Kurt had too much of an advantage but inside took a while to come to terms with it. He told himself to get used to it, that this was the sort of thing his parents must have been through when he was young and finding his abilities.
At 8 and three quarters Kurt found his flexibility. He'd accidentally knocked over a glass vase in the house and had dived to get it. His arm shot out and stretched further than it should, easily catching it before it smashed into pieces. He placed it carefully back on the coffee table before backing away, staring at his hands in fear.
"Dad!" he called softly, his voice shaking.
"Yes Kurtie?" came Burt's voice from the kitchen as he poked his head into the living room.
"Kurt? What's wrong buddy?"
"I... my hand..." Kurt held up his hand, holding it away from him.
"What's up with your hand Kurtie? Did you hurt it?" Burt asked, moving forward to kneel before his son, taking his tiny hand in his.
"I... I don't know. I knocked over the vase and I tried to grab it but I was too far away and then my arm stretched! It scared me daddy!" Kurt gushed, eyes wide in terror.
"Kurtie, can you show me your hand stretching?" Burt asked calmly. Kurt looked scared again but Burt's gaze comforted him. He stretched out his arm and closed the door to the hallway on his right. Burt watched in awe as he did so and when Kurt retracted his arm, he returned his gaze to Kurt himself.
"You're such a talented little boy." He smiled proudly at him. Kurt's expression changed to one of pride then. That he'd managed to make his father so proud of him.
"You think so daddy?" Kurt asked timidly.
"I know so Kurtie. Now I think such a talented boy should have that latest Barbie he wanted. What do you think?"
"Really!" Kurt beamed. Burt laughed and ruffled the little boy's hair.
"You wanna grab your jacket kiddo?"
Kurt - to humans - always seemed odd. He always kept to himself and didn't make many friends. Aged fourteen he managed to make a friend in one Mercedes Jones. She was wacky, energetic and enthusiastic. They met at a singing camp of sorts, set up at a music college as a summer camp for students of fourteen and fifteen to encourage them to apply in later years and to show off their fairly extensive resources.
Kurt had sat down at the back of the choir room they were told to meet at. Mercedes had entered, not knowing anyone there either and spotted Kurt alone at the back. She saw his fashionable clothes, she saw his lonely seat where no one had sat anywhere near him. She knew that she should definitely change that.
"Hey," she smiled as she sat in the empty seat next to him. He looked up at her shocked and confused but returned her smile as best he could.
"I'm Mercedes. Mercedes Jones," She offered her hand out and took shook it nervously.
"Kurt Hummel."
"Nice sweater. Is that TopShop?"
"It is. And do I detect the fruity tones of the new Britney Spears perfume?" Kurt smiled.
"You do indeed." She smiled. "God I love this perfume."
"Me too." Kurt giggled.
He hadn't laughed in front of anyone but other nymphs in so song. Or ever maybe. But he immediately decided he really like Mercedes. She never found anything weird about him; she didn't see what the other kids were talking about. He was quiet and shy when he'd been sat on his own, but as soon as they began to talk, he became animated and eccentric, very much interested in fashion and totally adorable. From that moment onwards, Kurt had a best friend.
They became inseparable, meeting up all the time and visiting each other's houses most days. They were both so glad to find they were both moving up to McKinley High.
A few years later, after Kurt's life had improved vastly and he'd gained a new step-brother Finn and step-mom Carole, Kurt thought his high would never end. But then Kurt began to find himself on the receiving end of copious amounts of bullying by a boy named David Karofsky. He spent so long just trying to deal with it alone but found himself as breaking point, and felt he had no choice but to transfer to a new school. It saddened him greatly to leave all his friends but he found this one school, Dalton Academy, a school for gifted humans (or other creatures in disguise). It was just the escape he was sadly looking for and so, after a long discussion with Burt, he'd applied to change schools. At the news he'd been accepted, he sadly said goodbye to his friends, packed his bags and set off to the new school...