TAGS/WARNINGS: John Watson, Eric Jefferson (OMC), Charles Xavier, Jean Grey, Scott Summers, Logan (X-Men), Original Characters, Shifters, Psionic abilities, Supernatural Elements, Mutants, Violence, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse
Eric's POV
His nose flares as he tries not to take a deep breath. Over the last eighteen years he has been called on to protect mutant hatchlings and teens as much as any other species. Each time he finds the child he ends up helping a teacher among the local population, but recently he has had more and more gifted who have taken offense to training a human. Not that they make the mistake of turning him down when he turns his gleaming silver eyes in their direction. So he has decided to end the debate as to what to classify them as.
On June twentieth, the day before the Summer Solstice he fells a summons for assistance from a child screaming in their mind to be saved. Vanishing, he finds himself is stalking his way through the halls of what used to be Hydra base killing practically every adult he comes across with cool efficiency, snapping their necks like the twigs and using his pyromancy talents to burn the mark of Auralas into their flesh as he drops them.
This is getting to be ridiculous. He cannot be the only tracker who is able to be called by hatchlings of any species.
Other trackers should be dealing with these bases as well. After all, they are full of people who torture and kill anyone not 'human'. By the time he has finished, it is early the following morning and he has already decided what he is going to do. Surrounded by nearly thirty hatchlings of varying species fury swarms his mind, none of these little ones should be here. True only one belongs to a clan, a little girl who can turn into a crow, or will be able to when she is older, that is if she is seen by a healer sooner than later.
John, he calls out drawing his elder's attention.
Where are you? I can feel the terror and I am not even there. The wolf responds a moment later.
I need your healing talents, come borrow my body? I will maintain the link. Goddess below knows there is enough energy here for me to maintain four or five links right now. He replies with a soft snarl.
Then move over within your own head, I will do what I can. The wolf orders him.
Less than a thought later, the healer and alpha is sharing his body and mind, seeing what he has seen and why he is hear. The rage is pushed to the side as he focuses on helping each child, no matter what race or age they are. Each and every one of them has their bodies and minds healed, though he can feel John's hesitation whether to return the hatchlings to purely human or finish converting them to gifted.
Stay here with my body, I will go ask she who created us how we will be classifying the human mutants. I know the dusk immortal Auralas considers them gifted, and any harm done to them falls under the same laws as any harm done elsewhere. He comments as he focuses on his link between himself and his elder.
He can feel John's internal nod before he sends his soul to the Shadow Realm court, not bothering to be polite and request an audience.
Of all those who serve me you have to be the most suicidal, the Shadow Mistress comments, her body currently that of an adult.
I request audience of yourself, Iyora and Emberan. He replies, bowing once and straighten immediately thereafter. As he had suspected the other two had appeared while he bowed. That tends to happen when a Tracker uses one of the Old God's true names rather than titles.
You have our attention, the Dawn Son declares, his voice a rumble like distant natural disasters.
There is debate as to what to do with and classify human mutants as. I am here to get an exact answer, he remarks as he stands before the three of them, his silvery eyes locked on the Shadow Mistress even though that is probably a disrespectful thing.
Ah yes, the hybrids, the Dusk Daughter murmurs, the soothing water feeling her voice invokes being shattered by the burning sensation that follows like an echo.
He ignores the pain, focusing on the words instead and continues to wait.
Out of the corner of his eyes he can see as the younger two glances to the eldest. A silent conversation takes place as the three of them stand there.
Finally, the Shadow Mistress takes her youngest form, eyes shimmering as she declares, All children and adults with the human-mutant bloodline will be considered Gifted. This grants them access to the protections of a Tracker, the teachings of the Gifted, and the right to ask healing from the Shifters. I acknowledge that not all of them carry the dormant Gifted bloodline, however I am not going to debate it. When they die they may chose between this afterlife and the human afterlife.
He bows low, just as he is getting ready to vanish she continues, Use Trackers of my line to teach the new members of our society. I know you have dealt with the human-mutants before on several occasions and know of several areas where they gather. Assign who you feel will work best.
As you wish, he responds, bowing one more time as his mind whirls over which trackers would work best for which group.
Returning to his body, he finds that his elder has the hatchlings softly singing to each other, distracting them from the sights surrounding them and continuing to heal them accordingly.
What was decided? The wolf inquires, his healing still active and bordering on what he should do.
All human-mutant hatchlings and adult will be considered Gifted offshoots. I believe she who created us will be making an announcement among all Gifted, Shifters, and Immortals during the Dusk Awakening. He answers as he takes hold of their minds once more, draining all negative emotion and feelings from those surrounding him.
Smirking along their bond, the wolf reaches for each of the hatchlings, finishing the conversion from human to gifted and putting barriers on their talent so they will unlock slowly, naturally, the way they would if they had been born with the gifted talents rather than having them forced by humans.
While the wolf continues his work, he reaches out with his mind, catching the person who runs a school for 'gifted youngsters' a rather amusing thing considering the Shadow Mistress' proclamation, and summons the older man to the facility to collect the hatchlings.
Have you made arrangements for them? I see that twenty-two of their number are orphans. His elder inquires when he finishes the healing.
Yes, I will be returning the eight to their families, and the other twenty-two will be going to a special school for hatchlings of this human-mutant heritage. He answers, internally smiling. Of course, I will also be calling Tyreece, his mind provides an image of the immortal he is speaking of, to work with the hatchlings in developing their gifts and teaching them our rather simple laws as set down by the Shadow Mistress for all, I will leave it up to him whether he teaches the normal Gifted laws as well.
I am returning to myself now, however we need to have a chat Eric, John comments seriously, and he already knows what the chat will be about.
I do my duties as a tracker. I also do my duties to protect any child to asks for help. He responds, unapologetic about his nature.
He feels the impression of the wolf shaking his head before he is the only one in his body again.
Come, he broadcasts to all the hatchlings surrounding him, come with me and I will take you out of this place, return you to your homes or a place you may call home.
"Really?" one of the little girls inquires, her eyes bright with hope.
I am a cobra, I do not lie, he answers with a smile.
"You're a mutant?" a teenage boy asks with a curious look, hand hesitantly reaching for the scales covering his neck and shoulders.
No, I come from a long line of cobras. We are shapeshifters, I belong to a den of wolves, technically it is called a pack. You felt the presence that healed you? He replies and inquires as he stands up, uncoiling his legs from beneath him.
All of the hatchlings nod, some harder than others, their eyes glued to him.
That was my elder, his name is John. He is a golden wolf bigger than a horse who is a warrior and a healer. He answers, Shall we leave this place?
"Yes!" the hatchlings chorus as they all get to their feet, a few of them shocked and staring at their legs.
He knows not all the hatchlings had been able to walk before this, just as he knows that all of them carried the x-gene that humans use as the basis for changing the hatchlings into mutants.
Carefully their group leaves the building, his mind shielding them from the negative emotions filling the place and being able to see the dead bodies of those who tormented and tortured them. Not that there is a lot of bodies left. He had marked them for Auralas and she is rather quick to take the entire package to her domain so that those marked for her cannot be brought back to life by any save the Dusk Daughter or Shadow Mistress, neither of which will be helping this lot.
Calling upon his talents for fire and air, he warms the area surrounding the hatchlings as they step outside into the cool evening air. Several of the younger one exclaim happily running and just rejoicing over the fact they are no longer within the confines of the complex. Actually, once all the hatchlings are gone he will deal with the complex.
Come here, he calls to those running around happily, I do not want the jet to land on you. Would you like to see my full snake form?
Nearly every hatchling nods, and he changes, making sure to keep the air around himself warm since his snake form hates the cold. While a few are a little afraid of snakes, the rest eagerly reach out to touch him, exclaiming and babbling about his scales and size. He lets them climb all over him the same way he does the den hatchlings. He can feel the approach of those he summoned long before their jet appears.
Tyreece, he invokes, I require your assistance.
A moment later a tall, dark-skinned man with a wicked smile and gentle eyes appears not far from him. "Black cobra, it has been a while since we last spoke," he comments, voice deep and reflecting an upbringing far different from his.
Immortal, you are aware of the decree? He queries as he continues to let the hatchlings play on him.
"Of course, it is hard to miss when She declares something," the immortal answers, glancing down as a little girl hesitantly tugs on his slacks. The wicked smile turns soft as he kneels down, "Yes sweetheart?"
"Hug?" she timidly asks.
"Of course," the immortal answers carefully picking her up and snuggling her close.
You remind her of her father, similar coloring and hair style, he tells the other tracker. They are dead now, killed by those who took her for daring to fight back.
He doesn't need words to understand the immortals anger but none of it shows on his face or enters the older man's scent. "What can I do for you Venomous?"
A group of human-mutants is coming to collect the twenty-two without families, they will be here shortly, I wish for you to teach them of the our laws and the fact they can call for help, they do not have to deal with this alone. It will require you living among human-mutants for a time, he answers seriously, This is as one tracker to another.
"Of course, I can also teach them other ways of control and how to use their abilities that they may not know," the immortal answers just as the jet sets down.
Considering most as self-taught, I am sure you could. He comments, pleased he does not have to explain further. That is one of the beautiful things about Shadow Trackers and Shadow Immortals, they catch on quickly without the fuss some of the other varieties would put forth.
Hatchlings, I need to return to my human form, he tells the group of little ones still on his tale. Quickly they all scrabble off of him, but they stay as he shifts and those who had started to drift away gather around him to watch the jet with wary eyes.
When it opens, he sees the wheelchair bound mutant before the other three with him come into sight.
Everyone is quiet as the four leave the jet, coming down the ramp and glancing about. Well, three of the four glances around, the fourth looks it him with calm expression.
"It has been a long time, yet you look as if you have not aged a day." The wheelchair bound man comments as he stops just a little ways away from them.
I've aged, just not a lot. It is good to see that you live, he greets the mutant, I do not believe we were actually introduced the last time. I am Venomous, Tracker Blessed of Shadows, Dusk and Dawn.
"A pleasure to meet you," the oldest of the four responds, "I am Professor Charles Xavier, though you already know that. This is Jean Grey, Scott Summers, and Logan."
He smirks but says nothing in response.
"Tyreece, son and Tracker of the Shadow Line," the immortal chimes in, flashing a smile towards the adult mutants before returning his attention to the little girl in his arms.
Tyreece is to be your liaison to the Gifted community. You will find a vast network of support among them, along with an entire civilization hidden beneath the human one. One older than humans actually. He tells the leader of this group. He will be able to teach new ways of controlling and using gifts as well since our kind have had psionic gifts for longer than humans have walked the planet.
Turning his head to look at the immortal, the professor inquires, "Why would you do that?"
"Two reasons," the immortal answers meeting the mutants gaze, "I like children, and it is a directive from the Shadow Mistress."
The one identified as Scott quietly asks, "Can we trust these people Professor?" his voice full of distrust and dislike.
"Oh yes Scott, we can trust them. That man surrounded by children helped save many mutants when you were still a child, we arrived thinking that the children were going to need rescuing and here he sat, surround much like he is now, eyes silver and seeing far more than has ever made me comfortable." The professor explains, "Those were some of my first students."
"Oh," is all Scott mutters in response.
"Well then, who is coming with us then Venomous?" the professor inquires as he turns his focus back to him.
There are twenty-two without homes or families, they will be the ones to go with you. The other eight I will return to their homes and families. If their homes are unsafe, I will make other arrangements for them. He replies as he slowly releases their minds from his grasp. You will find they are in perfect physical health and will have very few emotional side effects from this ordeal. They have already been seen by a healer.
Smiling, the professor nods, "That's good, come along, no reason to stand here when there is food, warmth, and new clothing waiting for you."
Most the hatchlings glance at him questioningly.
He nods in response, smiling at them and encouraging, Go, if you ever need me, think my name with your will and I will come. He tells them, showing them his personal call symbol, something that trackers are not supposed to just randomly tell people but he has been telling children since he first started tracking.
Each of them hugs him before the ones going to the school all board the craft.
Tyreece and his little one are the last to board from his group. He knows the immortal could just move himself there but plans to use this time to get to know his charges and those he is working with better.
"Would you like a lift?" the professor asks politely.
No, I can return them and then deal with this place. He answers with a slightly cruel smile.
"Of course, some day we should sit down and talk, I feel it would be very interesting." The mutant comments before turning his chair and heading back into the jet.
Scott is the last of his companions to get on, though the one called Logan keeps giving him looks. Just the briefest touch against the human-immortals mind tells him that Logan does not recall the fact they have met before. No problem, they will probably meet again in the future too. Only Jean is calm, her mind showing vague memories of another shifter that she has run into in the past.
Inclining his head slightly, he waits for them to leave before he gathers the remaining children to return them to their homes. Of the eight, sevens families welcome them home with warmth. The eight child's family wants nothing to do with him, and he gives the young man the option of the school or a gifted family. He picks the school. So that is where he finds himself just a few hours after he had parted way from the professor and his team of mutants.
"I did not expect to see you so soon," the professor comments as he enters the office they are in.
Les's family has decided they do not want a mutant, I gave him the option of a different family or here, he picked here. He answers.
Turning to the young man, the professor comments, "You are welcome here of course."
As soon as the young man nods, he vanishes, returning to the remains of the base to collect all the information from the computer system he can before stepping outside and collapsing it using a combination of earth and fire to destroy everything within. This place will never be used for that purpose again. By the time he is done, it is impossible to see where it used to be, for nature has reclaimed it. It appears there are more people to hunt, but first, home to his mate for the Dusk Awakening, he can start the death toll tomorrow.
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