Path of the Dark One

Author's Note 1: From the creator of "Star Ocean: Cyrus' Side", "Kingdom Hearts: Till the End of Time", and "Star Wars: Offense of the Shizz" comes an entirely different and darker tale. A young mutant named Darkstrike suffers from amnesia and has no idea of who is or what purpose he serves. His long journey lands him in Bayville. But the past comes to haunt him and he does not know who to trust. Who will he ally himself with? Will he finally learn about his past? And if he does, will he be able to accept it?

Author's Note 2: I do not own the X-Men. They and other related products are owned by Marvel.

Author's Note 3: If you want a story with angst, some humor, suspense, drama, and a whole lot of action and adventure, then this is the one for you. Rated T for mild language, suggestive themes, violence, and a lot of insults. If you want information about my character, go to the Forums section under OC STATS in Yay for Me's OC's ROCK! thread. His bio is in the seventh page (Updated data on this character on my DeviantART page).

Author's Note 4: This story has some elements of Shadow the Hedgehog due to similarity in story line, and chapter titles. And be prepared to see Darkstrike switch alliances.

Author's Note 5: This will be in first person perspective. Italics are thought. Parenthesis are used for in-story thoughts.

Chapter 1: I am Darkstrike

I am Darkstrike, a mutant. I have no real name so instead I gave myself the title of "Tical O. Zinfandel". My quest has led me to what these humans (or meatbags as I label them) call "Bayville". At the moment, I sat under a tree on a hill outside the city contemplating about my life. A paper flew toward me. I grabbed it and saw an article that read "Senator Kelly's anti-mutant campaign is taking Bayville by storm." I crumbled it up and tossed it backward. "Great, another city of mutant hating extremists," I thought to myself. "Oh well, I was getting bored from that trip from Idaho. Nice place, but too much salt on their fries." "I guess there's no point in staying up here. I like to see what this place is like." So I left the hill and entered the city.

Before you ask, there is a reason that I'm here of all places. I've heard that this place has a small but well known mutant population. Maybe the answers I seek were here somewhere. As I walked through the streets, I had many people give me strange looks. I guess I have to give these meatbags a break though. After all, not many people walk around these days with a katana strapped to their waste. Luckily, I didn't need to pull the blade out at that time. As I walked through the city, I stopped at a nearby coffee shop. I went inside and ordered some French Vanilla, decaff. As I took my drink I heard a conversation between two people taking place behind me. I turned my head slightly and listened to them talk. One was a guy wearing jeans and vest. He had blue hair and a European accent (German, I believe). "I can't believe that test in Algebra!" he said to a girl dressed in goth clothes and white bangs on her head in front of her face. "How could anyone pass questions like that?"

The girl calmly took a sip of her coffee and simply said in her southern accent "Maybe they actually stayed awake in class instead of snoring."

"Hey, how could I, Rogue?" the boy complained. "Mr. Logan got us up at 5 o'clock in the morning for training exercises in the Danger Room!"

"Training exercises?" I thought to myself. "Interesting." A smirk appeared on my face as I continue to listen in on their conversation.

"Well we have to be ready for anything," the girl named Rogue said. "And we need to control our powers."

"I know that, but couldn't it just wait until after we get back from school?"

The young woman sighed heavily at her whining companion. "Come on, Kurt. Let's go back to the Institute."

The two of them got up from their chairs and left a tip. As soon as they went out the door, I decided to follow them. But before I did, I asked the clerk if I could have my coffee to go. I got my drink in a styrofoam cup and I pursued them. "Powers they say. I'm beginning to think those two meatbags aren't average juveniles."

I followed them through the crowds, making sure not to be seen. When the streets began to clear up, I saw a group of thugs heading toward the two after they turned a corner. "I know I need them to find my answers, but do I really have to, dare I say, assist them in this battle?" As you can see, I am not the heroic type. I'm not one of those guys that goes around saving the world and all that crap. That ain't my style. However, these two might be of some usefulness. "I guess I can lend my services," I said as I put my hand on the hilt of my sword.

I walked over and saw the two I've been tracking down. Now they were surrounded by the punks in an alley (Why do meatbags like these always go to alleys? Some kind of tradition?). "Well, well, what do we have here?" asked one of them with ripped pants and spiked hair. "It looks like you came to the wrong neighborhood."

"W-We're sorry," Kurt said. "We didn't know…"

"Forget it Kurt," Rogue said. "They're just a couple of hardheaded assholes."

"Oh, did you here that?" A chubbier guy with a bicycle vest said.

"Yeah, I like her," another with a blue mowhawk and spiked neckband said. "She's got spunk. I like that in a chick."

"Yeah, and I bet you got stupid," Rogue quiped. "How about you buzz off jerk."

"She does have some flare," I thought to myself.

"Tough talk, girlie," the mowhawk said. "Why don't fork over your goods. Give us your money and we might let you slide."

"But we don't have any money," Kurt said. "So can you let us go anyway?"

"I think not!" the fat one said. "But there's always other options."

The three walked closer to the two, ready for the attack. Rogue got into a defensive position along with Kurt. I would watch, but like I said, I wanted some action. "Hey, mind telling me what those options are?" I asked as I walked in the alley while taking a sip of my French Vanilla. "I'm just curious."

"We're getting lots of trespassers today, right boys?" said the guy with the mowhawk. The other two nodded.

"I see you know a big word, meatbag. I guess that's why you're the leader. Though I'm not impressed."

"Who the hell are you supposed to be, the last samurai?" he asked.

"And who are you three, the devil's rejects?"

"A funny boy. Sorry to tell you this, but the hood's the other way."

"Yeah, for shizzle my nizzle," the fat one said. The three laughed at the insult.

I only smirked. "I know. I passed by it after I fucked your mom. You know, the bitch hanging around the corner."

"What did you say?" the one with spike hair said.

"Are you deaf, or just plain dumb? Oh wait, judging from your faces, I say you, Harry and Moe are both."

"Do you know who we are, you little punk?"

I took another sip of my drink while I laid my arm on my sword. "I think I just answered that question. Oh, I'm sorry, you must be a little slow. Do. I. Have. To. Annunciate?"

"That's it…" the leader said as he and his cronies walked toward me.

"Hold on!" I put my cup down a near the wall and my backpack right next to it. "Don't want to spill my coffee in the midst of kicking your imbecilic asses," I scoffed. "Now please show me your combat technique."

The three charged at me. The mowhawk leader began punching at me. The attack was slow and focused more on strength than accuracy which allowed me to dodge the attacks with ease. He then tried to swing at me again, but I blocked the attack and threw him pulled him backward. The fat one was about to bear hug me, but I slid right under him and jump kicked his face. The spike-haired kid threw a garbage can lid at me, but I ducked under it and it hit the back of the fat guys head. After impact, I saw the enemy drop down hard to the ground. "Damn it!" he said.

"You need to learn how to aim," I mocked him. Behind me, I saw the leader standing up and swinging his pocket knife at me. "I see you have a switchblade." I then pulled out my own weapon. It was my sword with a blood red blade. "Well this is a katana." He began to stab and swing at me with the small arm. I ducked and back my stomach away as he attacked. Just before the tried for an uppercut, I slid behind him and conked him on the head with the blunt of my katana. He was knocked out cold with his teammate. I turned and saw the remaining rival standing in disbelief. He was about to flee, but I stopped him by enveloping his head in darkness. He tried to struggle out, but it was no use. He dropped to the ground with the wind knocked out of him. "I had expected a challenge from such foolish ignoramuses." I put away my katana and picked up my backpack and cup of coffee. I stared at the opponents and took a sip of my coffee. "What a waste." I then looked up and saw Kurt and Rogue stare at me. "What are you staring at?"

"I can't believe it!" Kurt said. "You beat all three of them without breaking a sweat!"

"Yeah, well I didn't do it for you as much as I did it for me."

"We could have taken them out ourselves," Rogue said.

"I have no doubt about that. But it wouldn't have been as efficient as what I did."

"So what are you up to?"

"Rogue!" Kurt retorted.

I chuckled. "Simple. I want to accompany you and your comrade to this 'Institute'."

"What? How do you know?"

"It's hard to ignore something so valuable. And I doubt you are just any meatbags. You are mutations, such as myself. I can sense it."

"Why would we want to take you there?" asked Rogue. "Are you part of the Brotherhood?"

"Brotherhood? I have no idea of who that is. Anyway, if you want, you can tell me its location and I can probably find it myself."

The two turned away from me and began to converse. Personally, I didn't know what they said, but to be quaint, I really didn't care. I stood against the wall and drank the rest of my coffee for a few minutes. Afterwards, they turned around with their decision. "Fine, you can come," Rogue said.

"You have made a wise choice."

"So who are you anyways?" Kurt asked.

"To tell you the truth, it is none of your business. But because you are letting come with you, I'll tell you my name." Rogue sighed after I finished my sentence. "It's… Tical. But you can call me Darkstrike at best."

"I'm Kurt and this is Rogue."

"Just don't try anything sneaky," Rogue said.

"Believe me, if I were to do something, I would have done it on the fly."

"Whatever."

"Well, let's go," I said. I took my last sip and tossed the empty drink on the body of the mowhawk leader. I followed the two through the alley with a sly smirk on my face. "Soon my memories will be restored. It is only a matter of time." And it was because little did I know, this wasn't just going to be a mission to find my answers. Infact, there was something else over the horizon. Something big.