I keep finding mistakes in my previous chapters! Argh! Also, in case anyone was wondering, chapters 1 and 2 take place on a Friday, chapters 3-5 on Saturday, and this chapter on Sunday.
Super Mega Story Force Go Now!
Everyone was outside watching a SHIELD helicopter land in front of the institute. It had taken some coercion from Azazel for Mystique to agree to turn herself in. When the chopper landed, three agents immediately rushed to Mystique and put her in handcuffs. Azazel walked along side them back to the chopper, having what appeared to be a rather snarky conversation with Raven.
"Didn't expect to see him here." Fury said as he walked up to where Logan was standing next to the Professor.
"You know Azazel?" inquired the Professor.
"You know how Shield found the backup for Operation Rebirth?"
"17 years ago, yeah." Logan answered.
"Azazel's the one who told us about it." Logan looked at Fury like he'd grown a second head. "Pretty sure he's the one who told Magneto about, too." Logan growled. "He's not all bad, though. He said had an idea on how to treat Cap."
"Oh yeah?" Logan said. "I'll believe that when I see it."
"You and me both. Anyway thanks for handing over Mystique."
"Our pleasure."
Kurt's attention was pulled from listening to Logan's conversation when Azazel walked up to him and started their own.
"Pretty swanky place. Reminds me of that castle Magneto used to have."
"Oh yeah!" Kurt realized. "You would totally know more about it."
"Know about what?" Kurt quickly informed Azazel about Rogue's dream concerning his unfortunate origins. "Right, that." Azazel looked away for a moment. "The truth is... that's where Magneto had his genectics lab."
Kurt's face turned a much lighter shade of blue. "Did he... did he experiment on me?" He was scared of the answer.
"Because I asked him to."
"What?" Kurt almost fell over.
"Your mother told you about my enemies, what their blood does. I asked Magneto to see if he could make you immune. But I didn't tell Raven. That's why she lied to me. She didn't want..." Kurt simply stared at his father. "She was scared I would try again. To... change you."
"But you were trying to protect me, weren't you?" Kurt hesitated.
"Of course! You don't know this, thank goodness, but that stuff hurts!" Azazel had already taken off his slime stained jacket, so all he had to do was roll up his sleeve to reveal a large, splatter-shaped burn scar just above his elbow. Kurt's eyes widened when he saw it.
"Right. So," Kurt said, desperate to change the subject. "You said I have two half brothers. I've already met Marcus, tell me about the other one."
"Oh, sure." Azazel rolled his sleeve back down. "His name is Nils. He's actually younger than you, almost 12. He has a mutant appearance, you know, fur and fangs and everything. But his powers haven't manifested yet, and until they do, I want him to have as stable an environment as possible, so he's actually living with my sister in-."
"Sister? I have an aunt?" Kurt interrupted excitedly.
"Yeah, along with a cousin and two uncles, my brother and brother-in-law."
"Seriously? My family's bigger than I thought it would be. This is so cool!"
"I'll be sure to introduce you to them, then." Azazel chuckled.
"That would be awesome! I've gotta tell Rogue!"
"Tell me what?" Rogue asked walking up.
"Our family is so big, Rogue."
"Wait, 'our'?" Azazel asked.
"Yeah. Wait, you don't know?" Kurt continued at his father's confused look. "Mystique adopted Rogue when she was little."
"Course she didn't raise me." Rogue added. "That responsibility went to Irene."
"Destiny?" Azazel couldn't hide his surprise.
"Destiny?" Kurt echoed.
"Yeah, Raven and I call her that because her mutant power is to see bits and pieces of the future."
"Irene's a mutant?" It was Rogue's turn to be surprised. "I never knew."
"And she can really see the future?" Kurt wondered.
Azazel nodded. "She's made all kinds of predictions. From small things like when it would rain to the fate of the whole world."
"Whoa." Kurt breathed. "That's so cool. Isn't it, Rogue?"
"Yeah, I guess." Rogue didn't seem that enthusiastic.
"What's wrong?"
"What if she saw it coming? My powers, I mean. Everything that happened with Apocalypse. What if that's the only reason Mystique even adopted me?"
"Rogue, that's crazy. Tell her it's crazy." Kurt turned to Azazel for backup.
"Honestly?" Azazel looked uneasy. "I wouldn't put it past her."
"See? All she ever did was use me!" Rogue fumed. Before either Kurt or Azazel could say something, she ran off into the mansion. Kurt was about to follow her when Azazel spoke.
"Let her go. She needs time to come terms with this possibility."
Kurt paused. "Yeah, okay. I'll check on her later though."
"In the mean time, do you think you could help me with something?"
"Of course!" Kurt beamed.
"Good, because I could use the support."
"Just let me ask if it's okay." Kurt teleported to where Logan and the Professor were still talking with Fury. "Azazel asked me to help him out with something. Can I please go?" Kurt implored them.
"Fine." Logan conceded, apprehensive. "But be back before dinner."
"You got it!" Kurt gave a thumbs up and teleported back to Azazel. "I'm all yours."
"Great! But I'll drive." And with that, Azazel grabbed his son's shoulder and teleported them back to the circus.
"You're a teleporter?" Kurt was in utter shock.
"I didn't tell you that?" Azazel asked jokingly.
"No!" Kurt's yell got the attention of a mysterious figure hiding in the shadows.
"You're late." Marcus said as he stepped into the light. He was wearing faded jeans, a grey t-shirt, a green leather jacket, and a pair of lace-up boots.
"I was busy." Azazel defended.
"What happened to your jacket?"
"Don't ask."
"Wait, what are we late for?" Kurt inquired.
"Lunch date." Marcus answered simply. "But it's okay that you're late. Uncle Ophis still isn't ready."
"I'm ready now!" came a loud voice. Kurt took a step back as a man the same size as Juggernaut came jogging into view. He had sandy colored fur, pointed ears, fangs, a lion-like tail, and his legs were the same odd shape as Kurt's. He had on a lavender polo shirt and tailored brown trousers. "I'm here and ready, so let's go. Who's this?" Ophis pointed at Kurt.
"Kurt." Azazel answered. Ophis' expression didn't change. "The one I had with Raven." Still no change. "The one who was on the news." Nothing. "Fighting the giant robot?"
"Oh!" Ophis said at last. "The teleporter!"
"Yes!" Azazel shouted, exasperated.
"Can we go now?" Marcus asked impatiently.
"Yes." Azazel sighed. He grabbed a hand from each of his sons and laced his tail with his brother's, and with a BAMF they disappeared from the parking lot and reappeared atop Look Out Point. Kurt did a double take of what he saw. Amanda was sitting on checkered blanket next to a picnic basket.
"Amanda?" Kurt gasped.
"Kurt?" She responded, just as surprised.
"What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question." She said, standing up.
"I thought you said she would come." Azazel whispered to his brother.
"I said I would ask." Ophis whispered back.
"Amanda," Kurt began, "This my father, uncle, and half brother." He pointed to them in turn.
"Your father?" Amanda stared at Kurt in disbelief.
"But my mom said he..."
"He what?"
"It's a long story."
"I'll tell it." Azazel offered. When no one stopped him, he continued. "The person we were supposed to meet up here, was Margali Szardos. Now, apparently, Margali Sefton. She grew up in the circus with me and Ophis."
"Her mother was the fortune teller." Amanda added.
"Yeah, everyone called her Madame Szardos. She took me, Ophis, and our sister, Ginniyeh, in when we were kids living in the woods. She raised us alongside her own children, Margali... and her brother, Stephen." Azazel paused and Ophis looked down.
"My mom told me about my uncle." Amanda explained. "She told me that he died." She looked at Azazel. "And that it was your fault."
"No way." Kurt doubted.
"It's true." Azazel admited.
"What?" Kurt breathed.
"You know those people, the ones after me?"
"They killed him?"
"Yeah." Azazel averted his gaze. "For helping me."
"That must be why my mom doesn't want me around Kurt." Amanda explained. "She realized you guys' connection. And she didn't want what happened to my uncle to happen to me."
"I can't blame her. I'd do the same thing her place."
Kurt was about to say something when his own uncle beat him to it. "Anyway... it'd be a shame to let the food go to waste, so let's sit down and eat."
Everyone silently agreed and sat down to begin enjoying their lunch. Azazel told Amanda what her uncle was like when he was alive, and she and Kurt told him about their first date.
"Oh, man. Rock-raptors are the worst." Azazel complained.
"Wait, you know about those things?"
Azazel realized his blunder. "Um... the truth is... Ophis?" Ophis just looked at him like 'You got yourself into this mess'. "The truth is that's our home dimension."
"What?" Kurt's head spun.
"You mean you're not from Earth?" Amanda asked.
"You're not human? I'm not human?" Kurt began yelling.
"No, no. You're half human. So is Marcus, and Nils." Azazel comforted. "But, yeah. Ophis, Ginniyeh, and I are part of a species called the Neyaphem. We used to live in that other dimension, known as Brimstone."
"I can see why you left." Kurt noted.
"The whole dimension isn't like what you saw." Ophis stressed. "It has oceans and forests. The part you saw is a place we call the Burning Scar."
Azazel continued, "It's basically our version of the Grand Canyon. Only filled with lava, and rock-raptors."
"So there are other, less hostile areas?" Kurt wondered.
"Plenty."
"Then why did you leave?"
"The Cheyarafim." Ophis hissed.
"The who?"
"The people who want me dead. They invaded our homeland, laid waste to it. The Neyaphem that survived fled here to Earth. And the Cheyaraphim followed us."
"But why are they after you specifically?"
"Because he is the chosen heir." Ophis explained.
"The what?" Amanda asked.
"In our world, there're these creatures called Bamfs. They chose the next Neyaphem ruler."
"And they chose me." Azazel growled.
"And once the heir is chosen, that's that. Nothing can change it." Ophis continued.
"Unless they die. Then a new heir is chosen."
"But the Bamfs are still in Brimstone. And the Neyaphem are here, on Earth. If Azazel dies, a new heir cannot be chosen. And all hope to reclaim our home..."
"Dies with me." Azazel finished.
Story Chapter Complete!
Things are getting serious! I love this story so much! And I'm the one writing it!