A galaxy away, in the Palace of the High Ones, Chaya blinked. Nightcrawler…somewhere, in such pain that it reached her in the palace. No, not physical. It was… emotional? One of the other X-Men must be hurt, she reasoned.
"Black hair," She muttered. "Bring this rock to the stars, won't you?"
Wolverine woke up, blinking furiously. There was a loud rushing sound, and…pastel light? He smashed the window and leaped out. Trouble? But now the rushing and light was gone. What had it been? I'd better check it out. He rushed across the ground to where he'd heard it. Nothing. And then suddenly, there was a figure rising. Whoever it was had long hair, pointed ears, and was very, very short. The first thing she uttered was a curse.
"Where am I? She looked around frantically. "Oh, no…" she groaned, seeing Wolverine, and planted her hands on her hips. "Not another one!" She whirled around, eyes glowing. "There are too damn many of you, Wolverine. It's getting on my nerves."
That settles it. She's crazy. "Uh, sure. You okay babe? Where'd you come from?"
"Okay. So. What happened? Which one of you died now?"
"Uhm…babe, I think you'd better come inside…"
"Huh. Alright." She stalked off, somehow knowing her way around the sprawling grounds of the mansion.
Nightcrawler didn't look up when there was a knock on his door. He didn't want company. He hoped whoever it was would get the hint and go away. He didn't expect someone who he didn't know to yell though the door, "Wagner, you open this door right this minute, or, by all my ancestors, I will smash it down."
Nightcrawler jumped, but still made no move to open it. Why couldn't this unknown person leave him alone? Hadn't anyone told her to leave him alone? Check, he thought, she doesn't sound like the kind of person to really listen. The door slammed in.
Kurt stared at the haughty form before him. Long, golden hair with silver highlights, and intense blue eyes that can hardly be described. Those slanted, catlike eyes were misted with silver and looking peeved. Her form… well… wow. "So what happened? Did the bald one die or something? Judging by the send-call, that's about right."
"Vas…" Nightcrawler blinked many times. "Am I supposed to know you?" He asked quietly.
"Very funny, tiger-eye. Stand up and tell me what in the two moons is going on here."
"Perhaps you should tell me," He said faintly.
The female looked over him, and began to circle him. "Same eyes… same tail… same looks overall… same scent?" She snatched a hand and sniffed, and Kurt began to decide that this person was thoroughly insane. "No blueberries! Just smoke!" Her eyes widened. "I hate parallel universes!"
Nightcrawler blinked fervently. "Uh…"
"Uh would put it very well. You don't know me, but I know you. Sort of. But I do know very well that something has made you depressed, yes?"
Kurt stumbled back. "Who are you?"
"Chaya," She said simply. "I'm your distant girlfriend… sort of. To another Kurt Wagner of the X-Men. I refuse to let you give me that look; I don't understand why parallel universes are so hard to fathom by humans. So narrow-minded... Anyway, I felt your pain, and I'm here. So what's the problem? I was three stars away; it must be something big."
"Gaea," Kurt replied softly.
"Who's Gaea?"
"I thought you said you knew me!"
"I know the other you. But he smells different. Otherwise, I think he's the same. But who's Gaea? And what about her?"
"She's dying… Chaya, can you help her?"
She smirked. "Show me her."
Kurt stared. "That simple?"
"Yup."
Nightcrawler hesitated. "Are you an angel?"
Chaya's grin turned to a devilish smirk. "Hardly," She murmured. "So show me her."
The professor, at first, was reluctant to let her in. In the end, an elegant display of making Cyclops fall asleep by a blue light and rivaling Storm's furious winds got her inside. She looked over the tiny form and frowned to Kurt.
"Who is she?"
"Gaea. Diane. I love her."
"WHAT?"
"Uh…why shouldn't I?"
"Uhg…parallel universes are annoying. Alright, what makes you think I should do this for you?"
"Why can't you just help me out of the goodness of your heart or something? Mein Gott, who are you?"
"I'm Chaya, I'm vexed, and I'm thoroughly jealous that you'd settle for this young one here. Tsk."
Kurt growled. "Help her."
The female bristled. "Bastard blue-pelt," She muttered, and slapped a hand to Gaea's forehead. It glowed golden, then glistened blue. "There. Happy?"
"No. You…I don't…"
"She'll take a while to wake up, but her body is healed. Now you will explain to me how in the *%$#@…"
"I…"
"Yes?"
"She…was bitten by a werewolf. I…shot her with a silver bullet. She lived but her wolf-self died. She…"
"You shot her."
Kurt growled, exasperated. "What else was I supposed to do?" He demanded furiously.
"You shot her."
"She told me to. In fact, she yelled at me."
Chaya eyed him. "Either give her the Ytverius potion, or boil seventeen drops of her blood on the seventeenth hour of a full moon. I thought everyone knew that. Well, there are some other procedures I don't remember, I'm sure, but those are off the top of my head. The others include blood sacrifices; mostly squirrels, for some reason; don't ask me why. Maybe the maker of the potion agreed with me: too many squirrels in these realms..."
Kurt stared a Chaya a moment. "I…have a feeling that you and Diane will not get along…"
"Next question. How in the @*&^% did she become an X-man? She wasn't, the last time I checked."
"I found her in the park. Her family had thrown her out because she was a mutant. I brought her back…and uh…"
"And?"
"She…uh…gave me her life-debt."
"Stupid kitling. Didn't she realize the magic behind a life-debt?"
Nightcrawler turned magenta. "I think so…And then the Professor…kinda…gave us rapport…because Diane can't be alone. It scares her…"
"Stupid blue-pelt. Didn't you realize?"
"Yes. But I think I would love her with out the rapport or the life-debt."
Diane chose that moment to stir and rub her head. The first thing she saw when she looked up, was the worried face of Nightcrawler, and then the still rather vexed form of Chaya. "Uuuhhg." Nightcrawler started. Suddenly, now that her wolf form was gone, the rapport was re-established. He hastily constructed his wall, but didn't feel Diane making one. She was much too tired still.
"No, she's not." Chaya interrupted from behind him. "Didn't you hear me? I healed her. She's perfectly fine, just a little stiff."
Diane stretched, and got up, she stumbled a little, then shook her head. "Urf." Kurt put an arm around her shoulders, and kissed her.
"I…thought…we all thought…"
"I made it."
"And I'm going to be sick. Do I have to stay?"
Kurt twisted around and glared at her. "Who do you think you are?" He growled.
"In a sense, your girlfriend." She grinned widely.
Gaea blinked at her, and then glared at Nightcrawler. "I take it I've missed something. Care to enlighten me, Wagner?"
"Uhmmm…to tell you the truth…and I seriously mean it…I have no idea."
"Try again, sport."
"Listen, I don't understand what's so hard to fathom about parallel universes. It's a different Kurt, but I'm still going to be entirely ticked off at the both of you." Chaya grumbled.
Gaea's eyes flashed dangerously. She said nothing, however and merely inclined her head. The slight curve of her lips told Kurt she wasn't mad at him.
"Suddenly, fire-eye, I'm beginning to think that you're right. I don't think I will like this bitter little kitling very much."
"Bitter?" Diane asked in a dangerously calm voice. "I'm not bitter, merely silent." Chaya rolled her eyes.
"Of course. You were never…really…invited." Diane told her.
"Yes I was! He made me come heal you!"
"Yes, but no one told you to come to the mansion in the first place."
"Chaya…" Kurt sighed, exasperated with both females. They were so puzzling sometimes.
~*Me? You MEN are the ones so hard to fathom!*~
**You see what I mean?**
~*Not at all, you fuzzy little…*~
**Aw, come on. I give up.**
~*Well good, I couldn't stand the shame if I lost all the arguments I have with you.*~
**Sigh…**
~*Well, at least that snobby &^%$# is gone.*~
**Diane! She saved your life!**
~*So? That doesn't excuse her from acting like a bitch.*~
**Sigh.**
~*Would you stop sighing at me?*~
**It's just…I can't really get mad at you…I'm just so…happy that you're alive.**
~*Well,. that's nice. Me too.*~
**Chaya is partially right. You certainly are cynical.**
~*Live with it.*~
*~* I'm begging you two to quit open-sending. The mushiness will make me retch before I make it back to the palace. *~*
Kurt whimpered. **She can hear us?**
*~* You're practically screaming in my head, blue-pelt. If I never come to this place again, it'll be too soon.*~*
~*Grrr...*~
*~* And you. Don't get me started on you. One more growl or sharp-tongued word, and I'll come right back and turn your head to that of a zwoot's... oh, good. Ride's here. Bye, all. And professor? Yes, I know you can hear me. Get out of my head, you're the most irksome little bald human I've met, and I've met plenty of humans. And other versions of you, so that's really saying something.*~*
Diane's eyes snapped, and her mind flared yellow. Kurt rubbed his head. "Diane…would you mind making your wall. That hurt."
Diane refused to move from her comfortable position under Nightcrawler chin. She murmured something and created a wall. It was strangely weak, but Kurt said nothing, he merely made his wall a tad stronger. She must still be pretty weak. He mused.
~*I am not.*~
**Are too.**
~*Am not.*~
**Are too.**
~*Am not.*~
**Are too.**
~*Am not.*~
**Are too.**
~*Am not.*~
**Are too.**
~*Am not.*~
**Ohh, now I REALLY can't argue with you.**
~*You never could.*~
Nightcrawler merely rolled his eyes. Not weak enough to give up an argument, he thought wryly. He picked her up, to a few protests. "No. You are getting more rest. You are still weak, no matter what Chaya did, or what you tell me. I'm not arguing on this point."
"Well, I am!"
"No." Nightcrawler merely put a firm hand over her mouth. Although Diane was trying to project an image of yellow anger, he could feel trickles of greenish happiness and traces of blue. Kurt grinned. He could feel her exhaustion like a heavy cloak over her mind, and her thoughts were slow and sleepy. Deny it all she may, this was one very tired Diane.
Kurt grinned again. She was asleep even before he reached his room, so he merely tucked her into the bed, and kissed her softly. He was trying not to wake her up, but it was impossible -for him anyway- when she looked so contented.