Perfect By Nature

Chapter XVI:  Origins

By:  Michelle

Kurt listened patiently as the giant rat explained himself.

"My name is Splinter.  We have lived here for eighteen years.  Before that time, I was a pet of my master Yoshi. When we were forced to come to New York, I found myself for the first time without a home, wandering the sewers, scavenging for whatever I could find. And then, one day, I came upon a shattered glass jar and four baby turtles."

That was us.  Michaelangelo debated to say.  Instead, he threw up again in a small trash can Venus brought over to the couch for him.

Venus held back the end of his bandanna and sighed as he spilled his guts out. 

"The little ones were crawling into a strange glowing ooze from a broken canister near by. I gathered them up in an old coffee can and when I awoke the next morning, I received a shock. For they had doubled in size. I, too, was growing. Particularly in intellect. I was amazed how intelligent they seemed, but nothing could have prepared me for what happened next: one of them spoke! More words followed, and I began their training. Teaching them all that I had learned from my master. And soon, I gave them all names: Leonardo…"

Leonardo, the blue one, stood up and bowed.

"Donatello…"

Donatello, the purple one, smiled shyly.

"Raphael…" 

Raphael, the red one, gave him a look before rolling his eyes and playing with his sai.

"…and Michaelangelo."

Michaelangelo, the orange one, waved his hand slightly before spewing in the trash can again.

Kurt smiled slightly.  They seemed nice, plus he felt guilty about beating the crap out of them.  Of course, there was one thing that puzzled him.  "You said that there vere four in the jar, yet I see five."

"Indeed there are."  Splinter nodded in agreement.  "Originally there were five turtles in the jar.  But, before I found them, one had separated from them after the jar smashed.  She washed down to China Town where a man by the name of Chung I found her and took her back to China with him.  He called her Mei Pieh Chi…"

Venus smiled at him and began wiping Michaelangelo's forehead.

"…meaning Beautiful Turtle of Energy."  Splinter explained.  "While I raise the Turtles here, Chung I raised Mei Pieh in China teaching her the Shinobi arts of shamanism.  I met Chung I while meditating in the Realm of Dreams, a spiritual place for great thinkers.  I told him my story and he told me about Mei Pieh."

"So how did she get here?"  Kurt asked her as well as Splinter.

Venus took a deep breath.  She didn't want to talk about it.  Instead, she looked at Splinter to speak for her.

"Chung I was part of an ancient sect that guarded a looking glass, a mirror to put it simply.  But this was no ordinary mirror."  Splinter watched as the confusion rose in Kurt's face.  "This mirror was enchanted.  It held prisoner the Dragon Lord and his army of dragons."

"Dragons?"

"Yes, but these aren't the type of dragons you read in children's stories.  These are evolved dragons.  They walk upright, they talk, they fight,…basically they act almost like humans."  Splinter explained.  "One day, Dragon Lord felt a weak link and used Chung I and myself to escape.  Chung I died, but Mei Pieh came here and saved my life.  She'd been here for over a year now and the Turtles have given her the nickname:  Venus de Milo."

"The men that attacked you."  Leonardo explained.  "Were part of the Dragon Lord's army."

Kurt thought for a moment.  "One of them vas one of the intruders at the mansion." 

"Dragon Lord sent a spy out."  Donatello added.  "I tracked it with my computer to the school you stay in Westchester."

"We weren't sure what it was up to, so I followed it there."

Kurt looked at Leonardo.  "It vas you in the trench coat."

"Yeah." 

"I don't understand."  Kurt replied.  "Vhy vould this dragon go to the school and then attack me?"

"We don't know." 

"That brings us to our question."  Splinter said taking control over the conversation again.  "Why don't you explain to us who you are?"

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Xavier wheeled himself to the end of the platform where Cerebro lay.  He had fixed it shortly after Alkali Lake.  I was on of the things that keep his mind off of Jean's death.  Of course, in his heart, he felt she was still alive, but it was hard the last two months without her.  Jean and all of his X-men and students were like his children to him.  He cared and watched over them like a father.  And like a father, he worried when one of them was missing.  Kurt was no exception.

He placed the Cerebro helmet on his head and began searching.  He could see and hear various mutants around the world.  He hoped Kurt wouldn't be bamfing around.  Then, he found him and several others around him.

Splinter took a calming breath.  He felt the slight tap into his head.  He knew it wasn't anything bad.  He just could feel the concern coming from the brief encounter.  Your friend is safe.

Thank you.  Xavier exhaled and locked the coordinates.  He knew where to find Kurt.

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"Sensei."  Leonardo said to him.  "Is everything alright?"

"Yes Leonardo."  Splinter replied with a distant look in his eye.  "I'm fine."  Then he turned to his guest.  "As you were saying."

"I was born in Germany."  Kurt began.  "My parents died vhen I vas a baby.  I don't even know their names.  I vas adopted by a gypsy woman who had two you children of her own.  Because of the circus, I was easily accepted. 

"So, you were born like that."  Venus asked. 

"Ja, I vas."  Kurt admitted.  "In the Munich Circus, I wasn't seen as a demon or a mutant or a freak.  I was seen as Kurt Wagner:  The Incredible Nightcrawler.  Because of my unique body structure, I took to tumbling acrobatics easily.  As I got older, I taught myself to sword fight."

Leonardo looked over to him.  "so how did you learn that disappearing thing you do."

"It's teleporting."  Donatello replied.  "If I'm not mistaken."

'You are right."  Kurt answered.  "Like most mutants, I discovered my powers when I was a teenager.  It took a while to get use to, but I soon caught on and used it in the shows I did.  I became the star."  He smiled proudly, and then he slightly hung his head.  "My performances caught a lot of attention.  Particularly from a Texas millionaire who bought the circus to get to me.  He wanted me to be a part of his freak show, but I refused.  I soon found myself in a rut."  he sighed.  "In the circus, people thought I was just a man with blue make up and a costume.  But with the circus gone, I had to face reality."

Splinter could feel the hurt coming off of him.

"After the circus broke up, I stayed with my foster family.  I mostly hid, except on the occasions I snuck out to go to church."  Kurt said honestly.  "Even ven I was a child, I had an interest in God and the Bible.  I guess they gave me hope."

"So that's what you were doing at church."  Leonardo said.  "You were praying."

"Ja, I was praying."  Kurt replied and got back on the subject.  "My foster brother began hallucinating.  He was afraid he was going to be drawn into his mother's sorcery like his sister had.  He started killing a bunch of children around the area.  I tried to stop him."  He felt a lump rise in his throat.  "He started to attack me to get me out of the way.  We began fighting.  In the end, I accidentally broke his neck.  My foster mother and foster sister were outraged and yelling hateful things to me.  I didn't know to do so I ran as far away as I could.  I found an abandoned church in Boston and made my home there."

"So how did you become part of that school?"

"while I was in my sanctuary, I was capture by a group of military men.  They did all kinds of experiments and tests on me."  Kurt replied.  "They I was assigned to a mission.  The leader used some kind of mind controlling device on me to attack the President."

"That was you."

"Ja, unfortunately."  Kurt answered.  "It was weird because I could see everything and couldn't stop it.  It was like a never ending nightmare.  I didn't snap out of it until a bullet grazed me in the arm.  That's how I met Professor Xavier and the X-men.  To discover the truth, Xavier sent two of his X-men, Storm and Jean, to find me.  The next thing I knew I was in the middle of a mutant vs. human crisis.  In the end, the President learned the truth and I was cleared of all charges."  He smiled slightly.  "Xavier brought me back to the school to talk with me.  I learned that All of the students and teachers are mutants."

"Everyone there is a mutant."

"Ja."  Kurt smiled.  "Since the circus, I had never been in a place where I was accepted for who I am.  I decided to join him as an X-men and a teacher at his school so I could help others, like they had helped me."

"Sounds like a cool place."  Michaelangelo said half dazed. 

"it is."  Kurt said proudly. 

Leonardo leaned back in his seat.  "So why did you leave so far from the school?"  He asked.  "I mean.  There are so many churches in your area.  Why come all the way into the city?"

"The cathedral intrigued me when I passed by it the other day."  Kurt replied, then remembered the real reason he went so far.  Ororo.  "I guess I just wanted to get way for a while.  I didn't want to be bothered by anyone."

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"Kurt's the perfect guy and I turned him down." More like crushed him into a million pieces.  Ororo said to Logan.  "I guess you must think I'm stupid or something." 

"I don't know much about women, Darlin'."  Logan replied.  "But I know to tell when someone is afraid."

Ororo folded her arms and leaned back against the wall.  Logan is right.

"Whatcha afraid of Darlin?"  Logan asked.  "You afraid of getting hurt."

Ororo sighed.  He hit the nail on the head.  She couldn't even reply.

"You know sometimes you have to take risks Darlin', even with your heart."  Logan said to her.  "Besides, do you actually think Kurt would break your heart?"

"No."  She replied barely above a whisper.

Logan's heightened sense of hearing picked up on her reply.  "So, what's the problem?"

Goddess, how does someone like Logan know shit like this?  Ororo thought as a tear rolled down her cheek.  I don't know.

"Ro."

They both jumped when they heard the doors to Cerebro open. 

Ororo quickly wiped away her tears.  "Did you find him?"

She can try her hardest, but she can't fool me.  Xavier nodded his head.  "Yes I did."

"Where is he?" 

"Kurt is in New York City with group of mutants."  Xavier answered.

"We'll change and I'll ready the jet."  Logan said as he turned to walk away.

"No Logan, it won't be necessary."  Xavier said and watched the strange expressions come across their faces.  "Kurt is perfectly fine.  Logan, I want you to stay here with the children.  And Ororo, you will come with me.  I have already sent the coordinates to the communicator in your car."

"Professor, are you sure?"

"I'm positive."  He answered.  "Trust me."

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Yeah!  I finally finished this Chapter.

Splinter and the Turtles' origin story in the first scene came from the first TMNT movie.  Venus' origin came from parts of the TMNT: Next Mutation TV show.  Kurt's story came from parts of the X-men 2004 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe and X2: X-men United.

Thanks for the reviews.  I see you next chapter.

Michelle