Chapter 12 – The Beginning Of Something
-- Mutant Inn, 6 AM –
All is quiet on the log platform, the soft creak of rope echoes through the night. The soft snoring of mutants can just be heard.
Slowly the sounds of waking people begin to form. Scott walks from the hut he shared with Jean, his goggles in place. Slowly he stumbles from the hut, sleep obviously trying to retake him. Suddenly he leans too far over one side and begins to fall from the walkway. Scott snaps awake and tries to prevent himself from falling but as he drops into thin air, he stops.
Scott looks around and sees Ketar walk up to the edge and without slowing, steps out into the air "You know Scott you really should watch where you walk, I may not be around next time to save your life." With a slight movement of Ketar's head Scott flies up and lands on the walkway.
"Thanks," mutters Scott, "uh...where is the bathroom?"
"What bathroom? There isn't a bathroom here," a smile crosses Ketar's face as Scott pales for a moment, "I'm just kidding; the bathroom is over there in that hut over there."
Scott quickly walks to the hut and disappears inside.
"You know you don't need to be so mean to him," Ketar looks up to see Michael suspended upside down by a rope.
"Yea well, then life wouldn't be so fun,"
"Ok you got me there."
Cobal, and Rogue walk from their hut, and out onto the platform.
"Do you mind if we train a bit?" inquires Cobal as he comes up to Michael and Ketar.
"That's why this platform is so big, have at it." states Michael as he bends up and unties his ankles from the rope. Michael flips himself as he begins to fall and lands in a crouch.
Cobal and Rogue move a few of the benches aside and take up fighting stances. Slowly their blades slide out and they begin to circle each other. Rogue lashes out one of her blades, but just misses Cobal's face, several stands of silver hair drift through the air. Again Rogue lashes out but this time Cobal stops her blade with his own. They continue trading blows while the remaining mutants come from their huts, some sit and watch the two vampires while others walk and explore the vast walkways.
Mia walks up beside Michael and Ketar as they watch the vampires, "I am sorry to disturb you but I feel that it is time that we get under way."
"Certainly Mia, is there anything I can do to speed you on your way?" inquires Michael.
"Yes even through Kurt has explained to me what he truly is along with the rest of you. I still believe that he is one of the people I was prophesized to lead home. If you have any potions that you can spare us, it would be appreciated."
"You can take all the potions you need," Michael lifts the loose fitting shirt from his body to reveal two leather straps strung over another tight fitting shirt, each strap has several dozen large vials attached in leather loops. He lifts both straps off of himself and hands them to Mia, "That should be enough to last you a while."
"Thank you Michael that is more than enough. Now all I have to do is hunt down Scott and Jean," Mia takes the two belts and slings them over her shoulders.
"I believe Scott is still in the bathroom, and Jean is still in her hut," states Kitty as she walks up with Lance.
"Ok thanks," Mia runs off in the direction of Jena and Scott's hut.
Suddenly Rogue gives a loud grunt as she grabs Cobal by the shirt and throws him towards Lance and Kitty. Just before he slams into them though he stops and floats to the ground. "You realize that we are up quite high it wouldn't be good to fall off the edge, right? So can I recommend that you don't do that again," Ketar's voice is serious.
"Uh...ok," mumbles Cobal as he walks back over to Rogue.
"You know Cobal if you want to train how about against some of my clones?" laughs Michael.
"What do you mean, clones?" inquires Rogue.
Michael claps his hands, causing the cover to fall off of the pot from before. Slowly the water begins to move from the pot to the ground and starts to take the form of a human much like Michael's. The figure begins to flow forward instead of walking.
"See if you can touch him," laughs Chris's voice as he takes form behind the aquatic figure.
"Fine," Cobal extends his blades and charges forward preparing to slice at the watery figure, but two daggers fly out from behind Cobal and stop his blades in mid air. "What the? I thought I was supposed to fight it."
"Nope, you gotta try and hit him," giggles Ridley as she glides over head.
"I would recommend that you work together, you will not get far alone," states Keri in a stern tone.
Cobal ignores Keri as he again lashes out, but is again stopped by a dagger; more daggers begin to float through the air toward the watery figure. Rogue dashes up and plunges both of her blades towards the figure but both he arms are flung away as all the daggers begin to spin in a blur of motion surrounding the figure.
"And how exactly are we supposed to get through that?" demands Rogue as she marches over to Michael angrily.
"Well you should be asking Ketar she's the one that thinks you are capable of getting through." Replies Michael.
"Well, how do we get through!" demands Rogue again.
"Your choice, I will not help you in the least," Ketar smiles slightly as Rogue turns on her heel and walks back to Cobal.
Cobal and Rogue quietly whisper to one another for a few moments then they walk up to the figure, the daggers still spinning around it. Cobal and Rogue stand on opposite sides and slowly they reach forward with their hands, their blades retracted. Suddenly both vampires drive their hands through the shield of daggers, blood sprays around them as the daggers slash away at their arms. After a moment the blades from their arms spring out and pierce through the watery figure, and then they rip their arms out, causing more blood to spray. The instant their arms were out the daggers drop to the ground, the figure melts into a large blob and rolls back into the pot from where it came.
"Not bad, not bad it all," laughs Chris as he hands a small vial filled with the purple liquid to Ketar.
"What do you mean not bad? looks at their arms!" bellows Logan as he points at Rogue and Cobal's arms, which are dripping of blood in several places the bone can be seen.
"We'll be fine Logan," snarls Cobal, as Rogue begins to lean against him.
"Take some of my blood," states Michael as he walks up and twists his neck to reveal his jugular vein to the two vampires.
Cobal and Rogue's eyes suddenly flare red, as they stumble to Michael. Cobal, grabs Michael's shirt forcing him to bend over. Rogue bites into Michael's neck after a few moments she pulls away, only to be replaced by Cobal's mouth. Slowly both vampires look up to see the surprised faces of most people as the lacerations on the vampires' lower arms heal before their eyes.
Michael falls to his knees as places a hand over the wounds on his neck. "I didn't expect you to take quite so much blood," Michael's eyes flare blue for a moment then the blood on his neck recedes back into the holes on his neck just before the holes heal back over. Michael falls limply rest of the way to the floor.
Several mutants move forward to help him up but are stopped by Rabid, "don't touch him. His body is absorbing water to replace the water they took from him."
"What do you mean the water they took from him?" questions Kitty.
"His blood is mostly water, that's why it's blue. His body is absorbing water from the air around him to compensate for the massive loss we took from him." Explains Rogue as her hair and eyes turn blue for a moment then changes back to normal.
"Ketar, we need to speak with you when Michael wakes up," states Cobal flatly, "in private."
"Alright, as you wish," Ketar turns on her heel quickly and stalks off to her hut.
"I don't think I want to know what happened," mutters Scott as he walks up and sees Michael sprawled out on the floor.
"Probably not," giggles Ridley as she makes another pass overhead.
"Scott, we should be going now, it is a long way to where we are going," states Mia as she walks up behind him.
"How are we going get there?"
"I now of a mage that will take us to the desert. When we find the seer we will know what to do, hopefully anyway," Mia looks up a Ridley, "Mind giving us a lift?"
"Not a problem," Ridley transforms into a red dragon, and when Mia and the rest of the group crawls onto her back, she takes off in the direction of Tree Town.
Michael gives a soft groan and rubs his head, "what was the name of the guy that ran me over? I'm going to kill him."
"That would be us, Michael," chuckles Cobal as he helps Michael up from the ground.
"Where is Ketar? I assume that you have had a chance to look at my memories, and you would like to discuss them."
"Yes we have, Ketar is in your hut waiting for you to wake up."
"Ok," Michael looks around at the remaining mutants, "Rabid, would you like make sure that everyone gets something to eat, while I am busy with Cobal, and Rogue?"
"Sure Michael, not a problem," Rabid walks off to the fire that Keri is cooking over, and starts to hand out plates, and glasses.
"If you will follow me," Michael begins to walk towards his hut when Logan steps in front of him.
"If this has anything to do with the X-men I will have to invite myself along," growls Logan.
"Follow if you wish," Michael steps around Logan and continues on.
Ok so how is it yes I know I sent them into a different dimension but they will get back to Earth eventually. Sorry for the long time between updates, but I am dealing with school work, looking at colleges, and finishing up my Eagle Scout application. (But I am not complaining) Any way the plot is taking yet another turn as to what the Rogue and Cobal have found out about Michael's past. Perhaps you will find out in the next chapter, or maybe not. But please R&R they are my life and the only reason I keep updating (not really I just like to write).