From The Author: Okay, you will learn tons in this chapter. Umm, that's it.
Chapter 9
'Crowded streets all cleared away'
'One by One'
'Hollow heroes separate'
'As they run'
'You're so cold'
'Keep your hand in mine'
'Wise men wonder while'
'Strong men die'
-Breaking Benjamin-So Cold-
Roll Call!
Blade: Crazy Australian that is a human slice and dice.
Tigris: The father of Leo, and lover of Mystique.
Leo: The deranged boy with a dragon soul.
Zeke: The greedy slime bag that looks like a reptile.
Melissa: The female version of Kurt, AKA The Whore.
Scelene: The vampire, wife of Lupin.
Lupin: The were-wolf, husband of Scelene.
Asher: The Demonic looking guy who is a Van Helsing.
Illusionist: Haven't met him yet, soon though.
Asher sat on a rock in the woods behind the mansion, sharpening his sword.
"Do ya ever go inside?" Rouge asked him.
He turned around. "How do you keep doing that?"
"Aw have ma ways." She smiled sweetly. "So what are ya doin a out 'ere, all by yer lonesome?"
"Getting ready to slay a dragon." He smiled.
"Why don't ya ever go inside?"
"You always ask me that, and I always give you the same answer."
"What are ya goin to do when ya do kill Leo?"
"Probably leave. Go do what my family name is famous for. Killing mythological beasts. I already have a vampire and were-wolf on my list."
"Ya don't have to go."
"I want to."
"Aw don't want ya go. I want ya to say." She put her hand on his shoulder.
"But I want to go."
Rouge looked at him. "Why?"
"Because the longer I stay, the more I hurt."
"I want ya to stay, please." She looked up at him as he stood up.
"I can't." He turned around, hiding his blushing face. "I'm gonna take a flight." He shot up into the air.
Kathy leaned on a tree, her head aching. She knew Leo was near, close enough that she could smell his brimstone tainted breath.
She heard a horrible moan. Kathy snapped her head around. She saw Leo staggering, beaten, bleeding. She never saw him like this, so injured, so weak, hard to believe that he was the one causing all this pain.
Leo looked up and saw Kathy. He let out a yelp of surprise. "N-no, g-get away."
"What happened to you?" She asked. Something in her gave him pity.
"G-get away. If you c-come n-near me, h-he w-will kill you. G-Get away!"
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Kathy said
"My father will kill you, Tigris wants you dead, and all of the X-Men!" He yelled at her, sputtering blood as he spoke. "The one he wants most is Kurt, keep him away from Kurt." Leo whimpered.
Kathy couldn't believe this. Leo was her mortal enemy, and he wanted to save her life.
Kathy heard a load roar.
"Tigris is here." Leo said. "It's too late."
Blade burst out of the bushes. "'Ere's Blade." He roared out. "Oh, 'ello poppet." Blade looked at Kathy in a deranged way.
She searched for her gun, but it wasn't with her.
Leo let out a roar as he turned into a dragon. He flew strait for Kathy, grabbing her with his taloned paw.
'If he kills you, then I die.' Leo flew fast, climbing up into the air.
"Why are you helping me? A few days ago you wanted me dead!"
'I didn't. The dragon did. I just wanted you to kill Tigris when you had the chance, but I didn't know you had a problem with Nigel.'
"Okay, but where does Kurt tie into this?"
'He's my half brother. I never knew that until today, and as him being Mystiques son, but not Tigris's, he wants Kurt dead. That's what his instincts are telling him.'
"But he had 16 years to kill him, why now?"
'Because for 16 years someone kept Tigris from knowing where he was, but now that Zeke lives with you, Tigris knows and wants to kill him.'
"Zeke? Zeke would turn anyone in if Tigris waved a wad of money in his face."
'Zeke was a close friend of Mystique, technically if Kurt didn't fall, she would have given him over to Zeke, and he would have raised Kurt.'
"But. I'm confused, Kurt never told me Mystique was his mother."
Leo turned his head and stared at Kathy. 'Why wouldn't he have told you?'
"I don't know. Maybe he wanted to keep something from me, but alternately I would be keeping something from him."
'What do you mean?"
"Well, Greggor was your half brother, and Kurt's."
'Who the hell is Greggor?'
"Greggor was Trex's son, and Mystique's. I'm guessing she cheated on Tigris, and went for Trex. They had a son, who was my boyfriend. Trex was probably scared that Tigris would find out, so on the night I first saw you, after you left, Trex killed Greggor, and framed me. I guessed he figured that Tigris would kill either him, or Greggor, so he got rid of him himself. I knew Mystique, and after she heard that Greggor was shot, supposedly by me, she hated me, but somehow she snapped to it, and knew I didn't kill Greggor because I loved him.
"I ran away only to be found by the X-men. I hoped that I would never have to relive that horrible night, but somehow it crept up on me as you showed up."
'All the pieces fit.'
"One thing I'm not clear on, is why did you kill Asher's parents?"
'I didn't mean to. I was young, and he and his family were a target. I tried to kill Tigris, but my powers were out of whack, and I killed them instead, all because I couldn't focus on Tigris.'
"You should have told him that."
'Do you think Asher would really forgive me?'
"I don't know? I really don't know much about him, but he is obviously not the forgiving type."
'I wouldn't think so if he lived alone since he was ten.' Leo flew straight. 'If I showed up to the mansion, what do you think the welcome would be?'
"Pretty bad." Kathy looked down. "The view is great, now I remember why I hate flying."
'You're a raptor, shouldn't you be used to it, since a raptor is the ancestor of birds?'
"Don't be a smart ass, dragon boy." Kathy pulled out one of his scales that hung loose from his hand.
'Thanks. That itched for a week.'
"Heat resistant." Kathy said as she stared at the gleaming black scale. She realized that it wasn't black, but incandescent, shining with greens and blues.
'Brace yourself, we're going to land.' Leo stooped, gaining speed. The ground came closer and closer, then he slowed, his huge wings held out to stop the speed. He landed with a 'wump'. He let go of Kathy. He let out a roar and changed back to his normal form.
Just then, as if the roar was a cue, all the X-Men appeared. They all stared.
"What the hell are you doing here." Scott said gritting his teeth.
"Nice to know you remember me." Leo said clutching his stomach, and threw-up.
"Does he seem like a menace?" Kathy said.
Leo lay in the infirmary. He hated it in there. So closed, so bland. It made him feel claustrophobic. His arm was broken, and three ribs.
"Well Leo, never thought I would see you here." The Professor wheeled in.
"The world is a funny thing." Leo sat up.
"Tell me, why does Tigris, your own father want you dead?"
"'Cause I'm competition."
"Why would he think that?"
"Because that's what's wired into his mind. The children are competition, especially the ones that aren't his own."
"What do you mean, aren't his own?"
"Like Kurt. Tigris finds out he is here, then he will kill him." Leo took a deep breath. "Doesn't matter anyways, all of you will die anyways. Just a matter of time until the dragon regains control of me, then I will be out to kill you all again."
"Zeke, you know fucking well what I'm talking about!" Kathy yelled at him.
"That doesn't mean I should tell you!" In the study, The Professor, Logan, Leo, Zeke, Kathy and Kurt gathered.. "Just because I know doesn't mean I can tell."
"Why not?" Logan said.
Zeke glared at him. "Because I can't."
"You can't, or do you just refuse to." Logan said.
"I refuse to." He hissed.
"And why do you refuse?" Logan snarled.
Zeke froze. He leaned closer and whispered into Logan's ear. "Because if I tell, Nightcrawler might get killed."
Logan stared at him. "And you can't fucking tell that his face!" Logan pointed at Kurt.
"NO!" Zeke's forked tongue flicked back and forth.
"What the hell! My mother told you to tell him." Leo said
"This isn't exactly the best time, because if Tigris finds out that this blue mutant is Mystique's son than he'll kill him!" Zeke yelled.
"Vhy vould he kill me?"
"Shit. He wasn't supposed to know." Zeke said
"To late." Logan said
Zeke sighed. "Tigris, will kill you because a part of his brain is like a real big cat's. Tigers and lions kill the young that isn't their own. His mind is wired for that, and until he finds you and gets rid of you, he won't stop, because to him your competition."
"One vonders ven Mystique told you zis."
Zeke laughed insanely for about five seconds. "Because I was there when she fuckin gave birth to your blue furred hide." He sneered at Kurt. "According to her, I was supposed to protect you, but I failed that night when Magneto experimented on you."
"He vat?" Kurt's voice was shaky.
"You wanted me to tell you the truth, and none of you ever told him that, huh?" Zeke walked over the table. He poured himself a glass of bourbon. He drank it down in one gulp, then threw the glass at the floor, shattering it. "About two night after you were born, Magneto took you to activate the X-gene. You looked the way you do know, but if he didn't do that, you would just be a demon looking freak. No fancy powers, just freaky looks. Like I said, she made me swear to take care of you, but I failed at that. Technically speaking, I'm literally you Godparent. But you fell, and you we're lost, and until a few months ago when Trex fought you X-Men, I thought I was crazy, because 16 years ago I first saw you, and I thought you died, but there you were, alive and kicking." Zeke paused and calmed himself down. "Now, Tigris will kill you, unless he doesn't know who you are."
"But you vould turn me in."
"No I wouldn't. I wouldn't go against my word."
"Sure you would, you did that lot's of times." Kathy said
"I wouldn't break my promise to Mystique."
"That depends on how big the wad of money is that Tigris waves in front of your face." Kathy said.
"I wouldn't turn him in, even if he gave me all the gold they hold in Fort Knox. I would never let him die."
"He's telling the truth." The Professor said.
Zeke walked over to Kurt. "Look kiddo, you don't have to like me, hell if I care you could hate me, but the last thing I want to see is your lifeless body in the hands of Tigris. You have to trust me. "
Kurt looked at him. His eyes flickered with hatred. At that moment he hated Zeke, and he barely knew the guy, but obviously, if Mystique trusted him, then he could too. "Fine, I vont like it, but I trust you."
"The world is a lot smaller than you think." Zeke said to him.
"If Mystique trusted you vith mein life, zen vhy did just let fall. You could have looked."
"I did, but the last time I saw you was with your foster parents." Zeke eyed him
Kurt felt uncomfortable. He didn't like what his instincts told him about Zeke, but something in him said he was safe.
"Chances are, if you do fight Tigris, he won't know who you are, but that's a one out of a hundred chance. The odds are against you, and me. Tigris will kill me no doubt, especially since he sent Blade here." Leo said.
"Blade being here is the worst thing to happen. This guy is psycho, deranged. He is like a human Mr. Chopper. The only thing that runs through his mind is kill, slice, dice, maim, maul, and chop." Kathy said
"Why is it always the Australians?" Logan said.
"He is also known to hold a grudge." Zeke said. "So whoever busted his arm blade will pay."
"Now I have anozer person vanting to kill me!" Kurt said.
They all stared at him. "Um, do you actually zink he vill kill me?"
"No, because Tigris would want to kill you first." Leo said to him.
"Okay, so I put a bullet in his head, not so hard." Kathy said.
"No, if you actually get close enough without him tearing you head off." Leo said.
"Why do make everything sound so easy?" Kathy snickered.
"It's not easy. Plus, he'll want to kill you too, for you shooting him in the leg." Leo said
"How do you know that?"
"I scanned you mind that night, looking for a weakness. You know what night I'm talking about."
She did. "You stay out of my head Leo." She threatened him.
"Or what? Your going to shoot me? Go ahead, shoot me and see what happens."
Kathy took a step back. "I'm not just going to stand back and watch your psychotic father kill my best friend, then kill me. I watched Greggor die, I loved him, I'm going to watch Kurt die."
"Then close your eyes." Leo said, he took a step closer to Kathy. He glared at her under his shades, narrowing his eyes.
"Ahh. Leo stop!" She yelled out as a searing pain went through her head.
Leo shook his head. The pain stopped.
"Why did you do that?" Kathy said, voice shaky.
"I don't know, I didn't want to, but I just did it."
"Well, this has been an interesting meeting for all of us." The Professor said. "I suggest you two get some sleep." He motioned to Kathy and Kurt. "Leo, let me show you a room so you can sleep in tonight."
They all left, except Kathy and Kurt.
"Hey blue boy, you okay?" Kathy walked over to him.
"Ja, just trying to soak all zis in." He put his head down.
"C'mon, you get through this. Chances are Tigris wont go after you."
"It's not zat, it's Zeke."
"Oh. Trust me, you don't want to get to know him, like I said, he's scum" She patted him on the back.
Tigris stared into Melissa's orb. "So the little blue is Mystique's son. I shall have a fun time killing him."
The clock hit 7:00am.
"Good morning Bayville. It is a beautiful Monday morning, the birds are singing, the sun is shinning, and if your Kurt Wagner, then this is your wake up call to WAKE UP!!"
Kurt pulled the blanket over his head. "Ach Kathy, why can't you be a normal friend?"
"Because I'm a dinosaur humanoid, and my best friend is covered in blue fur, how can I be normal?"
"It vas rhetorical. And vake me up in za ugly afternoon."
"Kurt, wake up." She pulled the blanket from his head.
"Nein." He turned his body to face the other direction.
"Fuzz ball, c'mon, blue boy. Oh Kurrrrrt." Kathy leaned up straight. "Okay then." She grabbed him by his tail. "I was going to be nice, but oh well." She bit his tail hard.
BAMF
"Are you mad voman?" He hung from the chandelier.
"That had to be the worst thing I ever tasted. Blahch." She stuck her tongue out in disgust.
"Zat hurt, and your complaining zat I taste bad?"
"Don't take it personally, all humans taste bad, kinda chewy and gamey really."
"Only you vould know zat."
BAMF
"Now zat I'm up, GET OUT!"
"Alright, alright. Sure are cranky in the morning."
Kathy walked down stairs to the kitchen.
"Did you get Kurt up?" Scott asked.
"Yup, tough critter to get up, but I hot him up." Kathy took a doughnut, and a plateful of fruits.
BAMF
"Your evil." Kurt ported in front of Kathy, stealing her doughnut.
"And you're a pig." Kathy took back her doughnut. "Besides, think of it as a love nip." She said in a much quieter voice, so he could only hear.
Kurt smiled. "You really have to stop." Kurt whispered to her.
"Why?" she whispered back
"Because I have a girlfriend."
"So?"
"Your bad."
"I know." she smiled devilishly at him. "Anyways, you're the one that wants to get in bed with me any chance you get."
Kurt blushed.
"It would be nice if the two of you would MOVE!" Tobius shouted at Kathy and Kurt.
"Sorry." Kathy said sarcastically.
Kurt took out his biology book, he closed his locker door, and jumped. "Kathy! Stop doing zat!"
"What?"
"Suddenly appearing like zat!"
"You're the teleporter, I just stand there quietly. Then you close your locker door, and you get spooked, I can't help it."
"Vell at least make a noise or something." Kurt said as they walked to biology.
"If I growl, then I'd scare the shit out of you."
"No you vouldn't."
"Wanna bet blue boy?"
"Nein, it's your claws zat scare za shit out of me."
"Really?" Kathy smiled evilly.
"Ja." Kurt took a step away.
Kathy snickered. "Your funny, not in the ha, ha way."
Kurt pushed her aside.
"Hey. Cut that out fuzz ball."
"Are you nuts?" He almost wringed her neck.
"Sorry. Kinda slipped."
"Ja" Kurt glared at her.
"So, you uh wanna go to the movies after school?" Kathy asked
"No, I have a date vith Amanda."
"Oh."
"You don't like Amanda, do you?"
"What? Well, maybe , but that's just because my instincts tell me otherwise."
"Or because you like me."
"There's that too."
"We have to stop." He said as they walked into class
"Why, I'm having fun."
"You don't care if me and Amanda break up, do you?" He stopped.
"Well, that would be hurting you and I hate seeing you hurt."
"But you vouldn't care."
She sighed. "No I wouldn't."
He stared at her for a moment, then said "And you talk about Tobius being selfish."
"Look, why don't we discuss this later."
"Ja lets."
Asher flew over the treetops.
'Why do you spend these lonely hours doing this?' Leo said to Asher.
Asher stopped and hovered in the air. "What do you want? Just because everyone else has excepted you, doesn't mean I will."
'You didn't answer my question. As soon as you answer mine, I'll answer yours.'
"None of your business."
'Fine then, I thought I would just take a flight, like you.'
"Like me? Now that's an oxymoron."
'If you killed me now, then you wouldn't have any life source. The souls are channeled toward you, a symbiotic affect. Face it, if there wasn't me, there wouldn't be a you.'
"And if there wasn't a you, my parents would still be alive."
'They weren't supposed to die, but they would've anyways. Tigris targeted them, I tried to kill Tigris, but my powers weren't like they are now, I didn't have full control, and miss fired. Tigris should've died, not your parents.'
"And your telling me this because?"
'Would you believe me if I said I was sorry?'
"Depends."
'On what? I'm getting old here.'
"Your part dragon, you'll live to be 400 years old if your lucky, if your lucky."
'Ooo, that hurt.'
"Want to make the pain worse?" Asher drew his sword.
'You live 18 years without a girlfriend and you turn out like this. But of course Rouge would be different, no.'
"Stay out of my thoughts Leo."
'The mighty Demon, his body a temple, but every temple needs loving.'
"I swear if you don't shut that toothed mouth of yours, I'll find a roll of duct taped big enough."
'That's and interesting image.'
"Why are you being so nice?"
'Because the dragon is dormant, and when it is dormant, then the real Leo comes out, not some evil person that whishes to kill.'
"I wouldn't trust you even if you were Gandhi."
'Be that way.' Leo flew into the trees, vanishing.