1Author's Note: I apologize for this now. I wanted to get this out a lot sooner, but with moving to college and everything, some stuff got a little hectic. Here's the next chapter you've been waiting for, just after these responses to your reviews. Oh by the way, I want everyone to review, I want votes. What character of the original 13 would you like to see gotten rid off?
JP3711NC: I don't know what's going to happen with Rogue. I make this stuff up as I go along. (Not really, I just don't want to tell you.)
Mark C: My hand is better thanks. Chris was in Smallville, you can read part of the story in "Legend of the Dragon" another story of mine on this site. As for whether or not Rogue will say yes, well, just read and find out.
Nettlez: I know, a lot of people like the Rogue/Nathan pairing. But I mean... come on... they can't even touch each other. And if they accidently did, Rogue would die. Do you really want that to happen?
Dante: Not in this story he isn't. All the characters I bring in, other than the Brotherhood, Acolytes, X-Men, or Morlocks, are original.
Milo: Why not Joe? What's wrong with Joe? He's pretty cool.
Timberfoxen: Thank you very much! I hope you continue to read and review!
Anticlown-outziders: Your reviews always amuse me.
Roadkill: Thank you! I'm glad you like my story. I must say I worked hard on it. And am still actually. Sorry that it takes me so long to get these updates up.
Zahrah: Sorry if this wasn't soon enough.
Chapter 22: Arrivals and Returns
It was a Sunday night. A rather warm Sunday night for late February. "Is this it?" Two young men stood outside the gates to Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters.
Well, one young man stood outside the gates, the other was already inside them. "Yes. This is." He said walking towards the house, the other young man followed him. Slowly they came up to the doors and the taller one took a deep breath before knocking rather loudly on the doors.
"Who could that be at this hour?" Mr. McCoy asked looking to Ororo as they were walking through the foyer. It was nearing eleven o'clock, PM, and they were not expecting anyone. Most of the Warrior's were in their rooms already due to James' grounding them.
Ororo opened up the door. "May I help you?"
"Maybe." The one man answered. "My name is Fenris. I'm looking for a young man by the name of Nathaniel Albarran."
Ororo paused. "May I ask why?"
"We're old friends, Seth, Nathan, and I." He motioned to the young man standing next to him when he said the name Seth.
"Come in." Ororo said moving aside so they could both enter.
They both did and smiled a bit. Hank was no longer there to be seen.
"Wait here, I'll go see if he's awake still." Ororo said with a slight smile before heading off down the hallway.
"Think he'll be surprised?" Seth asked with a slight smile.
"More like he'll be concerned, our mere presence indicates that something is wrong." Fenris said with a slight shrug.
Somewhere above Bayville
A news helicopter flew past several buildings, returning to the station from it's traffic report patrol. When quite suddenly a large down draft hit it, and something flew over it, the sudden wind knocking it around a bit. "What was that?" The co-pilot shouted.
A rather large demonic figure flew over them and now in front of them. You could barely see it, its skin was dark grey, its hair an odd sickly green, it had to be about seven feet tall, it had claws instead of hands or feet, and it had two huge bat-like wings that reached out about twenty feet tip to tip.
The other pilot remained silent and soon it was out of sight. Disappearing into the night air.
Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters
James and Ares sat in the living room, both on opposite ends of the couch, with Rebecca sitting in the middle. They were watching a movie of some sort, James honestly wasn't paying that much attention to it.
Apparently neither was Ares. "Hey James, you still got that monster of yours?"
"Not with me." James responded. "Rebecca has her bike though."
"That's a shame, I was hoping for a race." Ares replied with a smirk.
"And you can't race me?" Rebecca asked raising a brow.
"Heck no, I'd loose." Ares responded with a smirk.
VVVVVVVVVV
Ororo approached Nathan's room, it was on the corner, but she could already hear the loud blasting music. She knocked rather hard, surprising for a woman of her sophistication. "Nathan?" She called out.
The door opened and there stood Nathan, black ripped up shirt, long-sleeve fishnet underneath it, black gloves, some rather baggy pants, and a pair of boots on his feet. With so much piercing going through his face he almost resembled a pin cushion. "Yeah?"
"There are two guests downstairs to see you. They said their names were Fenris and Seth?" Ororo asked carefully.
Nathan's eyes widened for an instant as she said their names, but he soon returned to normal. "Tell the professor to meet me in the library." He said as he came out of his room and closed the door behind him.
Ororo didn't respond as she didn't get the chance, Nathan was off down the hall towards the front doors in less than a second. It wasn't long until he made it there. He came down the steps silently, but both Fenris and Seth's eyes were on him.
"Long time no see." Fenris spoke first.
Nathan smirked. "It's good to see you."
"I wish I could say the same." Seth said with a slight laugh. "We're not here for pleasure."
"What's up?" Nathan asked.
Suddenly Rayne, Rogue, and Kitty came into the room, walking through on their way to the kitchen. "Hey, have you guys seen... Who are you?" Kitty asked looking towards Fenris and Seth.
"Old friends of mine." Nathan answered for them. "Fenris, and Seth, meet Rogue, Kitty, and Rayne. Rayne is a wolf-morph." He added that, which Rayne thought rather rude to single her out like that.
"You two are mutants?" Kitty asked curiously.
"No." Fenris answered. "We are something else entirely. Though we know about the existence of mutants."
"I... Don't get it..." Kitty said trying to understand just what it was he meant by 'something else'.
"If you'll excuse us." Nathan interrupted. "We have some things to discuss. Follow me, we can talk in the library." He said to Seth and Fenris before he began heading down the hall through which Rogue, Kitty, and Rayne had just come.
"It was nice to meet you all." Fenris said with a slight nod to each. "Have a good evening." He said before he and Seth followed Nathan out of sight.
"That was odd..." Rayne said watching them.
VVVVVVV
Nathan, Seth, and Fenris reached the library, which was empty and the lights were dimmed, with a fire going in the fire place. "So... what is happening that would bring you two here?"
"Activity of a most personal kind." Fenris answered.
"Leif is in the area." Seth said a little quickly. "And the Red Council has discovered several people in the area that should not be here. Regardless that we've also discovered this to be the most single populated mutant area in the world."
"What've you got against mutants?" Nathan asked.
"Nothing at all." Fenris answered. "But you know full well that not all those who have power use it responsibly."
Nathan paused. "So Leif is in the area? What do you plan to do?"
"We plan to wait for him. He is gathering quite a few allies to him, we think he's going to plan a massive attack of some kind." Seth responded.
"Do you think you can defeat him?" Nathan asked as he sat back in his chair.
"Maybe." Fenris answered shaking his head. "We'll have to try."
"What allies has he gathered to him?" Nathan asked curiously.
"That's the one thing we haven't been able to discover, but we do know that whoever they are, they are powerful." Seth said with a nod as he stood up and went over to the fire place. "We want to wait here until he makes his move."
"Do you think we could?" Fenris asked looking to Nathan.
"I've already asked the Professor to meet us here, he should be here any moment." Nathan said with a nod.
"Good, that just leaves one problem." Fenris said looking up to Nathan. "Three nights until the new moon." He said glancing to Seth.
"Don't worry, the professor would understand, there's a room downstairs Seth can use." Nathan said with a nod.
"The professor would understand vhat?" Nightcrawler asked as he and Spike came into the room. His holo-watch was on.
"Nothing." Nathan answered. "Kurt, and Evan, meet Fenris, and Seth." He said gesturing to each one.
"You are German?" Fenris asked looking to Kurt.
"Ja." Kurt answered with a slight nod.
"Then good evening to you." Fenris said in German. "I spent the last three years in Germany with my brother there." He motioned to the fireplace. "We both speak German, Norwegian, French, as well as English."
"That's amazing. What part of Germany were you in?" Kurt asked responding in German.
Nathan and Spike looked at each other as Fenris and Kurt seemed to get into deep conversation. "This will be an interesting night." Nathan said with a smirk.
"Why do you say that?" Professor Xavier's voice rang as he entered the room in his wheelchair with a blanket over his legs and in his pajamas.
"Sorry if we woke you." Nathan said standing up. "But I want you to meet Fenris and Seth Erickson, two brothers from Norway and old friends of mine."
"Nice to meet you both." The professor said with a nod.
"The reason I wanted you to meet them," Nathan paused. "Was because I was wondering if you would be willing to allow them to stay here for a few days, just until they move on again."
"Move on again to where, might I ask?" The professor asked curiously.
"To wherever. It's our way, we never stay in one spot." Seth explained.
"I see." The Professor paused. "Are they mutants?" He asked Nathan telepathically.
"No, but they know about mutants, and they have powers of their own." Nathan responded out loud.
Kurt and Spike glanced to each other.
"What kind of abilities do you have?" The Professor asked raising a brow ever so slightly.
Seth and Fenris looked at each other and then to Spike and Kurt, and then back to the professor. "We'd prefer if that be kept between us and you." Seth said after a brief pause.
"I see..." The professor looked to Kurt.
"Ja, ve get z'he hint. Later." He said waving a brief goodbye and then teleporting out of the room.
Spike just shrugged. "See you around." He said before leaving the library.
"Now." The Professor said after everyone else had left. "What abilities do you two have exactly?"
"Seth?" Fenris asked looking towards his brother.
Seth smirked and fell forward, as he did so his body seemed to change, his hands became paws, his nose a snout, his ears were on top of his head, and white fur covered his body. He was a wolf. A large, white timberwolf actually. He stood there and then morphed back into the man he was.
"We have a girl here with similar abilities." The Professor said with a slight nod.
"I don't think you understand..." Fenris said looking to Seth. "We're not mutants, we're not human, we're werewolves. Pure full blood werewolves."
The Professor raised a brow and looked to Nathan. "Do such things really exist?"
"Says the man sitting in the wheelchair that can read my mind." Said Nathan. "They are what they say they are. I've seen it."
"Very well. You may stay, but please, do nothing to upset the students here." The Professor said with a rather commanding tone. "Otherwise I will have no choice but to ask you to leave."
"Thank you." Seth said with a slight nod.
"Nathan will show you to your room, you'll be staying in the room across from his." The Professor said with a nod. "And Nathan, I'll be holding you responsible as well."
Nathan nodded as he stood up, Seth and Fenris following him. "Come on." He said as they left the library. "I"ll show you the way."
It only took a few seconds, but suddenly they ran into Logan. Who took a sniff at the air and suddenly got a very stern look on his face. "Who the heck are they?" He asked looking to Nathan.
"Some old friends of mine." Nathan answered. "They're going to be staying here a little while."
Logan sniffed again and made a low growl noise. "I don't think I like it."
Fenris returned the growl. "You don't have to."
"Careful Bub." Logan said as his claws came out of his right hand.
Fenris took a step forward but Seth but his arm out to stop him. "That's enough. Stop acting on instinct the both of you. We're people, not animals."
Logan retracted his claws, but didn't say anything, just walked past them, bumping shoulders with Fenris as he did so.
"I don't like that guy." Fenris said after he had left. "He smells like..."
"It doesn't matter, we just got here, the last thing we need is you getting into a fight." Seth said keeping a cool head about the matter. "Besides, we're only going to be here a few more days."
"What do you plan to do then?" Nathan asked.
"We don't have any plans." Seth answered. "We're taking it moment by moment."
Monday Morning
"Come on! We're gonna be late for class!" Mike yelled as he banged on Nathan's door. He and Nathan had always walked to school together, it was almost like a tradition now.
Finally Nathan stepped out his door, fully dressed and ready for School. "Keep your shirt on." He said with a smirk as he headed down the stairs with Mike.
"Stay up late last night?" Mike asked with a slight smirk.
"A little. We had some guests." Nathan said with a nod.
"We did?" Mike asked curiously.
"Some old friends of mine came, they're spending a few days." Nathan said with a nod.
They both suddenly stopped talking as they reached the bottom of the steps and Rogue was there seemingly waiting for them. They were silent, and she just sort of stared at them for a second or two.
"Would ya'll mind if Ah just walked to school with you today?" She asked after a brief pause.
"Don't you normally walk to school with Joe?" Nathan asked with a pierced brow slightly raised.
"Yeah, but I..." Rogue paused, then seemed to not be able to think of what to say next.
Mike cut in. "Sure." He said with a nod. "In fact, you two just walk to school today, I'm supposed to see the professor anyway."
"What?" Nathan asked looking to Mike.
"I've been having a lot of headaches lately." Mike said with a nod. "He's afraid it might have something to do with my powers."
"Okay..." Nathan shrugged. "Come on." He said walking past Rogue and through the doors.
She followed, walking next to him, both were silent for a long while. "Ah was wondering..." She paused. "Would you maybe like to go to a movie sometime?"
"No." Nathan's strong answer was a little more blunt than she had expected.
She nodded. "Can Ah know why?"
"I've only ever loved one person. And I killed her." Nathan said as though it were the most normal thing in the world. "I don't want to date anyone, I don't want to be in love with anyone, I just want to kill my father, and then end my life."
Rogue stared at him for a second as they walked. "Are you serious?" She asked her voice a little strong.
"Have I ever made a joke in all the time you've known me?" Nathan asked.
She paused... She hadn't been expecting all of that, not at all. "Ah just thought..."
"Don't. It's not an option. I would sooner dance in a ballet than go on a date with you." Nathan said rather hurtfully. "And if I did care about you, it would be all the more reason for me to stay away from you."
Rogue was quiet the rest of the way to school, and Nathan didn't speak a word either. After getting inside Nathan went off to his first class, and Rogue went to hers. Hurt but no longer confused.
VVVVVV
Back at the Institute the inhabitants were eating their breakfast while the kids were at school. The school day people seemed to be getting more and more numerous. Hank, Ororo, Logan, James, Rebecca, Ares, Professor X, Fenris, and Seth were all there now. Most of them were in the kitchen, some where in the living room. Fenris and Seth were in their room still, they slept during the day most of the time, and James was getting ready to go out.
James was just about to open the door when there was a nock at it. "Who could that be?" He asked coming up to the door. Slowly he opened it and there before him stood a young man drenched, and in ripped up clothes, without shoes, a gold necklace hanging around his neck.
"Chris?" James shouted in surprise.
"Surprise." Chris said with a smile. "Can I come in? And maybe... Get some coffee? And perhaps a couch?"
"Sure!" James said with a laugh as he moved aside to let him through.
Chris came in but slowly, he could barely walk, or stand for that matter.
"You been flying?" James asked concerned.
"Last two days and nights, straight." He said with a nod. "I had to do it in full form." He said with a nod. "I got in town last night, then slept under a bridge when I changed back, woke up, came here." Chris said tiredly. "Come on. I'll tell you what's going on... Everything..." He said with a nod.
"So what's up Chris? Why did you come back so suddenly?" James asked curiously. As the two sat in the living room, both with a cup full of something to drink.
"I'm here to explain more like why I left..." Chris said with a brief pause.
"I thought your Uncle died." James said slightly confused.
"Somebody died, but it wasn't my Uncle." Chris said shaking his head. "James, how old do you think I am?"
James paused for a moment. "I don't know... seventeen? Eighteen? Your birthday's in November right?"
Chris laughed. "As near as I can figure it is." Chris responded. "But James, I'm nowhere near eighteen. I'm eight hundred and forty three."
James laughed.
"Seriously. I was born November 7th, the year 1162 A.D." Chris said with a nod. "And I was cursed in the year 1181."
James paused for a moment. "You're serious...?"
"More than I have ever been." Chris said with a nod. "The man who died wasn't my Uncle, but my last living descendant."
"Wow..." James thought for a moment as he sat back.
"And all this time you've been posing as a teenager... why?" James asked curiously.
"Amanda knew, back in New York, and so did Thomas, in fact it was Amanda that had brought me into the Warriors, we knew each other from working together previously, just after World War II."
James paused. "Wow..." He thought for a second. "So... Why just come back here and tell me that all of a sudden like as soon as you get into the door?"
"Because something big is about to happen." Chris responded. "Almost everyone is gathering."
"What do you mean?" James asked curiously.
"Gabriel is in town, as well as Jude, Fenris and Seth arrived last night, I'm back, the Warriors leave New York and come here, and the Immortals are on their way. Do you really think that all of this is coincidence?" Chris asked.
"Whoa, back up, who's Gabriel, who's Jude, and who are the Immortals? And how do you know all of this anyway?" James asked slightly concerned and slightly interested.
"I received a message from two of my previous affiliations, neither of which I can discuss with you." Chris said after a brief pause. "They were both rather secretive societies. But let me explain that several entities have gathered here, and are planning something malicious, something big is going to happen, and they want us all to be here when it does."
"Who are they?" James asked raising a brow.
"The Red Council has classified them as 'the league' but not much is known about them either way." Chris answered.
"Who's the Red Council?" James asked now even more confused.
"I'm not allowed to reveal the specifics, sufficed to say they are an ally, and some of them are here already to help us in our time of need." Chris answered.
"So something big is going to happen." James said for clarification.
Chris nodded.
"I'll go tell the professor." James said with a slight sigh.
Professor Xavier's Office
"Why haven't you told us that the psychic shields weren't working?" Professor X asked from behind his desk.
Mike sat in front of the desk with his hands folded on his lap. "I didn't want to disappoint anyone." He said. "They worked in the beginning, but now..." He paused.
"I see." The Professor said as he took a moment in silent thought. "Jean says you've made progress in her sessions."
"I have... I think... I just still can't block anyone out..." Mike said with a shake of his head.
"Perhaps we'll have to try something a little bit different." Professor X said with a slight sigh. "For now though I want you to stay here, you are excused from school today."
"Thanks." Mike said with a slight smile. He turned around as there was a sudden knock on the door.
"Come in." Professor Xavier said as he wheeled out to in front of his desk.
"Professor?" James asked as he came in, Chris following behind him.
"Chris!" Mike yelled.
Chris put a hand up as if to silence Mike. "We've got trouble." He said looking to the Professor.
VVVVVVV
Joe, Will, and John sat in the back of class listening, or at least half listening, to their teacher. This guywas always so boring, but what could you do?
"Did she answer you yet?" Will asked leaning over to Joe.
"Not yet." Joe whispered.
"Do you think she'll say yes?" Will asked in a whisper.
"Maybe..." Joe paused. "I hope so anyway." Joe said in a whisper.
"What if she says no?" Will asked.
"Then that's fine, we keep on being friends." Joe said with a shrug.
"What if she says yes?" Will asked.
"Then I take her out and we see what happens, it's not like I'm going to ask her to marry me." Joe said in a whisper.
"Speaking of which I wonder when James and Rebecca's wedding will be." Will said sitting back in his chair. "Has he picked a best man yet?"
"Not that I-." He was cut off by the teacher yelling.
"Mr. McKinley!" The teacher yelled. "If you have something to say I think I would prefer you to say it to the whole class."
"Sorry." Joe said staying in his seat.
VVVVVVVVV
"Hey Rogue!" Grace yelled as she came running up to her in the hall after the first period of classes. "What's up?"
"Nothing." Rogue said with a shrug. She had talked to Grace a few times, but not that many, they weren't terribly close.
"I hear Joe finally worked up the nerve and asked you out... You gonna go?" Grace asked with a smirk.
"Ah..." Rogue paused. "Don't know..."
END
Author's Note: Sorry about the length I wasn't sure about it since I'm using a new word processor on a new computer and it's a little bit different. If it was too short I apologize. Oh, and please Review, I want to know what character of the original thirteen would you like to see gotten rid of?