Gifts and Curses
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "Welcome to the ever-burgeoning 'I know an alien' club"
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Chapter 19 – Honesty
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A few days had passed since that fateful night, and things were slowly sinking back to normalcy….or as normal as things could get for the mutants of Bayville. In New York, the New Mutants had tried to get on with their lives as best they could, knowing by the time the next full moon came around, they'd have their hands full. Ray was sitting in the dorm room he shared with Sam, currently Sam-less, as Sam was still recovering in the Institute, Rahne refusing to leave his side. Ray had decided to sneakily try to beat Roberto's 'best score ever' on the Playstation…but wasn't succeeding.
"You're never going to do it", smirked the Brazilian from where he watched, "I'm the best and you know it"
"Shouldn't you be somewhere else?", asked Ray moodily, "like with someone else"
"Everyone's busy", said Roberto, "Rahne and Sam are still in the Institute, Tabby's on a date with Shan and Warlock's telling Doug that he he's an extraterrestrial, and I'm watching you fail to beat my high score.
He smirked
"All in all, a pretty eventful day for the group"
"Isn't it early for Tabs to be dating that Shan chick?", muttered Ray, "they've known each other for less than a week!"
Roberto arched a brow.
"What's the matter, jealous?"
"I am not jealous", snapped Ray, accidentally shorting out the Playstation with a crackle of electricity.
"Yeah…..right", said Roberto, looking sadly at the computer, then smirked at Ray, "you like Tabby, don't you?"
"Oh yeah, right", snorted Ray, "I like a kleptomaniac bisexual who happens to enjoys blowing things and people up on a daily basis"
"You DO like her", grinned Roberto.
"No I don't!", snapped Ray, "I was being sarcastic!"
"You so like her", said Roberto, "oh man, this is prime blackmail material"
"Keep your mouth shut DaCosta", growled Ray, his eyes flickering to pure electric blue.
"Calm down, Sparky", smirked Roberto, then arched a brow, "you going to tell her?"
"No", said Ray simply, "it'll pass. It's just a..thing. A thing that won't last"
"Yeah, sure", said Roberto, "you keep telling yourself that. I say, you go tell her anyway".
"Hey, just because your girlfriend is who-knows how far away from you at the moment doesn't mean you can play matchmaker with the rest of us", said Ray.
"I just don't see why you can't just admit it", said Roberto with a shrug.
Ray frowned, his eyes flickering back to normal.
"Look, Scaleface took a long time to get over", he said sadly, "I don't want to set my heart up to get it broken again"
"Tabby may have a few screws loose and like causing random destruction", said Roberto, "but she wouldn't break anyone's heart. Not after everything that happened with Amara, you know that"
"Yeah…I know", said Ray quietly, "I don't know yet…I need to figure it out on my own, so don't go blabbing"
"Okay, okay, I'll keep my mouth shut", sighed Roberto, then smirked, "but you have to explain to Sam what happened to his Playstation"
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Elsewhere on Campus, Warlock was pacing the hallway outside of the dorm room he shared with Doug, trying to pluck up the courage to admit how 'foreign' he actually was.
"This can not be too hard", he told himself, "all I have to do is go in there and say: 'Doug, I am an alien form another planet'. That is not too bad. I am sure he will take it just fine…"
The alien whimpered.
"Either that or he will hand me over to the government"
He sighed, taking a deep breath and walking in. Doug was just opening a pizza box, a wide grin on his face as he saw Warlock.
"Hey, I got pizza!", he grinned, holding up a slice.
Warlock grimaced slightly as he took the proffered pizza, going about plucking the pieces of sausage off it. Doug adored the stuff, but for Warlock, it was the vile (1)
"Rahne and Sam still in the Institute?", asked Doug, happily munching on his own, as if sausage was a gift from the Gods.
"Yes", said Warlock, putting his sausage pile to one side, "Sam is still… getting adjusted"
"Man, I'd have never guess werewolves really existed", said Doug, "just goes to show, something supernatural could be happening right under your nose and you'd never know"
"You do not know how right you are", muttered Warlock, then sighed, okay, here we go, nice and easy, "Doug…I am from….someplace else"
"Like Europe?", asked Doug, blinking.
"No, Doug", said Warlock, "not like Europe" (2)
Warlock sighed, flipping off his image inducer, the human image fading to show his true form. Doug blinked for a moment.
"ALIEN!"
"Okay, Doug…I would really appreciate it if you stopped screaming", said Warlock with a wince.
"ALIEN!"
"Look, you are going to have to calm dow…"
Warlock was cut off when Doug grabbed the mop, giving him a smack over the head.
"What did you do with Warlock?", he asked, giving the alien another thwack, "how'd you take his form? What did you do with my boyfriend, alien scum!"
"Ow", said Warlock as the mop hit his head, "will you quit hitting me with that mop?"
Doug held the mop at arms length, much like a spear.
"Did you eat him?"
"No, Doug, I did not", said Warlock, taking a deep breath, "Doug, I am Warlock".
"No, you're an alien", said Doug, "Warlock knew too much about the galaxy and stuff, and you've come to silence him"
Warlock sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose…or rather, the little ridge on his face that looked like a nose.
"I am Warlock. I am an alien. Your boyfriend is an alien", Warlock groaned, "That sounds like a bad B-Movie title"
"Warlock's an alien?", asked Doug, raising a brow, "you're an alien 'Lock?"
"I prefer the term 'not of this Earth'", said Warlock, "I know this sounds like a cliché, but I mean you no harm" (3)
Doug backed up slightly.
"Hoooooo...kay", he said with a nervous laugh, "alien...from another planet"
"Technarcy, to be precise, thirty-seven-point-five light-years from here, part of the Kvch star system", said Warlock, "I...do not talk about my home planet much...it was not all that pleasant".(4)
Doug blinked
"Err...do you come in peace?", he tried with a nervous chuckle.
"Considering I have lived on your planet for quite a few years now, and I haven't destroyed it...yes, I think so", said Warlock, "I'm afraid I'm a bit of a rebel from my planet's own views. If another Technarc had arrived here, no doubt your planet would have been used for energy and devoured into nothingness."
"...Okay", blinked Doug, "so...do you have any cool alien powers?"
Warlock smiled.
"I am a shapeshifter", he said, "I can change my form into any shape...and merge with living things"
He glanced at his black-yellow hands."
"I am not completely organic, I am made of techno-organic matter", he coughed, "it's...complicated"
"So...err...you came in a spaceship?", said Doug.
"I don't need one", said Warlock, "my species have no need for spaceships we can travel through hyperspace on our own energy"
"Heh", Doug sat down, "….I think I need a drink"
He blinked again, looking at Warlock.
"….Are you sure you're an alien?", he asked, "or are you like that Prot guy from K-Pax?"
"It is not easy to be mistaken in a matter like that", chuckled Warlock, "and you won't find a picture of me in a high school yearbook" (5)
"Huh", Doug blinked, "…and I thought you were just a mutant"
"I am…sort of", Warlock sighed, "My 'mutation' come from my ability to feel compassion, caring...love"
Doug coughed, blushing slightly.
"...And the rest of your race aren't like that?"
"No", said Warlock, "my people are barbaric, living their lives through fear and brutality, fighting even amongst themselves. Their king is determined that the Technarcs will become one of the most feared life-forms in existence"
"He sounds a cheery fellow", said Doug dryly.
"He's my biological father", sighed Warlock, "but only in a genetic term. Forge is more of a real father than Magus could ever be to me"
"Your father?", Doug blinked, "so that makes you.."
"Prince Warlock?", the alien sighed and nodded, "correct. Though it is not exactly fun to be heir of a planet you never wish to rule, ever. I left Technarcy as it is an ancient ritual that offspring must fight their parent to the death, to show they have the right to live. When my time came, I fled, and eventually made it to Earth"
"…..Man, talk about a depressing childhood", whistled Doug.
"Now you know why I do not like talking about my home planet", said Warlock, then smirked slightly, "Incidentally, the mop hitting thing: If that is how you react in an alien invasion, you are in a lot of trouble"
"Gee, thanks", chuckled Doug, "I'll use a broom next time"
"So...", said Warlock, plucking at his pizza slice, not actually feeding from the thing, "now you know...well..does it change anything? I would understand if it did. It is not exactly a 'normal' situation to adapt to"
Doug smiled, leaning over to give him a kiss.
"Does that answer your question?"
"...I'm not sure", said Warlock, blinking, "Tabby has not covered this on her Earth-Relationship-Class".
Doug chuckled.
"It's not a problem, and nothing's changed. Besides, it should be cool having an extra-terrestrial for a boyfriend", he shrugged, "if Mindy can do it, so can I"
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"Penny for your thoughts"
Callisto had been sitting quietly, watching the trio of Torpid, Leech and Artie as they battled it out in a death-match of Cluedo when Evan appeared behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"I'm fine", said Callisto with a smile, "just thinking"
"Oh?", asked Evan, moving to sit next to her, "let me guess, the whole marriage thing?"
"I know you think it doesn't matter but…", Callisto sighed, "Maybe the reason we're having problems conceiving is that we're not officially married".
"That doesn't make much sense, Cally", said Evan, "We're married in all the ways that count, what does a piece of paper matter?"
Callisto frowned, looking away from him.
"I know that, Evan", she said quietly, "But….you don't understand"
"Try me", said Evan gently.
Callisto sighed, closing her eye.
"...I want the Church's blessing for us, Evan, it would make me feel better", she said, "...I know I don't attend Mass all that often, but faith was a big part of my childhood, and it's a big part of me" (6)
"I don't know Cally…", Evan frowned.
Callisto stood up, giving him one of her infamous glares, ones that would normally send other Morlocks fleeing for their lives.
"What? Sleeping with me is okay, but you don't want to marry me, is that it, Evan?", she snapped, "'cause if you're not interested in that…maybe we…we should call it quits"
"No, no, it's not that", said Evan standing up, putting his hands on her shoulders, "I love you, Callisto, you know I do. I love you more than life itself"
"Then why don't you want to get married?", she asked quietly.
"It's just….", Evan sighed, "look at us, Cally. We're mutants, who would marry us?"
"Sidney's found someone to marry her", said Callisto, "Scott and Jean got married without any problems. Hell, Evan your aunt got married to someone who looks twenty years younger than her! Why should it be a problem for us?"
Evan frowned, watching her for a few moments, before nodding.
"Okay, let's get married then", he said, taking her hand, leading her down a tunnel.
"What? Now?", asked Callisto, blinking.
"Cal, I can't give you anything big, you know that", said Evan, "I wish I could. But if you want to get married, why not right now? We could find somewhere here to do it"
"Evan….", Callisto sighed, "I don't want to marry you if you don't want to marry me"
"Good", said Evan, "because that would be crazy. Thing is, I do want to marry you, more than anything in the world"
"But..now?", Callisto chuckled, "we at least need witnesses, Evan…and a best man, and a…"
"Let's grab us some Morlocks, then", said Evan, then paused, looking at her, "…if you want to…."
Callisto chuckled.
"You're crazy, Evan Daniels", she said, then smiled, kissing his cheek, "let's make a wife out of me"
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Back at the mansion, Sam was boredly sitting on his bed, after being banished to the Infirmary by Hank, telling him he still needed rest. Pfft. Rest. Like that was going to happen. He sighed sadly as his eye flicked to the empty chair Rahne had been occupying an hour earlier. The wolf-girl had been sent up to bed, after she'd fallen off her chair in a semi doze. He knew she was looking out for him, and he appreciated it, but….it was still a lot to take in. He just hoped she'd understand why he was so distant these past few days. He glanced up as there was a knock on the door, Hank poking his head around.
"Still awake, I see", he arched a brow, "well, you have a visitor"
Sam gave a defeated sigh, between his little sister, Rahne, Bobby and half the X-Men, he'd had enough visitors to last a lifetime. Was it too much to ask to be left alone with his thoughts?
"Come on in", said Hank, moving out of the way of the door, "and please don't cause any structural damage….we like our Infirmary as it is, thank you"
Sam's eyes widened as Wanda Maximoff walked in, a black cat tucked under her arm. Hank gave him a 'good luck' smile and decided to vacate the area. Quickly. Hey, Sam was immortal, he wasn't!
"Ummmm", Sam blinked as the witch sat down, the cat moving to her knee as she patted it's head, "…..hi?"
He paused.
"…..You very rarely talk to me…a'h wasn't really expecting you…."
"I'm full of suprises, Cannonball", said Wanda, glancing at him, "heard about the immortal-were-wolf thing"
"Seems everyone has", muttered Sam.
"There's no need to be so glum about it", said Wanda, "you can live with both of them"
"A'h don't have much choice", said Sam, "considering all the living a'h have to do"
"I was under the impression you'd be told that this immortality wasn't too bad", she replied.
"Yeah but it's still a lot to get used to…", frowned Sam, "a'h care too much about ma'h friends and family to have to watch them die"
"I figured", said Wanda, handing the cat in her arms to Sam, "so, here".
Sam blinked down at Ebony, then at Wanda.
"Wanda, you're gonna have to talk me through this..a'hm slightly confused"
"Ebony's immortal too", explained Wanda, "well, he isn't really a cat so it makes sense, I guess"
She shrugged.
"I thought you'd like some company that, you know, you won't outlive", she said, "besides, St.John thinks Ebony's out to get him"
Sam smiled slightly, looking down at the cat in his arms, who was purring contentedly.
"…Wow..thanks Wanda, a'h don't know what to say"
"Yeah, well, if you tell anyone I've been nice, I'll have to hunt you down and test out that immortality thing, clear?", said Wanda.
"Crystal", smiled Sam, then paused, "you sure? A'h thought this cat was a gift from your mentor?"
"I'm pretty sure Agatha would have wanted this", said Wanda, "I think Ebony's changed hands many times before he was her cat"
She chuckled.
"Besides, I want my fiancée to get at least a little bit of sleep, instead of sitting up all night watching the cat, waiting for him to, and I quote, 'kill him and eat his spleen'".
She stood up.
"Just look after him", she said, "he's a good cat…even if he isn't"
"A'h will", said Sam, "…thank you, Wanda"
"You're welcome", said Wanda, giving a curt nod to Rahne as she passed.
Rahne blinked in confusion, watching her go.
"…..Was that Wanda Maximoff?"
"Yeah", said Sam, then smiled at Rahne, "she gave me her cat"
Rahne blinked down at Ebony, giving a small growl.
"Take it easy", said Sam, "he's immortal too….Wanda thought it might make me feel better if a'h know a'h have at least one companion who a'h won't outlive"
"A cat?", Rahne grimaced, "To stop you feeling miserable will take a……cat"
The word 'cat' was bit out like something that tasted nasty.
"He's not really a cat, he just takes the form of one", said Sam helpfully.
"Och, that makes it better", she grumbled, then sighed, sitting down, touching the cats head in a gesture of a pet before moving her hand away, "but if it'll make ye feel better…"
Sam smiled, kissing her forehead.
"It does", he chuckled, "don't get jealous of him, though. A'h still need you to help me out with ma'h other…err…problem"
"That, I can handle", chuckled Rahne, "the next full moon is gunnae be an interesting one"
"A'h just hope a'h won't hurt anyone", said Sam quietly.
Rahne sighed, snuggling up.
"The wolf instinct is hard tae control at first, Sam", she said, "but it gets better as ye get used tae it. Ye need to work with it, rather than against it. Dunnae worry, I'll be with ye every paw-step of the way"
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(1) – Comic reference! Doug really does love sausage, while Warlock hates it.
(2) – War of the Worlds, the best line in the film.
(3) – American Dad. I can't wait to see this show, Roger the Alien sounds hilarious.
(4) - This is, apparently, how far Warlock's home planet is from Earth..according to him in T.A.S, anyway. Then again, T.A.S called him a Phaylanx…which is actual an insult to his species, they basically called him spoiled food. Fools. Kvch is the name that was once given to Warlock's homeworld. Technically, Technarcy is the name of his people, but considering his people and his planet seem to be the same entity, I don't think it matters much. Marvel sure know how to confuse people.
(5) – K-Pax is a great movie, it really is. I should read the book.
(6) – Credit of a great deal of this conversation goes to Sperrydee, mistress of the Morlocks, she is. Gave the info that Callisto has a religious upbringing in the comics, to which I am grateful, as I have very few comics in which she appears.
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Your boyfriend is an alien, coming to a theatre near you! Another chapter done and dusted! Do review. Until next time…