Gifts and Curses
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "You guys look like an '80s rock band!"
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Chapter 21 – Secrets
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The weeks carried on relatively without incident. Looking back, some of the mutants would have said it was the calm before the storm. Then again, other mutants would have said it was a short break out of normalcy before they got back to the constant trouble they found themselves in.
In Dark Hollow, Sammy was having some time to himself at the bottom of the reservoir. He liked it there, it was the only place he could guarantee he could think in, without being disturbed. At least….usually. He frowned as the water suddenly turned very, very cold. Sure, it was November, but the reservoir never got thiscold. He sighed, swimming to the surface, only to bang his head on a thick sheet of ice now covering it. Sammy blinked, putting a flippered hand on the cold surface. He wasn't worried, being able to breathe underwater took away any problems with needing air, but he didn't know how long he'd last in this cold water. He backed up in surprise as a face appeared on the other side, slightly distorted by the ice.
"What do you know, I found Nemo", smirked Bobby.
Sammy narrowed his eyes at the former X-Man.
Lucas, we got trouble, he sent out.
"Cheer up, Flipper", said Bobby, "it's not you I'm here for. Must be getting cold in there though, huh?"
There was a crack as the ice was shattered, seemingly of it's own accord.
"Leave him alone now", growled Lucas, form where he floated above them, using his TK to beak the ice, "Sammy, get out of here"
Sammy climbed out of the water, giving Bobby a stony glare before heading off towards the houses. Lucas watched him go, then turned to look at Bobby.
"Ye not welcome here, Ice-Pick", said Lucas narrowing his eyes.
"I'm around because it's a full moon tomorrow, and I promised Sam I'd stick around for his first transformation", said Bobby, then smirked, "thought I'd let you know, in case you wanted to give me a wide berth"
"Ye came tae pick a fight, then?", growled Lucas, clenching his fists.
"Did I say that?", Bobby arched a brow, "I think not. Then again, if you're afraid of me…"
Lucas' eyes flickered.
"I am NAE afraid o' ye", he snarled, "ye best get out of here before Lizzie sees ye"
"Don't be worried", smirked Bobby, "dumb blondes aren't my type anymore. I'm no competition for her"
"Ye never were", growled Lucas.
"Funny, do I hear a sense of you being threatened in your voice?", smirked Bobby.
Lucas narrowed his eyes, floating off the ground, a wall of fire surrounding Bobby.
"Ye want tae know the meanin' of feelin' threatened?", he smirked, "I can show ye that"
Bobby turned calmly to look at him.
"How many times did I hit you upside the head five years ago?", he smirked, "Because it seems to me that you've forgotten that fire can't hurt or even scare me anymore. Hey, I got a friend who smokes cigars, he could use a new lighter" (1)
Lucas growled, picking Bobby up with his TK, tossing him into a fence, which collapsed under his weight.
"Ye've turned intae a right smarmy little git, haven't ye?", he asked.
Bobby stood up with a wince, changing into his ice-form.
"Always have been", he replied, firing a blast of ice at Lucas, knocking him out of the air and into the water, "oops, you got wet, here, let me help"
He flicked his hand out, causing the water to ice-up around Lucas, keeping him in place. Lucas narrowed his eyes, sending a telepathic blast in Bobby's direction. Bobby staggered back slightly, before smirking.
"Nice try", he said, cracking his knuckles, "now, you and me have unfinished business"
"I couldnae agree more", growled Lucas, breaking his ice around him with his TK and floating back to the land.
"Good, glad we're clear on that", said Bobby, launching a fist in Lucas' direction.
"And then they went into that whole alpha-male thing they have going on", said Sammy, a little way off, where he was trying to keep up with an angry looking Lizzie.
"A'hm gonna kill them", she said, "both of them"
She ducked as a blast of ice flew past her, smacking into the side of a house, gouging a hole in it. She muttered under her breath, powering up as she stormed towards where both men were brawling.
"Lucas Haller-Xavier, you better stop this now", she snapped as Lucas froze in mid-punch, "doesn't Alex cause enough structural damage on his own right now, without you coming around and having your schoolyard fights"
"Uh oh", said Lucas, dropping Bobby from where he had him by the front of his trench coat, "I'm in trouble"
"Heh", smirked Bobby from the floor, "afraid of the not-so-little woman?"
"Robert Francis Drake!"
Bobby's face fell.
"…..Uh oh", he turned around to see Lilia storming over, giving a nervous wave, "hi, Honey"
"You were sayin'?", asked Lucas, then winced at Lizzie's glare, "run away?"
"Run away", said Bobby with a nod.
Lucas floated into the air, floating up Bobby at the same time, making a break out of the town.
"You have to come home sometime!", shouted Lizzie, "an' then you're sleepin' on the couch!"
"Men", snorted Lilia, "why the heck do they feel they have to have a go at each other every time they meet?"
"Because they're idiots", said Lizzie simply, "idiots with the collective mind of a five year old when near each other"
"…We'll get 'em later", said Lilia with a nod.
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In Bayville, a small flash of light appeared in a side-street, before two women stepped out, dressed in the finest of robes…clearly turning a few heads.
"Hey, Ladies", called out one passer-by, "Halloween was last month!"
"What a dismal little planet", muttered the blonde woman, shaking her head, "I'm telling you, Roma, we should have disposed of it right away, instead of wasting time and energy fixing it"
"Hush, Saturnyne", said the brown haired woman named Roma, "all worlds deserve at least a little chance"
Saturnyne rolled her eyes, giving a snort of contempt.
"You just love the Earth series, M'Lady", she said, "just like your father"
"It has been a stressful month, so I will choose to ignore that comment", said Roma haughtily, stopping outside a house, "here we are"
Saturnyne cocked her head to one side, looking at the house.
"Oh yes", she said sarcastically, "Margali really got the better trade here. A little hovel compared to her palace in limbo"
"She fell in love with a mortal", replied Roma, "though I do agree, it was no reason to abandon her post"
Roma waved her hand at the door, it unlocking and opening for her. She stepped inside, looking around, tucking a strand of hair behind an elfin ear. Saturnyne walked in behind her, most of her own face obscured by a large portion of blonde hair.
"Hell is suburbia", she muttered.
"Honey, I didn't expect you back so early, did you get the…", Margali Sefton stopped dead when she came upon the two women in her hallway, "..oh…"
"Yes, 'oh'", said Roma with a frown, "hello, Margali Szardos…or rather, Sefton now, isn't it?"
Margali shuffled uneasily.
"I didn't expect you so soon", she said quietly.
Roma sighed.
"I know you've felt the magic waves this world has been subject to this past month", she said, "I would have thought it would be obvious we would come"
"…Can I at least say goodbye to my family first?", asked Margali.
"We don't want you", snorted Saturnyne, "you failed, Szardos. We need your daughter, she's the next guardian, after all"
Margali shook her head.
"No….not Amanda, please", she said softly, "….she….she's my only child. You can't take her from me"
"It's either that or the end of the world", said Roma simply, "where is she, Margali?"
Margali bit her lip, looking down with a sad sigh.
"…She's in the Xavier Institute visiting her boyfriend", she said, "….I'll show you the way"
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Bobby Drake gave the barman a smirk as he picked up his beers, before walking over to a table a little away form everyone else, where Lucas was brooding. The pair had 'escaped' into a bar not for away form Dark Hollow, hoping vainly their respective others wouldn't find them.
"Alcohol, the cause of and solution to all life's problems", grinned Bobby, sitting down, sliding a glass Lucas' way.
"Ye one mean, greetin-faced vratch, ye know that?". asked Lucas, holding a block of ice to his very black eye. (2)
"I don't know what you just called me, but you're one too", said Bobby, wincing as he flexed his arm, "at least I made you an ice-pack"
Lucas sneered, about to comment before blinking, spitting out a piece of tooth.
"Awww, ye made me chip me tooth!", he said, feeling it gingerly, "now it looks like a bloody fang!"
"Suits your gothic look", shrugged Bobby, "you broke my arm, you don't hear me whining about it"
"That's because ye used the moisture from yon reservoir to fix it", said Lucas, then sighed leaning back on his chair, "I really, really, hate ye"
"Ditto!", said Bobby cheerfully, "drink your beer"
"Huh", said Lucas, then paused, his eyes flickering slightly, "…Dad?"
Bobby arched a brow.
"I hate to break it to you, Lucas, but I don't think your Dear Daddy would be caught dead in this dump", he said, "I must have screwed your radar up"
"…He's nae in here", said Lucas, frowning, "but he's nearby"
He narrowed his eyes, trying to zero in.
"What are ye up tae, Old Man?", he muttered, standing, heading for the door.
"Whoah, wait up!", said Bobby, trailing behind, "if you find anything blackmail worthy on Charles Xavier, I want in on it"
"Then you'll have tae keep up, won't ye?", smirked Lucas, floating off into the air, heading out of town.
"No problem", smirked Bobby, forming an ice bridge, following after him.
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Over at the Institute, Kurt was spending some rare quality time with Amanda. Of course, Kurt's version of quality time usually involved being snuggled up on a couch, watching a movie, as it was now.
"I'm telling you, Kurt, Mom's been acting weird all month", said Amanda, snuggling up to the fuzzy elf, "she keep going into these daydreams…and every now and again, she'll look at me funny"
"She always looks at me funny", chuckled Kurt, wrapping his tail around her waist for comfort, "I don't know her any differently"
"ELF!"
Kurt winced as Logan stormed in, holding what looked to be a fungal growth project. Storm followed in behind, not looking happy.
"Guess what Ororo found in one of Chuck's Ming vases", growled Logan.
"Oh, vow, I vondered vhere that Gut Bomb vent", said Kurt with a fanged grin, "I think I left it there on my last visit, to stop Lockheed from eating it"
"That is…vile Kurt", grimaced Storm, "and it smells"
Kurt looked at the once-a-burger sadly.
"I vould have enjoyed eating it", he sighed, "farewell, my friend, farewell"
Amanda rolled his eyes.
"I'd say something, but I've learned there's not much point", she said, "he doesn't listen when it comes to fast food"
"Just consider yerself lucky Chuck's out tonight", said Logan, "or he wouldn't have been happy"
There was a flash of light suddenly in the room, which soon faded to reveal Roma, Saturnyne and Margali.
"Mom!", Amanda blinked, then looked confused at the two women accompanying her, "hoe did you…..what's going on?"
Margarli opened her mouth to speak, then closed her eyes, looking away sadly.
Logan growled, stepping forward.
"I don't know who ya are, Lady, or how ya got through our defence systems, but you better start explainin' yerself pronto, first by tellin' us who the heck you are"
"Only a small few may address me by my name", said Roma, holding her head up, "you, mortals, will address me as 'Your Highness'".
"YOU!"
Roma paused, turning to see a not very happy Forge glaring at her from the entrance to the room.
"Oh...dear", said Roma, clearing her throat, backing away slightly, "hello, Maker…..long time no see….heh heh"
"Vho's 'Maker'", asked Kurt, looking between the pair.
"I am", said Forge, clearing his throat, "The Maker Of All Things, Of Spirit And Of Substance'...to be precise".(3)
"…..I thought you were Forge", said Amanda.
Forge sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose together.
"I am", he said, "Maker isn't a name, it's a title"
He turned his attention back on Roma
"What are you doing here?", he asked, "got bored of screwing up mortal lives from the citadel, wanted to come down and do it hands on?"
"Oh, you're still not sore about that little...incident are you?", asked Roma
"Incident?", snapped Forge, "you call locking someone in a pocket dimension for twenty years a godamn 'incident'?".
"I didn't think you'd stay there for that long", defended Roma, "I honestly believed you would have gotten yourself out within..oh, a year".
"Forge...", said Kurt carefully, "you told us that you vere locked in Middleverse due to that experiment…I even got locked in vith the zappy thing!"
"Yeah, right, and would you have believed me I was actually locked in there because the guardian of the Omniverse threw a hissy fit and wanted to 'break' me?", asked Forge.
"At least I changed things in your earth so that you were released", said Roma, nodding at Kurt.
"You couldn't have done that in the first three years!", asked Forge
"Twenty years means nothing to me, Maker, I'm immortal"
"Well, I'm not!", snapped Forge, "its was not fun. And stop calling me Maker".
"Okay, this is all nice an' pleasant", growled Logan, "but can somebody tell me what the heck's goin' on here!"
The woman inclined her head to Logan.
"I am Roma, the omniversal guardian, daughter of Merlin".
"Merlin?", Amanda arched an eyebrow, "the Merlin from Camelot Merlin?"
"The one and same", said Roma, then cleared his throat, "yes, I know I do not look my age"
She gave a small smile.
"It is my duty to guard the ominiverse, the countless alternate versions of many different worlds. Though I must admit, I have always been quite fond of the Earth series", she said, "Among other things, I have worked with Forge, and many of his ancestors before him to keep the world safe from my cosmic opposite, the Adversary. The undooer of worlds, the trickster, chaos incarnate" (4)
"This is giving me a headache", groaned Kurt, sitting down.
"You should try digesting this when you're only two years old", said Forge bitterly.
"We will not start that conversation again, Maker", said Roma pointedly, "we have more important matters to attend to".
"Such as?", asked Logan
Roma let out a breath.
"Something very wrong has been happening as of late to your version of Earth, better known in my realm as Earth 623" (6)
"…..Okey dokey then", said Logan, "I'm startin' ta think I'll need a good, strong drink by the end of this"
"Mystics all over this Earth have felt the aftermath of this happening", said Roma, then looking pointedly at Forge, "even those who chose to ignore it"
"You're a mystic?", asked Storm, arching a brow.
"A shaman, to be exact", said Saturnyne, then smirked at Forge, adding in sing-song, "someone's been keeeeeping seeecreeets"
Roma shook her head, ignoring the sudden rumble of thunder from outside.
"That is not important right now", she said, "Something entered Limbo as of late...something young and innocent…a human child"
Margali spoke up for the first time.
"But surely an unprotected human child could not survive in..."
"She has", said Roma, "and more, she's prospered. It seems Belasco wanted to make himself an.. apprentice"
"Who?", asked Amanda with a frown.
"A sorcerer-come-demon", replied Roma, "the ruler of Limbo"
Roma cleared her throat.
"It appears the child created herself the Soulsword", she explained, "a weapon of extraordinary magical capabilities. If she uses it to defeat Belasco, as I am sure she will…well, the outcome is rather bleak"
She looked at Margalli sharply.
"This, when added to the neglect of the Winding Way leaves a very sorry state indeed", she said, "with an inexperienced leader in Limbo, the demons placed there under protection could very well be released….and cause the undoing of the world"
"…..And I though Apocalypse vas bad", said Kurt.
"You need the Winding Way fixed", said Margali, coming to a realisation.
"What's the Winding Way?", asked Amanda with a frown.
"Certain magic users have to follow it", explained Saturnyne, "it allows them to move from periods of high power to periods of no power. Without your dear mother protecting it, as she should have, the order has turned into chaos"
She looked pointedly at Forge.
"And we know who lives on chaos"
"Yes", said Roma, "and you know as well as I that your time as keeper has ended. It is time for your heir to take over".
She looked at Amanda with an arched brow.
"Me?", squeaked Amanda, "no way, nuh-uh! I'm still trying to get my head around all of this! I can't...do..whatever the heck it is you want me to do!"
"Don't worry", said Roma, "you will receive training. You will be ready soon"
She sighed slightly.
"I will give you one day to put all your mortal affairs in order, then you must leave for your training".
"I...I can't stay here?", whispered Amanda.
"No", said Roma, shaking her head, "you will be taken to Dr Strange, the greatest sorcerer on this Earth. I am sorry, your mother should have made you better prepared for this. I will let you get started. Come, Saturnyne"
Saturnyne nodded.
"Yes, M'Lady", she said, then smirked at Forge, "I'm sure you'd love to lend a helping hand in these matters, Maker"
Forge gave Saturnyne a pleasant smile.
"I'd rather carve out my spleen with a blunted teaspoon and feed it to wild, rabid chipmunks", he said cheerfully, "thanks for the offer, though"
"Of course, the whole 'not doing magic thing'", Saturnyne clucked her tongue, "such a waste. Then again, if I had your past, I wouldn't want to be dabbling in the dark arts, either"
"Don't go there, Saturnyne", warned Forge, bristling.
"Oh of course", said Saturnyne, "your friends don't know about your sordid past, do they? Would they see you differently, perhaps, if they knew what you'd done?"
"That would class as 'going there'", said Forge narrowing his eyes.
Saturnyne smirked, throwing an arm around his shoulders.
"I don't blame you", she said, "I wouldn't want my friends to know if I'd used my own fathers soul to open up a portal and release a horde of demons to slaughter a car full of helpless teenagers"
She stopped putting her hand over her mouth.
"Oops", she said cattily, "slip of the tongue" (7)
Roma shook her head disapprovingly, waving her hand as the pair vanished.
"What on Earth was she talking about?", asked Storm, giving her husband a glare that could melt an iceberg, "I know you had secrets, Forge, but this is a rather big one to hide from your wife"
"Calm down, 'Ro", said Logan, "it's not like anythin' they said was true….right, Forge?"
Forge turned his head away, closing his eyes.
"...It is true?", Logan blinked, "…well….I got nothin'"
"You. Me. Attic-Garden. NOW", growled Storm, the weather outside getting worse, "you have a lot of explaining to do"
Forge sighed, following his wife out of the room towards the elevator.
"I'd hate to be Forge right now", said Logan, letting out a low whistle.
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(1) – Bobby speech from L1, thanks Bud!
(2) – Lucas called him a mean, sour-faced wretch in Scottish, if you're wondering.
(3) - I think I've mentioned this before but, this is the only other name Forge has been given (well.. besides 'Genisis', which he got from Bishop's timeline)...talk about long and complicated. And it seems that it's more of a title than a name, but it's all a bit weird.
(4) - What the Adversary actually is has always been a bit hazy. He's big, red, has purple hair, and likes to streak. He seems to be chaos incarnate, but looks a bit like a demon. All we really know is that the world can't exist without him, but also can't exist with him free...kinda a catch 22 for Forge.
(5) - Yes, I know the 'normal' Marvel world is Earth 616, but Evo has always clearly been an alternate universe. Then, considering the Sidney Chronicles are an AU of Evo, I had to give them their own number again, while still staying close to 616. My guess would be Evo's earth would be something like 618...just a guess.
(6) – You'll see more of this in the next chapter. It goes without saying I had to alter Forge's comic past to fit into Evo. But I kept it just as depressing. Poor, poor Forge.
Oh yes, in the next chapter, I finally get to show you the Forge past I cooked up. I warn you, it's depressing as hell. Do review. Until next time…