The Hardest Choice

"How could this have happened?" One Red Ninja hissed. "Not only do we get humiliated by the Kingpin and the Pride and…Everyone else at that fiasco! But several of our best warriors have been imprisoned! Including Aioshi!" Several Red Ninjas were hiding in an abandoned warehouse.

"I knew we should have joined the Hand years ago…" Another Red Ninja grumbled. "At least they get results!"

"And that would have resulted in our deaths!" Another Red Ninja snapped. "They have been the enemies of our clan for centuries."

"What clan?" A lone voice hissed from the shadows. "You turned your backs on our clan years ago!" Storm Shadow appeared with Mystique behind him, carrying a bundle. "And when you did have a chance to return to the Arashikage as I did you refused!"

"And crawl back on like a dog as you did?" One Red Ninja hissed as he drew his sword. "We are the only true Arashikage! We followed you in hopes to restore our honor but you even failed that! You became soft and weak!"

Before anyone could react Storm Shadow slashed the sword from the Red Ninjas' hand and kicked him to the wall. "You find me weak?" Storm Shadow hissed as he pointed his sword to his throat. "Pathetic!"

Other Red Ninjas drew out their swords but one raised his hand, staying them. "Storm Shadow, we once followed you to the service of Cobra and even allowed ourselves to be Cobra's pawns in order to avenge our master."

"For all the good that it did," Another ninja snarled. "Since Cobra was responsible all along for the death of our master and they still roam free!"

Storm Shadow turned to them. "I admit I have failed you and am no longer worthy to be your leader. However it is not I who have broken the pact! You swore an oath not to invade the Pit!"

"And allow the witch and her devil spawn to live?" Another ninja shouted. "Why do we not kill them now?"

"This is why!" Mystique unwrapped the bundle and threw it on the ground. It was the body of a blue infant.

The Red Ninjas said nothing as they stared at the body. "It seems that your revenge is partially completed," Storm Shadow told them.

"Take a good look," Mystique hissed. "He's dead. Stillborn. And Zartan couldn't care less about me. There's no reason for you to hunt me anymore. To be honest, I hope I get the bastard before you do."

"How do we know that that…abomination is the son of you and Zartan?" One ninja asked.

"Are you color blind or something?" Mystique hissed.

"It does look like her," One ninja remarked.

Storm Shadow threw a disk at him. "This DNA profile proves that this was the intended offspring. Her child is dead. Leave the woman be. If you have a shred of honor left you will do this. If not…" Storm Shadow drew his sword. "I will avenge her myself. Do you really wish to challenge me?"

The Red Ninjas were silent. "This changes nothing between us," One Red Ninja spoke. "But it is pointless to go after the female. Do with her as you will."

"Leave Bayville…" Storm Shadow hissed. "Now. And never return."

"We will cross swords again, former Master," The Red Ninja spoke. "But not today." The Red Ninjas departed into the night.

Mystique leaned against the wall. "That was close…" She breathed a sigh of relief. "You must have been some leader for them to back off like that."

"I trained many of them myself," Storm Shadow grunted. He looked at the 'body' of the infant, which started to turn into jelly. "That synthetic material certainly worked. In a moment it will become nothing but dust."

"Gotta love synthoids," Mystique watched it disintegrate. "Brilliant idea to use my son's actual DNA to make them think he's dead."

"To the world he must be," Storm Shadow said. "If he is to survive."

"Sure, fine. Not like I haven't lost a child before," Mystique grunted. "What's one more? That's it. No more kids. I'm going to get my tubes tied or something."

"The something can be arranged," Storm Shadow glared at her. "You still have much to answer for."

"Could you spare me the intimidation right now?" Mystique slumped and sat down. "I have had a very stressful and a very exhausting night to say the least. Even with my advanced shapechanging abilities I'm still not fully functional. I'm not going anywhere."

And that's when the roof exploded. Or that was what it seemed like. The next thing Mystique knew the whole world had opened up and exploded around her in raining debris. The blackness of oblivion never looked so welcoming. The next sensation she could understand was softness below her. She was on a bed somewhere and it was very comfortable. And then it came to her that she didn't put herself there. That someone else had put her on the bed. Someone she probably didn't know.

"Kidnapped twice in two days…" Mystique moaned as she put her hand to her head. "Must be a new record."

"More like liberated my dear," A chuckling Mastermind was the first thing she saw.

"Don't you my dear me you telepathic twerp…" She groaned and fell back on the bed. "What the hell does Magneto want with me now?"

"Actually Mystique," Blackjack walked in with Mesmero. "We were kind of hoping that you would join our little cause…"

"What cause?" Mystique opened her eyes and saw Mesmero. "YOU!"

"We meet again," Mesmero said.

"If I wasn't so damn exhausted I'd turn myself into a giant snake and choke the life out of you," She growled. "What the hell am I doing here? Wherever here is and how did I get here?"

"We have our resources," Blackjack said. "And you…Are in the secret vaults of the Hellfire Club."

"Let me cut to the chase," Mastermind said. "How would you like revenge on Magneto, the X-Men, The Misfits, GI Joe and…Well, everyone else?"

"Excluding myself of course," Mesmero added.

"And how do you geniuses plan to accomplish this?" Mystique asked.

"We have a plan," Blackjack said.

"People like us always do," Mystique retorted. "And why the hell should I join whatever scheme you have up your sleeves? The last time I joined forces with him, I was nearly turned into a statue and became a zombie of Apocalypse!"

"Yes but this time we can get you a better position," Blackjack said. "Seriously, what else are you going to do, Mystique? Go crawling back to Magneto when he obviously doesn't give a damn if you live or die? That your loving husband would sooner shove you off a cliff than rescue you? Go to Cobra and hope that they're rehiring former dictator impersonators? The X-Men? The Misfits? Oh yeah, they'll help you!"

"I see your point!" Mystique snapped. "So what do you want me to do?"

"Right now, I need you to rest," Blackjack said. "You're no good to anyone right now. We're gonna need your powers at their peak if we're going to take over the Inner Circle and set the entire world on fire. Literally."

Mystique raised an eyebrow. "This should be interesting…"

"Oh it is," Blackjack grinned. "You have no idea how interesting things are going to get."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Do we really have to do this?" Kurt's voice was shaking. "So soon?"

"It has to be like this Kurt," Scott said softly. "Be grateful Trinity fixed the Mass Device in time." Kurt, Rogue, Xavier, Althea and Scott were on a secluded beach somewhere in Hawaii. Kurt was holding his brother wrapped in a blanket as dawn broke over the horizon.

A jeep rolled up. Driving it was Sheriff Lobo and inside were Alex and a kindly looking couple. "Scott!" Alex waved as they got out. "We got your message."

"I appreciate your assistance in this situation," Xavier said to Sheriff Lobo.

"Yeah well, paperwork's always a hassle but in this case it's for a good cause," Sheriff Lobo shrugged.

"I don't know if I can do this…" Kurt whispered. "I mean I've just met him and…" He stopped when Rogue put her hand on his shoulder.

"The Sidneys are good people," Alex told Kurt. "They've been friends with my family for years. They love kids and they have no problems with mutants."

"He'll grow up safe and with a good family that loves him," Rogue said. "In Hawaii far away from the craziness in Bayville. You can't get much better than that."

"You know this is the only way," Xavier said softly.

"I know…" Kurt sighed as he looked at his brother. "But it doesn't make this any easier. It feels like I'm doing what my mother did."

"It's not like we'll never see him again," Rogue told him. "When he's older and his powers show up, he'll come to the Institute."

"I just hope he doesn't hate us for what we're doing to him," Kurt sighed.

"What we're doing is saving his life and giving him a home with a good family," Rogue snapped, tears in her eyes. "Damnit Kurt, you don't think this isn't tearing me apart too? But we both know what will happen if the Red Ninjas even suspect…And don't forget about Zartan and Mystique! Do you really want our brother to be raised by them?"

The Sidneys got out of the jeep. "Hello," The woman said. "I'm Joyce and this is my husband Thomas."

Kurt felt very nervous. "I…I'm Kurt and this…" He looked at the baby in his arms. "This is my brother. He, he doesn't have a name yet."

Joyce gave him a sad, understanding smile. "I know this is hard for you. I promise, we'll take very good care of him. We'll love him and protect him and we'll teach him as best we can that being a mutant isn't a bad thing. I don't know what else to say other that, my husband and I want a baby very much and it doesn't matter what he is or what he can do. We'll love him for simply who he is."

"I guess I can't ask for more," Kurt said softly. He handed him over to Joyce. "Thank you for doing this."

"No, thank you," Thomas said looking at his new son. "You don't know how much this means to us."

"You don't know how much it means to us that our brother will be safe," Rogue said softly. "Have you thought of a name yet?"

"We were thinking of calling him Kevin, after my father," Thomas said. "Is that okay?"

"Kevin Sidney, I like that," Kurt nodded. "It's a good name."

"Don't worry," Sheriff Lobo told him. "I know how to work these kind of things. Only the four of us on this island will know the truth about his past. Until he's ready…"

"And that won't be so long," Kurt made a weak smile. "Only until he's what? Thirteen or fourteen or fifteen? Take care of him."

"We'd better get going," Althea interrupted gently.

"All right," Kurt nodded. "Goodbye little brother, take care."

"Yeah, don't cause too much trouble for your new mom and dad," Rogue choked. They waited until Alex and Sheriff Lobo took the Sidneys away before they transported back to the mansion. "Well, that's it then."

"What you two did, was very brave," Xavier said softly.

"It's not like we could have taken care of him anyway," Rogue put on a brave face. "I mean, we're still in school. We've got our own lives."

"Yeah," Kurt added, in a tone that implied he also didn't really mean what he was saying. "It was for the best."

"Will you two be okay?" Scott asked.

"Eventually…" Kurt sighed. "But right now…My sister and I want to be alone for a while."

The others left and the two siblings stood there, looking out the window, not saying a word as the tears fell down their faces.

So that's how I got Morph into my twisted universe? Sad huh? Don't be too sad, the next chapter will be funny. I promise! Really! I need a tissue…