Alright, here is another lengthy chapter finally up. This chapter will give you an idea ofsome of the mainmissions that the Genesi Squad did that affected them drastically and it also has some Todd/Katie fluff. Don't know who she is? You'll find out in the next chapter. Now the shout outs.
Mareo and Anime: Umm, i could give you visual aids for the fights next time if you want or I could write simplier. Carryign on right away, Sir.
iamhollywood: I'm glad I could assit with the progression of you work; I do violence to you and you write, sounds like a deal to me. I'm glad you enjoyed the figth scene, although i thought it was more of a superpowered brawl. The mor painful memories will be coming up soon, I just whated people to get an idea of what Kale and Todd were like in the Squad. Hope to see the Todd/Amare story updated soon.
Lecheecopae: what did you do that made your computer so tempermental? I'm glad you like the story so much, its nice that you and a few others follow the story closely; i wonder what going to happen when it's finished. And, argh, with the kitty eyes; don't make me sick Lycurgus and Seraph on you, although they'd probably just cuddle you to death b ut oh well.
pauloj1983: Thanks for the suggestion, i'm going to to some of them in the next few chapters if not this one but i will use em'. In the next chapter, Amara and Todd are going to have a talk about such things.
Now, enough idle chit-chat and readthe damn story.
Glimpsing Darkness and Unseen Honor
Kale's Memory
November 17, 2002
Todd and Kale sat patiently in the briefing room while they waited for the remaining Genesi Squad members, Todd lightly doodling while Kale gently plucked his guitar. They were supposed to be meeting two new members of the squad that were going to be transferred from a sister organization that was link heavily to the Hassassins Blade.
Todd sighed as he shaded in his drawing and rolled his shoulders which resultantly cracked his neck. The gentle strumming from Kale's guitar was very soothing, despite the fact that the draconic mutant used an electric guitar more often than an acoustic. Slowly, Kale began to the lyrics to the song.
"Take a photograph,
It'll be the last,
Not a dollar or a crowd could ever keep me here"
It took a while but Todd recognized the song as "Rain", an unreleased song from Breaking Benjamin. It was supposed to go on their next album, but Kale had managed to get the music and lyrics for it a few days ago.
"I don't have a past
I just have a chance,
Not a family or honest plea remains to say,"
As Kale finished the first verse, Todd decided to join in for the chorus. Kale didn't mind when they did this because it was something that they could stay connected through as brothers. They did it with art work as well and when they had to spar, but singing was one thing that the whole squad enjoyed as well so they were encouraged to sing.
"Rain, rain go away,
Come again another day,
All the world is waiting for the sun. "
Todd turned his head a bit when he heard the door open and smiled when he saw Lucas, Katie, Gabe and Erica walk in; as they heard the lyric being sung by Kale, they joined in at the next chorus and it just made the harmony and sync of the song soar.
"Rain, rain go away,
Come again another day,
All the world is waiting for the sun."
Kale lifted his tail at the end of the chorus and pointed to Todd for him to sing the next verse. Todd shrugged and after picking his drawing pad up again, kept the song going on its low and gentle tone.
"To lie here under you,
Is all that I could ever do,
To lie here under you is all,
To lie here under you is all that I could ever do,
To lie here under you is all,"
Lucas slowly nodded his head and Gabe gave him a thumbs up. Todd's amber traveled over to Erica and Katie, smirking when he saw Erica shake her hand up and down but gave him a friend smile. Katie smiled and nodded slightly to him. Soon everybody joined in for the final chorus.
"Rain, rain go away,
Come again another day,
All the world is waiting for the sun.
Rain, rain go away,
Come again another day,
All the world is waiting for the sun,
All the world is waiting for the sun,
All the world is waiting for the sun."
Kale finished the last few cord and set the guitar on the table, flexing his fingers as he did so. Todd and Kale had been taught the guitar for the sole purpose of increasing their dexterity in their fingers; not because they want to, but because it would make them better killers.
"That was really good, man." Lucas said, leaning back in his chair. "I mean we heard you two down the hall so we hurried so we didn't miss the show."
"I like little Toddles solo there." Erica said, making Todd blush at the nickname. "When did you learn to do that, singing wise?"
"Just from listen to various CD's, yo. It also helps that we play the guitar so you can tune your voice to the cords." Todd said, his pencil tip gently scratching the paper.
"Hey mate, watch doin' there?" Gabe asked, trying to look over the top of the art book.
"Sorry, cant' show you just yet, yo." Todd said, tilting it down more. "You'll see it when I'm done though."
"Come on, mate. Your art is bloody well good." The Australian mutant pleaded.
Todd was about to reply when he heard a gentle clink and his hand shot down to grab a fast retreating chain. Yanking it sharply, Kale chuckled as Erica was yanked down.
"That goes for you too, chains." Todd said good naturedly.
"Jerk." She said, pulling the chain back into her arm.
"That is what he did; thank you for over stating the obvious, sweetheart" Tempest jibed, getting a crack up from Todd and Gabe.
"Hey Kale, how is that Japanese chick doing in her training?" Gabriel asked, leaning back in his chair.
"You mean Yukiko?" Kale chuckled at what Gabe had called her. "You know she would probably take you for a training session for calling her a chick."
"Um…no thanks mate." Gabriel paled at the suggestion. "She can frickin well hold her own against you and the Leapfrog there."
Kale laughed lightly as Todd fingered off Gabe with out even looking from Decibel and his hand returned around her waist. They had stated gently kissing after the song and talking very silently thanks to Katie's power. Kale hated to tell them that he could always hear what they said and sometimes wished he couldn't.
"She's doing really well, her mastery in ninjitsu progressing rapidly. Her magical powers are also increase ten folds as the days past." Kale said, leaning his chair back so his feet were propped up.
"So, she's going to be…what? A Wicca?" Tempest asked curiously.
"I think she'll prefer the term enchantress or cleric than witch, but she will become something to that effect." Kale said, his broad smile still on his face. "I saw her do some of her stuff…pretty damn impressive.
"When is she and Tattoo coming around next bro?" Todd asked, Katie sitting perfect on top of him with her back against him.
"They said they might try to in a month or so; in the League of Assassins, Roshi has recently joined the Ninja head council and Tattoo was furious when he was allowed to." Kale told them, only hearing the information an hour ago. "He's thinking about having the clan he lives with leave the League of Assassins."
"So…how are you Kale?" Katie asked softly, the room become deathly quiet.
Kale sighed deeply, his scales clicking depressingly. It was no secret what had happened to the leader of the Genesi Squad; his girlfriend betraying him with his best friend, severely injuring him so he could captured, his brutal torture that Phoenix personally saw to that hurt him more than physically, his savage out break which killed hundreds of people in the Hand's compound; it was almost too much for the fourteen year old.
When the Hassassins Blade finally found him near the island were his sensei, Tattoo, lived and collected him, Kale was changed. His enjoyable joking and loving care torn from his persona as though it was done by a rake, shredded in front of him just to make it worse.
Tattoo had come back for a few months, helping Kale cope and to help him rebuild what he had lost, but it was almost irreversible. Then Kale announced to the Squad that he wanted to put Elizabeth Doyle in a real family that would take care of her. The whole squad protested but when they saw what Elizabeth was becoming, they readily agreed and even helped him find her a home.
Elizabeth hadn't wanted to leave and begged Kale to let her stay but she eventually did, but only when Kale accepted that she was part of his family forever and that he would come and see her the moment he could.
"I guess I'm getting better, no small thanks to you guys mind you." He added with a warm smile. "You've really helped me through this and I owe you so much."
"Oh no, that bullshit Kale." Lucas said flatly.
"Yeah, you don't owe us anything yet." Erica said crossing her arms over her chest.
"I don't?" Kale asked confusion over his face.
There was a shared look that even Todd had an input in and they also had traces of worry and guilt in it; they had all asked for favors from Kale that often ended in bloodbaths and they had all begged him to help them.
"If I recall correctly, didn't you go against two brigades because I didn't follow orders that you specifically gave and went back to help those people in Nigeria?" Tempest asked incredulously. "That was over nine thousand troops of the Yakubu army you stopped by your self for a village of three hundred and me. My people and I owe you more than my life for that."
The mission had originally been for reconnaissance, information gathering and they had been aided by a village of people Lucas's parents came from. The people there were part of an ancient African tribe whose tribal king had been preserved in a blood line and the African army had decided to try and continue what they called an ethnic cleansing.
Kale had a ringside seat to what they did and had been horrified by it, deciding to pull the Squad members that were with him out. Tempest had refused to leave and had gone back to his village, using his electrical energy to try and hold the soldiers off.
However, he was unable to block all of the incoming attacks and attack because it was so taxing on his powers. It was when Lucas couldn't hold the shields up anymore that Kale had reappeared and had savagely tore down every last man that was against him. He had been a blur on the battlefield and was a legend to the tribe he had saved, giving him a spirit name that all tribes would know,
"Okay, I understand that-"
"You stopped that psycho from opening the gates that separate this realm and Hell." Gabe said, shuddering involuntarily. "I still can't believe that all that holy stuff is real."
Kale and Gabe had been sent to Los Angeles and were originally just meant to deliver a package to man named Balthazar, a suitcase containing valuable and rare texts that had been uncovered in ancient Israel. When they arrived to the building, they watched as a man, named John Constantine, fought Balthazar and revealed him to be a demon; Kale and Gabe gaped as the demon was exorcised and then blown away by a rogue angel.
Using what resources they had, Dragon and Gabriel went to see a very powerful man in the area called Midnight at a local club. Sure, they had to absolutely beat their way to him but once in front of the man, they had gotten a shocker.
An angel and a demon were already there waiting for them and told them that they were needed to stop a sorcerer. Kale went after the man but not before he and the man was dragged into the portal. Kale sent three seconds in hell, but had to fight all the monsters to keep his soul and life in tact; he ha never been so drained in his life and had nearly lost. God had to pull him up to heaven and cleanse him before returning him to earth; the moment he spent in heaven looked perfect but it didn't feel complete for some reason.
"But-"
"You protected my half sister from that monster. Even when Mindscape said it would be too risky." Erica said, her chained clothing rattling as a lone tear escaped her eyes. "You did what you had to do and you were with her when she died so I owe you so much for making her at peace and atoning her murder."
Erica had taken the Genesi Squad to her home in New York to visit her step sister, Lorna Dane, when they had leave time. Lorna was also a mutant but instead of being able to generate chains, she could control magnetic waves and manipulate metal. Lorna showed a definite interest in Kale before his time with Phoenix and Kale spent a lot of time with her on the holiday.
When they were walking around the Manhattan Square, Lorna and Kale were separated and he saw her only in time to watch a pair of men grab her, dragging her down a subway entrance. Kale gave chase but lost them in maze like tunnels and later that evening a ransom was called in, allowing the Genesi Squad to track the call to a bar in the heart of the city.
It turned out that they weren't going to return Lorna and were a group of people who sold women on the black market. The Genesi Squad tore the place apart, leaving none of the monsters who captured the girls alive. In all the confusion, Lorna used her powers to escape and fought with Kale as though she was a part of his team.
While they fought, Kale didn't see the sniper rifle aimed at his head in close range but Lorna did. Pushing Kale aside, Lorna took the shot to the heart and collapsed in Kale's arms. As the life faded from her, Lorna told Kale she loved him deeply and asked him to watch out for her sister while he was in charge of her.
The sorrow of losing someone who loved him was too much and Kale unleashed his dark side for the first time, increasing his abilities ten fold. He utterly destroyed all the people who were behind the wicked plan. A total of sixty seven men and twenty eight women died that night and a hundred and ten people were set free.
"Erica, I…" Kale was at a loss for words.
"I don't even need to tell you want you did for me, bro" Todd said his arms holding Katie tenderly. "Hell, if not for you, I'd be dead before our first year."
"We're brothers, Todd; neither of us owes the other." Kale said firmly.
"Says who?" Todd asked challengingly.
The double doors slowly swung open and all of the squad members reacted in npt the most subtle of ways; Kale's and Todd's eyes ignited red and amber, a yellow orb pulsed around Katie's raised hand, electricity from Tempest's eyes covered his body, four feathers stuck out of Gabriel's arched arms and Link had a pool of chains by her feet ready to strike.
"Nice to see you all are in a good mood." The woman said standing in the door with a raised eye brow. "Are you all quiet through?"
She was of average height, standing a little less than six foot but she had a powerful aura that made every mutant sweat cold with fear. She had long brown hair that reached her mid back and had a few strands of hair guarding her face like a mask. She had a pair of turquoise eyes that made the ocean waters seem dull, even from behind her blue tinted glasses and her face was like hard water; fluid and seemingly soft, but hard and treacherous when challenged
She had an ankle length ice blue skirt on with a light blue blouse and a navy jacket over the top. The slightly raised shoes gave her walking an ominous sound if hard before her appearance and around her neck was a gold bead on a thin gold necklace in a choker fashion.
Kale ran a sense check on her just to make sure she was who he thought she was; he checked her breathing and heart rate, her scent patterns, the pressure her body was putting on the ground and lastly he used his Dragon Flame to sense her energies, the psychic energy absolutely blazing from her.
"Guys, gals, it's alright. It's her." Kale said, his Squad relaxing immediately and disengaged their powers. "Sorry about that, Madam Mindscape."
"It's quiet alright, Lt. Dragon. I understand these have been some hard times for you and your people." Mindscape said as she sat at the other head of the table with two spare chairs on either side of her. "I was actually expecting something worse."
Kale watched as Katie elegantly slid off of Todd's lap and into her chair next to him, their hands remaining in each others. Tempest propped his feet up on the table and pushed his chair legs so he only balanced on the back legs. Gabriel slouched in his chair and created a feather that he twirled in his fingers.
"So, are the new guy here Miss or are they still not here yet?" Link asked, using her chains to make a cats cradle.
"I think you mean gals." Mindscape said, a tight smile appearing on her lips.
"We're getting more girls?" Kale asked for confirmation and sighed at the sight of her nod. "Great."
"Alright! Looks like you and I aren't going to be the odd sex anymore, girlfriend." Erica said saucily, shaking her hips a little. "Finally, there's going to even stats."
"Oh, yeah, another two Links." Tempest said rolling his eyes. "Lord give me strength with the newbie's."
"You actually know them already." Mindscape said as she looked through a set of files.
"Really? Who?" Todd asked, furrowing his brow.
Before she could answer, the double doors open slowly and Kale felt his eyes widen fractionally while Todd leapt to his feet. Kale glanced at his brother quickly and then back at the doors; fist clenched and arms bulging with rage, Todd shook with unbound fury.
In the doorway, there were two girls and although they look similar they were distinctively different. One was a head height shorter than Kale and she had a fairly strong build that filed out her body, her long black hair stripped with frost white highlights. Her Chinese descendent faced was off set by her feline eyes and her slightly fanged teeth, which were visible because her mouth was open in shock. Her long black pants had whites stripe, matching her shirt and vest as though she had it personally made.
Her name was Katie Kuang, a Hydra operative that was a captive of the Hand while Kale was prisoner. Kale had freed her and the last he saw of her was when he killed the bodyguard of Roshi, the Hand's leader. Katie had bolted down the opposite hallway from Kale when he ordered her to escape.
The other girl Kale knew extremely well, having fought her for to stay alive and to protect a target. She was younger than everyone there by a year, two at most, and although she was shorter than everyone, she had the skill and strength to hold her own against all of the Squad members.
She had long black hair with a braid of hair down the left side of her face with a few strands on her right side. Her face looked very young and innocent but there was that hardness in her eyes that everybody in that room had. She had long tight leather pants and a leather vest that enhanced her fighting skills.
But Kale wasn't the only one that knew and he wasn't the only one enraged to see her, this fact proved by Todd by his reaction.
"YOU!" Todd roared, while she screamed the same thing her eyes wide with either anger or shock.
Suddenly a green blur rocketed by Kales and tackled the girl head on, the two of the flying pas the other girl into a wall. Winded by Todd's unexpected attack, the girl was unable to defend herself when he hooked her across her face and hammer her in the chest. Kicking him back, the girls arms snapped to the side and two claws appeared in hand; roaring, the dark haired girl sliced at Todd.
Ducking under her attack, Todd kicked her stomach from his crouched position and then followed up with rising kick to her jaw. Stumbling back, she fell on her back and Todd didn't let up his brutal attack. Grabbing her ankle, he slammed her bodily against the wall and then flung her down the corridor, embedding her in plaster rock.
As he walked down the hallway, Kale realized that they had to stop him before one of them killed the other. Standing up he ran after them, the whole squad following him with the same urgency.
"Todd, that's enough." Kale yelled, but Todd was unfazed by the order.
Kale grabbed his brothers wrist and slammed him against the wall, but was caught off guard by the slicing pain to his left leg. Turning his head around, Kale saw the little girl's face twisted a berserker rage and her green eyes a fiery orange. Glaring at his brother to stay put, Kale let Todd go and walked up to the girl.
She yelled wordlessly and sliced at his face but he effortlessly caught her wrist, his red eye blazing with control angered and his scales clicking furiously. Trying to yank her arms free from the iron grip, the girl tried to jab Kale in stomach but he grabbed that arm as well.
Kale pinned her arms to her sides and lifted her against the wall, his tail wrapping around her feet as blade shot out of her foot and he leaned close to her face. His glowing eyes cast a red tint over her skin and he saw in her eyes fear he had only seen twice before in her eyes before.
"That is enough, X23." Kale said in a low snarl. "I believe you understand the reason for Todd's outburst and you know you bloody well deserve it. But if you try skewer anybody here again, I will finish what we started; Is That CLEAR!"
The silence allowed his voice to echo down the halls and everyone was deathly quiet, the heavy breaths of everyone there audible to those with out enhanced hearing. Slowly X23's eyes changed back to their green color and she pulled her claws back in.
"I understand…Kale." She said, swallowing a lump in her throat.
Kale nodded and lowered her down to her feet, releasing her from his hold as his tail unwrapped from her feet. He then turned and walked back to the council room where Mindscape would be waiting, everyone falling in behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, Kale watched as X23 walked next to Todd and listened to them.
"Sorry" She was barely audible and she refused to make ye contact with the amphibious mutant.
"Whatever, X" Todd said, the world swimming as he spoke and Kale drifted off to another memory, the shadows of his past refusing to release him yet.
Todd's Memories
April 22, 2003
Todd sighed as he held Katie close to his chest, her soft chestnut brown hair strewn over the pair of mutants. He gently ran his webbed hand down her bare stomach and held her right hand across her body. Katie had her had arched over her shoulder and was soothingly rubbing the back of his neck.
They were sat on the roof top of the living quarters for them and the rest of the Squad, Todd's back pressed against the wall of room for the stairs with Katie lounging against him. It was dusk time and the two often came up here to watch the sunset as a special thing for them to do together. It was a interesting thing for them to be a couple while being extreme soldiers and assassins for a military group, but they made it work.
"It looks nice tonight, yo." Todd said his voice low and soft in her ears. "Almost one of the best this week."
"Oui, it true is, mon amour." Katie said with a mischievous smile, her French slipping in with her English. "Is there anything meilleur to look la nuit?"
"Yeah." Todd said turning her to his side and gazing into her violet eyes with his amber eyes. "There's you."
Todd felt an abrupt shriek in sound for a second as Katie's cheeks went a reddish color and her eyes glowed. Smiling, Todd leaned in and captured her lips in passionate kiss and greeted her tongue with a professional touch. Moving her leg so she sat on his powerful legs, Katie cupped his face as he arms wrapped around her.
"You, my petite grenouille, are quiet a sweet talker." Katie said saucily as they broke away.
"Only to you, cuddle-bug" Todd said, his fingers gently applying pressure to her muscles to help them relax.
"What about X23" Katie said a little worriedly. "Or do I call her Laura?"
X23 was a transfer operative from the sister organization of the Hassassin's Blade and Todd and Kale had been assigned to help her settle in. The main reason was because the brothers had a run in with her before and both proved that they could hold their own against her, but not with out scaring each of them.
Todd had been repeatedly stabbed and he had four pairs of slashed on his chest and stomach. Kale had gotten a crescent cut from his left shoulder to his right hip. But regardless of the young girl's healing factor, Todd and Kale both lay blows that she undoubtedly would remember.
At first she had been very resentful of Kale and Todd, but after Kale unnecessarily risked his life for hers, X23 began to act more like a team with the two. Eventually she began to trust them very deeply and even told them her real name which so few knew. One night, X23 had a very disturbing nightmare of her past and since Todd's room was the closest, he had gone in and calmed her down.
He had been with Katie, but Katie was glad that he had gone to comfort the little girl. She and some of the other Squad members watched Todd he held the sobbing X23, his voice soothing in such a family way that it trickled it to each heart of the mutants.
"I don't know; she don't mind me and Kale callin' her that but nearly took Gabriel's head off when he jokingly called her that." Todd said, his thumb rubbing against her open palm. "I don't love her the way I love you, but she has a special place inside me."
"Ce qui do you mean." Katie said, her dark delicate eyebrows rising up.
"I mean, Laura needs us to show that she is still a human being, yo, and that there is more to life than the senseless killing." Todd explained. "I think that Kale thinks of her like a little sister, like he thought of Lizzy as a daughter."
It was true, Kale had opened the most to her after his capture and betrayal of Phoenix and he had found her to be something similar to Todd and Tattoo as a family, a very dysfunctional family in desperate need of counseling. Kale had taken her aside and talked to her about it, two of the powerful and highly skilled fighters discussing if they could be a family.
"So she is like an adopted sister?" Katie asked, leaning her shoulder against his chest while he hugged her.
"Yeah, I don't think she would want anything more and I don't want anyone else other than you." Todd said firmly. "You looked past appearances when we first met and saw something only Kale has been able to see."
Todd reached up and cupped her face and pulled her close for a kiss, his mouth opening with hers as their tongues met with frenzied anticipation.
"I miss Elizabeth; she was so up lifting and innocent that I reminded me of the days before I came here."
"You were happy." Todd said watching her face fall a little after mentioning her life before hand. "Happier than you are even now."
"Ce qui? Todd, I am…happy here, its just…" Katie had to turn away from the look of hurt that flashed on Todd's face.
"You are content and you feel completed, but you miss your real family and you want to go back to them. But you feel you can't, because of the fact that you are nothing like what you were when you came here." Todd said, grabbing her gently by her shoulders. "I understand, yo."
"You do?" Katie asked, looking up to his now sympathetic face.
"Before I came here nine years ago, I was happy with family and friends, yo." Todd revealed making her eyes go wide. "My parents had recently died in a car crash, but Kale's parents took me in because they felt such a strong connection with me and Kale."
"Moi Dieu…"
"I've known Kale since we were six years old and we underwent the blood brother ritual when we're just finding our ground here. So we became related by mixing our bloods. We have the same strengths and weakness except for some of the finer mutations. We did it because we are brother regardless of blood but now we a truly brothers because we understand what love means to those that you really care about."
"Oh Todd, my love…" Katie said and leaned in to capture him in a kiss.
As their lips touched, an explosion rock the foundation of the Hassassin's Blade headquarters and the ground swelled in front of the living quarters. It suddenly exploded and large clawed hand reached out and a monster pulled itself out, black flames burning off of its back. Suddenly every obliterated in darkness and Todd was thrown backwards, Katie turning to dust and disappearing in his arms with a sudden breeze of the wind.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO, KAAAAAAAAAAATIEEEEEEEE!" Todd's scream echoed lifelessly in the darkness and suddenly a bright light exploded, blinding him back to consciousness.
Well, it looks like Todd is the first one up. Where is he and what will he encounter? Why hasn't Kale gotten up? When will the damn romance kick? I guess you just have to wait.
If you want the chapters to come at a size liek this or smaller tell me. But just review the damn story. I don't care if you hate it or not. I'm writing it for those that actually like. Anyways, till next time.
Lin