Thoughts

Telepathy

Chapter 3: The Lord of the Vrogor

Kurt stood dumbfounded, staring at the Vrogor who had spoken.

"Vhat do you mean, 'chosen'?"

"Listen, Guest." The Vrogor – Kurt wasn't sure if it was a man or a woman – gestured some weird figures in the air and suddenly, a purple bubble appeared in the air. It was about one meter in diameter. "For centuries, we've been suspecting that people from other dimensions are going to attack us." A picture appeared in the purple bubble. It showed different kind of evil-looking creatures running after some Vrogor. But they didn't look very real, so Kurt suspected that the Vrogor just had made up the people from the other dimensions – in other words, they seemed to be computer-animated. The Vrogor spoke again. "We're sick of it. So, about 50 years ago, we decided to come up with a plan. We've designed a kind of defence system that'll protect us from invaders." The purple bubble showed a huge creature with two big heads, eight blood-red eyes, a small body with many short legs, and hair like tentacles. It looked a bit like Medusa from the old mythology of Greece. "We were of course forced to test it before we actually could use it, so, we've taken people from other dimensions and made them fight it. This far, no one has beaten it." The bubble now showed the Medusa-looking thing torturing a poor little creature that looked like a yellow ball of yarn. This time, the creature looked real, and Kurt didn't doubt that this really had happened. He gasped.

"You mean... zat you've kidnapped people and forced zem to fight zat... zing?"

"I'd appreciate if you used the word 'captured'. There's a BIG different between kidnappers and capturers. And, for your information, we call it 'Vodash'."

Kurt stared at the monster at the screen.

"Yes, isn't it beautiful?" said the Vrogor, misunderstanding the expression on Kurt's face. "We're so proud of it."

A terrible suspecting appeared in the mutant's brain. "And... vhen you say I'm 'chosen'... vhat exactly does zat mean?"

"Oh, just that we've chosen you as the representative from your dimension, Dimension 1", said the Vrogor merrily. Then he – or she – turned around and said to the others: "Take the Guest to the Waiting Room." One of them threw something small and purple against Kurt's face and he lost consciousness.


The atmosphere at the Institute was extremely dismal. The professor was in his office all the time, desperately seeking for some way to rescue Nightcrawler. Forge was with him 24/7. Logan trained hard in Danger Room to let his anger and frustration out, while Ororo sat in her greenhouse and "watered" the plants. The students sat apathetic at various places of the Institute. None ate very much.

Come on, 'Crawler, send us a message, Evan pleaded. We got to be able to find you.

Don't worry, Kurt. We will get you back, Scott thought, trying hard to convince himself.

Jean stared at the clouds outside. You will come back, won't you? You can't leave us. Don't. Please. We need you.

How did this happen? One minute we're all like one big, happy family and the next there's someone missing... Rogue thought.

Listen, Kurt, I know I haven't always been that nice to you, but I, like, still appreciate you. Or, more exactly, I like you. And I really mean LIKE. As a matter of fact, I think I always have. You're, like, smart and funny and kind, even if I haven't always been like that to you... And, I want you to come back. It won't be, like, the same without you. I will miss you so much. In fact, I already do. Please, PLEASE don't leave me, Kurt. I don't know what I'd do without you, Kitty cried silently.


When Kurt waked up, he was in a purple room. First, he felt a little dizzy, but the he suddenly remembered what had happened before. Oh gosh. First, I'm kidnapped and taken to another dimension by paranoid sadists. Now I'm supposed to fight ze most dangerous zing zat exist here. My life's just getting better and better.

Surprisingly enough, he didn't panic. Instead, he started to investigate the room. (Hm, I zink I've got a hint about zeir favourite colour.)

There were no windows or even a door. It looked like the Vrogor had built the room around him while he was asleep. Should I try to teleport out? Nah, I don't know vhat's outside. Maybe it's best to just vait for something to happen. As if I had any choice...

So, he sat down on the floor and thought about Germany, his adoptive parents, the circus, the Institute, the professor, Bayville High, all his friends... Kitty. He liked Kitty, not just as a friend. But did she like him? Probably not. He really didn't think of his looks like an obstacle – not in this case – in fact, he knew she liked his tail, the pointy ears and at least not hated his fur. So, there must be some other reason that she didn't like him, like him. His never-ending jokes? The way he irritated her? He tried to figure out just why she couldn't have the same sort of feelings for him as he had for her, but never came to an answer.

After a while, he started to count the seconds 'til somebody came for him. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven...


Two-million five-hundred-seventy-zousand and forty-zree, two-million five-hundred-seventy-zousand and forty-four, two-million five-hundred-seventy- zousand and forty-five...

Kurt didn't know how many minutes that was, but he imagined it to be a very long time. Strange enough, he wasn't hungry, thirsty or even sleepy.

Suddenly, a hole appeared in the purple wall. It grew bigger and bigger, and at least one of the Vrogor stepped through it. "Guest! Come here! You're going to see our Lord."

Though Kurt was quite scared, he felt relieved to the purple room. He followed the Vrogor through a long corridor and at least they reached a door that looked like it was made of rubber. The Vrogor opened the door. "The Guest, my Lord."

"Good. Show him in." The voice from inside the room was deep and a little hoarse. The Vrogor pushed Kurt in and locked the door behind him, as if he suspected that Kurt might flee.

In front of the mutant, there was a big desk and a red chair. In the chair sat one of the Vrogor, but he was a little different than all the other Vrogor Kurt had seen since he came to Dimension 17. This one was more lilac than purple and had a strange white hat that reminded Kurt of the pope's hat. He also wore black gloves over his lilac fur. When he suddenly spoke, he showed a row of big, yellow teeth. Kurt immediately thought of caries.

"I am Varok, the Lord of the Vrogor."

"Eh, yes I know zat", said Kurt.

"You are Nightcrawler from Dimension 1", Varok continued.

"Yes, I know zat too."

"I guess you know why you are here."

"Oh yeah. You vant me to fight zat Vodash zing, zat's vhy I'm here, isn't it?"

"Correct. You will meet the Vodash tomorrow at dawn."

"Um, I zink zere have been some kind of misunderstanding. You know, I don't even vant to see zat monster and you can't force me too." Deep down, Kurt knew it was pointless to argue with the Lord, but he couldn't just stand there and behave as though nothing was wrong.

"I do not think that you have a choice. We had to choose someone from your dimension, and we chose you. There is nothing you can do about it. Do not look at me like that – it is nothing personal." He smiled satisfied and continued. "I did not order you here just to talk about your task tomorrow. I guessed you may want some more information about the whole event."

Kurt flinched. He was about to die, and this Lord-guy talked about an event?

"You see, all of the Vrogor are deep interested in the Vodash and the results of its tests. So, Nightcrawler, every time we arrange one of these events –" Kurt flinched again "– we send the fight in BV."

"And vhat exactly is BV?"

"BV – Bubble Vision. I thought you saw one of those when you first arrived?"

Kurt remembered the purple bubble the Vrogor had used to show the Vodash. "I guess so. But, could you explain zat further?"

"It is a bit like what you in your dimension call 'TV', except it is in 3- D."

"Oh... Vait a minute. You mean you vant me to fight zat two-headed, tentacled- haired monster vhile your vhole vorld is vatching? LIVE?"

"Oh no, of course not."

Kurt sighed in relief. It was enough frightening to fight the Vodash, without having a whole dimension as spectators.

"Your friends from Dimension 1 will watch as well."


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