Chapter Fifteen: The Truth About Nightwatchers

"What the hell?"

Instead of the normal Brooklyn Bridge or fancy ballroom, I was standing where I first met the Nightwatchers. Except there weren't any Nightwatchers nor Ionia.

A woman with black curly hair and green eyes stood in front of me. At first I thought it was my own mother, then I saw her black and white wings. Instead of a dress like the other Nightwatchers, she was wearing a black leather jacket and pants with an orange scarf around her neck. She looked at me with sad eyes then walked forward until we were arm's length apart.

"I'm sorry this is a temporary signal." To emphasize it, she flickered. "But you need answers to important questions, Mason Sdentato. Ones that Ionia will never tell you."

I stepped backwards. "How do you know my name?"

She frowned. "I knew your father well. We were, in certain terms, a tragic romance."

I gasped, connecting it after romance. "Your Anala's mother."

"And yours."

I felt like I had just been slapped. "Excuse me but if that was possible, Anala would have been eleven. And she would have mentioned it."

The woman claiming to be my mother shook her head. "I erased it from her memories. You were, sort of saying, a happy accident."

Then things fell into place. "Only someone of Aven blood can use it." I whispered.

The woman nodded. "Only a half-blood Aven with nothing to lose at that moment. That's why Anala can't use it."

I looked back when I took the Nightwatcher necklace. I had just lost my parents from being kidnapped, I hadn't been so attached to Anala, I hadn't even met my friends. I did have nothing to lose. Anala had a nice life and friends in space and on Earth that could easily be snatched. "But now I do. That's why my powers are waning."

The woman shook her head. "Ionia knows that you ask to many questions and that you'll uncover her secrets soon. She's trying to stop you."

I threw my hands in the air. "What the hell is she trying to cover up?! The fact she's a cold hearted bitch?"

She shook her head with a small chuckle. "The true purpose of the Nightwatchers. And her own history."

"Well spill Mom!" I yelled.

She nodded. "I, I think it's better if I show you." She raised her one of her hands to her head and the other to my shoulder. "I'll start from the beginning."

A red, tan, blue, and green planet appeared, each of the three land masses a different color.

Let me begin with describing the Avens. We live on the planet called Bellas Major, close to another planet called Spartax, that has a population of 3.5 billion. Avens are narcissistic, beautiful, and sarcastic beings. Out of the 3.5 billion, Anala, you, about a fifth of the population, and I are the only ones who act different. Every Aven has wings to fly, including most half-bloods, and the ability to use magic, light, or darkness.

It flashed to people in an area fighting in the air with said powers. Then a mosaic picture of many people in fancy garb flashed up.

The rulers of Aven dislike any member of the family who free thinks. The family would send those people away. Ionia was one of those.

Ionia's mosaic smile flashed up.

Ionia thought that Bella Major needed a strong mystical force to protect them. She deceived most of the government and people into thinking it was necessary to protect their vanity, when it's real purpose was to destroy anyone who challenged her or tried to mix into Aven culture. Imagine her as an extreme mix of Red Skull, Voldemort, and Black Widow.

Ionia stood, chained, in front of a man and woman in the fancy garb. She seemed to be yelling at them. Then it flashed to her holding three necklaces, one of which I knew was the Nightwatcher necklace.

After creating a failed uprising, the family was appalled and locked her away. She eventually escaped away from the planet, stealing three of Aven's mystical artifacts. She was supposed to land on Titan but instead landed on Earth, on the brink of death.

Ionia was holding her chest as blood spilled down. A woman with a blurry face appeared and started to bow. Ionia then handed her the necklaces after cutting both their hands open.

Hatshepsut indeed found her and thought her to be Isis. Ionia knew she was dying, so she made a blood pact with Hatshepsut, making her a half-blood. She made sure Hatshepsut would pass on the artifacts to other half-bloods before combining her soul with the Nightwatcher gem.

Then I got flashes of women in black and white doing the same thing Ionia did with Hatshepsut.

The other Nightwatchers had a similar ceremony with the previous Nightwatcher selection to make them a half-blood before combining themselves to the gem and not the afterlife.

Suddenly, flashes of me fighting and learning popped up from a third point of view. From stabbing Blight to Antigone's first lesson to Cleo trying to kill me to Anala teaching me to Sam and I fighting together as Nova and Nightwatcher popped up.

You are the most unique in two different ways. Firstly, you are already a half-blood, which is why you master most of the arts with ease. And why Masterizzare is a different than the other familiars. Second, you have more human in you than Aven. You can feel emotions better and see through the lies placed before you. You trust before you know if something's evil, you don't attack unless someone attacks you first. That's why you are better than any Nightwatcher before you.

My mother removed her hand and stared at me. "So?"

I stared back at her. "So Ionia's a bitch because she actually thinks? And I'm the only Nightwatcher who can see through her web of lies?"

She nodded. "Everyone else thinks that she is a great goddess but she is a demon. You have to expose her and make her leave the necklace."

I nodded. "But what are her true purpose and that shit? It's not like she is building an ar-" I just got a stare. "Oh my god. She's building the best soldier to destroy Bellas Major and the royal family."

My mother nodded. "She doesn't need to protect Bellas nor her family anymore. She has three artifacts that she can't use since she's dead. But she can posses someone to fulfill her plans. And you're the perfect candidate." She took a breath. "You have to confront her soon and tell the others."

I just stared. "Fuck."

She frowned. "You sound so much like your sister."

"You try living with her while being a teenager."

She smiled and held my face in her hands. "You look like you got the short genes in the family. And the black hair and pale skin." I smiled. "And the smile." She chuckled.

"But I did get the figure and eyes from dad." I said, a small laugh breaking forth.

"And your father's laugh." She kissed my forehead. "Be good and tell Anala that a storm from space is coming, and not Galactus. I love you."

"Okay." I hugged her.

"Oh, and kick Cross's Italian ass. Hard."

I woke up to someone shoving me. "What?" I opened an eye to see Anala with a disapproving look.

"Why didn't you tell me about someone asking you on a date?" She crossed her arms.

I yawned and sat up. "'Cause you're you. And how did you know?"

She held up my phone. "Sam texted you the details. You are going to wear something casually nice tonight and you'll be home by ten."

I woke up fully. "Nosey." I grabbed the phone away from her. "I saw your, our mom last night."

Anala raised an eyebrow. "Our?"

I waved at her. "Yes. Hi, I'm actually your biological sister who has some serious Cross ass to kick. And I'm supposed to tell you a storm from space is coming, and not Galactus. Whatever that means."

Anala nodded. "I know what it means. But right now you having training at SHIELD and Queen actually came to pick you up." She got up and walked towards the door. She stopped then turned back. "You think Dad knows about our 'full sister' thing? I mean, I would have been eleven when you were born. And I don't remember that."

"She said she erased it from your head. Don't know why though." I shrugged. She eyed me then left the room.

"You're wearing that on a date?"

I rolled my eyes as Morgan's distasteful look and Anala's face palm. I was wearing a pair of jeans and a plain black t-shirt. My favorites. "Like it's an actual date."

"I think it's as actual as you're going to get given that we're the super heroes of the world who fight all evil," Morgan raised a light eyebrow. I managed a snicker as Anala slapped her head.

"You are such a buzz kill sometimes." I shake my head. "Sam and I are friends. First and foremost."

"So is everyone on the team." Morgan sarcastically said. Anala elbowed her to shut up.

"Why don't you wear something of mine?" She walked out of the room, leaving Morgan and I glaring at one another. Anala returned with two shirts. One was a thin, long-sleeved blouse and the other was a grey tank-top with a heart cut in the back.

I grabbed the grey one. "Not touching the Orange Queen's orange outfits." Anala smiled and shoved me into the closet. I quickly put it on with a navy blue tank top under it and popped out.

Morgan smiled. "That's perfect for Sam has planned."

I glared at her. "Guessing you helped him."

She shrugged. "Sam suggested ideas and I helped him get everything." She looked at the clock and grabbed my wrist. "We better get going or you'll be late."

Anala waved as Morgan dragged me down the stairs. "Have fun! And be home by ten!"

Morgan shoved me towards the backyard of Pete's home. "Uh, shouldn't this be somewhere else? Like, a restaurant?"

"Honey, it's your first real date with someone who isn't a complete douche. Going to the movies and eating fast food does not count." She closed the door behind me.

"Bitch." I muttered and walked towards the backyard. I stopped dead in my tracks. There was a bunch of lanterns and a picnic blanket set up and all I could think was of the time Sam and I came back here to watch the skies.

"Hello." I jumped and turned to see Sam.

"Uh, hi!" I smiled.

His gaze flicks down my worn jeans, reflected in his own black pants and normal red t-shirt. Without the usual undershirt, he was showing off his shapely forearms, and I tried (emphasis on tried) to be decent and look away. "You look nice, by the way."

"Thanks," I shake my head and try to disperse my thoughts. "These lanterns are nice. Consider me impressed-"

"Ah, but that isn't the end of it," He chuckled. He reached down to the edge of the picnic blanket and pulls up the edge, pulling out an Ipod and putting on some music. I turn back to him.

"You aren't serious."

"Au contraire, mon-"

"I swear, if you finish that statement -"

"Well okay, inamorata." He rolled his eyes.

"What does that mean?"

He ignores me. "As I was saying, this isn't where the fun stops. We're just getting started."

Sam brandishes something from behind his back. I blink and realize it's a bouquet of rainbow colored roses.

My face flames. "You gotta be kidding me." He grins. "How did you even-"

"Morgan made them while we were training all day. She said I should give you them so I didn't seem like a total jerk." He smiled as I grabbed them.

"Yeah she said she helped with all of this."

"Hey hey, the rest of this I did without her assistance. Especially the food." He reached into a picnic basket that I hadn't seen before and pulled out a plastic container of steaming hot Alfredo.

"How did you even know that? The only person I ever told was- Did she tell you all of my secrets?" I frowned but grabbed the container, sitting down.

"Only the harmless ones," He chuckled. "Though I did try to get her to give up some other ones."

"And how did that go?" I hoped she defended the girl code at least once.

"Remember how sore I was during training?"

I laughed, glad of one thing. "At least she defended the girl code." I smile as I stab the Alfredo and put it in my mouth. "Thanks for all of this Sam. I would have asked you but I don't think Morgan would have handled that well."

He smiled and shoved some Alfredo in his mouth, before making a old man mustache with it. I laughed and covered my mouth. He snickered and threw a mushroom at me. I shrieked and dodged it, throwing him a fake glare.

"Just kiss already!" We both turned to glare at the four people hiding under the windows. Luke was kind of failing at that so he didn't count. I looked over at Sam who was blushing real bad.

"You're going to be moderately happy about this next part." He went to grab something by the back.

"There's a next part?"

He walked back with something hidden behind his back. "You have to promise not to laugh, alright? It's been a while since I tried this."

He pulls a guitar out from behind him and I nearly drop.

"No way-"

He smiles a little sheepishly. "No laughing, remember?" He sat down and turned off the music. "You want to sing?"

"Dude, I thought you were a piano player. Not," I pointed to all of him, "This."

He chuckled. "Well not everything is as it seems."

"Does that even work?"

He shrugged. "No idea. You want to request a song?"

I smiled and gently took the guitar from his hands. "Nope. But you did."

"But-"

I strummed the guitar and started to play the song I knew.

From underneath the trees, we watch the sky

Confusing stars for satellites

Sam smiled and leaned back, obviously happy about something.

I never dreamed that you'd be mine

But here we are, we're here tonight

Singing Amen, I, I'm alive

Singing Amen, I, I'm alive

If everyone cared and nobody cried

If everyone loved and nobody lied

If everyone shared and swallowed their pride

Then we'd see the day when nobody died

And I'm singing

Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive

Amen I, Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive

I looked up in the air, staring at the stars.

And in the air the fireflies

Our only light in paradise

We'll show the world they were wrong

And teach them all to sing along

Singing Amen, I, I'm alive

Singing Amen, I, I'm alive

Then I took a deep breath and looked over at Sam. He had leaned back onto the blanket and closed his eyes.

And as we lie beneath the stars

We realize how small we are

If they could love like you and me

Imagine what the world could be

I stopped singing and playing. Sam opened his eyes and looked over. I ducked my head. Well?" I asked as I sets the guitar aside. "What did you-ah- think?"

He nodded his head as he sat closer to me. "It was lovely. Now, to conclude something like that, would you join me in a water gun massacre of our audience?"

I nodded as he handed me my gun. We stood up and walked over to where the others were hiding. "Our date's over guys."

Everyone popped up with frowns and opened the window. Morgan leaned out. "Reall-"

I sprayed her in the face with the gun and she screeched. Sam got the guys and Ava ran away. The four soaked teenagers glared while me and Sam laughed.

"You two are children." Peter pouted.

Morgan rolled her eyes. "That's why they're made for each other."

They left the window grumbling as we walked back to our date. "And now we have this backyard all to ourselves. I mean, we have lanterns, a blanket, music, rose petals-"

"Roses."

"Alright, whatever. But we have the makings of… quite the night, don't we?" Sam's gaze shifts lower on my face.

I roll my eyes. "Sam, this is by far the cheesiest date I've ever been on."

"The only date you've ever been on with a decent guy."

"Laugh all you want, Romeo. I've never truly liked anyone as I have you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, look who's cheesey now."

I roll my eyes, and he sticks his tongue out at me. I snort.

"Did you really just-"

"No."

"You stuck your tongue out-"

"You're being childish-"

Sam laughs as he shakes his head. I can't hold back a stupid grin.

"This is- uh- really fun, Cole." I blush as I mess with the water gun. "Thanks."

He shrugs. "It's the least I could do, especially for you-my first date." His eyes grow soft at mine. "Besides, who knows when we'll ever get to do this again, especially now that we have to deal with Fury and Cross."

My hand slipped from the gun as my own smile quirks my lips and I let my gaze slip down his slightly jaw. You know what? Fuck this. "Then I guess we should make the most of it now."

He chuckles softly. "Like what?"

I don't respond as I reach forward and take his face in my hands, kissing him softly as he sat in shock. It's light, soft- more of a brush of lips than an actual kiss, but my face burned all the same.

It's strange to think that just a couple of months ago I would never have imagined being where I am now, having an extremely cheesy dinner with someone I'd grown to care so much about in such a short time.

Sam is right when it comes to Cross- we need to capture her and stop her before my family gets injured anymore. Both Anala and Team Spidey. And I have to confront Ionia soon. But for now I'm happy to just relax and spend a small eternity in the lantern lit backyard with someone who I care about.

*SELF APPLAUSE* Is it sad that I wrote this before the last chapter?

Okay, why I posted two today: IT"S MY BIRTHDAY! *Confetti into the air and puts party hats on your heads*

And I celebrate by making two characters kiss. *proud stance then face palms* If you need me, I'll be writing a Star-Lord x Anala fanfic

NEXT TIME: Man-Wolf. Wait, what? No Man-Wolf chapter? AWWWWW! *Crosses arms* But wait. That means-

DOWNWARD SPIRAL BEGINS! :) (aka the beginning of the last chapters) :D

~PoetryNeedsANewName~