Disclaimer: … As of now I have not a clue as to where the certificate is… I hope I find it soon…
A/N: Since chapter 39 is really, really, really short I decided to give you guys a bonus chapter. Chapter 40 is also acting as an apology for my prolonged absence… enjoy!
"…"- conversation
'…'- thoughts
(…)- extra facts/actions (some)
((…))- author's/my own thoughts
'blah…' -telepathy/what people say mentally
Chapter 40: True Feelings behind the Helmet
Hallway #5, Asteroid Evolution, Orbit of the Moon, Milky Way Galaxy- May 16, 5:45 PM
As soon as Erik was positive that Apocalypse was gone, his expression hardened from one of obedience to one of anger. Erik got to his feet and clenched his fists, using his powers to tear almost all of the metal plating from the walls. He then surrounded himself with the metal to form a soundproof and telepathic-proof metal sphere. Once this was done, he began to scream in anger and despair, and let loose all of the pent up emotions he had been hiding from Apocalypse just a few moments earlier. He let himself think back to how he had become involved with Apocalypse once more.
FLAHSBACK
A year ago- 2013- Erik had been exploring the hieroglyphics under the Sphinx in the hopes of finding something that he could use to gain an advantage in his quest to make Homo superior the dominant race on the planet. As he scanned through the symbols, writing down, tracing, or even translating anything he found remotely interesting, Erik suddenly felt a chill race down his spine and his limited telepathy crackle into an overload he had never experienced before. He felt something behind him, but when he whirled around and found nothing, he wrote it off as his frayed nerves getting to him. After all, continuously planning to take over the world, making sure Xavier didn't find out his plans, planning for the anniversary of his wife Magda and daughter Anya's deaths, and monitoring his current children and his henchmen all at the same time could take a lot out of a man.
Erik's eyes darted around the darkened tomb, the only light source emanating from a lantern that he used to see by, and he still found nothing. He scolded himself for being paranoid, and put the feeling that he was being watched into the back of his mind. He then turned to continue his work and was shocked to see a shadow, which looked to be about 9 feet tall, behind him. Erik jumped back in surprise, bumping into something that he felt he should recognize… Erik spun around and when he saw what the shadow was, promptly dropped the notebook he had been using and landed on his rear-end. He looked up once more and recognized the blue-skinned mutant that stood in front of him.
"Apocalypse… wh-what are you doing, alive?" stammered Erik nervously as he stared into the piercing red eyes of the ancient Egyptian mutant that had once controlled him.
Apocalypse merely blinked and replied in a deep voice, "Greetings my former Horseman of War. I have a proposition for you, and it is nonnegotiable."
Erik felt a surge of courage and sneered at the mutant, saying, "Think again, Apocalypse. Like I would join with you once again when I actually have something, and people, to live for now."
Apocalypse returned Erik's sneer, but this one made the Master of Magnetism not only lose his short-lived burst of courage but shiver to the bones in fright, something that didn't happen too often. "Oh Magneto, you poor misguided fool. Do you really think I believe anything that comes out from that insane, manipulative mouth of yours, one that spouts lies and obscenities to those you care for; the person who would imprison his own daughter in an insane asylum just because he was too 'busy' mourning her mother and sister's deaths to help her with her powers and her grief?"
With these words, Apocalypse motioned to the wall behind Erik with his right hand. Erik turned around and was shocked to see a dark purple bubble of sorts, but what he saw in the bubble scared him to death.
FLASHBACK
Bayville Asylum for the Mentally Complicated, Bayville, New York- September 16, 1994, 5:00 PM
The first scene he saw was when he had given his 6-year old daughter Wanda to the insane asylum 19 years earlier. He could hear her screaming "Father! Father, don't leave me! Please! Father!" He had just stood there by his limousine, a 6-year old Pietro watching his twin being taken away by four burly guards.
"Father, why are we letting them take Wanda?" asked Pietro, his small voice causing Erik to reconsider for a moment about letting the Bayville Asylum have his daughter until he sent for her. Then he pushed the feeling away, anger reaching the surface as he remembered his wife Magda and daughter Anya's deaths being caused by Wanda and her powers. He answered Pietro's question with silence and watched; no expression visible on his face, as his daughter was taken into the asylum.
Erik knew Wanda wasn't going to be treated badly; he had paid the Asylum good money to give her comfortable lodgings, to be patient with her, and to make sure she was 100 convinced that in her mind that he was not the enemy. However, he didn't know that she was going to be treated like scum; worse than the other patients, she was going to be abused, mentally and physically, and was not to see the light of day for 10 years. He then told his son, Pietro, to get into the car and they drove away, leaving a crying Wanda looking after them from one of the Asylum's high bay windows.
Acolyte Base, Bayville, New York- December 20, 2006, 8:59 PM
The next scene that flashed in front of Erik's eyes was when he had been talking to Pietro after another failed attempt to recruit Alex Summers as an Acolyte 8 years earlier. As Erik watched the scene unfold in front of him he cringed as he remembered how he had treated his only son.
"But father, it-wasn't-my-fault! I-mean-it-was-all-Cyclops's fault-and-not-mine-and-" began Pietro in an effort to explain what had happened but had been cut off when his father had slapped him across the face. Pietro fell to the ground from the force of the blow, and looked up at his father, anger burning in the sapphire eyes that the speedster had inherited from his father.
"Quicksilver, if you fail me one more time then I can no longer support you and your 'friends' at that rundown dump you call 'Home Sweet Home' and you will be on your own once more, with no family or anyone to turn to at all. If you get into trouble, which I am sure you will, you will not be getting any help from me like last time. Is that what you want?"
Pietro lowered his head and answered, "No, father. I swear that I will not fail you again." Pietro then got up and left the room and Erik swiftly turned his attention back to the paperwork that crowded his metal desk. What Erik saw next brought a sense of sadness to the forefront, as he watched Pietro slowly put a trembling hand to his face and cup the spot where he had been hit. Tears began to come to his eyes but Pietro stubbornly rubbed them away and placed his hand by his side once more. A stern expression similar to his father's came across his features as he walked away, ignoring Remy, Piotr, and John's questions asking whether or not the speedster was all right. When he reached the exit to the base Pietro sped off, vowing to himself to make sure he did not fail his father again.
Bayville Park, Bayville, New York- May 16, 2009, 8:59 AM
Erik then saw his third living child—Lorna Dane—as she and her boyfriend Alex Summers were walking through the park. Erik could hear Lorna asking Alex about his adoptive parents, especially his adoptive father, Alex answering each question with curiosity in his voice. Alex stopped and turned to ask Lorna what all the questions about his adoptive father were about, getting a mumbled answer in response. Alex just stared at his girlfriend who snapped and said, "Listen, I'm asking you Alex because I've never really known my father!"
Alex just stared and asked, "Lorna, how could you not know who your father is?" Alex continued to ask Lorna about the issue until once more she snapped and, levitating Alex using a magnetic force field, glared at him.
"I know who he is; it's just that he had no interest in getting to know me or anything of the sort. Think Alex: which other mutant do we know who has powers exactly like mine?" On seeing Alex realize the answer she lowered him to the ground and said, "Yeah, right. My father is none other than Erik Lensherr; Magneto." Lorna then broke down into tears and Alex enveloped her into a hug, murmuring that it was okay; everything was going to be all right. Neither one of them noticed the stricken look on Erik's face as he stood a few feet away, wondering how in the world he had another child that he didn't know anything about. The news near about caused Erik to reveal himself to Lorna and apologize but common logic told him that it would be a mistake… Erik just turned and walked away, not looking back on his new daughter Lorna Dane.
END FLASHBACK
Erik felt his heart wrench as he saw more scenes of his children suffering from his wrath, and then he saw how he had treated Charles, his best friend and rival. It was then that Erik realized what Apocalypse was doing with these scenes; he was blackmailing him to work for him. Erik instinctively knew that if he didn't follow Apocalypse's orders he would lose everything and everyone he held dear and near to him; this time forever.
Apocalypse waved his hand once more and the image disappeared. He watched as Erik turned once more to face him and then let his blood red eyes stare at the metal-wielding mutant. "Magneto, will you join with me?"
Erik swallowed his pride, got to his feet shakily, and bowed from the waist up. He replied, "Yes, Master Apocalypse. I am yours to command."
From then on Erik had been working with both the Brotherhood and the Acolytes to put Apocalypse's grand plan of turning every human in the world into mutants by using a façade of another plan he called his own to do it. Now, however, after seeing the images of how he had hurt those he loved from an outsider's point of view, and not his own, Erik's views on humanity and on himself had began to change. They began to slowly shift back to what they had once been long, long ago. If anyone noticed the change in his attitude, they didn't say anything. Now, he knew that he was single-handedly going to be the cause of the downfall of not only the humans, but the mutants as well.
END FLASHBACK
When Erik had finished his ranting, he dissolved the metal plates with a wave of his hand and placed them back into their original places, making sure to leave no sign of his presence. He then walked over to the two unconscious mutants, knelt, and gently, almost as if he was afraid Wanda would wake up and kill him, ran a hand across her face, brushing her black and red hair behind her ears. He smiled softly, reveling in the fact that he could touch her again, even if she was unconscious.
Erik watched his daughter slowly breathe, and realized then that he truly did love his children, even if it seemed he hated them. He then realized that he owed his children for not being a good parent to them. He abused them mentally; he gave Wanda away and made her think he didn't love her. He realized he couldn't act like a protective father because, well, he didn't deserve that honor. He had given up that chance over twenty years ago when he had let the Bayville Asylum for the Mentally Complicated take Wanda when she was only six, instead of being a father and helping her and Pietro get over their mother and sister's deaths and help Wanda control her powers. If she was happy with the insane, Australian pyromaniac St. John, then well, so be it.
Erik got to his feet and glanced down at the fire manipulator and a growl moved from his chest to his throat, a trait both Pietro and Wanda, possibly Lorna, had inherited, and whispered, "Pyro, I swear on Magda and Anya's graves that if you hurt my daughter in any way then you will have to deal with me."
Erik then wiped his mind clear of any thoughts but obedience to Apocalypse, used his powers to grab John's discarded jetpack, and manipulated it into a large metal stretcher. He picked up Wanda and gently placed her on the stretcher, then put John on the stretcher more roughly. He then walked towards the door that would lead to hallway #16, and made a mental note to make sure to remember to bring Raven with him when he went to see Apocalypse once more, slamming the metal door shut behind him.
A few minutes later, after making sure the coast was clear Lance and Kitty made themselves visible once more. They looked at the door where Erik had left with Wanda and John and debated about what their next move was going to be.
'Now what Lance?' asked Kitty worriedly as she looked at Lance.
Lance chewed his lip, revealing the fangs he and Kitty both now had, and replied, 'All right, here's the plan. It's obvious we need to free John and Wanda ASAP, but I'm willing to bet that security measures around their cells are going to skyrocket through the roofs. I think we need to find the other four keys first, considering we'll probably need their help if we're going to rescue Wanda and John.'
'Alright, but where do we go first?' asked Kitty as she cocked her now pointed ears towards the doors, one ear to each door, in the way a cat would so she wouldn't be caught off guard by any approaching footsteps.
'Well, let's go find the other four keys to defeating Apocalypse then we'll find Wanda and John. Then, we'll go and free everyone else, convince the rest of the Brotherhood and Acolytes to join our cause, and then we'll take down Apocalypse once and for all. Then…" Lance said but was silenced when Kitty waved her hand to catch his attention.
'What's wrong? Is someone coming?' Lance asked as he nervously glanced at the door where Kitty was staring. She nodded, and at a silent signal to each other, they turned themselves invisible, and just in time as Erik came striding through the hallway, dragging an unconscious Raven on the floor behind him by the same metal cage she had been placed in earlier. He quickly walked past Ororo's cage, pausing briefly at Jean's cage to smile at her misery, and then left.
When he was gone, Kitty told Lance, 'I think we better stay invisible as I don't think we'll be able to do much if we're captured too.'
'Good idea,' replied Lance as he cocked his ears to listen for any more footsteps. On hearing none he motioned to Kitty to follow him. They slowly crept their way to the door that led to the main hallway. Kitty phased her head through the door to see if the coast was clear, and on finding it was phased them through the door. They quickly looked around to see if there was anyone there, and finding that no one was in sight or range took to the air. After a few minutes of getting used to their wings again they flew down the hallway, using their x-ray vision to look for the next two keys.