Azure Flame Wolf
One week later….
The night I returned to the institute was quite the experience. The moment I went through that door everyone bombarded me with questions. Rogue told them all what happened excluding my psycho moment. I heard from Kurt how Rogue chewed out Scott for leaving us to face Juggernaut alone. Even with his ruby red glasses I could see the regret and shame he felt on his face. I doubt he will ever make that mistake again.
Ever since then he has been keeping an eye on me, treated me like I was made of glass. I wasn't sure what to make of it, it felt nice to have a guy treating me so great especially a guy as cute as Scott; but also it was making me feel venerable and I was already not using my powers anymore. Ever since the incidents I haven't made Crest appear and I was kind of… lonely… so I kept close to Logan and Scott…
Lately something has been bugging Logan. He has been really aggravated at everything… even me. One time I walked by his room and heard him growling I poked my head through the door to see him clawing at the walls.
"Logan?" I called out to him but he didn't even turn to look at me he just continued clawing the wall. I yelled out to get his attention. "Logan!"
He thrust his claws into the wall and roared in anger. I flinched back and closed the door scared to death. Only an hour later he came into the kitchen looking normal like nothing happened. I felt so worried about him that I went to the professor to ask for advice.
"You see Devlin… what's happening with Logan is his business and I really shouldn't say anymore than that… yet I know how much you care for him so I will tell you this. He has been having really bad night terrors. Give him time to sort out his feelings and he should be back to his old self in no time." I did wait but it just got worse and worse. Sometimes at night I would walk by his room and hear him tossing and turning in his bed.
Today I decided to confront him about this and hopefully I could help fix it, I just needed the right moment. In the morning I walked to the kitchen to eat breakfast, there sitting on the windowsill was Logan reading the news paper. I would have asked him then but Kitty was sitting with her laptop nearby. So I quietly sat down and picked out my meal. After a minute of silent eating Kitty looked up at Logan and I with an odd look in her eye that I think was appreciation.
"What? Are pup and I too loud for ya half-pint?" she shook her head and smiled.
"Nope, just enjoying the peace and quiet." As if to mock her everyone entered the kitchen and bustled into conversation. She sighed in disappointment picking up her laptop and exiting the room. One of the students turned on the TV and an odd report caught Logan's attention. He walked up to the TV and raised the volume to some of the student's annoyance.
'Odd attacks and disappearances appeared the last week in the Mckinley mountains. Some people are calling it a Big Foot attack.' That's about how much I heard from the report because Logan left the room looking shaken. I stood up to follow him down the hall until we were hearing distance from everyone else.
"Logan?" he kept walking only looking back for a second.
"Not now pup." I reached out and grabbed his arm.
"Wait." the moment I touched his arm his claws extended and he looked back at me with eyes full of rage.
"NOT NOW!" He roared at me so furiously that my eyes began to water. His eyes softened but he just walked away not saying a word. I couldn't take it anymore; I ran to the main hall and to the elevator went down to the metal basement. I didn't know why I ran down there; I think I just wanted to be away from everyone. I made my way deep into the halls until I walked into a large room I never been in before. Inside the room was a huge black jet, in amazement I went inside to get a better look.
The inside of the jet was amazing and quite so I decided it was the perfect place to brood. I lay down and cried; I was so worried about Logan that it hurt me inside. Yet I knew I was powerless to help him. I guess I have to do what the professor said and wait for him to get his head together.
I guessed I dozed off because the next thing I knew Kitty was entering the jet, she looked up at me and waved.
"Hi Dev, room for one more?" I smiled and nodded at Kitty. "Oh thanks! I just can't like find a quite spot anywhere anymore. This was my last resort." I chuckled at that.
"Yah I guess it can get pretty noisy with so many people around us all the time. Don't worry about me making any sounds I was just resting." I rubbed my eyes still feeling the wetness of the tears she noticed that and gasped.
"Are you like ok!? Has Bobby been picking on you?" she sounded annoyed with good resign. Bobby has been pulling pranks like crazy lately. Last time he added pink hair dye to Kurt's shampoo… ugh that was bad. The professor put him on lock down for that and yet he still kept on doing worse and worse. I shook my head.
"No… I'm just… worried about Logan." She let out a long awe and patted my shoulder.
"I know…. He has been acting like very weird lately. I saw him claw through his door, I asked him what he was doing and he just said he was redecorating." She shivered remembering the moment. I know it sounds dumb but I'm glad he's not acting cold to just me. As we were talking the engine of the jet revved to life. We both stumbled in shock as the jet lifted off the ground and into the air.
"What's going on!?" She rushed to the cockpit doors and opened them revealing the culprit. "Logan!?" there sat Logan at the wheel of the jet in full uniform. I had no idea what was going on but I wanted answers so I started walking to him until Kitty grabbed my arm holding me back.
"Don't!" she looked so scared not only for herself but for me to…. No I couldn't let this slide. Logan was technically my father, and if something was wrong with him it affected me to… I couldn't lose anymore family… not again.
"I have to." Taking a breath I walked up to him and tapped his shoulder. "Logan?" the moment I touched him he turned around and punched the air almost impaling me with his claws. I was so in shock that I didn't feel Kitty pulling me into the other room. I could only watch Logan twitching in pain in his seat as he pressed some buttons and switches and struggled out the words 'engage autopilot' then stood up from his seat making his way toward us
"Why are you following me!" I felt offended and angry, how dare he try to kill me and then have the audacity to suspect me of stalking!
"Why are you acting nuts!" I had it I ripped into him despite the fear coursing through my body."I know you have been having nightmares but that's no resign to outright try and kill me!" a look of concern crossed his pained face and seemed to regain some of his senses.
"I would… never ugh…. H… hurt you pup… ugh!" he grabbed onto his head and roared in pain.
"LOGAN!" all my anger faded away into concern and fear. "What's happening to you?!" I tried to rush to him but Kitty held me tightly in place. She was stronger than I thought.
"I got to take you back before UGH! You got to get away… s.. something in my head… AAA I can't control it… cant b… be trusted!" He quickly pressed a button on the wall activating the door. With one last slash with his claws he was away from us on the other side. Kitty held onto me shacking in fear but still standing.
"He locked us in… no…. no he lock us away from him…. He's protecting us." She turned me around and saw my eyes overflowing with tears. She held me tightly rocking me back and forth hushing softly. I think it was an hour or so until I calmed down. I whispered into her shirt. "What did you say?"
"I can't lose another dad." She sat me down and sat next to me. "I… was little when I lost him. A psychopath threatened my dad with a knife. and... and it didn't end well for him.. my brother found him in an ally with the psycho." She gasped in shock and held my hand tightly.
"W….what happened then?" I could tell she was afraid to ask and quite honestly… I was afraid to say.
"My brother took him to the hospital but it was to late. all i have of him is my mom's wedding band he made her." I lifted my arm showing her the band and she smiled with wet eyes.
"It's beautiful." I grinned and nodded my head.
"She was just as beautiful… I would tell you how she died but…. My dad never told me… only… that she died to protect me… just like he did…" she rapped me into a tight hug and I could feel her tears running down my back.
"I don't know what I would do if I lost my family like that…. I know I wouldn't be as brave as you." She wiped the tears from her eyes and mine. "I promise Logan will be fine." I wanted to believe her so badly. About one hour passed until we finally landed. The moment we did Kitty fazed us through the jet to the ground. We landed softly on a patch of snow.
"Where are we?" I couldn't answer her, I had no idea…. Or maybe I did. "I think in the Mckinley Mountains. I saw something on the news report this morning… about the attacks." She snapped her fingers realization.
"Maybe he's here to stop the attacks!" but that didn't make much sense. Why would he care about some fake Bigfoot scam?
"But why? It seems like this goes deeper then stopping some fake Bigfoot… he said something was controlling his mind… maybe there is something here doing this to him. And he must have been drawn to it like a beacon." her smile faded and sighed.
"That does like make more sense. But for the record Bigfoot is like real." I gave her a look that screamed 'oh really?' "It does!" she wined but I just shook my head.
"If you say so." She stomped her foot in the snow but followed me as I began searching for Logan. Thankfully he was acting sloppy, he left tracks everywhere. The moment I found them I ran much to the dismay of Kitty.
"Wait up! What are you even going to do once you like find him!?" I looked up into the sky noticing the resign I couldn't just wait.
"We can't stop now! The rain is coming soon; if we stop it will clear the tracks… I'll just think of something on the way!" She struggled to keep up with me but my mind was busy with finding Logan. Wherever he was going he was moving fast. We made it to a clearing but it didn't bring any good news, Logan wasn't there and worse… someone was with him. I knelt down and surveyed the ground seeing a pair of very large shoe prints.
"Logan was here and there was a struggle…" I looked around and saw that the foot prints ended here it seemed Kitty came to the same conclusion.
"I'm sure he could take care of himself…. But I don't know if we'll be able to find him I don't see any more tracks." I looked up into the trees and the cliff above and saw some broken branches. I climbed up into the tree for a better view and found a trail.
"Their heading up the mountain and I think the bigger one has Logan unconscious!" I dropped down the tree and landed near Kitty. She looked at me like I had a second head.
"How are you doing that?" I grinned at her.
"My father was part of a long line of hunters… he thought my brother how to track and hunt and my brother thought me when he died." I pointed up at the mountain. "We have to find him… if what I saw was right he may need our help."
I think we spent hours walking up the mountain following the trail; then again it might have been a few minutes. The moment we reached a good distance up we found Logan. He was standing high on a ledge but he looked calm…. Oddly calm.
"Logan!" Kitty smiled and waved up at him but the happy smile turned to a look of horror. There standing behind Logan was a tall Blond haired man that growled like a lion… and he kind of looked like one to. "Sabertooth!? But they are like mortal enemys !"
The tall man roared jumping off the ledge and charged at Kitty and I. He missed thanks to her power and we ran toured Logan. Just as we got close to him he extended his claws and tried to slash at us. I ducked and Kitty phased just in time.
"Logan what are you doing!?" he just roared at us and continued his assault. I did my best to dodge his attacks while Kitty out ran Sabertooth. "Logan please snap out of it!" he continued his attack regardless of my pleading.
"AAAAHH!" Kitty screamed in fear as Sabertooth rushed after her.
"Kitty! Can you handle him on your own!? I need time to get through to Logan!" She fazed though a tree right as the blond man leaped for her making him nock his head on the trunk. He was dazed but still conscious.
"Sure like just don't take too long!" I led Logan away from the both of them all the while he clawed at me like a mad man. For a moment I thought I could out run him but he nicked my side with one of his claws.
"AGH!" I stumbled but continued running until his reckless slashing dropped three trees in his path. It was enough to get some good distance from him, sadly a large gaping ledge laid out in front of me giving me no choice other than falling to my death or face Logan. I turned around to see Logan walking closer to me. To make matters worse my vision started to fade. I blinked my eyes and touched the warm wet blood flowing out my side.
"L…Logan…. I." I fell to my knees. "Please…." I fell to the ground my eyes closing in pain. I twisted my body to face up watching him fade along with the world around him. The last thing I saw before my vision faded was his face contorting in horror and the last thing I heard was a wale of sorrow.
/X-men\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
[Third Person]
Logan howled in regret, never in his life had he thought that he would hurt a child let alone kill one… but not just any child, his own adopted son. As if in response to his sorrow the sky showered in a flurry of cold water that masked the falling tears from his eyes.
"Pup…. I… I'm so sorry!" he lifted the cold limp body off the ground and cradled it in his arms. Despite the horrid pain within his head telling him to leave the body on the ground and return he held on to the boy and cried into his raven black hair. "P…please forgive me pup… AAAAGHHH!" Deep within the mountain a man in a lab coat looked on to the scene playing on his large computer and surveillance system. The man frowned and turned a large red dial causing Logan great pain.
"It's no use weapon-X you must obey. Drop the boy and return to me!" on the screen of his computer showed a small metal chip within Logan's brain sending signal's to his pain receptors.
"NO! I WONT LET YOU CONTROL ME!" As Logan screamed an aura of blue fire burned around Devlin. The flames reached up in the form of a hand and touched Logan's forehead. On the screen of the man's computer showed the computer chip within Logan's head burning into ash then disappearing completely.
"NO! It's impossible!" he pressed a button on his computer and yelled into a microphone. "Sabertooth! Acquire Weapon-X immediately!" He gained no response. "Sabertooth!?" he flicked on his surveillance cameras to show the tall man unconscious next to a tree with a huge dent in it. Finally free of the pain within his head Logan looked down at Devlin awash in dying blue flames.
"Thank you pup… You saved me…" Just then the rain stopped pouring and he gently lowered the limp body to the ground when he heard a gasp. He turned to see the horrified eye's of Kitty Pride. In a fit of rage he stood and placed an arm on her shoulder. "Bring him to the Blackbird… I got unfinished business…" in rage he sprinted up the mountain leaving Kitty to grieve on the death of a kind boy. The man in the lab coat pressed button after button activating countless security defenses that Logan slashed though in a fury of vengeance until he reached the room the man hid within.
"You'll pay for what you made me do! YOU"LL PAY WITH YOUR LIFE!" He rushed into the room as the final defenses activated, large spider like machines with flaying metal tentacles. They grabbed onto Logan and restrained him above the ground holding his arm's tightly. The man laughed from his chair and clapped his hands.
"Did you really think it would be that easy Weapon-X? I know you lost much of your memory but don't forget who made you and can very easily unmake you!... besides…" The man turned to the screen and pushed a button showing Devlin in the arms of Kitty bringing his lifeless body into the Jet. "You should be glad…. You did just as we wanted from the start… you finally killed the boy we wanted dead since the beginning."
"What!?" Logan thrashed within his restraints as the man continued his gloating. "What does Devlin have to do with any of this!?" The man laughed like a mad man holding his sides. He pressed a button on the computer bringing up a picture of a loving family of four.
"The Mercer's have been a thorn in our side for ages! When we found out they brought our greatest enemy Back to life we devised a plan to end them once and for all! And that plan was you! After our leader killed Salem Mercer yet failed to kill the youngest, we gave you your adamantium skeleton in hopes of you being strong enough to get past his brother… when they went missing we lost hope of finding them. HAahaha! But you seemed to find him on your own and even completed your mission! Well done Weapon-X! Now only one thing stands in our way to Hydra's ultimate goal! The world will fall into the darkness forever! We've won!" the man laughed in a fever pitch of joy as Logan roared in complete and total rage.
"You'll all pay for this! If it's the last thing I do!" the man laughed and pressed another button making the spiders pull his limbs making them ache in pain.
"And how will you do that when you're going to die here?" Logan screamed in pain as his limbs disconnected and were seconds from being pulled apart. Back at the jet Kitty was placing the body of Devlin down on the passenger room of the jet all the while in tears. Just as she laid the body down a large shadow with two burning blue eyes erupted from the body and flew faster than a bullet out of the jet and into the mountains.
"Now die! Die die DIE!" the man laughed at Logan's pain but just in time a large shadow busted into the room. The black mass of shadows shifted into the shape of a wolf that howled so loud that the screen of the computer exploded and the glass shattered piercing the man's skin making him recoil in pain. The wolf then leaped into the air moving in speeds that were hard to follow with the eyes and slashed through the metal spiders and tentacles like paper freeing Logan.
"No…." the man in the lab coat just stared at the shadowy beast as it stood over Logan and then screamed in horror as small silver tears dripped on Logan's face and could hear his limbs popping back in place and his cuts and scrapes healing faster then was normally possible for even Logan. "I saw him die! The wolf should be dead!" the shadowy beast roared at the man making him cower trapped and helpless. Blue Flames then erupted from the inky blackness of the wolf and covered everything melting and burning even the man who screamed in misery and pain. As the flames reached Logan they did not burn him instead they lift him into the air as if they were holding him caressing him and cradling him in kind arms. The wolf turned to him and surrounded him in its body then busted though the ceiling of the cave and up into the sky.
From the jet Kitty could only watch in amazement as the mountain erupted in an explosion of blue fires. She turned to see the body of Devlin burning into a crisp that seemed to get bigger. Hearing a howl she turned to see the shadowy mass fall gently in front of the jet. The mass broke apart leavening Logan standing on the ground and then reformed next to him. Logan looked into the shadowy beast's burning blue eyes and caressed its cheek; the wolf leaned its head in his hand and whined.
"Crest?" the beast shook it's head and Logan's eyes widened. With a heart full of hope he asked. "Devlin?" The beast nodded and Logan embraced the wolf in a tight hug. Kitty smiled in joy and rushed to meet the pair. The wolf jumped up and turned to see the burning body. It floated out of Logan's arms and hovered over the body like a cloud of smoke. In a soft howl that echoed around the mountain it descended into the burning husk of the body. The flames all at once faded away and the husk began to shack and twist. Logan rushed at the body as the ashen case broke apart revealing smooth skin. Helping the husk brake Logan cleared the ash off the body. To his amazement shining blue eyes stared into his.
"Pup… is that you?" he cleared the ash from Devlin's face and smiled as he whispered.
"Yes Logan…. It's me… I think…" Devlin cleared off the ash from his body and blushed crimson red when he felt his naked chest and legs. Devlin quickly hid his privets with his hands. "Please tell me there is a blanket or clothes on the jet!" Logan chuckled and walked to a cabinet pulling out a large black sheet covering Devlin in it.
"Here you go pup… that's new." Devlin looked up at the man confused but shuttered when he felt Logan touching a mass of soft flesh on his head. Moving his hands to his head he felt out two pointed fuzzy things on his head.
"Logan what is that!?" Logan chuckled and caressed one of the fuzzy things Devlin's head making the boy shiver.
"I think you're more of a pup then usually Dev." Devlin moaned and shivered as Logan messaged his ear. Blushing deep red he quickly rose and backed away from Logan.
"Please stop that!" As he stood something stooped him making him look at Logan confused. "D…Did you get shorter?"
"I think you got taller pup." Devlin in a panic looked around him and noticing that he indeed was taller.
"What's going on!?" still a little in shock Kitty walked up to Devlin and handed him a mirror.
"Like look for yourself." Gazing into the mirror Devlin stared in wonder at the changes of his body. His short raven black hair grown long past his shoulders and his sky blue eyes glowed and shined like blue burning stars. His ears were gone and replaced with two fuzzy wolf ears on top of his head that twitched and moved erratically. Still in shock the black blanket fell to the ground reveling a soot covered toned sinewy lithe body of a young adult. Devlin's mouth hung open wide studding his new body.
"I'm bigger…" looking down at his thigh's he gasped in shock. "Way bigger!" feeling movement behind him he turned his head to see a long bushy black tail wagging excitedly behind him. He jumped into the air full of joy. "This is awesome! I'm freaken Sexy!" he then blushed hard noticing the blushing faces of both Logan and Kitty. He quickly lifted the sheet back onto himself and blushed hard. "Ooops… that does not leave the mountain!" Logan chuckled while Kitty's nose bled.
"Pup…" Logan's chuckle faded and he walked up to Devlin looking very grim. "I… I'm … So.." Devlin smiled softly and hugged Logan before he could say another word.
"Thank you Logan." Logan blushed confused.
"But… I killed you pup! Why!? Why would you!?" Devlin smiled with tears in his eyes.
"Thanks to you… I got to say good bye." Devlin stared into Logan's eyes only about three inches shorter than himself. "Let's go home."
The ride back to the institute was almost silent except for Logan's countless apologies. Devlin kept observing His new body along with Kitty who smiled dreamily at the unsuspecting boy… or should I saw man. All the while thoughts of his death ran though Devlin's mind.
/
[Devlin's point of view]
I opened my eyes feeling like I was deep in water. All around me shined odd and yet beautiful small fish that glowed in an array of colors so bright within the darkness of the waters. I tried to breath but I didn't feel the need, or even the want. I felt weightless and free of all need to do anything but float there surrounded by fish.
"It is very comfortable here is in it?" my eyes shot open wide and I turned to see a face I wished to see more than anything. "Hi there my heart."
"Father!" I don't even know how but there stood my dead father very much alive. We swam to each other and brought each other into a tight embrace. "I missed you so much! I'm sooo sorry! It's my fault you died!" he hushed me and smiled brightly.
"It was not your fault Devlin, it was that woman's." He lifted my chin. "There was nothing you could do, you were just a child… but now!" He kissed my forehead and smiled. "You've grown so much. Your mother and I are so proud of you!" Suddenly a loud wave of noise echoed all around us. I looked up to see a huge figure getting closer to both of us.
"What is that!?" scared I held on to my father tightly.
"You remember the story's I told you when you were young, about the second child of the goddess?" I closed my eyes and lifted my hand to my face in thought.
"The great serpent of the Azure Deeps and the guardian of the dead?" he nodded and my eyes widened in horror. "Am I… dead?" he nodded his head in sorrow and held me close.
"I'm afraid so." As he spoke the Serpent son of the goddess smiled down and in a voice as deep as the sea spoke to us.
"Welcome Mercer'sssss I am pleassssed to ssssee that you found you're way sssssafely to my watersss, and to each other." I was always afraid when my father told me about the serpent but after seeing him for myself I knew I was wrong to. He was amazing and so kind that I felt honored just being in his presence. "Yet I am not here to take you to mother." My father gasped in shock and floated in front of me guarding me from the serpent.
"You can't mean to eat him! He has done nothing to disserve punishment!" the serpent shook it's mighty head. And I remembered what he said about the serpent, that he guided good people to the goddess's arms and ate the evil people and digested them in his seven stomachs for a century.
"You are misssstaken Ssssalem, the goddessss hasss other plansss for the boy and to do sssssso….. He mussst live." My father cheered in complete relief and happiness he held me close and I cried into his chest.
"What is the matter?" I squeezed his chest tightly and sobbed.
"I don't want to say good bye!" he chuckled and turned his head to the serpent.
"May I have a moment with my son Lord Abaddon?" The great serpent bowed his head and swam away into the distance.
"You may." As he swam off the small glowing fish returned and swam about both of us.
"Father… I don't want to go…" he shook his head and patted my head running his hand through my hair.
"You must, it's as the goddess wills. And I think you have people who need you... someone who really loves you. Someone who will be broken to learn of his hand in your death." My eyes widened and I jumped within the waters.
"Logan! Oh no I have to let him know it's not his fault!" my eyes softened I held onto his chest. "Father I don't want to lose you again…"
"It will be ok my heart, someday you will return to us but hopefully not too soon." A thought occurred to me.
"How is Skylar?" His eyes turned grim and I knew something was wrong.
"I do not know… Lord Abaddon has searched all over the azure deeps when word of his death reached him… but he found nothing." He smiled at me. "That could only mean that he still must be alive! Should you see him will you let him know I'm proud of him? He did well protecting you for so long." I nodded my head and with renewed resolve I hugged him goodbye.
"Goodbye father… I love you!" He chuckled and hugged me back.
"I love you too my heart!" That was the last thing I heard from him as the great serpent swam to me and lifted me onto its head.
"Let usss make hassssste!" With that I hung onto his horns as he swam up high breaking through the dark blue depths of the sea and into the light. The next thing I knew I was awake and in Logan's arms.
/X-men\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
The moment everyone saw me back at the institute they sent me straight to the professor who in turn sent me to Hank with him into the med room for a checkup. Hank looked like he was having an ulcer! He looked so confused.
"This doesn't make any sense!" Logan told them what happened but it didn't help much. "His powers alone couldn't make such a transformation!"
"Unless the shock of death activated his X-Gene." This shocked Hank but it made sense to him. The professor smiled and continued his explanation. "Sometimes the X-Gene can be activated to further mutation within a mutant. Usually it takes cretin radiation or extreme stress for such changes to take place… although it is very rare for such things to happen. I have only seen this once… with my brother." This was amazing! I kept the moment with my father to myself and Logan but I refused to tell them of the Serpent Lord or the possibility of my brother being alive.
"So… is this permanent?" I asked. I really hoped it was! I looked too hot to change. He nodded his head and I smiled widely. "Sweet!"
"I'm happy to see this change didn't upset you… you see some mutants find drastic changes like these to be upsetting… take Kurt for instance. Since he came to the institute he has been wearing an image inducer making him appear like a human in order to go to the high school with the others… now I offer the same device to you." I dipped my head confused.
"But why? I like how I look." he smiled at that.
"Since you are over achieving in your classes I've decided to skip you to high school and since you are in control of your powers you can now attend classes without danger of being exposed. That is if you'd like to. It is of course your decision." This was a big step for me… what could I say?
"Defiantly!"
/X-Men\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Author's Note
If you're wondering the song from the last episode was, Aura from Yuki Kajiura.