Disclaimers: This story, though probably not in all chapters, will definitely have celebrities in it. I don't know what they're sexualities are, and this is not meant to imply them, either. If you are not of legal age in your area, or are not interested in this type of literature, then GO AWAY!!
The X-Men, Spiderman, Blade, the Fantastic Four, Mutant X, and all associated characters are the property of Marvel Comics.
Batman and all related characters are the property of Dc Comics.
Charmed is owned by Warner Brothers.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and all related characters created by Joss Whedon. Copyright 20th Century Fox.
The characters of Final Fantasy are the property of Squaresoft.
Hercules and Xena are owned by Renaissance Pictures, I think.
Street Fighter and Final Fight are owned by Capcom. Fatal Fury and King of Fighters are owned by SNK. Tekken is owned by Namco.
I will use a lot of extra things which I will announce upon use. I don't know if I'll use all the elements listed, but I have them just in case.
This story follows the life of a young mutant I made up, Joshua Monroe. Before you read this story, be sure you have read Adventures of a Real Dark Night in the boy-bands section of this archive, about chapter 7-13. The character was introduced in that story. Also, I encourage reading the stories listed below in the Tales universe, as they crossover from time to time.
For those of you who have read my other story, The Birds and the Bat, this is not a `sex scene in every chapter' type story like the other one was. If you like this story or don't like it, I would like feedback.
Also, email all comments to me at redrealityranger03@yahoo.com or at redrealityranger02@hotmail.com.
Be sure to check out, if you haven't already:
Tales of a Real Dark Knight
Tales of a Superhero Band
Tales of the New Phoenix
Tales of a Human Spider
Marvel Knights
All are in the Gay Male Celebrity Boy Bands section of the archive, save Marvel Knights, which in the Gay Male Celebrity section.
I apologize for the jumps that are being made in these few chapters, but I'm trying to include only the parts that really have Josh's involvement. If you need any reminders of the events, the next four chapters correspond with events taking place in the "Judgments" storyline of Dark Knight, the "Birds of Prey" storyline of New Phoenix, and the "Apocalypse" thru "Legacy" storylines of Marvel Knights.
Thanks, and on with the story.
Tales of a Young Mutant
Chapter 37: En Memorium
October 1st. My birthday. My eighteenth birthday. This was the day that I was supposed to celebrate coming into manhood. I was supposed to be merry, exploring the possibilities of eighteen, and hanging with friends, throwing a party, etc.
My birthday was not supposed to be spent at a memorial.
I didn't blame Blake. It's not that I was angry at him. He couldn't help being called into the superhero life. I was angry at Sinister. I was angry at Apocalypse. I was angry that because of them, times that should bring joy into our lives would have to be spent in sorrow.
Their plan had been foiled, all the major groups had made sure of that. Eric and his team foiled Apocalypse's plot, Thanks to Blake, Dasro was dead, and the world would be safe. But things would still never be the same. Blake was gone. Most of the Morlocks were dead, the remaining ones living at the mansion now. Marvel Boy had been killed by a virus Sinister created.
Everyone who worked with Blake ever was at the mansion, along with family of the couple. I saw JC, who looked about as happy as one could when they lost a loved one. I knew somewhat how he felt. I'd lost one family set, as well as temporarily losing Logan. It really felt like I had lost a part of me, too. I went to him and offered him my condolences, but I really felt like there wasn't anything I could do for him. I figured I'd have to try. After all, JC was one of my favorite celebs.
"I'm sorry. About Blake." I said as I came over to talk to him. I really couldn't look him in the face.
"Yeah."
"I kinda know how you feel. I lost my original family. To Apocalypse and Sinister's schemes."
"I wish they'd been able to kill them."
I looked at him as I felt the emotions pouring from him. Anger. Hatred. Pain. Sorrow. I touched his shoulder as a friendly gesture.
"I know. Me too." I said.
I went over and talked to Eric, my mom, and everyone else who was with them. After a while, Professor Xavier made a speech about Blake, then let JC sing a song.
As I listened to the words of the song, I thought of my first Mom and Dad, and of Kevin, and also of Blake. Who was he? I knew that he was a Phoenix, like myself, but I wanted to know what he was like. It was like a large part of my life was gone forever.
I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all of my childish fears
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
Because your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have all of me
You used to captivate me
By your resonating light
But now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have all of me
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me I've been alone all along
You cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have all of me
All of me
All of me
The tears flowed like rivers from my eyes. I looked around and noticed that everyone was extremely quiet, save sobbing. The song touched everyone. I left the services after the song was over and went to the room I shared with Logan and fell on the bed in tears. The sorrow everyone was feeling began mixing with my own, and I had to let it out.
As I was crying, I suddenly heard whispers. It seemed as though something was calling out to me. I sat up, listening, trying to hear where they were coming from. I went out into the hallway, listening for anymore whispers. I followed the whispering sounds, and they seemed to come from the elevator. I got inside and by instinct I selected the basement floor of the mansion.
Once at the bottom floor, I follow the whispers until I arrived at the war room. The whispers seemed to get louder and louder. I looked around and noticed the volumes of books that lay on the table, the assorted volumes of the prophecies that Eric, the professor, and others had been translating. As I walked in, the pages of the books began turning by themselves, and pages from the different books began ripping themselves out. I also saw one of the books on the shelves pull itself out, then a page from it was ripped out. The pages then glowed so brightly that I had to look away. I looked back at the pages, which now seemed to have merged together, so that they made one large parchment, which fell on the table, completed.
I walked forward picking up the parchment, and looked at it. It seemed written all in various glyphs and symbols. Something seemed to twitch in my head as I looked at it, however. I could feel an aura glowing around my eyes, and then stop. Afterwards, however, I seemed to be able to read the parchment as if it were written in English.
AS THE DAY OF NUR APPROACHES, THE TOWERS WILL FALL.
HIS SUBJECTS WILL ATTACK AND TORMENT WILL BEFALL ALL.
WAR WILL BE FOUGHT AND GOOD FIGHT WILL BE WON
HOWEVER THE BATTLE HAS ONLY BEGUN
WARRIORS OF STRENGTH AND VALOR ARE LOST
HOWEVER THEIR LIVES WILL NOT BE THE ONLY COST
THE TIME OF RULE OF NUR IS SOON
WITH THE ARRIVAL OF NEXT FULL MOON
HIS QUEST IS TO CHANGE ALL THAT IS MORTAL
WITH THE OPENING OF AN ANCIENT PORTAL
WITH THIS AGE OLD RIP IN TIME AND SPACE
THE POWERS WILL BE GIFTED TO HIS GRACE
AND ALL HUMANITY WILL ENDURE
AS ENSLAVED SUBJECTS TO EN SABAH NUR
BUT A GREAT HOPE LIES IN THIS
AND THE REIGN OF NUR CAN BE A MISS
IF THE FABLED ONE CAN MEND THE SWORD
WHICH HEROES USE TO THEIR ACCORD
AND LEADS AN ARMY OF GREAT POWER
THEN WILL ARRIVE THE FINAL HOUR
OF EN SABAH NUR AND CLOSED WILL BE THE DOOR
ON EN SABAH NUR FOREVER MORE.
"Joshua?!" I heard. I jumped halfway out of my skin as I turned around to see Logan at the door.
"Yeah?" I replied.
"Everyone's leaving now. I came to see if you were. . .alright." he said as he approached me, taking me into a hug. I must have barely hugged him back.
"Josh?" he repeated. "What's wrong?" he then looked at the table and noticed the parchment. "Where'd this come from?"
"Logan. . .when is the next full moon?" I asked him.
"Huh?"
"The next full moon. When is it?"
"In about 3 weeks." he said.
"Three weeks will be just fine, then." I replied to him.
"For what?" Logan asked.
"For my plan. It's time. Time for me to lead. Time for me to end this. Apocalypse is about to do something very drastic. He's going to open a portal, one through time and space. This portal's going to lend him the power to convert every man, boy, woman, girl on the face of the earth into a mutant under his control."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to kill them both before they can do the deed."
Logan looked unsure. "You sure you can handle this, darlin'?"
"More than anything. I'm going to need an army, though. I'm going to give everyone a couple of weeks to rest, while I research the prophecy I read on the parchment a little better."
"We'd better tell this to Xavier, too."
"You're right." I replied.
"So where are you going to get an army?"
"Aside from the X-men, there's also a shitload of heroes that have been either killed or worked with someone who was killed and/or sacrificed in the battle for good. And that shitload is likely to be pissed."
***************
"In the words of Hank, `Fascinating'." Xavier said when I showed him the parchment and read it.
"I know." I replied.
"Extraordinary. Not only the parchment, but the way your powers have developed. And that such a task of retrieving the prophecy would befall on you. Which means. . ."
"I know, I know. The task of defeating Apocalypse and Sinister is mine, too. Don't worry, I'm ready."
"Good. I call the groups that you haven't worked with, but I think that it would be a great idea for you to get in touch with the other groups that you have met before in person. Unfortunately, the X-Jet and Blackbird are in use."
"That's okay. Trust me, I can find a ride." I replied with a smile.
***************
Being sure to stay above the clouds, I flew all the way to Los Angeles using my Phoenix-amplified telekinesis. I felt so free up there, above everything, taking in fresh air. I opted for normal clothes, a pair of black leather pants and leather jacket, with a tight black long-sleeved shirt.
I arrived in Los Angeles and went to my first stop--the Hollingsworth home. I knocked, but no one responded. I went to knock again, but a crashing sound made me consider doing otherwise.
I used my powers to unlock the door, then turned the knob and entered. As I entered the living room from the foyer, what I saw confused me. Perry, Pierce, and Patrick were fighting 5 vampires. The awkward part was that the vampires were in the house.
"Chair leg!" Pierce called out as he orbed a broken chair leg into the heart of a vampire. The vampire shrieked as she turned into dust.
"Pierce!" warned Perry as another grabbed Pierce from behind. With a hand gesture, Perry caused the vamp to explode before it could sink its teeth into Pierce, a safe action since the brothers' more active powers did not work on each other.
A vampire punched at Patrick, who ducked under the punch, then levitated and kicked at the same time, knocked the vampire away from him. Patrick picked up a stray piece of wood and jammed it into the demon's heart, only it didn't do anything except cause it extreme pain.
"Oh no, the stake didn't kill it!" Patrick yelled out. As that vampire pulled the wood out its heart, another vampire grabbed Patrick from behind. The stabbed vamp walked toward the other, read to stab Patrick.
Perry motioned to try and blow up the vampire, but his powers had no effect other than to cause a small explosion on its shoulder. He then tried to freeze the scene, but nothing happened. Nothing they were doing was working, which meant they weren't used to this vampire species, and had little knowledge of it.
There was a china cabinet near me. I punched through the glass and assumed that the silverware was real silver. I picked up a butter knife and threw it at the approaching vamp's head. The knife went through the side of the vamp's head and the demon screamed in agony as it burned to ashes. I caught the knife telekinetically before it hit the ground.
It was at this point that everyone noticed my presence. <Duck!> I yelled to Patrick. Patrick elbowed the vamp holding him and ducked and I threw the knife into the demon's heart.
The last of the vamps tried to run when it noticed my presence. I looked at the china cabinet and noted a large silver serving platter. I grabbed it with my powers and threw it at the demon, decapitating it. Before the body and head could fall to the floor, the demon was already dust.
"Josh! Man, are we glad you arrived." Patrick said as he rose from his crouching position.
"It's nice to see you guys, too." I replied as I shook hands with and hugged each of them in turn.
"So, what is it that you want to tell us?" asked Pierce.
"It must be important, since you flew all this way." Perry added.
"It's related to Sinister and Apocalypse." I replied. It took me about 15 minutes to tell them all that happened, with the memorial, and the prophecy. We sat in the Hollingsworth den discussing the coming battle.
"And I really need people who I know can stand by me. People who I know can fight well against evil. You guys may need a little more hand to hand combat training, but I know that magically you guys are supreme." I finished.
"You know we're in." Perry said.
"Sinister took away our eldest brother. And its high time that we paid him back in full." Patrick added.
"And the bastard tried to have me killed, too. I want a piece, too." Pierce said.
"Good. The meeting will be in a couple of weeks. I'll let you guys know the full details when I am certain." I said as I stood up to leave.
"Wait, you're going already?" asked Patrick.
"What's the rush? You just got here." Perry asked.
"I know, but I've got other people to tell." I replied.
I left the house and took to the air, headed to destination number two, the mansion of Jessica's watcher, Garret. At the gate, I hit the buzzer, told him who I was, and the gate was opened so I can enter.
The door was opened and I almost did a double take at who greeted me. It should have seemed less surprising to me that Justin Timberlake would answer the door. After all, Eric was married to Lance Bass and Justin was Jessica's boyfriend. But it still was just as shocking to me as it would be a younger teenage girl, especially because he only wore a pair of sweatpants and athletic socks on his lean muscular frame, and maybe some sort of underwear. The man smelled of sweat, but not rank and nasty, sort of refreshingly manly. The same sweat covered the muscles on his chest and arms, and his pink nipples.
"So you're Josh, Eric's friend, right?" He said as he looked me up and down. I watched as he subconsciously licked his lips.
"Um, yeah." I said, not sure of what else to say. This hot singer, with a slayer girlfriend, was standing her, checking me out, and I wanted to look away, but I must admit I liked what I saw, too.
"Yeah, I've heard about you. He and Jessica both seem to think highly of you." he said. "So, you want to come in?"
"Y-Yeah." I replied as Justin moved aside so that I could come in. I noticed as I turned back to look at him that he had to readjust his crotch. Even though I had a boyfriend, I could take it as a compliment.
"So, where are the others?" I asked Justin.
"Jessica is in training with Garret now. Their training sessions are usually more grueling than the ones they include me in." he replied.
"Oh. So that explains why you're all sweaty."
"Yeah. It's the only workout that gets me all sweaty. . .save sex with Jessica. I wonder if all vampire slayers have such endurance." Justin said.
"I think it just may come with the powers." I replied.
"Or it could just be that I have that effect on slayers." Justin said. "You're part slayer. How would you explain it? The powers, or just me being hot." He said, getting in front of me, flexing. I would have admitted to anyone but him that he was indeed hot.
"It's the powers." I said.
"Aww man." he said, sounding wounded.
Eventually, we arrived at the training room, where Jessica and Garret were toweling off from what must have been an aggresive training session.
"Hey guys, we have a guest." Justin said as I followed him into the room.
"Joshua!" Jessica said, coming over to me. "I would say that we're very happy to see you, but considering you're a very long way from home, your presence must mean that something bad is coming."
"It's very good to see you too, well, almost." I replied.
"So, what is the `Big Bad' this time?" Garret asked, as he joined the rest of us.
"It's Apocalypse. Apparently what he tried not too long ago was simply an opening scheme. His final ploy, a ritual that will be the end of all human life as we know it, will be performed soon. We must be on top of him." I showed the three of them the scroll, and explained its origin.
"So what's the plan?" Jessica asked me. This surprised me. The tone and wording showed me that she wasn't responding to me as someone who was a friend, or less experienced than she was. She was referring to me as a leader.
"I don't completely have one yet. I will have one, though, by the time of the meeting with the rest of the heroes. I will definitely need the support of those that have actually fought on my side before."
"Count us in." Justin said.
"But you don't have enough skill or expertise in these affairs!" Garret protested.
"No, but that's what I have the two of you guys for." replied Justin.
"Are you sure about this?" I asked him.
"I had to see the effect of Eric going into battle without Lance near him, the pain that caused him, especially when he thought that Eric was dead. And now, I've also seem the pain in J.C. after Blake's death. I don't want to go through that. I'd rather if anything happens, that I right there in it." he said, looking at Jessica.
"Okay, it's settled then. We're in."
"Good." I said, then to lighten the mood. "I would hate to have the fans kill me for having their pop idol hurt by fantastical demons." Everyone laughed.
*************
I had one more stop in L. A. before I left to go back to New York. That was at the Hyperion–the once hotel that now housed Angel Investigations. Angel had helped me rescue the Charmed brothers. I was hoping that he would help me with Apocalypse.
Upon entering the hotel, I almost got knocked over by the exiting team of Angel Investigations–Angel, Cordelia Chase, Wesley Wyndam-Price, Charles Gunn, Winifred Burkle, and Gru. Each of them had weapons of some sort, most of them wood based.
"Hey Josh!" Cordelia said as she passed me.
"Sorry, no time to stop and chat." added Fred as she passed.
"Where are you guys going?" I asked.
"Vampire hunting." replied Gunn.
"There's been increased activity from a vampire gang centered here in L. A. We intend to stop them once and for all tonight." Wesley said.
"You're welcome to come along." Angel offered as everyone got into their convertible.
"Sure. Besides, there's something that I need to ask you guys."
As we drove off, I explained about the scroll and the prophecy, and how I needed the help of various heroes and demon hunters. As we rode along, I noticed Angel keep calling out to Cordelia, asking if she was getting anything, to which she replied that she wasn't.
"What's she sensing for?" I asked Angel.
"Vampires." Angel noticed my look of confusion. "The premonition powers that Cordelia has received from the powers that be are demon based. Over time they have evolved in such a way that she no longer receives intense pain from them, and she is able to do other things such as track demons."
"I can't completely control these powers, though. . Whoa!" Cordelia blurted. We all looked at her as she seemed to blank out, and her eyes flashed white. "Turn left here." he said. Angel complied, and we went down a street which ended in a group of abandoned warehouses.
"Why is it that every time you hunt down vamps they're either in a sewer or a spooky deserted warehouse?" I sighed.
"It wouldn't be fun any other way." replied Angel. "And it's safer. No sunlight."
"And it makes it harder for us humans to see the fangy things that go bump in the night." added Gunn.
We pulled up to the warehouse and in a shadowed spot nearby. The others were advised to wait by the car. I would signal them telepathically when it was clear to come in. I used my powers to carry us to the roof of the building. He and I went the perimeter of the building, checking for any outside guards. When neither of us found any, we looked in the warehouse through the skylight.
"I count about 20 of them, including the two leaders." Angel said. "And those two windows," he said, indicating the ones south of the entrance, "are blackened, but not boarded. I would say that the others could get in that way."
"And the two of us will get in how?" I asked him. He looked at me and smile in reply. It didn't take telepathy to read his mind.
<Guys, go behind the warehouse and break in through the blackened windows. We're going in now.> I sent to the others. Then I returned Angel's smirk, and the two of us leaped together, feet first, crashing through the skylight. I used my telekinesis to slow our falls only enough so that our legs didn't break and we didn't get injured. The gang's attention turned to us. What I saw horrified me worse than anything else I could have possibly imagined.
"Joshua?" I heard the female leader say. "Joshua, baby, you found us!"
"M-Mom?" I squeaked.
"Joshie?" the male leader replied. Their demonic faces returned back to normal. To the faces of my adoptive parents. "Joshie? Come over here and give your dear old Mom and Dad a hug!"
********************
So how did you guys like it? Send all of your comments to me at either of my email addresses, redrealityranger02@hotmail.com or jercolap@hotmail.com. redrealityranger03@yahoo.com, the other email address I have, has had too much junk email flow through it, so I'm sticking to the first two I listed above. I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I've finally gotten rid of my stupid, outdated computer and have gotten a new one, so the story should be getting out faster. Send me an email, tell me if you like it. Until next time!