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Could Have At Least Bought Me A Drink First.
Geez. Could have at least bought me a drink first. What came before and what after? Just a few guesses, is all. Let’s see if any of my guesses is right or partly right even. Or way off and wrong. Yes, this part to start. This is the shortened version; I will put the fuller fleshed out one in a day or two.
Could Have At Least Bought Me A Drink First.
Sniffing the air. The man lands on the roof beside him. “Smelled you coming a mile away, boy scout.” Being gripped nipped on the shoulder and back, and being startled, pops out his bone claws instinctively.
“Down boy.” He retracts his claws.
“Good to see you again, Logan. Been a long time,” Captain America says.
“Bout 50 years. I see you’re stayin’ inconspicuous.”
“Stars and Stripes still pull some weight, even in these times.”
Logan was handed a file by Captain America, with the ‘Weapon X’ stamp seal on it, while Black Widow speaks. “Secrets like this don’t stay buried by accident.”
“I don’t know what you’re planning, Logan, and frankly, I don’t wanna know. But as a friend, you can’t go after these guys alone.” Cap cautions.
“Don’t worry your pretty feathers, Cap. I got myself a crew. Could even say I’m getting the old band back together.”
There was only one person he could trust, with this sort of deal. One he would give his life for, and he knew had already done the same for him, when it was entirely unnecessary to do so. “So, where are we going?”
“Back to where it all started, and you need to go in there, incognito,” the nod and a smile, as he watched it. As their friend changes their entire appearance from their natural form to a face and body, nearly the same as the older looking one, but younger looking and better looking then the older face. “Might want or need to go with the older face, maybe, we’ll see.”
“Oh,” was all there was to say. Slightly upset, but understood, it’s just that old face, was the one that was attached to a time, that wasn’t pleasant and preferred not to use it anymore. Though for the most of the time it had been attached to good times and memories, so they had made a balanced choice. They had kept it for the most part, but made it younger looking and a bit more on the androgynous side, while entirely keeping their natural look’s facial structure, and nearly the same hairdo.
“I said you might need to go with the older face, as in maybe, we’ll see. It’s nothing personal, I like all of your faces, especially your real one. That was a pleasant surprise, and it answered the questions of all of my reoccurring dreams I had about you. Thought my mind was doing a number on me. Turns out it wasn’t. Turns out it that was your real form, you were shifting back and forth from, before you blacked out.”
“Oh? What ones? About what?”
“You know what one I’m talking bout, that night, that I almost lost you. That reoccurring nightmare and dreams etched in my mind permanently.” Morph walked beside their BFF solemnly. “Didn’t know why you did it, when you know I can heal. But I get it, saving a friend when he didn’t need saving. Guess love really does make us do stupid things.”
“You, doofus, that is the whole reason, because not only do I love you, but I also had to save you.”
“I love you too, always have. Thank you both you and Kurt for saving me, from Hell.”
“Yeah, because you were unsaved, at the time. I knew I was saved, so I knew where I was going. The worst thing that could have happened to me, would be the best thing. You however, I knew weren’t going to Heaven, but to Hell, if anything happened to you. Unfortunately, for me, instead of going to Heaven I instead went through hell, and back. Still worth it.”
“I can’t say the same.”
“We’ll have to agree to disagree then.”
“Suppose so. I just wish it didn’t go the way it did go, to get to that point in my life, that you had to suffer for it. Just to get me to be saved, if that was part or the whole reason you pushed me out of the way.”
“It’s all right if it meant you get saved, it was worth the suffering for it.”
“I don’t think so, and in my own way, I wound up suffering about as much as you did, maybe more so, till you came back. I’m to blame for your suffering. I prayed asked for a stupid test of proof, I was so ticked off at everything and I blamed God, for all of it, so I took it out on Him. So rather than take my anger and frustration out on Scott, other than his stupid car, I took it all out on God, I told Him right off, how I felt. Told Him, if You are really real God, take Your best shot, if You are Man enough, and bring my best friend back to life. I was so infuriated and ticked off, and upset in berserker rage, when I said it, that I had popped my claws out at Him and tried to threaten Him, and flipped Him off, with my middle claws.” Morph sputtered, and laughs out loudly and uncontrollably. Well at least they were really laughing, and he hadn’t heard that laugh in a while, so it was nice to hear it again, it meant that Morph was really laughing. Though Logan was not happy, still about it, and really did not see the humour in it, how Morph could be laughing about it. “Yeah, laugh it up, Kevin! I am not happy at all, that I did that, and I’m still to this day, horrified at my actions, and still feel horrible for doing that when remembering it, and it’s not funny!”
Laughing between words, “Hee, hee, you’re darn, hee, hee, hee, right, hee, hee, hee, it’s as you said, it is, indeed, horrifying, hee, hee, hee, hee horrifyingly, hee, hee, hilarious, and you should feel badly over it. Very badly, naughty, naughty, little baby!”
“I am not, a baby!”
“But you are a baby, not a newborn baby, maybe an infant, baby in the Lord. So, you need your milk, don’t think you’re ready for solid food yet, unless it’s mushed up food till you get your baby teeth in. Otherwise, you may wind up spitting it up, trying to chew it, let alone swallowing it. May even choke on it. I suppose you could try soft foods, like, bananas, to, suck on it, and try to gum it down, and not choke on, it.” Giggling at their own risqué innuendo.
“What the heck are you on, Kev?” Morph was still giggling away loudly, when a sound enters the hallway with a stench to accompany it.
“Ah, so it was you who is laughing Morph. Why are you in your human form?”
Between hee-hee giggles and laughing, “Hee, hee, hello-o-o-o, hee, hee, bro-o-o-o, hee, hee, hee, hee, hee, you fart smelling, teleporter, you, hee, hee, hee, hee! Fortunately, I don’t have a nose to smell it, now anyhow,” reverting to their base form, “because you burned it off with your sulphuric, stink, you walking oxymoron, you-oooh, ah, hee, hee, hee, hee! Saved demon!” Kurt started in laughing too, even Logan caught the irony, and started to laugh, the irony of a demon looking Catholic Priest Monk, and a Monk, or Priest, could only be one if he was saved, born-again!!
“Ah, Morph, you do truly embody the joy of the Lord. What was so funny, that you were laughing at or about?”
“Confession time, Logan, tell Brother Nightcrawler, what naughty thing you said and did. Keep in mind, it was open, honest, raw, and coming from your heart, and in your pain and sorrow, however, it was rude, and absurd.”
Giving him as smiling nod, “I am not one to judge, my friend, that is God’s job. So, air it out. At the worst I will get you to recite the Lord’s prayer a few times. I will be happy to help you with that if you need it.”
“It was the night we thought we lost Morph. Morph had died pushing me out of the way of those Sentinels. I tried to get Cyke to let me go back for him and Beast, Scott said we can’t help them. I could not accept that, I wouldn’t, that X-Men don’t do that, cut and run. I was going to go to get them, but your sister drains my energy, and before passing out, I begged them to not leave them. I come to find out Jean and the Professor, because for some reason they couldn’t read any brain activity, Morph was presumed, dead. I could not accept it, until I saw a body, no matter what form it took. Didn’t find a body, and was so angry, took it out on Scott’s car, making it a convertible, ha, better than cutting something else.”
“Indeed, and your grief over losing your friend is quite understandable, and anger is one of the stages of grief. So, it’s understandable and only natural to lash out, even at God, in your pain. So, what is it that was so, rude, and absurd?”
“I just wanted Morph back, and I was so enraged over everything, in berserker rage and if there really is a God out there, then He is to be blamed for all of this, it wasn’t fair. So, I got angry, and told Him right off, how I felt. Through my blowing off everything bad inside, I told Him, if You are really real God, take Your best shot, if You are Man enough, and bring my best friend back to life. I was so infuriated and ticked off, and upset, when I said it, that I had popped my claws out at Him and tried to threaten Him, and flipped Him off, with my middle claws. I don’t get it though, feeling badly over it now, still, and why, it’s so funny to…. Not you too, Nightcrawler! Why is it so funny? I still feel bad inside over it all.”
“As you should,” both Christians say, laughing.
“Uh, though I was supposed to be forgiven, when I got saved. Why is this still coming up, now, still, still feeling so badly over it?”
Sputter snickering, “Because as I said, you are still a little baby in the Lord. And God loves you so much, and He isn’t angry at or with you, even if what you said and did was naughty. You think any parent will be angry at their little one, when they flip them the bird, or in your case the claw? No. I’d say 95% of the time, it’s meaningless, babies and young kids don’t know the meaning of what they are saying, a babbled-out word, coming out a dirty word, or repeating a bad word, or doing, what defiantly raised middle finger means. Sure, it’s rude, but it’s also funny.
“Guess it took me a long time to realize, I did get my proof, God does exist, and He did answer my prayer, and did bring you back to life. Just, not, how I ever wanted it to happen. I wanted to see you raised up, or something other than what you went through. I never would have prayed it that way, not to let you suffer so much, just to get you back.”
“Heh, usually doesn’t, go the way you would like it. But God knows best, there was and is still a reason. I don’t think what or how you prayed made me go through the suffering I did. You prayed out of your pain and despair, it was a broken honest, yes angry, and disrespectful prayer, but God heard it, and responded to the challenge, because at that point, you needed to, like me, change.”
“You are hilarious.”
“My last thoughts were, you are still safe, alive, and my last prayer before I thought I was done for was, God, please let this or some other way, save his soul. I’m so happy to learn Nightcrawler lead you to the Lord, my prayers were answered, so, mission accomplished. I had been praying you would be saved for so long. Since we knew each other and found out you didn’t really believe in God.”
“But it was more Nightcrawler who resparked what little faith I used to have in God. It’s kind of unfair, if you did all the hard work, that Nightcrawler finishes it off what you sigh couldn’t. I’m sorry. It should have been you.”
“Don’t be, I love you, and I am happy to know you are saved, that’s all that matters, not who brought you to the Lord. I did what I need to do and could do in the time I had.”
“Ah, so was it my words that helped, and if so, what ones? Or, perhaps something else?”
“The Bible, you gave me, and marked passages. Didn’t make much sense the first time I read it. “I will give thanks to You, oh, Lord, for though You were angry with me, Your anger turned away, and You comforted me. I will trust, and will not be afraid. It started after I read that passage in the Bible Kurt marked for me, I prayed, God, if You are real, I just need to know if You really exist, so I know, and I want You, if You are really real, like Kurt has You in his life, like that. Just, prove it to me, in some way, somehow, if You are real or not. If so, then You need to reassure me, that You care and love me, and, forgive me. Mutant or not.”
“So…did He answer your prayer?”
“Gambit wanted to go to France and all I wanted to do was stay in the hotel when uh, Gambit and Rogue went off to be alone, or do whatever. I just, I guess waiting, maybe, where is it, the sign, as I laid on the bed, reflecting, but couldn’t stay, I needed to get out of the hotel room, something was, just drawing me… There was a church, ha, ironically, just restored, ha, after your Monastery had been burned down and destroyed in the fire. In France, I saw a newspaper, that this church had been restored and open today. Eglise restoree ouverture aujourd’hui. Restored Church opening today. So, I went to have a look, and I took your advice to see the world through different eyes. We blew it, a house of God, destroyed by sin and fire, by a man of God, yet, with a different house, had one, been restored. One burned down, and one open on the day we arrived in France. I read it the second time, and the words hit, hard, different, like I couldn’t see them well, but now, whoa, my eyes opened up, they meant something. Here I am in a restored church, and I finally get it. As if to remind me, that horrible memory of what I prayed for you to be brought back, it was answered. Then I felt bad.”
“That was no coincidence. That was preordained God at work, getting you saved. Also, your proof He exists.”
“I agree with Morph, that was no coincidence. I have been in contact with my brothers, and good news. My old Monastery home is almost been restored as well. Restored and better than it was. Every mistake and sin committed, can be fixed, and be changed for the better, every mistake He turns around to make it good, for He is Good.”
“Yeah, I can agree, my life has been a lot better and more meaningful now that I have been saved, plus I got the peace I had been looking so hard for in my life.” Morph nods with an ‘uh-huh’ to go with it. “Just, uh, if you had a do-over, would you have done anything different? I would have made sure Cyclops let me go after you and Beast, and stay in sight of Rogue, to make sure she doesn’t knock me out with her powers. You, if you had a do-over, would you have done anything differently?”
“Yeah, one important thing.”
“What?”
“Start walking.” A few steps off, changes to their old face and form, and old voice, “Wolverine, pull back!” In their old form and voice, pushes him over and runs past and reverted to their true or base form, and stops, and shifts open their chest area and reforms and drops to the floor.
“What the heck, Kevin?”
“Should have pushed you out of the way, in my human passing form, then reverted to my true form. Or reverted to my true form before pushing you out of harms way in my natural form. Either way, I wouldn’t have gotten hurt, or not as badly, and heal myself, if I had been in my natural form. Rather than in my human passing male from, which is more vulnerable to injury. You would have avoided the nightmares, and I would have not met or gone through what I did. But…if it was the only way to get you saved. Or at the very least, pass out, and be left behind for a bit, and by the time ya left, I would heal up enough to get Beast and make our way home.”
Groaning and rubbing a hand down his face. “Should talk to Bishop about that, see if it is possible that would change anything significant maybe you can not go through what you did. Might be ticked off at Scott for a while, we both would be, but would be a better future. Problem is, how would you know to be in your real form, or change back to it, after pushing me out of the way? You weren’t exactly willing to show any of us your real form.”
“Same as you, trying to make sure you don’t get drained by Rogue, and making Scott see sense to let you go back for me and Beast. Haven’t figured that part out yet. Also, can you blame me? Or my parents, to look human passing, when I go outside? I was only obeying the rule, only to forget the other side of the rule, hmm, to be myself when safe at home, or my second home, and with my family, or second family. I, it just got complacent, even comfortable, to be in that form. Only needed to rest in my natural form, if my stamina to hold that form was waning, or to heal if I were injured.”
“Kevin?”
“Yeah, my name, I’m ready now and want to be called by it now again. It’s just after what I went through by my abuser, Sinister, he would always use my name against me, to hurt me, and I really like my name, but I sure didn’t after that. So, everyone needed to call me only Morph, until I was ready. So, with Sinister truly gone and powerless and old shrivelled prune that got ate and hopefully pooped out, I want to be called Kevin or Kev again, or any fun or cute nicknames you got for me. Uh, just to let you know, Jubilee already called dibs on calling me, Kevy, hee, hee, hee, hee, and you had better let her have it, or she will fight you for it.”
“Could it be? The Lord called me for intercessory prayer, for a brother in need and suffering. I would be woken up at strange times, or suddenly, I need to, we need to pray for Kevin, right now, my brothers and I would pray for Kevin, and it was my pleasure to do so. However, I knew it would be far more effective to pray for Kevin, in Tongues, and lo and behold, I asked and received it. Could I please know your last name?”
“Sure, of course, it’s Sydney, it’s the y spelling S-Y-D-N-E-Y.”
“Oh, my Lord, I had hoped one day, maybe I would meet you, I had figured it would be in Heaven, but here you are, an X-Man, and we are brothers, and more importantly, brothers in the Lord. How funny, Lord You are, my mother is a shapeshifter, and you are one as well, ah, Lord, such wonderful humour. Stay right here, be right back.” BAMF!
“What’s that all about?”
“I…no way, I… when it was, activated, before my will was gone…”
BAMF! “Here it is, Kevin Sydney, and this is the date I started to pray for you. Does it mean anything to you?”
Choking and tearing over, nodded, “Yes, that’s when I found out, Sinister, really lived up to his name, and how he could hurt me, how much he could lie and make me believe the lies he fed me were the truth. That was the date, he activated the mind-control device in my head. Before I blacked out in pain, I prayed to God for help. Thank you for answering that prayer, and not being burdened every time I needed it.”
“It was no burden for me, nor my brothers, for the Lord’s burden is light.”
“And full of light, it was your prayers what kept me sane enough to keep looking up to see the light, and keep hoping and praying when and what I could, that I would make it through, and I did. Let me guess, last prayer intercessory was after we landed in different timelines.”
“Yes, that was it, the last one. I had thought, you may have passed.”
“I did, passed the test, refined by the fire. I’m me again, and free. I prayed, God, when am I going to be done with this? When am I going to be… me again, and not be in pain? I thought I was losing Logan, and I realized, I would never be like I was, before I was, so hurt, but I wanted it to be.”
“Heard him crying, and I reached out and gripped his hand, ‘Kev, Kevin Sydney, I’m here, I’m not going anywhere, not without you. I’m fighting for ya, I’m winning, say a prayer for me, for the strength for healing.’”
“I did, and heard, ‘look up,’ I looked up, we landed and were resting under a coconut tree. So, I climbed up, and picked a few, and opened one up and gave him the milk and meat, it helped his healing factor to work.”
“Get what you need, for evidence gathering. Ditching my Jeep here in the trees, and we’re walking in, and will be flying out soon over the ocean. Look around, there are plenty of lovely trees, so go find a thirsty one, and take care of it, Syd, I’ll do the same. Even if it’s a few dribbles. Get it out of your system.”
Knowing what Logan meant and always if given the opportunity, take it, even if it’s not much. Finding one that looked like it was in need of a drink and or fertilizer, sorted out their clothes, to deal with it, and started to do their business on the tree. “Ahh, yup, and did I tell you yet, I like being called Syd or Sydney better.”
“All right works for me, fits you a little better than Kevin, when you’re in your natural form.”
“Yup, but when I’m in my male form Kevin or my nicknames it is, or Morph.”
“Morph, what the hell, what the heck are you doing?”
“Going pee.”
“Yeah, but why are you holding up your pants, like that, while you go? Those old pants of yours not fit right anymore, or what? And why aren’t you not holding your…?”
“I’m not touching it. So, unless you can smell water around, I’m going semi freestyle, because it’s disgusting, not to wash one’s hands after relieving yourself.”
Smiling and half rolling his eyes, looking up, “All right, you win, that’s a perfectly reasonable explanation. You could just squat next time.”
“I could, but I’m a male right now, and I like to pee standing up.”
“Uh-huh, and I’m sorry to inform you, Sidney, who is human, and whose name is the ‘I’, spelling, that Kevin died, it was very tragic. He had warm brown eyes and brownish sometimes dark almost black hair.”
Shooting a look over, questioning, then got it. “Oh, I know, poor Kev, he will be missed.” Coming to a mutual understanding of what is to take place, hence earlier, that they may have to use their older looking face, but was better to switch things up, to look different. After finishing up, was handed a mini camera and recording device. “Ahhhh, much better, a happy bladder is an empty one, and this guy hates having a full one, makes things a bit more uh difficult to change out of one’s um… uh… clothes, yeah, that’s it,” saying that with a wink.
Also winking back, he knew Morph didn’t like to shift on a full bladder, mentioning if it was full how it was difficult and painful at times to do so, and well, sometimes, they couldn’t really change to certain forms. “Especially when the button is stuck or zipper.”
“You’re telling me, and that was a good pee.”
“Was for me as well, needed that pee as well. It’s why I wanted you to go, don’t know for sure what we’re heading into and well, always a good idea, plus, if my guess is right, heading over an ocean. Make up some excuse, any will do. Get anything you can find, on who is working there at the old Weapon X Facility I was at, where I got my bones. Nick Fury, I respect the guy, but trust, sometimes, is not always the best with some agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Have been double-crossed. I can try to get some information out of him, but I doubt that he will have anything of useful interest to tell me. The computer is all yours, get what you can out of it.” That was it, that explained the nature break, and now Morph knew exactly what to do, to go take another ‘potty break,’ like a good boy, before leaving.
“You really think this is the best you can give me, for, espionage type evidence gathering? So, this is the best, your best idea to get information off of a computer at, S.H.I.E.L.D.?? You are so old. Might as well go back to the Savage Land, and wiping your wee-wee and bum-bum with leaves.” Tossing the floppy disc back at him, and going back to Logan’s Jeep and grabbing a few things and stashing it on their person. “Fortunately, I came here prepared, unlike you, with the proper equipment.” The two friends walked off. In sight of the building Morph changed up their face and soon how they were walking, giving the air of, desperate emergency, the I gotta go, really badly, look, and slight squirm in their gaits long before approaching the guy with a patch over his eye. “Uh. Unh-uh. Chimed in. Breakfast drink. Need to go.”
A smirk, okay, that will do, and had they not just emptied out, would have believed him. “Hmm, yeah. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. Been here before, they have one.”
“Good, not going to wait too long.” Whispering mouthing it knowing Logan will hear it. “Opposite you.” (I’ll try to be quick. Take your time.)
“Mmhmm.” By the time he was in sight, Morph was hamming it on. Even adding the slight whimpers winces and slight air sucking through teeth sounds. Just to make it convincing.
“Logan.”
“Fury. You, okay? Oh?”
“Who is your friend?” He had the I need to go look, or he was worried about something, possibly, that, an accident.
“Ally of mine, came to help. Knows how to fly a chopper, or any other aircraft, will be my pilot or copilot.”
“I see.”
“Only with that one good eye.” Morph in their human passing form, their old face, and old voice, with a few changes. Namely, dirty blond rather than dark brown hair, and dawned their sickly hairdo, as in a bit messy, and long, but certainly not unkempt. With it, blue-green eyes rather than brown, as they grimace. “Should lay off the coffee in the morning, tends to do funny things to me, and some don’t appreciate it, namely my weird sense of humour, I have, sorry. Tend to have foot in mouth problems. Also have another problem because of all that, coffee.”
“Apparently, ha, ha, ha, ha, don’t worry, I do have a sense of humour. Caught a grenade in the air, and threw it back, but as it exploded, I got hit with some shrapnel in my eye. I was taken to the med bay, to be looked after. But rather than trying to get it removed and try to save my eye, I kept fighting when I could have and should have gotten the shrapnel removed from my eye. So, I lost my sight in that eye. I see, now, why that was a big mistake. Could have very possibly saved my eye.”
“Sorry anyhow, if it offended.”
“I wasn’t, and now you know. You know why I called you here, Logan. However, there was a secondary reason, I called you here. I have two big problems. That I need to discuss with you in private.”
“Got one to two questions. Does any of this involve me? If so, do you think I need to know, or should be privy to.”
“Uh, no, may have concern, for your friend, but that’s about it, and that will be up to Logan if he wants to tell you about it. None of it involves you, whoever you are, whatsoever. What’s the other question?”
“Where are the facilities? I really need to go, and hear we may be heading over the ocean. Last thing anyone wants is worrying about the ocean you are trying to hold back, while flying over one, and the constant, reminder, of the natural tides crashing against the shore,” giggling. “Should lay off the coffee. Had one cup too many, if you know what I mean.”
“Funny friend you got there. That’s an amusing polite way of asking for the restroom, or making sure to use one, before leaving. Got any gifts, and a name?”
“Yeah, Sidney, it’s I spelling, and his gift to the world, is he makes me laugh, a lot. Met in a bar and struck up a friendship.”
“Logan bought me a few rounds too many, and I got wasted out of my mind and did and said some things, I am, not proud of. But I got a few free drinks and got a friend out of it in the end, so… so worth it.”
“Ha, ha, ha, ha, and so was that lap dance you gave me, wearing a lampshade, it was the funniest thing ever, and cutest thing ever watching your sloppy drunk self, meowing for pets and cuddles. Then poor sad you, begging me, to, ‘take me home, with you, I need lots of loving right now.’ Oh, ha, ha, ha, you were so cute.” Laughing at the very idea, the best Logan could come up with on the spot, to Morph being overly drunk. It was also somehow something that he could picture Morph doing, powers or no powers. Just one of those weird, funny things Morph would do, pretending to be drunk, just for fun, and do a dirty lap dance, just for the shits-and-giggles.
Slight shift just to tint their cheeks a little pink then to a rosy hue nearly red, toped with a mortified look and facepalming, “Oh, God, don’t remind me! Thinking he’s holding it over my head, to get me to come here.” Laughing a ha, ha, laugh, winces crosses a leg, even went to far as grabbing his crotch. “Oh, don’t laugh now Sid, not a good idea, right now. I really need to go.”
“I’ll show you, it’s in here, and good idea, make sure you empty out as well, Logan, but we’ll set you both up with a urinal jug you can use. A few hours over an ocean, could get anyone feeling the need.”
“So, what’s this problem about?”
“Hydra, and you are not going to like it one bit, what they did.”
“Hydra, you know my run-ins and dealings with Hydra, in the past, so how did you get involved with them, or find out about, whatever?”
“One of their fun little side projects just so happened to crash a party at S.H.I.E.L.D. That’s how we found out.”
“Heard there was free booze at this party, and was hoping to score some free drinks?”
“Wish it was that, Sidney, a sloshed party crasher, is far easier to deal with than that menace who showed up uninvited. But no, this side project was looking for information on, you, Logan and your X-Men friends.”
“Heard everything about the X-Men, from Logan, I wish I had cool powers, that would be neat.”
“So, if you could pick a power, what would you pick?”
“I don’t know. Healing myself might be good, so I don’t get sick, but if it’s anything like Logan’s then it sucks if you want to get drunk, because you could only get lightly buzzed. Might be good trade off, to not have a hangover. Oh, oh, ooh, flying! That would be a cool and fun power to have. I have had dreams of flying. That would be my power, flying.”
“Men’s room is right there.”
“Oooh, couldn’t be any sooner, I’m busting.” Already unzipping their pants and putting a hand inside, to make the act look convincing, as they head inside. “Look out urinal, here I come!”
Heading to the conference room down the hallway. “What’s going on, Nick? It’s more than just Hydra, isn’t it?”
“Double whammy for you, Logan. Know this, we are doing what we can, to not let it happen, but you will need to have a backup plan in mind, for about 3 or so weeks from now.”
Meanwhile, inside the men’s restroom: Morph immediately assessing the situation, 3 empty toilet stalls, and for their mark, one guy, at the 6 urinals, so perfect, and they made their move. Easy, basic, normal, casual, different voice, zipped up their pants, “Oooh, boy, do I gotta go,” glancing at the guy at a urinal, the guy was not looking at all, at them, problem, but not really a problem. Just needed to see his face, even for a second. Stepping it up, slightly gross, and mildly inappropriate, “Here’s to hoping for a peegasm, they’re almost as good as having sex.”
Morph walks out of the restroom, and looks around then out of the door and looks up at the surveillance camera, and clasps his cheeks in shock before jumping up and yielding a katana and slicing the surveillance camera, and making quick work of the other ones in similar fashion. Morph even mooned the one camera, shaking his heinie a few times and slapping it, and kissing his hand and slapping his derrière, before yanking up his drawers and jumping up and taking it out!
“Uh, sir, we seem to have a….”
“Not now, I’m with Logan.”
“But sir, this is important, it’s…”
“Then take care of it, yourselves, what am I paying you agents for? Do your jobs!”
“Yes, sir!”
Trying hard not to smile, thinking, ‘Morph, I do have to wonder what you are getting up to.’
“Finally, my minions, we are here, at the nest, the honeypot, the hive, and the sweet, sweet, sweetness. Now before I dig in and lose all my teeth digging into the nectar, or a mouthful of cavities, there’s one last thing to do.”
“Where is Deadpool?”
“Deadpool? Oh, was he wearing a red suit, kind of, bee eyes. Sorry, Fury, he left already. He sends his regards though. By the way, your agent, is a filthy pig, who doesn’t wash his hands after using the toilet or urinal. I’m talking, both ends. That’s a fireable offence, right? Please tell me that’s a fireable offence. If it isn’t, it really needs to be. Even Deadpool knows the importance of basic hygiene in the bathroom.”
“Logan, do you smell him here.”
Sniffing the air a few times. “No, but he was here, but took off. What the heck he was doing here, I don’t know.” Side-eyes Morph. Enough to say, you better have a damn good explanation for this. Thing is, it was no lie, Deadpool, was here, but Logan had a feeling, it was more than just that.
“I think he just stopped by to use the restroom and say hi to a few old friends of his, he hasn’t seen in a while. Needed to catch-up with a friend of his and take care of some, personal business. With that nasty agent of yours. Who doesn’t wash their hands after using the bathroom, especially in a public restroom?” Shudders, “Ick.”
Sighing, “You know, for once, I’m going to let Wade handle things, I just pray he doesn’t kill the guy, before I have my chance with him. In the meantime, let’s get you fitted for some flight suits.”
“All right, up high enough, okay, it’s safe now.” Morph returns to their natural form. “Rest up your powers, heal up, do whatever you need to do to muster your strength, you may need it later. Did you really have to do that back there?”
“Yes, I did, Peanut.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Well, Wade told me to call you, Peanut, Logi Bear.”
“What the hell happened back there? You were supposed to get me evidence, something on who’s working at….”
“Went in to ‘potty’ I.E. find my mark and the guy was in there alone, perfect, but refused to turn around so I could see his face to transform into him. Started off casual, gotta go, then slowly escalated. Did and said what I could to get a rise out of him so he would look at me. Then he made the remark of how I remind him of the merc with a mouth. Oh, Deadpool, I know him, I can work with this, and he nearly walked off without washing his hands. So, I acted nutso, and had some fun with the guy, as only Deadpool can, and the real Deadpool, can come and handle the rest. By the way,” handing him a USB, “I was right, no floppy drive, really old version or newer version, did have a CD drive but USB drives are way faster for copying things over, and storing discreetly.”
“Guess I am old-school; I’ll remember that to bring a writeable CD and USB.”
“Mhmm. Here, let me help you with that,” and after a quick antivirus scan, brings up the files that they found. “There you go, I recognize that guy, Sabretooth, and her, Lady Deathstrike, but she seems like she would be an old girlfriend of yours. Gee, how did I know that? Could it be the hair?”
“Morph.”
Raising a brow, “Where we headed to, and why?”
“Weapon X Facility so I can get my Adamantium back.”
“Please tell me you are developing a whacky sense of humour and are joking! Not to mention the fact your sworn enemy and an old love interest, itching for payback, are waiting for you, possibly, and you want to get your Adamantium back?!”
“I’m not. I’m also not joking. I’m aware of the crazy situation we are going into, hence why I need your help in there, because, crazy or not, I need it back in my body. You were there taking care of me. You knew what I nearly became. If it weren’t for you being there, and helping me through it, and Jean’s help again, I would have become more animalistic than I became.”
“If that’s who you are, then I accept it, and so should you. I just am questioning why you would want to go through what you did, again, when you don’t need to. Possibly walking into a trap there to do it. You still get nightmares, if it’s anything like what I went through.”
“It’s different yet nearly the same. The first time around, it was done to me, not under my will, therefore, nightmares, had I had my will, it would not have been bad. May have even agreed to it, willingly. But like you, I had stuff done to me, against my will, and did things that were against my will. My senses are hyper keen, I am too overstimulated; yeah, it’s great, to a point.”
“Good thing I took a shower then, so I at least smell nice for you.”
“You always smell nice to me, your scent is very natural, and I love it, it’s a scent that calms me down.”
“Wow, nice to know that. So, uh, the others?”
“I’m used to them. But my senses are too elevated. Imagine smelling the worst smell you can or hate, and then smelling it nearly constantly. It’s why I have to get it back in me, at least some of it. When I had the Adamantium in my body, my body was always healing itself so yes, so I can smell things, but it was toned down to a tolerable level. I need it back in me for more than one reason. At the very least, getting enough to put it back in my arms, so my bone claws are covered in it.”
“Okay, fine, I’ll help you get it back in you. As long as you, for sure, are truly willing, to go through that again. Are you?”
“Yes, very willing I am willing and want it back, partly or fully like before.”
“But how do you even know there is any Adamantium left to use?”
“There has to be, I know, because some of it was used, sigh, on my clone daughter, X-23.”
The helicopter, dipped slightly before Morph got control again. “Your what?!”
“Clone daughter. That was one of the things Nick Fury wanted to speak to me about, in private. It came to his attention, that Hydra had my DNA on file, and tried to clone me a few times to make the perfect weapon but every one of them failed. Until they realized, just using XY DNA wasn’t going to cut it, and required XX DNA too, to work. The other reason was the clones never had my healing factor. So, no Adamantium bonding. Someone in Hydra agreed to the semi natural cloning process, by taking all of my DNA they wanted, and needed, namely my healing factor, and enhanced senses, and they combined it with the female mother’s DNA they found useful, and she gestated her. So yeah, biologically mine, clone daughter. Wish I had known about her sooner, because they treated her like a weapon, not a person, and after getting her powers, to heal, put her through it. She was hardly old enough to go through it when she did. If I ever find out who did that, the cloning part, they will be in a heap of hurt. I did not sign up for being cloned. As for whoever put X-23 through the Adamantium bonding process, is going to die, if I ever find out who did it, not unless she did it completely willingly. Even so, someone needs to pay for that. Possibly with their life, or significant pain and suffering. Or permanent dismembering.”
Patting his leg, “This, here, is called, righteous anger, or righteous indignation, good anger, in control anger, anger that will get things done. So, what was the other thing Nick Fury had to talk to you about that concerned me as a friend?”
“Part of it was finding out about my clone daughter, but it was the other thing. Just a question, if, you are willing to, if need be, can you look after her, um… Laura, it’s what I’m naming her, if she doesn’t have a proper name, can you look after her? You know, if we find her. I will need you to look after her, at least until I can figure something out.”
“Of course, I’d be happy to look after her, I’m practically Jubilee’s uncle. Are you taking off? Why don’t we take off together after this, as a family? You can bond with your daughter and I can get to know her better, have fun, lots of it.”
“I would love to, but therein lies the big problem. So, I have to go find some place in Alberta to live.”
“What, why Alberta?”
“It was where I was born.”
“Yeah, you mentioned that once, I remember that. So…why there, nostalgia?”
“No, that’s where they are deporting me in 3 to 4 weeks, back to where I was born.”
“What?! Say what?! They can’t do that!”
“They can, because I’m not a legal citizen of the USA, no matter how long I’ve lived here. Plus, they probably can’t find my records of my birth and all that, or any working Visa or Green Card I may have had. Nick is looking into it to try to keep me here, somehow. But warned me to think of a backup plan, just in case. If he can’t secure it in time, sigh, I go willingly, or by force, and by force, I mean…”
“I get the picture. Can’t you get another Visa or Green Card?”
“Huh, yeah, that costs money, not so much the issue, but I have to take a test, to become an American, one I probably will fail. Huh, and even if by some miracle, I do pass the test, the way the damn government works, would probably just take my money, and not let me live here. Real screwed up society we live in.”
“There has got to be another way.”
“Yeah, there is one other way, I can live here legally, as James Howlett, or Logan Howlett.”
“How? If there’s anything, anything at all…we have to try something.”
“Maybe, but only if I become, James or Logan, Sydney, cause, if I’m changing a name, it’s going to be to your last name.”
The penny dropped and Morph looks over at Logan, “Geez! Could have at least bought me a drink first! With a ring in the bottom of it. I must admit that, that is not exactly how I ever expected to be proposed to. Or the other way around, how I would do it.”
“So…if I do get a ring, and do something romantic, maybe come up with something sappy and romantic to say to you, would you…say yes?”
“Hmmm…let me think about it.”
Minutes passed. Please tell me that Morph is screwing around with me, for fun. “Well…what do you need to think about?”
“How many times you will cheat on me with Jean?”
“None, never. I was in love with her, yes, but I’m not anymore, haven’t been for years. I realized that more so, when Jean, the real Jean kissed me. I was shocked and surprised, she kissed me, and that there was, nothing there, I felt, nothing for her, how I figured I should. Fact was I felt guilty, even though she was the one who kissed me. Because I had already made up my mind, it was you I wanted, but didn’t think you wanted me. Huh, the weirdest thing is, I felt more from giving slash receiving la bise, (the kiss, air cheek kiss/es) from Remy, and that’s just air kisses. That’s when I absolutely knew for sure, we were done, I don’t love her like that. I don’t know what the word is for the love I have for her, but it ain’t romantic love.”
Scoffing, “Sure, then what was the whole thing about calling out to her, all about, when you were nearly half-dead after getting the Adamantium ripped out of you?”
“I was dying, or thought I was, or might be, or the rest of you may not make it. Didn’t exactly know what was happening, just knew, whatever it is, it isn’t good.”
“You called out to Jean.”
“Yes, and you changed into her, could hear you shapeshifting, and told me as her, that you love me, and to stay with you. I was fighting for you, Kevin, not Jean. My senses were enhanced, but working on healing me. So, I did smell Jean possibly there, as it was stronger than normal, like she was possibly still there, but I wasn’t sure. So, I said it verbally and telepathically to be sure it gets through.”
“Why?”
“Duh, for the same reason, you did, to tell you, I love you. Not just for you, but all of you, but you especially. My biggest regret was not saying that, before, or being able to say that. That horrible night. I wanted to make sure everyone knew, you especially, that I love you all. Remind me, to say it more often, we all need to, in our business.”
Tearing over hand across their mouth, just had to be sure. Mostly because Logan didn’t say anything. Or, perhaps, he didn’t need to. “Jean, it’s Kevin, did Logan contact you before we went through time? If so, what did he say, or ask you, or want you to do?”
“He wanted to let you and everyone on the team, know he loves you all, you especially, Kevin, he loves you more than you know. If this was, it, it was wonderful working with all of you. I didn’t send that message to you because I didn’t feel I needed to, since you were right there with him, and told Logan so. So, he could tell you in person. Plus, after what you have been through, I respected your boundaries of not using my telepathic powers on you, unless it’s an emergency, or if it’s needed, or consent was given. Maybe I still should have. Just to be sure.”
“It’s all right, now I know, and now know, thanks.”
“Kev? I love you more than just being friends, it was just, hard on me, cause, you being a male and well, it’s, I never knew for sure if you loved me back, that way. I know you are male presenting, and maybe you really truly are, or not, or chose it. I don’t know. But all I know, is it’s different with you as well, being able to change things. Heck even that one time, I came to visit you after being away for a few weeks your hormones smelled…off, more female. Threw me for a loop. Still smelled exactly like you, but as far as hormones go, you smelled more female, than male.”
“That’s because I was at the end and had finished running an experiment on myself, a personal one, I wanted to know, and Moira was curious about it too, and wanted to find out as well.”
“Which was?”
Chuckling, “Let’s just say, for those weeks you were away, I took advantage of knowing you were not coming to visit me, and uh, changed, forms, and with it all, I changed in a different way, from being, a young girl, to becoming, a mature woman.”
“You mean…”
“Oh, yeah, had my very first, menstrual period! Now I know, 95% sure I can get pregnant. Also, if it was anything like what I learned, I can’t completely change back as in to a human passing form nor my base form. I can still shapeshift, but something’s won’t change over, it’s locked in. I knew this is true, because, I tried and Moria used an ultrasound to confirm it, even though I knew instinctually, my full blood lined uterus, and ovaries were still there. Both in my male form, and base form. So, if I do ever get pregnant, no worries, I’m locked in, some things like that, get locked in, until finished naturally, or get unlocked, somehow.”
“So, uh, are you are okay with us getting married, and me taking your last name?”
“Absolutely, I will marry you, because I love you and am in love with you, and no, not just because you need a Green Card.”
“Ditto, right back at you. May I, may we…can we uh…finally um?”
“Feel like I have been waiting forever for this moment, you better believe we can. And I’m not waiting for the wedding night to kiss you.” No more awkward hesitation, they let their hearts and their emotions show, with tears in their eyes, their lips met in a soft slow kiss, and slowly sped up to a hungrily needy passionate embrace and kiss and hungrily started exploring each other’s mouths. In a moaning, sigh, momentarily coming up for air Morph stretched an arm out to look feel for and switched on the autopilot, and they resumed the steamy smooches. “Oh! Hee, hee, hee, hee, oh my goodness, someone needs some help. Better help said someone before he loses it.”
“Kev, I uh, sorry?”
Laughing loudly, “Don’t you dare say sorry, to me, quit being so darn, Canadian, you are going to be an American, real soon. Don’t think I don’t have a problem, right now, too, similar to yours?”
Looking down yes, there it is, “Oh, uh, so…um…?”
“So, miles high up, we’re on autopilot, so we’re safe, and we got some time to kill, before we get to where we need to go. So, the question is, do you want to join the Mile High Club, or not?”
“As if you have to ask.”
“I did; I have to make sure it is consensual. I want to, do you want to?”
“Better believe I do want to, feel like it’s been forever….”