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.

Also, 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.

Also, I apologize for how much I've been out of the loop with my postings, but this past semester of school whooped my ass. I'm still in it to win it, though. Also, 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.

Thanks, and on with the story.

Tales of a Young Mutant

Chapter 36: The Morlocks

I knew that it probably wouldn't be a good time to talk to Xavier, since he was busy with the relays of information between the teams of the wars. I decided instead to try and find Evan myself using my mini-Cerebro as a guide. I went out the mansion's front door and utilized my telekinesis to fly myself into the air, high above the clouds, hoping that the scrambler equipment that Hank installed in my suit worked against any radars that may have been activated against me.

Unfortunately, I'd have had better luck hoping that I wouldn't explode if I swallowed a bomb. I had gotten somewhat close to where Evan's location was, when suddenly he dropped off Cerebro's scanner. Like he suddenly dropped off Cerebro's scanner. Which could possibly have meant---

No, Josh! Think positively. I told myself. He's probably being held captive, and isn't dead. Yet. Way to think positive, hombre. I decided to fly faster, so that hopefully I could diffuse whatever problem had developed and bring my brother safely home.

"Uh. . .no!" I replied, then sped off in the direction of where I last sighted Evan. The sentinel was in hot pursuit. My danger sense went off, and I flew upward as a plasma blast from the sentinel passed by me. I looked back as the sentinel got ready to fire again. I flew to my right as that beamed passed me. This shit was not going to fly. I had been in training for a couple weeks. I decided that I'd use some of what I'd learned. I decided to let my Phoenix flare out from me and show itself some. My wings spanned 50 feet to either side of me. With my powers heightened, I concentrated on moving the air around the sentinel at inhuman speeds, eventually trapping it in a tornado. The rate in which I was generating wind and moving air was causing static buildup, which I increased so that lightning bolts were developing too. Within a couple minutes time, the Sentinel had been ripped to shreds.

"Now that that's settled." I said to myself as I sped off to where Evan was located. I came to a darkened alleyway, where his signal disappeared. The thing was, there was nowhere that he could have possibly escaped to. I sniffed the air for his scent and followed it up and down the dead-end alley. It finally came to stop at a sewer lid. Using my telekinesis, I moved the cover aside, then put it back as I descended into the sewers.

The first thing I had to say was. . .Ew! I tried again to engage my Cerebro, but once again I came of with nothing. I followed Evan's scent up the sewer. As I traveled, I noticed that his wasn't the only scent that continued up the sewer as I went. Which began to confirm my fears that he had indeed been taken captive. While I walked, however, something inside me fell. It seemed as if something died inside of me. I tried to push it aside and figure out what it was later.

As I continued up the sewer, my danger sense came up again. I heard a wooshing sound cut the air. I ducked as something passed over my head. I stood and turned around and was met with a kick to the stomach. I hunched over and looked up. I saw a woman, who I was able to see had long black hair, an eye-patch over one eye, and a respectable build. She wore a white tank top, which had seen better days, and black leather pants, with black boots. One of which connected with my face as she performed a backflip. I staggered back into the wall behind me as she kicked at me again. I caught her foot and pushed her away. She staggered, then came back at me again. I ducked the next punch that she threw, then blocked the next. When she punched again, I sidestepped, then caught her arm and pulled it behind her back. I then tried to push her into the wall, but she jumped and kicked up the wall, flipping over me. I anticipated this and held fast to her arm, catching the back of her neck and flipped her onto her back. I then used my to lift her up off the ground.

"Where is he?!" I shouted.

"Where's who?" she grunted in reply.

"Tell me!!" I shouted, using my hand to close my telekinesis around her throat. "Where's Evan?! My cousin, Evan, where is he?!"

"Josh! Put her down!" I turned to see Evan. He was in jeans and tennis shoes, but wore no shirt, and for good reason. . .he had spike forming an armor-plating over his chest and shoulders, as well as his forearms.

I released my grip on her and tried to hug my cousin, who unfortunately backed away from me.

"NO, I mean, no, please, not now." Evan said.

"Evan, I. . .what happened?"

"My powers went out of control, so I ran away from the house. Then I got attacked by a Friends of Humanity squad. The Morlocks saved me."

"Morlocks?" I said, puzzled.

"Yeah. Morlocks." the woman said in a somewhat raspy voice as she massaged her throat.

"Josh, this is Callisto. She leads the Morlocks." Evan said.

"So. You're `Ro's son. I'd recognize those blue eyes anywhere. You fight kinda like her, too." Callisto said.

"Thanks. Um. . .what are Morlocks?"

*****************

I followed Evan and Callisto through the sewers. What I saw astonished me. It was like a small city had formed underground, of about 200 of the more obvious mutants. I understood what the Morlocks were. These underdwellers had taken refuge underground, seeking those of their kind---those mutants that were obviously mutants, those whose powers and genetic structures produced obvious defects---skin abnormalities, oversized or undersized body parts, or even appearing more animal than human. One girl appeared to be paper thin. There was an old woman in the bunch, who I discovered was able to induce sleep on people.

Callisto led me and Evan to a corner of the large expanse so that we could talk in private.

"Why is it that you guys all live down here? Instead of at the mansion, being students at Xavier's?" I asked.

"We all know Xavier's mission. Mutants co-existing with baseline humans. A perfect world. No one here wants a part of that world. Look at them, Josh." she said, pointing at one girl in particular.

"Margie. Everyone calls her Mulch now."

"Why is that?" I asked. She looked probably the most normal of the whole bunch, save maybe Callisto. The only think off about the blonde teen was her pale skin color. She sat off to herself, laying down to go to sleep. Her hand touched some moss around her. The moss wilted, and turned to dust.

"Mulch's power is to drain the life out of any plant she touches." Evan said. "The sad thing is that the girl loves flowers. Her powers are also like Rogue's. She's got no way to control them."

"But Xavier teaches----"

"Xavier teaches mutants how to interact with baseline humans, and trains them to be superheroes saving them. These people don't want that. They're noticeably different." Callisto replied.

"But we've got people. . .Beast, Nightcrawler---"

"Beast wasn't born blue, and Nightcrawler grew up in a circus. They had places were they fit in. These kids don't." replied Callisto. "All they've ever known of baseline humans is that they're mean and want them dead. We Morlocks stay out of human affairs and keep to ourselves. We have a different hope."

"Of what?"

"That one day. . .humans will be in the minority, not the majority. That we'll be able to walk the earth and be free to intermingle with each other. Or that they'll be enough of us to have an underground city built. That we can have a safe haven all to ourselves. We're not like Magneto, or Mr. Sinister, who want to exploit mutants into world take over. We simply want to be left alone."

"Wait, hold on, what do mean Mr. Sinister?" I said. "You know of him?"

"Sinister's been trying to delete the Morlocks from the face of the earth. There were many factions all over the U.S., but they've faded with the Marauders' attacks."

"The Marauders are a group of mutant clones of Sinister that he uses to assassinate the lesser mutants." Evan said before I could ask.

"But why---" I almost asked, but I already knew. Apocalypse's goal is to take over the earth, and make it all mutants. Mutants like those in the brotherhood would probably be embraced by him since they want to take charge, but the Morlocks would be considered gutter trash, and not worthy of life.

"I understand." I said as I rose to my feet. I then looked to Evan. "C'mon, let's go."

"Sorry, but I'm not going anywhere." he replied.

"Look, Evan, these people really don't have anyone else but themselves. You've got me, your mother and father, your aunt and uncle---"

"You really think that my mother and father want a freak like me to come home to them? Look at me! I can't undo any of this---this mess of bone around me."

"Evan, this isn't your family!"

"It is now!" he said. "Now I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Tell Auntie O I said I love her. But I'm going to have to pass on returning to the mansion."

"Evan----I----"

"Callisto!" A hoarse voice rasped. We turned to the voice's owner, a pale, muscled young man.

"What is it Caliban?"

"Who is he?" I asked Evan.

"Caliban has the power to detect mutants, as well as cloak their signatures, hence why you probably had a hard time finding me." replied Evan as he rose to his feet.

"Callisto, I've just detected incoming mutant signatures. Seven of them. They're quite powerful."

"Oh God." Callisto said.

"What?" I asked.

"It's Sinister's Marauders." She said. "Arclight, Blockbuster, Harpoon, Riptide, Scramber, Vertigo, and Scalphunter. We've got to get ready to run!" She said. "Evan, you, Marrow, and Caliban start getting the children to safety. I will try to hold them back. As she said this, a girl about a year younger than Evan came up. She had the same predicament as he, with bone scales covering her forearms, legs, chest, and eyebrows.

"We won't let you down." she said as she took Evan's arm. I felt the attraction between she and my cousin. The three of them began helping the Morlocks out.

"I'll help you." I told Callisto.

"Thanks, but you really need to get out of here." said Callisto. "I don't want Storm's wrath on me if you get killed."

"I don't die very easily." I replied. We heard a loud noise. Both of us got into a ready stance. All of the Morlocks had been escorted into a tunnel connecting to this underground room that would lead to safety.

Through the way that I arrived here, four figures stepped out. The first was a female, of a slim muscular build and short black hair, whom from Callisto`s thoughts turned out to be Arclight. She wore a black jumpsuit. Next was a male with a black jumpsuit, an average build, and shoulder length brown hair, named Harpoon. Next was Scrambler, who like the others was dressed in black. He was shorter than the others, and slightly over weight. The last was a man wearing a black suit, covered in mechanical parts. His shoulder pads, arm gauntlets, boots, and chest plate on his jumpsuit seemed made of technological parts, who was identified as Scalphunter.

"Where's the rest of them?" asked Callisto, confused.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!" came the scream from up thee escape tunnel.

"Oh God." I said aloud. "Callisto, go see to them. I can handle these four." I said.

"Handle us?" Scalphunter said. "We'll see about that." As he talked, he placed his hand over his chest plate. Part of the chest plate pulled apart and glowed as it changed into a laser pistol, which he began to fire at us. The both of us back flipped out of the way. I hit him with a telekinetic blast, sending him into a wall. Callisto's backflip carried her to the exit tunnel. She looked back at me.

"Just go! I'll be fine." I said. As she left, I turned my attention back to the Marauders.

"You've got nice powers. Let's see how they handle me!" said Scrambler. His hand glowed a strange orange color as he blasted at me with some of it. I backflipped out of the way, but he caught me with a blast on my landing.

"Aaargh!" I shouted out. I tried to retaliate with another blast, but was incapable of it. My powers had been cut off!"

"Get him!" Scrambler cried. Scalphunter tried to blast me. I ducked one shot, cartwheeled to avoid another, and ducked again under the third.

"I got him." said Arclight as she clapped her hands together. A wave of seismic energy hurtled at me, knocking me off balance. I fell to the ground and quickly rolled to avoid a volley of shots from Scalphunter.

"No, I got him." Harpoon said as he pulled some blades from his pocket. Then the objects began to glow a bluish color. I ran and flipped out of the way as he threw the blades, which exploded as they contacted the wall behind me. I felt my powers return to me. Harpoon threw three more blades at me. I caught them with my telekinesis and threw them back at him. Harpoon was not expecting this and the blades imbedded in him. Harpoon probably would have bled to death, had the blades not been charged, but since they were, his body exploded.

"Don't worry, I'll re-scramble him so we can take him!" Scrambler said as he charged another shot. "Get him off balance you guys!" he said to his remaining comrades.

Arclight sent a seismic wave through the ground, which I used my telekinesis to hover over. Scalphunter shot a blast at me, which I avoided. I kept dodging and avoiding blast from all three. I then got an idea. As Scrambler readied a new blast, I jumped and back-flipped right in front of his face, and right between he and Scalphunter. Scalphunter shot several shots, which missed me and hit Scrambler. Scrambler's blast was released just seconds before and while it missed me, it hit Scalphunter.

"NO!" Scalphunter screamed. I watched as he lost control over his powers. The technological parts of his costume, due to his powers, began to grow and spread over his body, even going through his body, and I could only imagine what was happening inside his body. Eventually, he fell over, dead with Scrambler.

"Yaaaaaaaa!!" shouted out Arclight as she ran at me. As she made it a foot or so in front of me, she jumped, spun, and kicked me in the face, in a movement so fast, that she almost snapped my neck. She then tried to punch me, but I caught her fist, then kicked her in the stomach. I then spun and pushed my elbow back, hitting her in the chest, sending her flying into a wall. She rolled with the impact, then leapt at me, flipping in the air, pulling out a blade as she went. I was ready for her, though. I formed my telekinesis into psi claws, and when she made it to me, I caught the arm with the blade, then forced my other arm with the claws into her chest. I feel backward with the weight of her body. Her eyes looked surprise before they fell into the sleep of death. I pushed her corpse off of me, then ran off through the tunnel to see how the others fared.

I came into another alcove and saw a very gruesome sight. I saw the body's of Vertigo, Riptide, and Blockbuster, Vertigo with a snapped neck, Riptide with a bone blade through his forehead, Blockbuster's huge muscular corpse with assorted blades through his body. However, the whole thing was still a disaster.

Other than a broken arm, Callisto was still okay. Marrow and Spyke seemed okay, too. Caliban seemed to be experiencing mental strain, probably at using some other psychic power. There did seem to be residue all over of psychic bolts. A young, pale green-skinned boy next to him looked frightened, and horrified. Besides them and Mulch, there were maybe another 20 of them alive. All the other Morlocks lay dead, either with large holes in their bodies, or by being cut to pieces. I could see the shuriken stars imbedded in most of them.

"It was a massacre." Callisto said to me.

"Vertigo used her powers to mess everyone up. Blockbuster began punching through people, while Riptide came in, spinning around and throwing those skin shuriken." said Marrow.

"If it weren't for Leach here, we wouldn't have survived." said Caliban, indicating the green boy.

"He used his powers to cut off those of Riptide and Blockbuster after Callisto arrived and snapped Vertigo's neck. From there it was easy." said Evan.

I nodded in understanding. I began to feel queasy. The turmoil and sadness was very prevalent in the room. "Evan, we've got to get everyone back to the mansion." I told him. Evan nodded and I used a communicator in my costume to contact Hank. A short time later, all of us boarded the Blackbird, piloted by Jean, and we rode back to the mansion.

I sat by my mother on the plane, wanting to, but not able to cry. Mom held my hand, and I leaned closer to her.

"All those people. Just killed. And all they wanted was to be left alone."

"I know she said. She seemed just as sad as everyone else. I could tell that there was something else on her mind, though. She looked at me, and must have seen the inquisitiveness on my face.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"Josh. . .I know you didn't know him very well, but. . .Blake Alexander, who had taken the codename Phoenix. . ."

"Yeah, I know who you mean."

"He died. He was fighting against a very powerful enemy. He gave his life for the sake of mankind." she said, pulling me into a hug.

I remembered the feeling in my stomach earlier, the feeling that something died. I felt now like I couldn't breathe. I know I didn't know him, but I felt that I had lost another brother. Seeing as how both of us had Phoenixes, I think we were.

I finally began to cry.

******************

So what did you guys think? Let me know, email all comments to me at either redrealityranger03@yahoo.com or redrealityranger02@hotmail.com. Later, gators!