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.

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 Highlander are owned by 20^th Century Fox.

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.

This story is a spin off from my main story, Tales of a Young Mutant, I won't reveal too much more than what the title has revealed already. Hopefully you all will like this one, too.

You can reach me at either of my addresses: jercolap@hotmail.com, redrealityranger02@hotmail.com, or whitephoenixranger@yahoo.com. The other email address I had is too full at this time, so please send comments to the above listed addresses.

Thanks, and on with the story.

Tales of an Immortal

Chapter Five: Reunion

I didn't know how to react at all. This had been a scenario that I had wanted to plan more for before being faced with it. Seeing my younger brother face to face, after he had killed me. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to say. "Hello, Joshie, I'm alive?" He probably thought that I could be Hades again, in which case I'd have to fight him until he believed me, if he could believe me. Or yet he'll hate me for not finding him, even though I wasn't ready yet.

I looked toward Remy, who kept looking back and forth between the two of us. He kept prompting me with his eyes, though, to say something, anything. Which I guess was my responsibility. I am after all the older brother, adoptive or not.

"Hi baby bro. How you been?" Kevin I finally said, looking toward the floor. I didn't know if I could stand to see his reaction, I didn't know whether or not he was angry, or what he was feeling. I didn't have any real psychic powers, though I could feel intense rage and hatred, which thankfully I wasn't feeling right now. It sucked that my powers were so perfect for evil doing.

"You're alive," he stated simply.

"Yeah, I am," I replied. Well, at least we have a conversation starting. I couldn't think of what to say next. I looked at Remy, to see if I was doing okay, and he gave me an encouraging smile, and I could feel myself smile nervously in response.

"How long? How long have you been alive?" That question completely sunk my confidence and hopes of this being a happy occasion.

I thought for a while, then replied "Since maybe 20 minutes or so after you killed me."

"And you didn't come back to Xavier's? You didn't come to try and find me. Why?"

I just looked down at the floor. I felt so guilty, I couldn't answer the question. Partly I didn't want to come back. But it wasn't because of him. Being near him, near Xavier and the X-men, I just...wasn't ready to be involved in the good vs. evil thing again, despite being one of the good guys now. I didn't even want to use my powers ever. I didn't see what good could come of my `gifts.' The more I dwelled on my reasons why, the more I began to feel guilty, and I began to truly wonder why I hadn't gone to New York with Carlos to find Joshua.

Then, to my surprise, Remy began to speak up in my defense. "Look, mon ami, give Kevin some time, he'll tell you—"

"Are you the reason why he didn't come back, Remy? You just drop Rogue like a bad habit and move on to the next person? That's it, isn't it? You used your charm power on my brother to persuade him to stay with you, so that he wouldn't come back home to me, isn't it?" he asked Remy, anger in his voice.

.

Oh my god!! "Is that true?!" I asked, looking at Remy, hoping beyond hope. But it made sense. I couldn't see why I'd follow after him instead of going to find Josh. And with everything I'd seen—

"No! I'd never—"

"So you expect me to believe that? After the concierge? And the valet? Oh my god, and convincing me to stay with you!" Suddenly, everything became clearer to me.

"No, chere, I swear to God, I didn't do that!!" Remy cried.

I couldn't believe it! Everything that had happened to me, with me and Remy the past few days, and all of it was a lie constructed by his powers.

"Stop lying to us!!" Josh shouted as Remy was lifted from the bed and slammed to the wall by some invisible force, which had to have been Josh's telekinesis. "You're using your charm power to affect my brother, to bed my brother?!! How could you!"

"I'm not, I swear to you! I only tried to comfort him, and I...I like him okay, really like him!!" Remy said. But I couldn't believe him.

"Shut up! Stop lying! You just wanted to get into my brother's pants!" Josh yelled.

"That not true!" Remy pleaded

"That is true!" Josh shouted, lifting Remy telekinetically by his throat.

"How could you?" I said to Remy, unable to stop the tears

"This isn't me!! I swear to you, I didn't! Kevin, remember when we first met? When we save each other from Athena? When we got on that jet, you were the one who said that you didn't want to see Josh because you didn't know how he'd react to you being alive!"

"STOP THE LIES!!" Josh shouted, slamming Remy harder against the wall.

"No, Josh...he's telling the truth," I replied, looking at Josh, and I began to think harder. I was the one who said all those things. And I meant it. I couldn't make Josh understand, at least not now, but that is why I didn't go back.

"You probably only said that because you were already under his influence," he replied. "It's the only way that he could convince you to go with him, even convincing you to be with guys."

"What? Josh, I told you I was bisexual right before I died," I replied. I did, while I was in his arms, and I was apologizing for everything else that I had said or done. Did he not remember that?

He seemed to process that, but quickly responded, "It doesn't matter. He's going to pay for what he did." He then proceeded to strangle Remy further. I could see Remy's eyes pleading, and his face reddening. I had to get Josh to stop.

"Josh, calm down. I think he's telling the truth. Let him down," I said in the most soothing voice I could muster.

"No! He will pay! I will make sure that he pays!" he replied, tightening his grip. Tears began to pour down Remy's face, and from seeing that, in my heart, I could feel that Remy was telling the truth.

"Joshua, no! He didn't do it! Calm down!" I said, putting my hand on his shoulder.

Somehow, this didn't help matters at all. "No, he must pay!!" Josh said, shaking me off before demanding of Remy, "Release your hold on my brother, now!!"

"Joshua, what's gotten into you?" I asked, now getting scared. I began to realize that this wasn't entirely something to do with the current situation, that more was at stake here. Josh was venting something in his own life out on Remy, and now I felt even sorrier for not being there for him. I also felt stupid, considering that, unlike Devin's pheromone powers which affect the body through the senses, Remy's powers affect the mind, and my mind is a closed book to those abilities, same to him as it is with Lady Mastermind.

"He must pay. They all must pay!" Josh replied without looking at me.

"Joshie, something must be wrong with you?" I pleaded, trying to get him to see reason. I knew now for sure that there were home problems that needed to be addressed.

"Wrong with me? What's wrong with you? You've seen the true him, and you're going to take his side? Don't be so stupid and naïve, Kevin!"

"Okay, seriously lil' bro, you need to cool it! Stop and let Remy go now! You're killing him!" I was now not only surprised and shocked at him, but offended.

"Lying, deceitful, backstabbing men like Remy deserve to die!" he replied, and I noticed that, similar to when he was in the Savage Land fighting me, he began to change. His skin took on a golden glow, but it was in no way pleasant, neither was the golden aura that formed around Remy where Josh held him. Then, to add to it, his hair, which was before black with a streak of white, turned completely pitch black, as did his eyes, though somehow they seemed to glow, and his clothes seemed to burn away in a weird display of telekinesis as they changed to that of a blood-red costume with knee-high gold boots, elbow length gold gloves, a gold belt with a bird emblem as the buckle, and a gold emblem on the chest, a bird. I had seen this costume before, when I was possessed by Hades, but the person who wore it was a red-haired woman, named Jean Grey. My brother had just changed into the Dark Phoenix, which scared me even more because now I could feel hatred and rage emanating from him, and it was all I could do not to soak it in and feed off it. The next thing I knew, he had pulled small bits of skin off Remy's face, and he shouted out in agony, and I could feel that as well.

"Josh no! Stop this!" I said, grabbing Josh more insistently. He shook me off again, but this time I the wind was knocked out of me as he pelted me backward into the wall behind me with a glowing orange orb of telekinetic force. Remy shouted out again, and I looked up to see Josh pull more small bits of skin off.

"That's right, scream! No one will help you!" Josh said. I had to stop him. I realized I had no choice. I wouldn't use my powers on my brother, though. I hit him in the back of his neck hard with my elbow, and I looked on in relief as Remy dropped to the bed. Josh had lost his concentration. I was scared out of my mind though, as Josh rapidly turned on his heel toward me, the hatred and anger he was feeling rising.

"I don't want to fight you, lil' bro," I said, trying, but failing to keep the fear out of my voice.

"Too late for that now," he replied, kicking me in the chest so hard that I fell backward on the floor. Before he could close in on me, I swiveled around, sweep kicking Josh's legs from under him. Simultaneously we both flipped back to our feet. Luckily I turned just in time to see him spin and kick at my face, and I caught his foot, pushed it down to the floor, then punched him, first in the chest, then the face, then kicked him as hard as I could, causing him to fly backward into the wall.

When Josh stood again, he looked pissed. He unleashed another orange telekinetic beam at me, and I tried to block with a shadow forcefield. But I couldn't keep up, his rage was too strong. He shattered my shield, and the force of his telekinesis slammed me into the wall behind me.

He then lifted grabbed me by my throat, lifting me to the wall, and formed one of his psychic claws, aiming it for my skull. "Must I kill you again to get you to see reason?" he said.

I had to give it one last try. "You want me to see reason? Look at yourself, Joshua!" I repied. "Lil' bro, last time we fought, Hades gave you no choice but to kill me. I'm not Hades, and I'm not trying to fight you, I don't want to hurt you. And you want to kill me?"

I looked at him hard, hoping beyond hope that he could see reason, and finally, I watched as his eyes turned from black to their normal blue again. His eyes showed his remorse, and I inwardly thanked whatever higher power there was that he reverted. His psychic claw disappeared, and he let me down. He then looked at his hand, as if he had just seen himself for the first time, and a look of shock, no pure anguish, came over his features. He ran into the bathroom, and stopped, looking into the mirror.

"No! Not again!!" he shouted, and stood at the sink.

I walked over to him, stopping at the bed to see Remy had finally caught his breath. "I'm okay, chere. Go in and check on your brother."

I nodded in reply, and went into the bathroom, wrapping my arms in a tight hug around my brother. "It's okay, Joshie, I'm here now," I told him. Whatever it was that was truly eating away at him, he finally seemed to let it go, and now instead of anger, I could feel an intense fear and dread from him.

"Oh my God, what have I done?!" he exclaimed. "Remy---!"

"I'm alright, mon ami. No harm done," Remy replied from the doorway. Though he seemed okay, he was still pretty hoarse.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" Josh kept repeating. I just continued hugging him, and he leaned into me, and began convulsing as his crying intensified, and the red costume that he wore seemed to burn into ashes, surely a display of his telekinetic power, as it changed back into the clothes he was wearing before.

After I had finally gotten him to calm down, Josh told me and Remy what had happened in the small time that we had been away from each other last. How that bastard Mr. Sinister's creation, the Legacy Virus, had claimed countless more mutant lives, including that of one of his teammate's sisters. How they had learned that another two of the X-men, Nightcrawler and Rogue, were both related through the villain Mystique. How yet another truth was revealed, that his friends Quicksilver and Polaris were both Magneto's children, and how there was initial distrust when it was discovered that siblings born of an enemy were both placed at their school. And then he became saddened as he explained how his leader, Cyclops, had been possessed by the evil Apocalypse, and how Apocalypse had raped him. And how his boyfriend, Logan, was forced to watch, and the drama following, what with Logan running to his old flame, Jean Grey

"So that's why you're so angry," I told him. "Don't worry, lil' bro. We're going to find that asshole Apocalypse and make him pay for what he did."

"Easy big bro, I don't want you to make a scene like I just did," he replied.

"Joshua, dis is serious," Remy said. "You need to tell Xavier what happened. This is twice you turn into d' Dark Phoenix."

"I know. I know. I've got to. And I will." Josh replied. Then he completely changed the subject onto me, same as always, and asked me, "So Kevin, not being insensitive, but how is it that you're alive anyway? I'm very happy that you are alive, but how is it possible?"

"Being honest, I don't completely know," I replied honestly. "I met this guy Devin the other night. He told me that I was some kinda Immortal or something."

"Wait, you met another guy?" he asked grinning, shooting a look at Remy.

"We went to Paula's. While I chased after Tessa, who was also there with some white-haired guy, this blond named Devin put the moves on Kevin," Remy replied.

"Sounds like a cute couple, Devin and Kevin," Josh chuckled.

"Yeah, I thought the same before he tried to kill me," I replied. "He attacked me with a sword, and I think he was trying to take my head."

"Your head?!" he replied, and then a shocked look, mixed with a bit of `eureka' came over his face

"Yeah. What, what's wrong Joshua?"

"This isn't good. When Devin approached you, did you get a weird sense, like you may be in danger?"

"Yeah, I did. Wait, was he telling the truth? He mentioned something about a game, I can't remember exactly," I replied. Joshua was now making me very uneasy. I was now getting some answers about what happened to me, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear them.

"THE Game," he replied. "It explains why you are indeed alive. Anyone can kill you now, but you won't die. Not unless you're head is taken."

"Okay, you're scaring me." Well, more than he already was. "What are you talking about?"

"You are an Immortal. You are one of many people who has been born with an amazing ability to live forever. You also age at a much slower rate than anyone. You'll probably look the same as you do now for the next 5 centuries at least."

"Centuries?"

"Yes. Unless..."

"Unless what?" I said, now getting even more freaked out. I'd live forever? That could be a pretty cool thing, but I felt a huge `but' coming along.

"All Immortals are by birth included in what is called `The Game'. When an Immortal permanently kills another Immortal, a phenomenon called the Quickening happens. It's when the Immortal takes on the additional strength of their kill, as well as any special attributes, and sometimes special training that they may have had."

"But I don't want to have to kill anyone," I replied. I'd had enough of killing people while possessed by Hades and though I'd only killed two people while not being Hades, I didn't want to continue.

"You won't have a choice," Josh replied matter-of-factly. "Sure, you'll be able to escape like you did by `killing' Devin, but you won't be able to do that forever. Devin is likely trying to find you right now in fact."

"What do you mean? I killed him! I felt him die!" I answered.

"Did you take his head?"

"No."

"Then he's alive, just as you are. I'm personally not into taking human lives as well, and there are probably some Immortals that are just as negative about the Game as you are. Not everyone is wicked after all. But there are those who seek to gain the godlike powers that result from killing the other Immortals, and they will stop at nothing to kill you. And to add to that fact, from what you're telling me, Devin has mutant gifts. They may not all belong to him, and they may also be just as transferable as other skills. Devin seems like one of those who will stop at nothing to gain your powers."

"Isn't there a way around permanently killing him?"

"It's your responsibility to kill those who are going to try and kill you," he replied. "If you don't, then they will take your head. I know it seems like a lot, but think about it. You're powers are very dangerous, and thankfully you are the one who has them. Do you really think that you'd want them to be in the hands of someone else who could use them for great evil? Like what happened with Hades?"

I thought over what he said. Though the prospect of having to kill people greatly upset me, Josh had a valid point. At least I hated having to use my powers. I hated the fact that I was even a mutant simply because of the nature of my powers. I really didn't think it would be right to embrace being a walking, talking death machine. But if another person, such as Devin, were to kill me and take my powers, the consequences would be disastrous. He wouldn't hesitate. But already I came up with a goal, a promise to myself. I'd only kill another Immortal if necessary. If they weren't power hungry, and if they didn't attack me first, or if they weren't violent I'd proceed about my merry way without conflict. I'd only fight to kill if I knew for sure it was them or me. "You're right. I'll have to fight them off," I finally replied to Josh. "But how will I do that, when I don't have a weapon?"

"You can have one of my swords," he replied. "I have one back in the X-jet I used to get here. The one we'll be taking back to New York."

"New York? You don't honestly think I'm goin' back wit' you to the mansion?" Remy said.

"You need to. Xavier's worried about you. And with all the shit going down now, we need all the X-men we can get."

"Please? For me?" I asked Remy. At this point, I needed to go back to be with my brother, but I wanted Remy with me as well. Remy looked at me, smiled, then gave in.

"Okay, I'll go. But I won't like it."

"Good. Let's get ready then," Josh said. I nodded in reply and stood, but as I stood, Tessa's tranquilizer gun fell from my pocket to the floor.

Josh picked it up, then asked, "What do you need this for?"

"That's not mine," I replied. "It's Tessa's tranquilizer gun." Upon being presented with that issue again, however, the questions that came to mind before came back to me now. I remembered her escape from the alley, and then the fact that the gun wasn't a regular handgun, but a tranquilizer gun.

"What's wrong?" he asked me. I replied by filling him in on what I was thinking, telling him about the incident I witnessed in the alleyway and the flash bomb escape. It just didn't add up for some reason.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Remy said.

"I do," Josh replied. "With the Hellfire Club as bad ass as they are, they wouldn't resist the urge to kill an X-man, and sure as hell wouldn't travel with tranquilizer guns, disguised as real handguns. And you said she used a flash bomb, not a real grenade, to escape?"

"That's right," I replied.

"I don't get it. By all rights, you two should be dead. Well, Remy at least."

"Hey!" Remy shouted in mock anger.

"Just kidding. But seriously, it doesn't add up. Why the kid gloves?" Josh tapped his temple in thought, then had another `eureka' moment. "Who was she talking to at Paula's?"

"Didn't see. It was a tall guy with silvery-white hair, kinda muscle bound," I said after I thought for a moment.

"Magneto!" Gambit said.

"No, I don't think so," Josh replied, pulling out his cell phone and dialing a number.

"Cole?...It's Josh, Cole. Are you busy at the moment?...Would it happen to be Tessa?......"You're here in New Orleans aren't you?...We have Tessa's weapon." After a brief pause and listening to Joshie's side of the conversation, Josh hung up.

Remy and I both looked on at Josh, waiting for him to speak. "I think my suspicion is right," he said. "It wasn't Magneto, it was Cole, one of the Professor's spies."

"Cole that used to be Zeus?" I asked, remembering the tall, muscular silver-haired man who possessed strong thunder powers and, thanks to Sinister's manipulations, a teleportation ability as well.

"Exactly," Josh replied, then added, "Cole told me to go home. As soon as possible."

"What is he up to?" wondered Remy.

"Oh my God!" I said in realization, now that everything made sense. "I think that Tessa is in danger!"

"What do you mean?" Remy asked.

I looked at Josh, and he understood, too, replying to Remy, "Tessa has been non-lethal toward you, and has been talking to Cole, one of Xavier's spies."

"Oh! Tessa's a spy, too!" Remy said, in his best `aha' tone.

"Exactly."

"Oh no! She is in danger! After the scene in the shop, with Kevin shooting her with a tranquilizer—"

"—which in Lady Mastermind's opinion should have been a real gun—" Josh added.

"—now she knows that Tessa's not kosher, and suspects as well! Tessa will need help!" I finished.

"That's why Cole wants you to go home," added Remy. "He can't compromise Tessa, and he sure can't go against the Hellfire Club alone, he may be undercover as well. He need a team of X-men!"

"I'll go home and retrieve some then. Can't risk calling them and alerting them, the Hellfire Club may have some advanced equipment so that they could overhear the transmission, if they haven't already heard me the first time when I called Cole."

"We'll stay here and get some idea of where they're staying. There ain't a New Orleans Inner Circle office, at least not yet." Remy replied.

"Good. Keep Kevin safe," Josh said. Remy nodded in reply as Josh headed for the door.

It was then that I felt that familiar feeling, the strange awkward sense, which I now recognized, only stronger than the last time. An immortal was approaching. Oh my God! "No!" I shouted too Josh, but I was too late.

Josh had barely opened the door before getting hit with an invisible force, which I had by now recognized as telekinesis. Remy stood to greet the attacker, but he was thrown backward as well.

"Am I interrupting something?" the tall, attractive blond in all black said as he pulled his kitana from by his hip.

"Devin," I said angrily, clenching my fists, steeling myself for what was to come.

Wow, the two brothers are reunited! Let me know what you think! Drop me a line at either jercolap@hotmail.com, whitephoenixranger@yahoo.com, or redrealityranger02@hotmail.com. Later, guys!!