A New Beginning *HF*

By Mystikal

A New Beginning

By: Mystikal

Part 1


It wasn't long ago I realized that I was a mutant. Ever since then I have been searching for others like me. This is my story.
     Two years ago I thought I was going crazy. For some reason I was hearing voices in my head. My family started to get really worried. They took me to a  psychatrist and he diagnosed me as a caustic schizophrenic. He felt that medications would be the best way to *cure* me. But the voices didn't stop. It was as if I could hear other people's thoughts. One lady forgot to pick up her kid. A man was wondering how he was going to pay his bills. It just kept happening.
   Then the day I finally realized I was a mutant happened. Some people my age were tormenting me in a alley. They were calling me retard and loony. Some punks with lead pipes were walking in my direction, getting ready to beat me. I remember looking over at a gun in someone's hand and imagining it in mine. That's when it happened. For no reason the gun flew over to my hand. I had it! I remember shooting the gun at one of the punks. I may have killed him. I don't remember. All I remember was running for dear life. Hoping to get away. Hoping against hope that what had happened was just a dream. I was scared.
     I was thinking that if it was a dream, maybe I could fly away. That would be so much better and would help me get away from the people chasing me. That's when it happened again. I was flying. I had left my pursuers behind a long time ago. I was flying high above the city. I continued flying. I always thought it would be neat to be able to fly away like Peter Pan. I don't know how long, or how far, I had flown. But I finally stopped.

Part Two

At first I didn't know where I had stopped. I remember sleeping under a bridge outside a small city. In the morning I was awaken by a car driving over the bridge. I decided it was time for me to get up and begin again.
     As I neared the city, I began to realize that it wasn't as small as I had previously thought. In fact it was probably bigger than the home  I had just left behind. As I continued walking I came across a military checkpoint.
   "Halt! Papers and Identification please."
     Well naturally I had no papers. So I decided that my only chance was to fake this man's peculiar accent. I found that this was pretty easy for me. I attributed this to my abilities.
     "I don't have any papers or i.d."
     This is when I started crying. I mean I had to put on a good show. Somehow I knew that if I could get into this city, I would find the sanctuary I needed.
     "What do you mean you don't have any papers? Where are you from?"
   "I don't know. I don't know anything. All I have is a name. What good does that do me?"
     Well the one man who kept asking the questions looked as if he was buying it. The other man, however, didn't. He didn't look interested. In fact he looked as if he had seen this type of thing before.
     "Now Sean. You shouldn't believe every pretty woman who comes out of the countryside cryin'"
     "But, Tyler. I think she's tellin' the truth. Look at her. She's a mess. I don't think she even knows where she's at."
     During their conversation the past days events finally hit me. I just slumped to the ground, pulled my knees to my chest, and began to cry miserably.
     "Ach, see what you've done now, Tyler? You've made the lass cry...again."
     "I don't know Sean..."
     "Well I do. The least we can do is take her to the hospital. Don't worry lass. Your safe in Belfast. What did you say your name was?"
     As he was talking, he was pulling me to my feet. We started walking past the checkpoint.
     "Shannon"
     "Aye. A good Irish name it is, too. Get into the car, we'll take you to the hospital. They'll take care of you there."


Part 3


My first thought once I was in the car with Sean, was that I was in Ireland. Not only Ireland, but NORTHERN Ireland. How on earth did I get enough strength to fly from my home in Tennesee to this place? My second thought was the hospital. There would more than likely be security officials. But worse than that, there would be pschyatrists. Can they jsut pull up an image off the computer and find me? I hoped not.
The car pulled up to the emergency room entrance of the Royal Victoria Hospital. We got out of the car and brgan walking towards the doors of the hospital.
"Ach, why are you lookin' so scared? They'll help you here. see if they don't."
"I don't know. None of this looks familiar."
"Don' ya worry none. Nothing will happen to you here, or my name isn't Sean O'Hara."
I just nodded my head and prayed that he was right. We walked into the waiting room and he pulled me along to the receptionist's desk.
"Hello, ma'am. I have an odd case here for you."
"What is it?"
"Well, ma'am, this young lass just showed up. She don' know nothing. Just her name. I was hopin' someone here might be able to help her."
"Ach, I don' know about that. But I'll see what we can do. What's your name lassie?"
"Shannon"
"Is that all? No second name?"
"Um.....Watson?"
"Watson?"
"Noo....that's a name I must o' heard somewhere else. I think it might be McWaty."
Now by this time the nurse was confused. My last name was Watson, but I remembered a family tree I had had to do. A long time ago I had relatives in Ireland. The McWaty's.
"Yes, that's it. Shannon McWaty."
"Ok, lassie. We'll take over from here Sargeant."
"You take care Shannon. Maybe I'll see you around."
Sean left and the nurse took over. She put me in a room with two beds and a curtain. And there I waited. Eventually a doctor came in and decided that physically, I was just worn out. He left. A pschyatrist came in afterwards and she said I had selected amnesia. I couldn't help but think "if she only knew." Finally, I was left alone. At least by doctors. They had brought another patient in. She had a wrap around her ankle. I thought I would be friendly.
"What happened?"
"Oh, I wasn't paying attention and tripped over something at work."
"Ouch. How bad did they say it was?"
"I just sprained it. They are coming back with a prescription for the pain. My name's Tracy. What's yours?"
"Shannon."
"Nice name."
She seemed like a nice person. I could sense that there was something different about her. I just didn't know what. My doctor came in and said I could go.
"You should go by the offices and get some i.d. Take this with you, you should be able to get one with these."
"I don't know where the offices are."
"I do! I'll take you."
"Now Ms. Keenan. You shouldn't...."
"Oh, I'll be okay. I have a car."
So off I went with Tracy. I explained to her the story I had been telling everyone so far and she was sympathetic. She invited me to stay at her home for a little while. And life was fine for a couple of days.
"Shannon, you want to come with me to the park? I got to go meet a friend. She's only visiting for today."
"I won't be in the way?"
"Oh, no dear. We just got to discuss a small thing."
"Sure."
So we packed a small lunch and went to the park. It was pretty. All green with live, tall trees.
"Hey, Jean! How are things?"
"There okay. Who's this?"
"I'm Shannon"
There was something about her taht set her apart from other people. It was the same feeling I had when I met Tracy. That's when I realized that someone was poking around in my head. Jean was a mutant! If she was that meant Tracy was to!
"Get out of my head! Now!"
"Oh, shit!"
"Tracey, she's a mutant!"
"No kiddin'!"
I flew away. Jean was trying to calm me down nad have me come back. But I didn't. As I was leaving I looked into Tracy's thoughts.
*We gotta tell Hawkeye this. She would be a great recruit for the Court.*


Part 4


I flew and flew. I decided to head back to America for a little while. I needed to get some things and I had an account under a different name. Technically, I was pretty well off. I decided to get some money and then get out as soon as possible. I had no idea where I would go though. Maybe California, I always thought it would be nice there.
So that's where I went. San Fransisco. I took in the sights and just enjoyed myself. But, I couldn't forget the last thought I caught from Tracy. Who was Hawkeye, and recruit for what. I decided it was time to find out. I knew where to find the mutants. For some reason they all had a different aura about them. None of them seemed to know who he was. But I kept looking. I had to find out. That's when I was hit by the car. I had been thinking to hard on trying to find this person, that I didn't see the car coming.
I remember waking up in the hospital with a tremendous headache. I had one leg propped up and that was it. I noticed that there was a nurse in the room and a man I had never met before. He was a mutant. I had that funny feeling again.
"Well now. Your awake. You should be happy."
"I am"
"When they brought you in, we were shocked that all you came out with, were a few bruises...."
"And the headache from hell."
"Oh? Well I'll get something for that."
The nurse got ready to leave then turned around and motioned at the man.
"Um...I'll let him introduce himself."
She left. I was now alone with this guy who was a mutant.
"Uh...hi. I don't know how to tell you this...um...I was the car that hit you.."
"Huh?"
"Yea...I was kinda worried about you. Been here every day since the accident."
"Oh, um...thanks...I really should have been paying attention."
"My name's Jacob. Jacob Kendall. What's yours."
Before I could think I gave him the name I was using in Ireland. Why I did that I have no idea. It just slipped.
"Oh, are you Irish?"
"Well...sort of. I'ma mutt. German, Italian, Irish, Scottish, French, Native American...I guess you could say I'm pure American."
Jacob thought this was pretty funny. I kept having this feeling that something just wasn't right. Like he was hiding something. I didn't want to enter his mind to find out...that would be wrong. So I tried to get it out of him.
"So...Jacob...do you have any idea what I am?"
"Huh? No, should I?"
"Hm...I don't know. I guess it's just me."
At the time I was new at this. I had never tried something like that before. People laughed at me then...they don't now. Well anyway, the nurse came back with some Tylenol and a doctor. After a quick exam he said I was fit as a fiddle and I could leave.
"Do you need a ride somewhere?"
"Sure Jacob. My apartment?"
"Ok."
So he took me home and we decided to meet for lunch the next day. From that day on my life started to get *really* interesting.

Conclusion

Jacob was a great person. I still couldn't shake that feeling that something wasn't right. I finally decided to ask him one night while we were having dinner.
"Jacob?"
"Hm?"
"Since I've met you I have had this feeling that your not telling me something. It's really beginning to bug me."
"Oh? I've had the same feeling about you Shannon. Now what could it be?"
"I'm a mutant. I know that you are also."
"Oh? Really? How much do you think you know?"
"I only know what I just said."
I was getting worried now. Jacob was becoming more and more smug as the seconds past. As if he knew a secret.
"I know a lot about you. More than you think I know. For instance, the punk you shot? You didn't kill him...you didn't even hit him."
"H...H...How did you know about that?"
"Because I was the 'punk' you shot at."
"That's not possible....you don't even look like the guy I shot."
"I forgot to mention my mutation? My, my. How rude. You see I shapeshift. Quite easy really."
"But...why? Why me?"
That's when I heard and felt him behind me. He had an italian accent and was speaking to me.
"I believe you've been searching for me."
"Who...who are you?"
"Hawkeye."
"Your Majesty. I believe we should go somewhere...more private."
"Hm? Oh, yes. Of course Loki. Miss Watson?"
"What is I don't want to come?"
"Oh...I think you will. Curiosity killed the cat you know. Anyways I have ways of making people cooperate. I believe you know my Queen."
From behind him stepped Jean. I knew that her powers weren't as strong as mine...she couldn't make me come back when I took off in Belfast. But I decided to follow them. He was right about curiosity. We got into a car and drove. We drove past the city lights and into the hills. We pulled up to a nice, brick mansion. When we got out of the car and walked insside the mansion I saw Tracy and other people assembled. Tracy walked forward and bowed to Hawkeye.
"Your majesty, everyone has been assembled."
"Thank you Scrib. I believe we should go ahead to the conference room. Scrib?"
"Yes?"
"Take our guest ahead and make sure she's seated."
Tracy took my arm and led me down a hallway to a door. When she opened it there was an ancient looking wood table. I was guessing this was the conference room.
"Tracy, what's goin' on? I'm scared."
"Ach, you are strange lass. Cooperate and there is nothing to fear. All will be explained shortly."
"Hmmm....how's your ankle?"
"All better, thank ye."
"Enough. Everyone be seated."
Hawkeye and eveyone else had come in. Hawkeye sat at the head of the table. Jean was seated to his left and Jacob to his right. Everyone else took up positions which I assumed were assigned. Hawkeye spoke first.
"I suppose your wondering why we have been so...interested in you."
"Well, that thought had crossed my mind. Several times actually."
"I am Jean Grey. Two and a half years ago a psi force so powerful...literally knocked me to my ass. I mentioned this to out King and he took an extreme interest."
"I took such an extreme interest that I sent our Knight to find you. He did. Jacob, was...supposed to recruit you for our...Court. But he is prone to goofing off sometimes. You got scared and ran."
"I know that much about my own life. Thank you."
Hawkeye didn't seem offended by my tone, but others in this group did.
"You're lucky the King wants you, or I'd slice you. Navel to lip."
"Now, now Tyrax. Miss Watson...we are known as the Grey Hellfire Court. There are others among us. Namely the White, Black and Red Courts. We have been around hundreds of years. Only the most pwerful and intelligent can enter our numbers. Your powers are very strong and much needed..to..liven it up around here. So to say. Your form of telepathy would be a great asset. Normally we don't bring the ones who have just come into their powers into the Courts, but for you we will make an... exception."
"How much do you know of my powers? I have been...discovering new things. Been perfecting them. If I realy wanted toI could leave right now...no problems."
"Loki has been following you day and night. Then only time he wasn't near you was when you were in your apartment. Alone."
"Oh yes! We know. I'm very good at spying! Let's see...you can borrow and be able to use another's power without taking it from them. Interesting in the least. Even more interesting is that you can give your powers, without losing them. All of the power switching is short term though."
"Your smarter than I give you credit for. What's in it for me if I join?"
"You live. And more power than you can imagine."
"I like those two. Especially the part about living. Which leads me to another question. Will I be able to live and pursue a normal life outside of the Hellfire Court?"
"We all have. Everyonce in awhile we will require your...services."
"Okay."
At this point I made my decision. I was now a memmber of the Grey Hellfire Court. Our mission is world domination.
"You should learn the rest of the outer and inner courts. You know I'm King and that Jean is Queen. Jacob or Loki is the Grey Knight. Daemon, Grey Bishop. Byron, Grey Rook. Tracy or Scrib, Grey Goddess. Echo, Grey Advisor. Tyrax, Grey Assassin. Tempest, Grey Gaurdian. Omen River, Grey Mage. You will be the Grey Page. Yes..it is low on the list. But, like all here you will serve a purpose."
"Mystikal."
"What?"
"I'm Mystikal, now."
I don't know where Mystikal came from, but it felt right. A new name for a new beginning. That's my story. I may be the last man on the totem pole, but he last man is the one holding everyone else up.