Templar 1 By JFIVE jonni@sanet.com Edited by Kingbob kstuart@clinic.net Breaking the Mold, Part 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apocalypse's Base. {{Finally, after all of these years I have discovered the perpetrators of my greatest defeat.}} Apocalypse glared at the viewer with undisguised hate. "Scribe! Bring me my records from the tenth century." As the slave left to do his master's bidding, Apocalypse replayed the scene again. {{That symbol! I don't know why I never put it together before. It can only be the Knights Templar.}} When the slave returned, Apocalypse took the books and immediately flipped to what he wanted. Inside the book, someone had drawn a crude picture of the emblam that now blazed upon the screen. {{Ah, yes, what is the old saying? VENGENCE IS BEST SERVED COLD!}} At this thought, Apocalypse began laughing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kingstown, Jamaica. The Orphanage of St. Bernard. Built in 1854, The Orphanage of St. Bernard was one of the most intimidating structures in the world. It had been modeled after the ancient castles in Europe, complete with draw bridge and ramparts. Even after fifteen years, Ororo Munroe still had chill bumps every time she saw it. {{Hard to believe that this is a front for one of the largest secret organizations in the world.}} She thought as she passed into the inner bailey. "You've returned Ororo." Thomas Moore said. "I trust that you found everything that you searched for?" He asked with a smile. "Yes." Ororo answered. She had left the Orphanage and gone to the United States two years ago. This was the first time she had been back. "Was he behaved while I was gone?" "He was the perfect angel." Moore replied with laughter. If there was anything that HE was not, it was an angel. "He's been asking when you would get back. If I didn't know better, I would think he liked you." Then he was there. Nathan rushed up to Ororo and embraced her. {{He is so grown up now. It's hard to believe that I've only been gone two years.}} She thought as she returned Nathan's embrace. "Mother, I've missed you." Nathan said with sincerity. Ororo wasn't his biological mother, but for as long as he could remember she had been his emotional mother. "And I have missed you Nathan." She ruffled his hair with affection. "Now tell me what you've been up to the past two years, beside growing like a weed." She said with a smile. She put her arm around his waist, and they went inside. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Later. That afternoon, Ororo had a meeting with headmaster of the orphanage. After the major business was taken care of, they began to talk about Nathan. "How has he been? Thomas said he was a good kid, but you know how he is." Ororo asked. Robert reached into his desk and started riffling through a collection of folders. After a moment, he took one out and handed it to her. "Here you go. Read it for yourself." As she skimmed the contents, one thing kept catching her eyes. 'Seems very shy, especially around large crowds.' Other than that, Ororo saw nothing else that was derogatory. "So his only fault seems to be shyness?" "Yes. Would that we had more kids that way, but most of them are into something or another all of the time." Robert answered. "In fact, I believe that Nathan is the only student without at least two marks against him, and that's because he is afraid to interact with others." {{That will have to change.}} Ororo regarded. "Has he shown any signs of being a mutant?" "Not that we have seen, but that's not to say that he hasn't. I'm sorry to rush you Ororo, but I have to go to a meeting in fifteen minutes. If you can come back at three tomorrow, we will continue this conversation." After she said her good byes, Ororo headed to her room. There has to be more to Nathan, or else I would not have been asked to free him so many years ago. I can't help but feel that there is something special about him. After changing into her robes, Ororo went to get Nathan so that she could spar against him. {{This ought to be fun.}} She thought. {{It's been so long since I sparred with one of the true bloods.}} Seeing Nathan leave the armory, she followed him to the courtyard. "Care to go a round with me?" She asked. Nathan nodded yes and went to get the weapons. {{The last time we did this, he was nearly six inches shorter than me. Now he's almost as tall as I am.}} Three hours later, after a hot shower, Ororo went to the dining area for the evening meal. {{By the bright lady, I'm sore. That kid sure learned how to throw a lick.}} She thought, rubbing a bruise on her left arm. As she entered the room, she was greeted by people she had not seen in two years. {{In two years, I bet that over a hundred people have joined the compound.}} It wasn't until after her second helping of breaded fish that she was able to beg off and go indulge in some much needed rest. Early the next morning, Ororo was awakened by an insistent knocking on her door. She answered it with a murder in mind, but quickly changed her mind after seeing the look on Nathan's face. "What's wrong, Nathan?" She asked. "I have a problem." When Nate didn't say anything else, Ororo urged him to continue. "What's the problem?" She was very concerned now. She didn't know what was the matter, but she was willing to take on the Guardian if it would help Nathan. "I'm a mutant." Nathan mumbled. "That's nothing to be upset about, Nathan. I'm a mutant too. So are a lot of the people here." She replied. "What is your power, if you don't mind me asking?" "I don't know how to explain it, but I can show you." He answered. Ororo nodded an OK. *I can hear what people are thinking sometimes, and I can send them messages.* "Telepathy. That is a very unique power, Nathan. I can't think of many people can do that." She said. "That's only half of it. I can also move things without touching them." Ororo's mouth dropped open as a notebook lifted off the table. "Telepathy AND telekinesis???" She said with a look of astonishment evident in her eyes. "How many people have you told about this?" "No one. I was afraid that they might not like me anymore." He said. "This afternoon, I want you to come see me at the youth building, OK?" She asked him. After he nodded, she added. "Now go back to bed, it's only 3:32." As he left, she smiled and began composing a letter in her mind. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3:40, Youth Building. Nathan ran around the corner. {{Damn, late for the first meeting with Mother since her return.}} As he turned the next corner he collided head on into a young woman. As he helped her gather up the stack of papers that he had knocked out of her hands, she said "Where are you going in such a hurry?" "I'm on my way to a meeting with Sister Munroe." He said. {{It might not be best to let her know Ororo is my mother.}} "Me too. Won't you help me carry this stuff?" She asked him as her eyes lit up. Without waiting for him to answer, she handed him everything that she had been carrying, then she linked elbows with him. Then they set off towards the room. "I see that you two have met." A voice said behind them. Nathan dropped what he was carrying and turned around. "Mother, I knocked her over and offered to help." He began. The girl just laughed. "Nathan meet Crystal Amand. And don't worry, I saw what happened." Nathan's face turned even redder than before. They picked everything up and went into the room. Once inside the room, Ororo began to talk to them about the fact that they are the only two mutants at the Orphanage under the age of 18. "I want you two to start spending every moment you can together. I want you to train together, school together, eat together, and play together." After they both nodded their agreement, she continued. "Right now I want both of you to demonstrate your power to the other. Nathan you go first." A pen and pencil floated into the air and began to rotate around Crystal's head. Ororo nodded her approving, then said, "Both of them, Nathan." Inside her head, Crystal heard *I don't want to do this with you.* She smiled at Nathan, and when Ororo turned her back, she stuck her tongue out at him. "Now it's your turn, Crystal." A few moments passed, and nothing happened. Nathan grinned. "Can't do anything, huh?" Crystal walked over to him. "Oh yeah, why don't you try to move." "I...I...I can't move. What did you do to me?!?" He screamed. "Let him go Crystal. Nathan, Crystal can block motor functions for a short amount of time. That's why you weren't able to move." Ororo said. Nathan drew back as Crystal leaned towards him, but all she did was whisper to him. "By the way, I think you're cute. Just don't let it go to your head, OK?" Nathan turned as red as an apple at this. Ororo cleared her throat. "I want both of you to spend the rest of the day in meditation, preparing for tomorrow. Because you will be spending a lot of time together from now on. So get on." She said with a smile, and ruffled both of their heads as they passed her. After the two had left, Ororo began to prepare for the festival that the headmaster of the Orphanage had ordered in honor of her return. {{This evening could prove to be quite interesting.}} She thought as she turned on the water for the shower. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:30, Nathan's room. {{I don't know why Mother insisted that I escort that girl. I'm going to have to be around her all night. I'll just say I'm sick. Yeah that will work.}} Nathan looked in the mirror for the second time. {{Well, at least everything matches.}} Taking one final glance at the mirror, Nathan exited the room. On his way to meet Crystal, Nathan encountered many people that asked him how his mother's trip had been. Being short, he told them to ask her themselves when they saw her. Arriving at Crystal's room, he knocked. When she opened the door, Nathan was dumbfounded. {{This cannot be the same girl that was with me earlier today!}} Before him stood the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen. It was a few seconds after she opened the door before he realized that she was talking to him. "...do I look?" She asked. Nathan continued with the 'dazed and confused' look. "I'll take that to mean I look ok." She added with a grin. "...Uhm...y-y-yes." Sweat poured off of him. When she placed her hand in the crook of his arm, Nathan became very light-headed for a second. "A-are you r-ready?" "Yes, let's go." Crystal was silently enjoying Nathan's obvious fear. "Do you think that I'm pretty?" Nathan almost fell. "Very." He whispered. "What did you say?" She asked him. {{God, this is going to be so much fun. I'm going to enjoy every second of watching him squirm.}} When they arrived, they noticed that Ororo was seated with the Headmaster and Thomas Moore. Nathan was starting to make his way toward their table when he felt Crystal stop him. "Let her enjoy being with her friends. You'll be able to talk with her later." She said. {{Besides, if we go over there, I won't get a chance to annoy you.}} "Ok." He said with obvious reluctance. Much later, Ororo found herself dancing with her son. Noticing that Thomas was dancing with Crystal, she began to concoct a plan. Slowly, she manuevered them closer to Thomas and Crystal. After what seemed like hours, they were all dancing next to one another. Pretending to notice them for the first time, Ororo said, "Thomas! and Crystal! Why, Thomas, I haven't danced with you tonight. Crystal, you won't mind finishing this song with Nathan, will you?" "No ma'am." They exchanged partners, and then Thomas asked Ororo what she was trying to do. "We danced earlier, but I didn't want to say anything. What are you doing, Ororo?" He asked her. "I'm trying to get my son to be more outgoing. What better way than with a girl?" She asked with an innocent face. Thomas started laughing. "Only you, Ororo, only you." They looked back toward the two youths. Then they busted out laughing when Nathan tried to leave the dance floor, and Crystal jerked him back. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Elsewhere. "What do we have here?" a bewildered Nathaniel Essex asked out loud. "The ignoble En Sabbah Nur decides that he needs information from a weak homo-sapian?" Essex says rather sarcastically. "Cut the sarcasm, Essex. I am here seeking information." "You already said that in your message? Now exactly what information do you need and I will set a price." "You find me all that you can on the Askani' and I can give..." Apocalypse said with disgust. Essex thought for a second. "...and you will give me ALL your stock that you have stored for your 'sleep'. No questions." Apocalypse stared into the empty face of the cold and heartless Essex. {{How does he know of my sleeping chamber.}} "I know, that is enough" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Later. Essex watched as the young woman finished walking toward him. She was very beautiful, with hair as black as sin. When she spoke, honey flowed from her lips. {{It's so nice to see an absolutely ravishing woman. Easier to lure back what is rightfuly mine I suppose...}} He thought with a smile. "Well?" "Yes my lord, I over heard everything. Seems old bushel britches is wanting to learn about an entity that we have no prior knowledge of, boss." She paused here for effect. "That doesn't happen very often." "Do you think that you will be able to find out anything?" Essex asked her as he manipulated a gauge on the table he sat at. "Yes. I have already started running data scans. And will start searching in the FBI and Interpol's files within the hour." She answered. "Very good. Just remember, any who fail me shall pay the price. Just ask Victor the next time you see him." Essex said with a malicious smile. "Now leave, and find what you can, Beatrice." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Continued in the Next Exciting Issue of... TEMPLAR!!!!