I've been arguing about whether I should do this or not, but I finally broke down and did it. This is a re-write of "A Kindred Spirit". If you are currently archiving this, please use this copy instead. If you wish to archive the old version also, please contact me.
Sam Guthrie, Sinister, and who/whatever else you recognize belongs to someone wlse (probably Marvel). I'm not making any money from this, so don't sue. Cain is mine, and ask before you use him. * * *
People have asked me whether I believe in a higher power. I tell them that I have met many "Gods" in my lifetime, such as Loki and Thor, and even half-gods, such as Hercules. They then ask me if I believe in God, as in the Christian one. I don't. I should though. I know for sure that I once did.
Where was this God when my sister disappeared for almost a year, until we finnaly saw that her cold and lifeless body washed up onto the shore? Where was this God when I drank myself in and out of rehab? Where was this God when the X-Men, my family, kicked me out? Where was He? Can anyone answer that?
I thought so. I can't either.
* * *
So there I was, sitting in my roach infested apartment with Jack Daniels, my only friend, sitting next to me. I had recieved a letter earlier which in my alcohol induced stupor confused me. This letter claimed to know how and why my sister died. It also signed by Nathaniel Essex.
After pacing the room for what seemed to be hours, I came to a decision. I had a headache. I sat down to think more. I could finally find out what happened to my sister after nearly twenty-five years. But could I trust Sinister? What if it was a trap? Could I even handle the truth?
As I was thinking, the bottle of Jack slowly raised up and down, as I took sips from it. I looked at the bottle and at the foul smelling liquid, and chucked it out the window, and listened to it as the glass bottle shattered on the street below. I had come to a decision.
I was going to confront Sinister. I hope I can handle it.
* * *
The chilly wind whipped my trenchcoat viciously across my face as I waited for Sinister in Central Park. Normally, no one in their right mind would be in Central Park at night, unless they were well armed. Neither Sinister nor myself were in our "right minds" right then.
A flash of white towards my left alerted myself to someone's presence. ~This way~ sent someone in my mind. I grimaced. ~I hate psis~ I sent back. My reply was a psychic chuckle.
I walked towards my left for about twenty or so yards when the unidentified psi sent ~Stop. Wait here.~ I sent back ~I hate waiting.~ No answer. This made me feel slightly more uneasy. A shadowy form appeared from the darkness surronding me. At first I didn't recognize the shape, but one look at the chalk white face and I knew it was him.
"Sinister." I spat out.
"Good to see you again, Samuel." Sinister replied, with a faux sembalance of hospitality.
"Cut it, Essex. What do you know about Paige?" I replied.
"Oh, the fiesty one tonight, eh? I'm glad to see that that hasn't disappeared."
"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT PAIGE YOU BASTARD!" I said, nearly screaming. Sinister glared at me.
"Now, now, m'boy. You must learn to control your temper. for _your_ sake at least." I just stared at him. He sighed. "Fine. Have it your way." He waved for me to follow. "This way."
Reluctantly, I followed him into an even more secluded clearing. He triggered a teleportation device, and we were suddenly in his labratory. The sudden teleportation left me momentairily disorientated, and I grabbed a nearby table for support.
"Problems?" asked Sinister.
"Just tell me what you know." I said, through gritted teeth.
"Remember, Paitience is a virtue." replied Sinister
I replied with "Like you're anybody to judge somebody's virtues." Was it just me, or for a second, did Sinister actually smile?
He tossed me a small manilla folder. "Here," he said. "Read this."
I opened the folder, and flipped through the papers. As I scanned the pages, the rage within me increased. Apparantly, Sinister had kidnapped my sister, along with Rogue, Bishop, Ceclia Reyes, and Gambit. Sinister then combined their retrospective DNA, along with Scott and Alex Summers' DNA, to create a child that was "geneticaly perfect". He impregnated Paige with the resulting fetus. Paige...died during birth.
Her child didn't fare much better. Shortly after birth, the child, a boy, went into shock. Quickly, Sinister placed the child in suspended animation ever since.
"I'm sorry," said Sinister, in a near whisper. That only infuriated me further.
"You're SORRY?" I asked. "You, Mister High Lord Geneticist I'm gonna make the perfect Homo Superior and I don't care who I kill so piss on you scientist is SORRY? That makes me feel just so much better."
"I deserved that. Might I at least explain my actions?" replied Essex.
"Don't. I know all about how you wanted to make the-" I started
"BE QUIET!" roared Sinister. Startled, I did so. "Now," he started. "You will listen to what I have to say, and if you so much as snort, I will show you how much torture a human being can endure."
Sinister cleared his throat and began. "I have done things in my past that I now wish I had never done. When I kidnapped the various X-Men, I used a stasis field over the mansion. When my Marauders, who were equiped with stasis nulifying devices, took the X-Men to my labratory, I thought that was what I wanted. I thought that I wanted to create the perfect mutant. I attempted to dictate what the child's mutant power would be. If you had noticed, all the mutants that I had taken all had some sort of skin power, save for Scott and Alex. I had Scott and Alex taken, because of the high mutagenic potency of Summers DNA. I wanted to create a mutant with incredibly powerful potential."
I opened my mouth to say something, but Sinister glared at me and I closed my mouth. He continued.
"For the most part, all went as planned. Some small difficulties did arise, but they were dealt with. When your sister was impregnated with the child, she was aware of her choice. I treated her better than most doctors would have. When she was ready to give birth, another, unforseen complication arose, and I had to deliver via Cesarian. I suspect that it was the newly born infant's growing powers that was the culprit, but in any case, your sister died. I am truly sorry. I know you cannot believe me, but it is the truth."
"May Ah speak now?" I said, as a bit of my accent started to show. "Then why did we find her body washed up on the shore?"
"If I walked up to the mansion with your dead sister in my arms, would anyone really believe that it was an accident?" replied Sinister. He had a point, as hard as it was to admit. "The water removed all traces of myself and my Marauders. It seemed at the time to be the best way."
I thought that I had controled myself well enough while Sinister was telling me his side, but it suprised even myself when I launched myself towards him. He shot an energy blast at my blast field, and knocked me to the floor. "I'm. Not. Finished." he said, slowly.
Wiping some blood from the corner of my mouth, I said "Go 'head."
"When I examined the child, I learned something else. He was dying. I needed some way to save his life."
"So that's where I come in. Ya' want to combine my eXternal DNA with the kid's to see if you could save his life." SInister nodded. "Ya' know I don't trust you for a second." He nodded again. "I will take him once he is better." That wasn't a question. Sinister started to balk at that, but realized that he had no other choice. I rolled up my sleeve and said "Get on with it."
* * *
"So, that's the real story, huh Unc'?" the boy laughed. "I liked the foundling story better. More believable."
"It's the truth. You wanted it, Cain." replied Sam.
"So I am a genetic milkshake? Is that what you're telling me? Thanks, but no." With that, Cain stormed off to think. Sam resisted the double temptation of going after him and telling him "I told you so".
END?