Marvel : the Author

Author note : Hey, guys ! Just FYI for those who didn't visit my Patréon (shame on you ! XD) you can find more chapters and other stories there. I've posted the 1st chapters of 'Reborn as Lex Luthor' and 'Splinter's tale'. The latter is an original story by the way. https://www.patre*n.com/user?u=66371596 or search for Cathbel on Patréon.

Here's the next chapter. Enjoy !

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A couple of month later, while coming home from school with Cory and Doreen.

Cory's pretty silent. I wonder what's eating at her… So, I ask :

« Skye, you okay ? » No response. And she doesn't even glance my way. Now, that's worrying. All day there seemed to have been something on her mind. But I can't tell why and Doreen also seemed to wonder.

« Come on, Skye ! Talk to me ! »

She whirls pretty quickly to face me and I see the… annoyance ? Anger ? One of those two. It's in her eyes and burning fiercely. There are also some tears at the edges. I'm even more curious, now.

« Like you and your parents are talking to me ? Why should it be only me opening up when you're not even doing it yourself ? It's a wonder why you even decided to take me in if all you'll do is hide things from me… »

I tilt my head in incomprehension. Our family's been pretty open about… Well, everything. She knows that my parents and I are Alter-humans (I've decided to include mom in this category since she's a witch, a kind of mutant). She knows about magic. And I've even shared a lot about how my power works. She even helps me out.

Granted, these days we've been trying to… Ah ! So, that's what it was !

We've been so focused on not worrying Cory that we didn't tell her about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s visit and the conversation about her father. Though, mom isn't aware that I've heard about this particular conversation…

She must feel like we're not including her in the family…

« That's pretty unfair, don't you think ? » I retort a little hotly. « You know everything about us. About me, mom and dad. » I drew a deep breath and shake my head : « Okay, there's been some things on our minds. Something that might or might not involve you… So, it can feel like we've been hiding things but, there's one thing you should remember. » I pause and look at her in the eyes, trying not sound too angry : « Everyone is entitled to have secrets. You might feel like we're not including you, like you're not part of the family or some crap like that. That's wrong ! I… We just want to… »

« You want to what ? » She sounds just as annoyed as I am.

« We want to protect you, idiot ! » I answer before I can help myself. The next moment, I say : « Damn… Forget I said anything. Let's get back home… »

I think Cory was left completely flabbergasted by my statement. Flabbergasted… That's a funny sounding word. Anyway, since Cory's silent, we continue walking in silence and reach home without anymore drama. AlthoughI'm pretty sure she's not through with her questions. She's probably just thinking about the past and the questions that she wants to ask.

Thankfully, Doreen also stays silent at our little exchange.

A couple of hours later, the three of us are all sitting at the dinner table, waiting for mom to bring the food. Cory's still keeping silent while I do too, only because I'm keeping an eye on her. Doreen, on the other hand, is chattering away with my dad. It's obvious she's trying to fill in some void instead of us. Usually, the dinner table is much more animated, after all…

« I don't believe it ! » Doreen exclaims : « A Bug's bunny demon ? »

« As I said… » My dad explains with a slight smirk on his face : «… Not actually Bugs Bunny. A demon tapping into the subconscious mind, who thought he had accessed my innermost fear. So, yeah… It was funny how he thought I'd be terrified when he retrieved his carrot and said… » My dad gestures and imitates the character pretty well as he : « What's up, doc ? »

Suppressing her giggles, Doreen then asks :

« What did you do ? »

« You mean, after I laughed in its face ? I simply banished it back to its plane of existence. Remember : Demons can't be killed in our world. At least, this one couldn't… » He shakes his head with a wry smile. « I wonder what was the funniest however… Its impersonation or Bugs Bunny's face when it realized that it'd been fooled ? »

Cory doesn't react in any significant way to the story. I don't either but that's because dad likes to tell this story. I wonder how much of it is true… It's a good story, though.

Mom comes back, her arms heavy with the potato and ham gratin. The scent of cheese and dairy cream… It's making me really hungry. Mom lays the dish on the table and starts to fill each of our plates in turn. Before we start to dig in however, Cory opens her mouth. Unlike before, she seems unsure of herself.

« I want to know… » She utters barely above a whisper.

Reflexively, I almost smack my forehead but I manage to refrain. I just knew she'd bring it up. And now, they'll know I'm a blabbermouth. Oh, well ! Not like it changes anything. They always worry I'll out myself as an Alterhuman and a mystic arts practitioner. That's actually the main reason why they never said anything about it to me before my X-gene awoke.

Dad sighs, exchanging a look with mom. I recognize that look. It's the look that says : 'It's about what we talked about before. Remember ? I do. What do we do ?'

If I interpret their silence exchange correctly, I'd say my dad's got a vision recently about this conversation. He probably saw how it would unfold and didn't like it. Or something…

« So… Nate's opened his big mouth. Figures. » He shook his head and sighs. His tone is more wry than angry. It sounds resigned or perhaps, as if he was already expected it. Which he was… You know : prescience. I think he's trying to uplift the mood a bit but… Well, it doesn't work. With how Cory's been feeling these days, she probably thinks he's making light of her.

Before she blows up in anger, my mom flicks dad in the forehead with a spell enhanced middle finger flick. I don't know if it's truly powerful or not, but it kind of looks like a manga from our point of view : my dad's head is thrown backward, and smoke comes off of the impact area.

« Don't pay attention to this idiot. We know what we want to know… But we're not sure if you're ready to hear it. We're not even sure if you should hear it. » She looks Cory in the eyes and asks seriously : « Are you sure you want to know ? »

After a few seconds of tense silence, Cory nods her head, a determined glint in her eyes. My mom sighs in turn. She glances my way, furrowing her brows…

Uh-ho ! I think to myself.

Unlike what the berating I'm expecting, she turns back to Cory and starts to narrate :

« A few days ago, a government agent visited our house to talk about you. »

« Me ? The government ? »

Mom nods :

« Pretty sure he was some kind of spy with how he introduced himself as a social worker at first. Didn't seem to be the first time he lied about who he was… Anyways, I don't know or remember the name of the organization. Probably some acronym that means something nonsensical… What was important and rather curious was what he told me. » She pauses and avoids Cory's gaze for a second before she looks back into her eyes : « Basically, they're the reason why everyone of your foster family didn't keep you. » She raises her hand to prevent any question : « Yes, they've tried to do it with us. But, as you know, we aren't exactly the most normal people in the world. And yes, there was a reason beyond them wanting you to be miserable… »

She stabs her fork in her plate, and moves food around for a bit. I bet it's difficult to tell the next part…

« Apparently, they're the ones who originally found you abandoned. A couple of agents had adopted you… But they were slaughtered. Torn limb from limb by… something unnatural. What they call an enhanced or a mutate. Over the years, it seems this mutate… » I raise a finger, but before I correct her : «… This alterhuman has been hunting you down. He's killed several agents, a couple of innocents… »

Seeing the horror on her face, mom stops to grab her hand and says gently :

« That's why we didn't want to tell you… »

« I-I-…I… I killed them ? »

« We knew you'd feel guilty… » I sigh. « Listen, Skye : Whatever killed those agents… You're not the reason. For one : you were and still are just a kid. They're government agents. They chose this job. Secondly : The guilty party's the nutcase who actually killed those people ! Whatever or whoever it is. »

Silence stretched on for a while before she asks :

« Do you know who or what did those things ? »

I know. I might not know everything but I know enough. The question is… Should I tell her ?