X-Men Age of Apocalypse: Redux
Author: Javed Chaudhry

Beta'd by: A Lid.

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own the x-men. Damn. I do own Sammael and Archanfel, as well as Behamen, and the Prelate's Rumik, Lumina and Quja. I also own all the other Externals mentioned, except Candra, Sinister and Exodus.

Authors note: This is based (and I mean loosely) on the Ages of Apocalypse that Marvel took out, but I changed some things, it's an A/U to that. I also added a few characters. I have never read them, but have a vague idea of they were like. As such I have not named Gambits team (which I am pretty sure was called the X-ternals, but since I wanted Sinister and the other Externals from the actual X-men to be Externals, I called it Roulette) what it was and neither are the people the same, oh and there is no X-factor, just two teams, X-men and Roulette, anybody not mentioned is probably dead. Oh and a few other things are different. I also wanted to add that this story was inspired by two other stories I have read. They were all set in AoA, and one had Betsy in custody, and the other had Sinister and Cecilia Reyes. Now I really can't remember what the authors name was, but if you ever read this, I wanted to make it clear I haven't intentionally infringed on your ideas, but loved them and wanted to take it further. Oh yeah and Scott's armor is like that from the actual AoA, just he has a cape and it's purple not yellow, and he has both eyes. That's all I wanted to say. Oh and please be kind in your reviews, this is my first fanfic, and I don't know too much about AoA as I've not read any comic, but read a synopsis, so this won't be very much like what the actual AoA is (probably). OH and Xavier's still alive as of the beginning, Legion didn't kill him, and there's no Bishop (yet). The basic history is just that Apocalypse started his assault twenty years early.

Just to make it clear I'll write down who's what.

The good guys: The X-men: Magneto: Erik Magnus Lensherr Rogue: Marie Weapon X: Logan Phoenix: Jean Grey Colossus: Piotr Rasputin Shadowcat: Katherine 'Kitty' Pryde Nightcrawler: Kurt Wagner Scarlet Witch: Wanda Maximoff Quicksilver: Pietro Maximoff Angel: Warren Worthington III Iceman: Robert Drake

Roulette: Gambit: Remy Lebeau Renegade: Gavin Fury jr. Marrow: Sarah Storm: Ororo Munroe Mystique: Raven Darkholme Psylocke: Elizabeth Braddock.

Moira Mctaggert Emma Frost Banshee: Sean Cassidy

The Bad guys:

Apocalypse: En Sabah Nur

Externals (Apocalypse) Sinister: Nathaniel Essex Candra Exodus: Bennet du Paris Sammael: Kar' Toman Selavayne Archanfel: Ivan Braithwaite

High Prelate Cyclops: Scott Summers Prelate Havok: Alex Summers Prelate Polaris: Lorna Dane Prelate Lumina: Sylvia Ferguson Prelate Rumik: Helena Kahn Prelate Quja: Kan Berrona.

Dark Beast: Henry McCoy

Wild cards: that is against Apocalypse, but may also be X-men or Roulettes enemies. Externals: Asmodeus: Argorian Devinrok Galaire: Meghann Blaise Astaroth: Yakker Kurenti Behamen; Sonnara Delnoman Gilgamesh: Kairan en' Ulas

Juggernaut: Cain Marko Black Tom Cassidy Sabretooth: Victor Creed Toad: Todd Tolensky Mastermind: Jason Wyngarde Blob: Fred Dukes

That done, onward.

Prologue The smiling boy

Scott Summers sat looking down at the calm water of the pond. He could see his reflection. A young boy, with a slightly mischievous grin looked back at him. He watched the swans swim quickly across the lake. He felt silly watching those swans. They were some of the last remaining swans in the world. A thing of beauty, now slowly dying out. That wasn't too different from all the other animals in the world. Scott sighed; it was all because of that lunatic Xavier. He had started to rebel against the master and because of that they had been plunged into war. Scott was extremely glad when Xavier's men had been routed and destroyed by his own adoptive father Sinister and his compatriots. Xavier himself was in hiding, Apocalypse had decreed that he must be killed. Scott suddenly noticed someone across the lake. It was a young girl, about his age and she was looking right at him. Scott stared back. She had been watching the swans too by the look of her. Noticing Scott looking back she smiled and waved at him. Scott was about to do the same when suddenly a flash of blinding pain hit his head. The next thing Scott knew he was lying on the grass a bit away from the lake and a pair of eyes was looking at him worriedly. A pair of bright green eyes. Scott blinked to get rid of the throbbing in his head. He shook his head, knowing it would be futile, these flashes and headaches had been becoming more and more common as he grew older. Sinister had said it was nothing to worry about. Yet he had looked pleased and a little worried. Scott hoped he would not need to be taken to Cecilia or Dark Beast. Cecilia tended to mother him and Dark Beast was just plain scary.

"Are you alright?"

Scott looked at the girl again, now sitting next to him, not bending over anymore.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just something that happens if I stay out too long."

"Oh, good, I was really worried. One second you were sitting there the next you had cried out in pain and fallen back. I hurried over and got you on the grass and then you came to."

Scott winced. He had cried out. For some reason that was bad. He couldn't tell why, though. He wanted this girl to think he was not a sissy. He still didn't know why though.

"What's your name? Mine's Jean, Jean Grey."

"Scott Summers."

Jean Grey? That was a nice name.

"So where do you study Scott Summers?"

"I study at home only, my father teaches me, and Cecilia, sometimes."

And so they became friends. They walked along the lakeside, talking about swans. They both agreed, the swans were beautiful, and it was sad they were dying out. Even so Jean was quiet when Scott was done ranting about Xavier. He turned to ask her what was wrong and their heads bumped as she turned to look up at him. Scott took a step back, but Jean stumbled and he grabbed her to steady her. "What is it, Scott?"

Scott was looking into her eyes. They were drawing him in. Which is why his answer came out so distracted. Jean seemed to also be going slow, her next question came out more slowly, as if she had to think hard of what she was saying. Scott said something in reply, but he had no idea what it was, and Jean didn't look like she had heard. He came closer to her and cupped her face with his hands. That seemed to be the right thing to do. She sighed softly as his lips came closer to hers. Suddenly Scott was being yanked backwards. Jean yelped, and stared as Scott was pulled away.

"Who-?"

Sinister looked down at Scott, fury thundering in his eyes. Scott gulped.

"I am disappointed in you Scott." Suddenly he turned to Jean. "Go home, young Miss Grey, your parents must be waiting for you. This is not a safe place to be at this time of the day anyway."

Jean backed away and turned and ran. Scott looked up at Sinister. Sinister was looking back at him thoughtfully.

"Father I'm sorry about sneaking away from home, I just felt like I had to be here."

'Quiet Scott, I'm not angry with you about that. I told you before that every time you had a flash, you must come to me immediately. You had a flash five minutes ago, yet I find you cuddling up to a girl when I came back. As to her, you will never see her again, you can do much better, as for your headache, this will hurt, but it will keep away the pain and will speed up the flashes so that they stop eventually."

Scott barely comprehended what was said, when a needle was jabbed into his arm. The pain that came then drowned out the throbbing, drowned out his scream, drowned out everything. Blackness. Scott slumped into Sinisters arms. Sinister picked Scott up and walked back, his eyes glowing red. Everything was going to be fine, Scott's mutation was manifesting in a different way, it must have been the accident he had when his real parents had been killed by him, so that he could procure the two Summers children. The two mutants who could be the most powerful, whose blood would help in destroying Apocalypse. Destroy Apocalypse and help him in ascending to the throne.

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Jean ran and hid behind the reeds watching as Sinister stood next to the boy. Jean knew who he was of course. Mr. Sinister, one of Apocalypses Externals. The man who had led the charge against Charles Xavier. Her parents had been friends of Xavier, though they were not mutants. She herself Uncle Charles had tested as a telepath and taught her to shield herself. That was before Sinister had destroyed his team, the X-men, and paralyzed him waist down. She knew that Sinister was not a good man and she shuddered to think of what he wanted with Scott. She knew he wouldn't have detected she was a mutant, Xavier had taught her how to shield that as well. If he had he would not have let her go. Apocalypse had ordered all mutants to be captured after the X-men had been defeated. The X-men, Jeans friend's brother had been part of that group. He was now dead, killed at the hands of the Prelates.

Jean looked at the young boy who had come millimeters to kissing her. Funny thing was she hadn't even tried to stop him. She did not know why but it had seemed right. She had never kissed or been kissed by a boy. She was only 14 years old. She had thought she would, when she grew up and got married. Now she knew what she had to do, she had decided when she heard that Xavier had been forced into hiding. She would join Xavier in defeating Apocalypse. She had to, as a mutant it was her duty.

She suddenly saw Sinister plunge something into Scotts arm. Scott screamed then, a cry of pain that tore at her heart. She screamed with him, but stopped in case Sinister heard her. Scott spasmed where he stood, jerking horribly. Jean felt tears well up in her eyes. Somehow the thin little boy who had smiled at her just hours ago had lodged himself in her somewhere, and she felt as though a part of her had died as he fell. Sinister had killed him, Jean shuddered with rage and pain as she saw Sinister pick up Scott's body and take it away.

Jean ran, ran as if the fires of hell were chasing her. She didn't stop running until she reached her home, and then she ran into her room and collapsed on the bed, sobbing.

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Prologue The Little Gambler

The dark halls called to him, but he stood fast. There would be time enough; right now he needed to wait. Henri Lebeau heard the soft sound of feet hitting the rooftop. He turned. His adopted brother stood there, brushing off his shirt. He looked up and smiled, "Hope y've not been waitin' too long Henri. I jus' needed to take a leak, which I did jus' b'fore comin here."

"Non, my brother, I've not waited long. Let's go though; the Assassins may wake up soon."

"No Assassin c'n handle Remy Lebeau."

Henri snorted, before shooting off a line and zooming through the air, he heard a thwip as he landed on the grass in the garden. A muffled thump came from behind and Remy came up next to him.

"Woah, Henri, you din' have t' go so quickly. Remy jus' arrived!"

Henri smirked, as Remy scowled at him. Suddenly Remy got distracted and started sifting through his pockets. He was mumbling about something, most likely his deck of guards. Henri did not know of once when Remy ever was without his cards. As it was Henri lost to him in playing cards every time. He also needed to start playing with cards. Even their father Jean-Luc Lebeau never managed to beat him, and he was supposed to be the greatest card player of the guild. Not counting Tante Mattie of course, she was on par with Remy. Then again she was not exactly part of their guild alone. She also went to the Assassin guild for healing purposes. Henri looked at the older boy, calmly standing again, waiting for the guard to pass the window. He wore sunglasses, even at this time of night. The red eyes would have demanded that of course. Red on black eyes.

Those eyes turned his way.

"Let's go Henri, th' sooner we're done here, th' quicker I can go to de casino."

Henri sniggered as they made their way into the hallway. The room was supposed to be just up ahead. Sure enough a guard stood there. He was alert, very much so. This would not be easy. Remy suddenly grinned, and Henri felt nervous immediately. Remy's plans were usually successful, but they were risky, very much so. The worst thing was Remy took the most risky part on himself, each time, and that was not acceptable to Henri. Remy told him his plan and Henri felt like there was lead in his stomach. This was not going to be pretty.

Henri walked and stood in a shadow. Remy hidden behind a statue began making farting noises. From his vantage point, halfway up the wall, in deep shadow, Henri saw the guard jerk Remy's way. The guard looked around and then made his way cautiously towards where Remy was. As he passed him, Henri dropped and ran. The guard heard nothing. He went around the corner and then Henri heard a voice of shock, then a muffled thump. Henri though was in the room. There it was, the crown of Kalza. Henri removed all the electronic security. Then he picked up the crown and put it in the bag, which he bound to himself using a thick cord, covered with extremely strong adhesive. Remy came in then.

"We need to move Henri, th' guards were alerted b'fore I was able to knock out laughing boy back dere'"

Henri grimaced. They turned and ran out of the hall. They got into the garden and aimed at the wall. Their lines shot out in tandem and they quickly jumped. A shot rang out, and then Remy was falling. Henri looked down at his brother. The guards were closing. He needed to save Remy. Before he could do anything though, Remy had thrown his cards. They flew at the guards, who threw their hands up and skidded to a halt, expecting explosives. Remy shot another line and swung up next to Henri. The guards realized what Remy had thrown, and angrily began shooting again. Remy grinned at Henri and they swiftly shot their lines and swooped down into the blackness below. As they dropped onto the walkway below, they heard Assassin swoopers flying overhead, looking for them, undoubtedly.

"Let's go Remy."

"Non, you go on ahead, I gotta check out th' new casino, 'member?"

"Henri shook his head, and shot out a line flying away. His parting words came back on the wind. "Don't be such a gambler Remy. You'll lose one day."

Remy laughed. Henri had no idea what sort of gamble Remy was going to make now. He was going back into the Assassin guild. To meet Belladonna Boudreaux. The assassin guild master's daughter and his lover.

Remy laughed as he shot his line again. He loved flying, nearly as much as gambling.

Belladonna was in heaven. Remy Lebeau was more than just a 16-year-old thief; he was a damn good lover. She gasped again as he bit her thigh, again. Her pale blonde hair fell on his head as she sat on the bed, naked, head bent over him. He was kneeling in front of her, opening her legs with his hands, face burrowing in. As he began administering to her she threw back her head and began to moan softly. He sensed her growing frenzy and pushed her back, looking down at her with those red on black eyes. She shivered as he mounted her. As he began thrusting, she lost all coherence, and began to cry out, louder and louder. Her last thought was that the guards knocked out outside would not wake up anytime soon. Remy smiled, he almost had it all, thanks to his gambling. His last thought was, Yes I'm the little gambler, dat's for damn sure.

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