X-Men: Destiny
Part One: Revelation
The sky darkened. Clouds slowly moved across the sky, creating a layer of darkness, covering the sun. The rumbling of thunder could be heard in the distance, faint yet powerful. Flashes of lightning could be seen in the distance, followed by the loud booms of thunder. They were getting closer. Rain began to pour from the sky, relentlessly and without end. Hail dropped from the sky, piercing everything in its path.
"Are you sure this was our best option?" asked an apprehensive Emma Frost. The platinum haired, British beauty cautiously approached the cockpit of the Blackbird, the famous and powerful jet of the X-Men. Dr. Henry 'Hank' McCoy, otherwise known as Beast, was carefully piloting the Blackbird closer to the storm.
"Well, I suppose we could have waited the storm out," said Beast, "but I have a feeling it's our Storm that's causing this meteorological mishap."
"You mean to say Ororo is causing the storm?" asked Emma.
"Well that is her mutant power, and she is the reason we're coming here in the first place," replied the Beast.
"But why would she try to prevent us from approaching her?" asked Emma.
"Why don't you use that power of yours to find out?" asked Logan, aka, the Wolverine, gruffly.
"Because, Storm has a level of psychic resistance, especially when she is using her powers. It seems as though a psychic barrier is in place whenever she calls upon the elemental forces. I cannot reach her," Emma explained.
"Alright, what about Scott?" asked Logan.
"I'll try him again," said Emma. Closing her eyes and touching the temples of her head, she tried to reach out telepathically to Scott Summers, aka Cyclops, co-leader of the X-Men. "I cannot make a connection with him. Something - or someone - is blocking me. I cannot make any connection at all. I'm afraid I won't be of much use until we get down there."
"Alright then, buckle up, Frost 'cause we're goin' in," said Logan.
"We are beginning our descent, everyone please strap yourselves in," announced Hank. Emma walked back to her seat, and strapped herself in. Sitting next to her was fellow teammate, Rogue.
"Hey, sugar, what's got ya down?" asked Rogue. Emma raised her brow; it would still require some time before she could get used to Rogue's southern drawl.
"Well, other than the total uselessness of my psychic powers from up here," began Emma, her crisp British accent in stark contrast to the longer vowel sounds and diphthongs of Rogue's drawl, "I fear something has happened to Scott. I've established a special psychic connection with him that cannot be easily broken or blocked, and yet I cannot contact him telepathically."
Rogue looked a bit taken aback. "Well, Ah didn't know you had quite a heart, Ms. Frost."
"Watch it," warned Emma.
"Aw, Ah didn't mean it like that," said Rogue, "Ah just mean, every dog should have a few fleas."
"What?" asked Emma, confused by the southern expression,
"No one's perfect, honey," said Rogue.
"Oh …" said Emma. Suddenly, the Blackbird lurched forward.
"This is your captain speaking," said Beast, "We have a slight problem."
"We're falling out of the sky!" yelled Kitty, aka Shadowcat, "that is NOT a small problem!"
"Oh God," Emma said, as she saw the cause of their predicament. Ororo Munroe, aka Storm, a fellow X-Man, was high in the air. Her pure white hair was violently whipping in the catastrophic winds. Her eyes were electric blue, filled with elemental energy, which was expelled by her hands, which were glowing with lightning. Thunder boomed and lightning cracked, flashing everywhere, leaving only destruction wherever it touched down. Rain was flooding the ground. Storm's intense glare and daunting demeanor was enough to intimidate even the Incredible Hulk. Her elemental powers were destroying the land all around her.
The Blackbird had been hit by a bolt of lightning and was being tossed about by the wind. As the jet plummeted to the ground, Emma Frost activated her secondary mutation: she transformed her body into a solid yet flexible, organic, and near-invulnerable diamond. Rogue, her energy draining powers complemented by Ms. Marvel's flight, super strength, and invulnerability, was already protected enough from the possible destruction of the crash-landing.
"It's gonna blow! Everyone out!" yelled Logan.
"You got it, partner," said Rogue. She rose into the air, and, punching a hole in the ceiling, grabbed her flightless partners, Nightcrawler and Beast, and exited the jet. Kitty Pryde grabbed hold of Iceman, and she phased through the floor of the jet, landing safely on a stretch of ice created by Iceman. Emma Frost, Logan, and Colossus were the only ones left.
"You two go!" said Logan, "I'll see that this thing lands without hurting any of you."
"Alright then, now that that's settled," said Emma, she watched Colossus punch a hole in the side of the jet, big enough for them to jump out of. Colossus, covered in a steel-like substance, leaped out of the jet, followed by Emma in her diamond form.
The Blackbird swerved in the sky and crashed into a cluster of trees. The explosion that followed disheartened all of the X-Men. Storm, finally realizing what had happened, slowly began to descend to the ground. The clouds began pulling back to reveal the brilliant sun, and the torrential rains became droplets of the water on the ground.
"Storm!" called Beast. "Storm - it's us."
"I see that," replied Ororo. "And you must die." With speed and precision, Storm aimed a lightning bolt at Beast. When it hit the furry blue mutant, he was knocked back a few yards, stunned. He lay on the ground, smoke rising from his singed fur.
"Ororo! What are you doing?!" called out Emma.
"I am protecting my destiny!" she yelled. Another well-placed lightning bolt sent Emma (still in diamond form) flying backwards.
"Storm, stand down!" yelled Colossus.
"I am sorry, Piotr, but I cannot," said Storm, rising into the air. The sky began to grow dark again, and lightning began to flash.
[It's brilliant isn't it?] thought Exodus, the immortal mutant telepath/telekinetic mastermind. [Being able to manipulate anyone through their mind. Look how easily these heroes fall. Storm is in my control. Yet she believes she is doing this for herself.]
"Get out of my head!" shouted a disturbed Scott Summers.
[No, Scott.] replied Exodus, projecting this thought directly into the mind of Scott Summers. [I thought that through your mind I would be able to find Miss Jean Grey. But the last thing you can remember of her is her death.]
"Is that what this is all about?" asked Scott.
[Well other than Emma Frost, Iceman, and Professor Xavier,] thought Exodus, [Jean Grey is the only other Omega-Level mutant, and probably the most powerful.]
"So why not take Emma or Bobby or even Charles?"
[Because Jean Grey is more powerful than them in her own way. Emma Frost and Charles Xavier are on par with each other when it comes to telepathy, but neither of them have telekinesis, like Jean. And also Jean's powers have been greatly enhanced due to the powers of the Phoenix.] thought Exodus. [Jean is the true owner of the Phoenix, but I intend to use Jean's powers for the benefit of all mutants.]
"That's what she was doing!" yelled Scott. "She used her powers to help people." Scott began pulling at the steel cuffs restraining his hands and legs.
[She did not use it to it's full potential, and I intend to,] thought Exodus.
"Well you can't now; it's too late," said Scott. "Jean's gone."
[I don't think you understand, Mr. Summers,] thought Exodus. [The Phoenix allows its host to resurrect. Jean will be back. It's just a matter of time. And I am content on keeping you as my hostage until she returns. That way, she will be sure to return to me.]
"No!"
"Yes," said Exodus, now using his voice instead of his telepathy. "Now, Scott, watch your teammates destroy each other."
The bodies of Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Beast littered the ground. Storm's wild powers had put them down, while Emma Frost, Iceman, and Rogue attempted to battle the weather goddess.
"Emma - you need to put her down psychically!" shouted Iceman.
"It would be of no use! She is already naturally resistant to telepathy and psychic attacks!" responded Emma.
"Well, Ah'm not gonna wait around for ya'll to come up with a plan - I'ma goin' in!" hollered Rogue. She lifted off, flying through the air. Her curly brown hair, streaked with strips of white, whipped in the wind, as she flew full force at Storm. The white-haired mutant turned just in time to see Rogue flying at her. Storm increased the speed of the wind to extremely dangerous levels to slow down Rogue. Roge struggled to move forward. The power of the wind was such that large, sturdy trees were being ripped from the ground and strewn carelessly across the ground. For a few desperate moments, Rogue hung helplessly in the air, unable to move forward. But she persisted.
While Rogue struggled for a foothold, Storm began to bombard the remaining two X-Men with bolts of white-hot lightning. Iceman had created a large pillar of ice to protect himself and Emma from Storm's lightning. He had to provide a continuous supply of ice in order to keep the construction from melting under Storm's electric wrath. Seeing that Bobby had created a defense, Storm intensified her efforts.
BOOM!
The sound of thunder shook the ground, but Bobby's ice construction held firm. The weather mutant gathered all the clouds together in one large, swirling circle.
"That doesn't look good …" gulped Bobby/Iceman.
"You don't say …" replied Frost, hiding behind the cover of Iceman's shield.
Storm's eyes were an intense blue and spurts of lightning began emanating from her irises. Her hands glowed with elemental energy and her long white hair was flailing in the intense winds. Storm, ripping all the lightning that she possibly could from the clouds, directed the incredibly massive and lethal lightning bolt to Iceman's shield.
The lightning bolt tore through Iceman's shield, sending shards of ice flying in every direction. The lightning blast had also taken out Iceman, who laid on the ground with his right arm blasted off. Because Storm had focused so much of her energy on Iceman, Rogue had a chance to get out of Storm's hold.
BAM! Rogue slammed into Storm. The two tumbled to the ground. Emma came rushing forward, in diamond form. Using the power of the wind, Storm lifted herself up into the air, hovering above the ground. She prepared to strike at the X-Men again, but Emma jumped with surprising agility (due to the enhanced reflexes that came with her diamond powers. She landed on top Storm, who toppled to the ground. Storm blasted Emma with lightning from her hands. Suddenly, Storm felt a pair of cold hands on her face. It was Rogue; her mutant power to absorb memories, powers, abilities, and life force was activated through physical contact. She began absorbing Storm's powers and memories, not so much that Storm would die, but enough to weaken her considerably.
"Good Rogue! That should allow me to access her mind," said Emma. She reverted to her human form, and reached out telepathically into Storm's mind. Storm's eyes widened as she sensed Emma's presence in her mind.
"Get out of my head!" Storm yelled. "Get OUT!" As she struggled, lightning flashed in the sky and the clouds hung threateningly over their heads. Storm's eyes were lit up by the lightning.
"I think I see the problem," said Emma. "She's been mentally manipulated, but I cannot tell by whom."
"You mean some uhther (other) telepath was in her mahnd (mind)?" asked Rogue.
"Yes, that's why she attacked us. But whoever it was disguised themselves very well. And Storm can't recall any of it," said Emma. "Well it's no use trying to remove his influence from her mind. It would take too long, and we have to get in there."
"Well, we can' jis' leave her. She'll start attackin' us agin," said Rogue. Emma smiled and turned into diamond again.
"I think not." Emma landed a swift kick to the side of Storm's head. Storm cried out in pain, but fell over unconscious. Turning back into human form, Emma said, "I don't think she'll be a problem now."
"Why I oughta' thump you, Miz Frost," said Rogue angrily. "Now whah would you do thayut?"
"Oh, get over it," Emma replied. "We need to get inside that building." Behind the two mutant women, there was a large Mutant Response Division Headquarters. "It's abandoned. I've already scanned the building telepathically."
"So whah are we a-goin' in, then?" asked Rogue.
"Because Scott is in there," said Emma. "I'm sure of it. Whoever psychically blocked me from Storm's mind must also be doing the same to Scott."
"Well, this ain't exactly the place where you git to walk right on in," said Rogue.
"I think your new powers can take care of that," said Emma. Rogue called on Storm's powers. She raised her hands in front of her and created a huge lightning blast, knocking down the large, heavily fortified metallic doors.
"Thaaank you, Storm," said Rogue. The two women entered the facility.