The Beginning
Chapter 1
Xxx
The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down but
No I'm not breaking
I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm going to remember most yeah
Just got to keep going
And I
I gotta be strong
Just keep pushing on, 'cause
There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb (yeah)
(The Climb, Miley Cyrus)
xxx
She stared out at the eyes before her-so many different pairs of eyes: Blue, gold, red, brown, black, white….they were all there. They all told stories of loss and pain; of joy and hope. Every set of eyes in the room had witnessed countless wars in their lifetimes-countless more than any one person deserved to.
She had a different relationship with each and every person who stood in that room: they all had memories, both good and bad. They'd all fought battles together, and they'd all lost loved ones. They'd bled and cried together, and they'd killed alongside each other. There were times when she had tried to kill some of them, and there were times when some of them had tried to kill her.
She had cried at the feet of many and had borrowed tampons and chocolate from countless others. She'd plotted many a prank with the giggling youth-while they still had youth in their eyes. Most of all: they had all prayed together for brighter futures.
They had been comrades. They had been teammates. They had been family.
And now they all wanted to be free.
Free? Could one truly ever be free from the life of an X-Man? A Morlock? An Acolyte? A member of The Brotherhood? Then there were those who didn't even belong to set factions-those who simply acted when called upon.
They'd all decided though, that in the prior few months, that they could no longer be counted on to save the world.
Many were beginning to start families-she had even been in a wedding that previous month as a bridesmaid.
Many were traumatized from war and turmoil, with night terrors and both physical and other mental scars to show for it.
Others simply wanted to take their newly learned control, or approaching control, and live as normal adults.
She couldn't blame them-not for wanting normalcy. They wanted peace and quiet and pixie dust and fairy tales. They wanted a world where their mutations wouldn't alter their regular, day-to-day lives.
Could such a place exist?
Glancing down at her hands, she fisted them, I know the truth. I know that you can't run from this life.
Seeing the final few persons that they were waiting for fill the room, she rose to her feet. At her left sat Charles Xavier, and at her right, Ororo Munroe stood. Only one of them would be staying. Only one of them would continue to roam the great halls of the expansive home which she called "home".
"Please, my friends-my family, be seated," Charles said in a calm, low voice. The years had been rough on him, and his nearly ninety year-old frame seemed more weathered than usual in recent days.
He glanced slowly at each of the other twenty occupants of the large drawing room the mansion offered. Many others had refused to come, which he accepted. She'd accepted it as well. It was a big thing that they were asking. The fact that even twenty had come was rather spectacular.
"We are all here today, for one reason and one reason only," Taking a breath he leant back in his chair. Feeling Rogue's small hand on his shoulder, he smiled fondly at her.
"We are here to work out the "Armageddon Agreement" which was so aptly named by Mr. Kurt Wagner over here on my right." A tall blue, fuzzy man brighty shon red as his name was mentioned.
"I don't see what the point of this bullshit is," Victor Creed grumbled from the otherside of the room. "I've agreed to no longer try and actively kill you people-why can't we let that be?"
"While we greatly appreciate that, Mr. Creed, if another Apocalyptic event such as what occured with the actual Apocalypse happens again, we must be in agreement on how to proceed." Charles spoke in his diplomatic, calm voice.
Just as Victor was about to protest again, Tabitha Smith whacked him upside the head with a sharp, manicured hand, "Shut up, fuzzy. You could have chose to prematurely jump ship like the others, but you didn't...so shut it!"
Ignoring the glaring match that was happening between the two mutants, Charles continued speaking.
"In the event of anything cataclysmic: be it a disaster, or something downright unbelievable-something that the regular populace would not be able to handle on their own, I call for a plan. This plan would be broadcast near and far, to wherever you all end up. Be it Kathmandu, or Toronto; Chicago, or Berlin."
Charles gestured to his side, "Ororo, on one of her visits to Africa, came across this gem stone," raising his hand, he showed a small black-corded necklace. It was basic, no more than a simple white "X" outlined over a small red stone.
"In the event that one of the aforementioned events is to occur, this jewel most only be clenched in your fist, and every other jewel from from the original will heat up. Ororo managed to obtain the entire quantity of the stone from her village in Kenya, so there is zero likelihood of this being triggered by anyone other than those seated in this very room."
Seeing the confusion and intrigue fill the eyes of his comrades,he took a breath again. Wiping sweat from his brow, he spoke,"I hate asking all this of you. Thinking on it, I fully understand why the others didn't attend this meeting-they deserve the right for complete freedom, as do all of you. The thing is though," He said, leaning forward in his chair. "In the event of something cataclysmic, the world deserves a chance for freedom too. We all have a gift-and while the world hasn't always accepted that-may never fully accept that-I believe in the duty to try and provide safety to those who need it."
Ororo reached behind her, pulling out a clipboard and ink pen. Placing it on the large table before them all, she slid it forward.
"I fully encourage each and every one of you to start lives that don't involve training every morning and fearing death. I support you all finding love and having families. I want you all to have the greatest level of happiness that can fall upon a person. I also want though, for this planet to survive. For that to happen, we need to sign this agreement. I just hope you all can forgive me for any part of your upbringing that I've forced war and turmoil on."
Reaching to the floor beside his chair, he pulled a small briefcase onto the table. Opening the clasp, he revealed the remaining necklaces to the occupants of the room.
Jean Grey-Summers was the first to stand, her new wedding ring glistening on her finger. Walking to better grab the clipboard, she held it to her chest.
"We're family, through and through."
"Always," Ororo whispered back.
Signing her name neatly on the paper, she grabbed for one of the necklaces. After clasping it to her neck, she took a breath. Walking down the line, she grabbed each shoulder she passed and gave it a squeeze.
That's how it went for the next hour-mutants from all around the room slowly signing their names and grabbing the simple necklace out of the box.
St. John Allerdyce was the final person to sign, glancing at all sides as he did so, "I swear if one of you grabs this necklace because they found a spider….", laughter filled the room, breaking the unnoticed tension that had fallen upon them.
"I believe there are some bottles of champagne behind you, Erik," Hank said, pointing at Magneto. "Would you mind opening a few bottles, I believe a toast is in order."
Quirking an eyebrow, the self-proclaimed "Master of Magnesium" did as requested.
Once everyone had a champagne flute in hand, Kitty Pryde raised her glass in the air, prompting those around her to follow.
"Like...to family and never forgetting." Tears had already begun to pool in her eyes.
"Y'all are a bunch of sapps," Bobby Drake joked, knocking shoulders with Remy Lebeau. The famed thief rolled his eyes, knocking back his champagne.
At the far end of the room, Rogue and Charles sat and stood together. Both with untouched champagne glasses in hand. Simply standing stationary, they observed the room before them as a whole.
Some may consider what they did today silly.
Some within the room may take off the necklaces the second they left the property.
Some may never again think of the word "X-Men" or its affiliates, but both Rogue and Charles would. They'd stand strong.
Glancing at the clipboard before her, Rogue took note of each and every name that had signed other than the Professor and herself:
Jean Grey-Summers
Scott Summers
Alex Summers
Erik Lehnsherr
Callisto
Robert Drake
Katherine Pryde
Lance Alvers
Tabitha Smith
Remy Lebeau
Victor Creed
Henry McCoy
Kurt Wagner
Ororo Munroe
Evan Daniels
Piotr Rasputin
Warren Worthington lll
St. John Allerdyce
It is only the beginning.
Xxxxx
It's been a while since I last updated this story-something which I'm very sorry about. I've decided to go through this again and make some changes, while also getting re-inspired. I have a lot of plans for this-with a little bit of editing, I'm thinking that we will be back on track!
Let me know your thoughts on any changes that you see along the way-I can't wait to read your thoughts :)
-Tegan