The disclaimer saying that I don't own any X-Men or GI Joe characters has gone off into the sunset. Here it is folks. The final major chapter in the Misfit saga! Finally! It's the final chapter! No tears now! Everything has been leading up to this. The final battles. The final confrontations. The final bits of insanity. The final dramas and heartbreaks as well as the final joys and triumphs!
The final bits of stalling before we get on with it. And we finally will! Finally!
The shocking twists, turns and secrets that will be the finale of this insane series! Here is…
The Final Chapter
CHAPTER ONE: NINE MONTHS LATER
Prologue from James 'Multiple Man' Maddrox's best selling novel: End of Innocence: Growing Up Mutant.
It would be known as one of the greatest conflicts that shaped the twenty first century. They called it the Mutant Uprising. We called it the Mutant War.
Not to be confused with the Superpower Civil War that happened nearly twenty years later. If anything the events that happened in this war not only helped lead a partial cause of that later conflict, they also explain why the majority of the mutant community was able to be exempt and stand outside the war between the federal government and the super powered community.
Because the main truth was that the mutants had fought a war very similar to it years ago and very little help was given to them from most of the so called 'heroes' of the time. True there were one or two exceptions to the rule but most of the aid mutants got was not from those with super powers, but from those who had no powers.
In other words, there were humans, ordinary humans who did extraordinary things on both sides of the conflict that shaped the course of the war. Those that hated us and those that wanted to protect us went to extreme lengths to fulfill their goals.
Odd isn't it, those that didn't have any powers affected the lives of those who did the most? From General Clayton 'Hawk' Abernathy, to Augustus Bastion to Cameron Hodge to Reverend Stryker to Stevie Hunter to Senator Kelly to Bolivar Trask to General Whithalf to Zendrowski and countless others.
And no, Bastion was not some sort of crazed robot from the future. I swear I have no idea how that rumor got started! The truth is a lot weirder.
So let's begin at the beginning. The day when the war truly began started out like any other day. It had been a little over nine months since many of the original X-Men had left to try to make their way in a world that feared and hated them. There were still those of us left behind trying to shoulder on. And we did our best and had a few adventures which I have described in another book of mine entitled The Lost Days.
As my dear friend Marvin 'Roadblock' Hinton would say: We begin this tale with a simple e-mail….
From: Kitty Pryde
To: Everyone.
Hey guys! It's me! Yeah I know I haven't written much lately but things have been really hectic in England with Excalibur. It's so weird being a mutant in England. We're not hated nearly as much as we are in the states. That's because a lot of mutants work for the government I guess.
In case you haven't heard about our group Excalibur is a lot like Great Britain's version of the X-Men. Only people don't protest on our doorstep and the government actually likes us. Captain Britain is our leader and Betsy's brother. Besides Kurt, Betsy and I we have four other members. Pete Wisdom, Meggan a shape shifter originally from Muir Island, Shatterstar…He's an escapee from Mojo's dimension. A bio engineered warrior. Well actually he was really thrown out of Mojo's dimension because he kept killing off his co-stars so Mojo kicked him out. We met up with him and he's sort of semi reformed. Kind of like Wolverine only not as cuddly.
Oh and you will never guess who's our final member! Remember Lila Cheney? Yup, she's back on Earth and is now our teleporter. Apparently she got homesick and decided to pay Earth a visit. We ran into her while she was trying to decide whether or not to steal the crown jewels of England. After a fight or two we convinced her to give being a good guy a chance and it's worked out well. You know Lila's not that bad a person, as long as you don't mention a certain rock tumbler. But then again she's not half as psychotic about it as she used to be since the last moron she dated dumped her in public for some bimbo. Let's just say Lance is no longer at the top of her hit list.
And yes Pete Wisdom and I are still a couple. I mean we fight a lot most of the time but we always make up. And for some reason it's kind of fun when we do fight. I don't know if this is love but I could live with this!
We're not the only mutant team in town. There's Gen-X out of Muir Island. But they mostly handle mutants in trouble with people who want to experiment or lynch them. They've helped us out once or twice. Their leader is Banshee. He's got his daughter Syryn, Wolfsbane, Monet and her sisters, Thornn, Jonathan Starsmore and some guy from LA named Skin.
Yeah we have our clashes with the occasional mutant hating nut job and psychotic weirdo that wants to take over the world but they don't come as frequently as they did back in the days of the X-Men. We've actually had a few weekends off.
Unfortunately the United Kingdom is the exception to the rule of mutant relations in Europe. Most of the mutants that don't emigrate to either Madripoor or Asteroid M come to us because like here is easier. Well maybe not for the French mutants.
There's this guy over here, Augustus Bastion. He's been stirring up some trouble. He calls his group the Protectors of Humanity. Think Graydon Creed with a brain. He tells his followers not to directly attack mutants. But to work for laws that will control them and other non violent ways of making mutant's lives hell. Like I said he's popular in most of Europe except England. But he has a lot of support in Scotland since that's his homeland and of course Muir Island is right there as well.
Keep an eye on that guy. There is something about him that's familiar but I can't think of what it is.
Avalon and Madripoor have been pretty quiet so far. But we all know that's not going to last. Even that creep Unicorn and her friends have been lying low but I have a bad feeling that they are up to something. Excalibur heard rumors about some mutant slave trade going on from some island somewhere but we haven't been able to break into the operation yet. So everyone keep your eyes and ears open.
We've heard about all those bills in Congress on mutant registration trying to get passed and we're starting to get worried. In fact from what I've seen more mutants are trying to get out of the United States than go in. Of course mutants aren't openly allowed to emigrate to the US anymore but some still manage to get in illegally. Kurt and I have been talking about going back but I don't know…Things are so much easier here. We aren't hated as much when we try to do something good and not everyone blames their problems on mutants.
Okay onto other news…
Remember Darwin? The army made him an official Misfit now. He seems to be settling in well. Pyro is giving him pointers on the fine arts of candle making and whipped cream fights. I didn't ask and I don't want to know.
Last I heard Al, Toad and Xi were just made full fledged members of the Arashikage clan. I saw them the other day. Had the clan tattoos on their shoulder and everything. Out of all of them Toad has changed so much. You can't tell most of the time because of the way he crouches but when he stands up he's gotten so tall. He must have had some kind of huge growth spurt or something because he's now over six feet tall! And his hair is a lot longer. He doesn't even smell half as bad anymore.
I heard most of the other Misfits have been doing a lot of training lately. Spirit is training Lance to be some kind of shaman or something. Wanda and Pietro have been loaned out to help the Avengers a couple of times. And so has Angelica and she's been hanging around with Spider Man to help him on a few cases. And get this, Bobby has been with her and Spider Man too. Not in the relationship sense but in the crime fighting sense.
Shipwreck is still his same old annoying self. Get this, he even followed Storm all the way to Africa! I don't know all the details of what happened on that trip but it had something to do with the King of Wakanda ,an alien invasion, an interrupted engagement and a drunken panther spirit. That's all I got out of the Misfits. Well that and Storm temporarily moved into Misfit Manor because somehow Shipwreck accidentally broke her foot and Lifeline is on an extended mission somewhere and couldn't be back to heal it.
Needless to say that there have been a lot of weird thunderstorms and snowstorms around Misfit Manor lately.
Cover Girl told me things are going well with her and Low Light and the babies are all walking and talking now. Okay Tadpole is mostly hopping but he's gotten so big! Oh and guess who else is talking? Torpid! I don't know how but somehow Bree managed to coax her to say a few words now and then. It turns out that her refusing to speak was psychological so that's some good news.
Catseye really enjoys being a Misfit even though she misses her mom. After the wedding fiasco with Spyke no one has heard much about her or Lorna. Guess they're still in GRSO custody. Like they haven't been active enough going after every mutant they can find. Anyway Catseye has been keeping a real good friendship with Rahne and Thornn by e-mail and they've gotten rather close. And you will never guess who she is dating in a million years! Foresight! They're a couple! I swear I didn't make it up!
Oh and get this! Lina Chakram and Fred Dukes are engaged! Can you believe it? Lina e-mailed me a picture of the diamond he got her and it's huge! Who would have thought huh?
And that's not all. Spyke's a father again. Celandine just had a baby boy. Somehow Quicksilver found out the details. His name is Carlton Magnus Daniels and he is going to be some kind of telepath when he's older. Can you believe that Spyke added Magneto's name to the kid's name? Then again Spyke has been pretty chummy with Magneto lately. He's now not only head of Security for Avalon he's pretty much Magneto's right hand man! Just the thought of that traitor makes me mad.
Speaking of traitors guess who has just been appointed Madripoor's youth ambassadors? You got it. Sunspot and that bitch Starla have been doing the whole goodwill tour in Asia and now they're here in London. Their next stop is the United Nations. You should see all the tabloids on them! You can't pick up a paper here without seeing Starla and Sunspot on the front cover and they're also seen with Spyke and Celandine! Yeah Asteroid M has been sending them down to promote peace and goodwill in England and the media is treating them like they are some sort of celebrities or something! It's insane!
Rogue and Remy have been e-mailing me. They've been mostly touring the South and parts of the world. Apparently they've been doing more than sightseeing. I'm not exactly sure of this but from what Pietro has hinted they're off recruiting people to teach at the Xavier Institute. Can't say I blame them. They should be back at the mansion pretty soon. I only wish I could be there when Rogue really lowers the boom on Xavier.
That's not really fair though. I mean the more I think about it the more I feel like Xavier was in a few bad situations but just didn't handle it well. He's still trying his hardest with speaking in public and trying to keep mutants and humans from falling into war. Still I just wish he trusted us a little more. I don't know. I don't really hate him. I'm grateful for everything he's done it's just…We just need some time apart to think ya know?
Speaking of couples after Scott and Jean's little disaster living with the Fantastic Four they've moved to Connecticut near Jean's family. I'm sorry to say that most of the family haven't exactly welcomed Scott with open arms, but Jean's mom, dad and sister seem to be okay with it. Scott's now working as a mechanic and Jean's a waitress. Madelyne is home schooled now and they seem to be doing okay.
There hasn't been any news about Lorna. The GRSO has kept her locked up pretty tight. Then again she's not exactly the only mutant they've got. What I'm surprised is that Magneto doesn't seem to be too concerned about her or any of the other mutants taken by them. Then again Magneto isn't exactly Father of the Year. But still you would think he would have said or done something by now about the other mutants. Weird.
Tim and Ray are still roaming around. Last I heard they were part of some rock band in LA. Nothing major, just playing at a few mutant friendly clubs. Lucky for them LA is one of the few cities that actually tolerates mutants. Then again a lot of film companies find them cheaper to use than actors or regular special effects.
Back at the Xavier Institute things are quiet for the most part. Danielle moved out to live with her grandfather for a while but then he was killed in a surprise attack by some anti-mutant extremists. We're pretty sure it's the Reaver's work again so everyone is keeping a close watch on their families.
Bayville still hasn't recovered from the whole fiasco with Lucas. Not to mention Lobo made good his threat on bringing the town to a standstill as much as possible. Since he owns nearly half the town, including the malls and stuff jobs are scarce and people are getting angry. Three guesses who they are the most angry at?
My family is doing pretty well, mostly trying to counteract the public's growing perception of anti-mutant hysteria. Success hasn't exactly stopped on their doorstep but they're still trying.
And yeah I heard all about how Beast and Trish Tilby broke up. Kind of made the front page news. She shouldn't have just dumped him like that for her career. Oh well, at least she didn't make up some stupid rumor about his love life or anything. Trinity volunteered to do something to her apartment involving panty hose, whipped cream, sixteen skunks and a tractor.
Again I didn't ask and I don't want to know.
I heard something on the news the other day on how the country of Nova Roma was recently attacked by some anti-mutant groups. From what I've seen they are either Cobra or Hydra backed. Then again they were somewhat successful in their raids so it can't be Cobra. SHIELD has offered them protection and is keeping an eye out. Amara must be really worried by now.
Yeah things are really tense around the world but then again when aren't they? I'll write more later with news of our latest adventures and hope to see you all soon!
Kitty
"I can't believe so much has happened in such a short time," Jean sighed as she read the e-mail at her desk in the small apartment.
"I can't believe how much we have to pay for gas," Scott groaned as he sat at a nearby table in a gray sweatshirt and jeans. His face had some rough edge stubble to it and he looked tired. "Or heating, or water or…"
"Scott we knew we had to learn how to pay things for ourselves once we were out on our own," Jean said. "We're not doing that bad. Between your job at the garage and my job at the bar we're making ends meet."
"Barely," Scott sighed. Scott had managed to become a mechanic at a local shop and was quite good at it. Jean's cousin had set her up with a job as a waitress at a well do do bar uptown.
"A lot has happened since we left," Jean re-read the e-mail. "Who would have thought the Blob would be engaged before us?"
"We're engaged," Scott said to her.
"Technically we are 'engaged to be engaged'," Jean showed him her bare ring finger wryly. "According to my mother we are not even that at all."
"It's not that I don't want to give you a ring," Scott said.
"I know, we can't afford it and I'm okay with that," Jean held up her hands. "But my mother is another story. She keeps telling me she's worried enough about the whole 'mutant problem' without her daughter being unmarried and living with a man."
"Yeah well you know we did our part with the solution to the mutant problem but it wasn't enough and it would never be enough," Scott grumbled.
"Do you miss it?" Jean asked softly. "Our old life?"
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't," Scott admitted. "Some parts anyway. But we had to get away Jean. You know that."
"I know it's just…" Jean sighed. "With all the news about the Mutant Registration acts being thrown around Congress and things the way they are. I don't know, part of me feels guilty living like this. Like we should be doing more with our powers."
"More? Jean for crying out loud we practically spearheaded the whole mutant rights movement in the first place!" Scott snapped. "We weren't exactly sitting around the pool playing volleyball for seven years! I've lost count how many times we've saved people and the whole planet! And we even saved the universe a couple of times. Hell we saved several universes and you even died doing it! Trust me Jean, if anyone has earned their own lives, it's us."
"I guess," Jean sighed.
"And don't forget it's not just us we're living for," Scott pointed out. "We've got Madelyne to think about. Do you really want her to live the life we did? Being nothing more than Xavier's pawn?"
"You're right," Jean agreed as she got up and hugged him. "We have to give her the best life we can. She deserves that much. And speaking of which it's almost time for me to go to work."
"You almost forgot your wig," Scott held up a long brown wig. "It's a pain you have to wear it."
"I know," Jean sighed as she put it on. "But I don't want to dye my hair and I promised my cousin we'd keep a low profile. Have to admit, it's worked so far. A lot better than when we worked for the Fantastic Four."
"Don't remind me of that debacle," Scott groaned. "The only thing was the pay was good and we're already out of the funds we acquired during that time."
"We'll get by," Jean kissed him. "I'll bring back take out from the bar tonight. At least I get that at a discounted price. Make sure Maddie does her algebra."
"No problem," Scott smiled. "Take care Jean."
"You know me," Jean smiled. "I can handle anything that comes my way."
If only that was true.
"You really think this so called peace conference will do any good?" Sam asked Hank. They were standing with Tabitha in a giant conference room surrounded by dignitaries and other glamorous people.
"Even if it doesn't at least it gets us out of the mansion for a bit," Tabitha agreed. "Who would have thought Sammy and I would come to the UN like this?"
"It's good for Colossus too," Sam looked over where Peter was being an unofficial bodyguard for Professor Xavier. "He's been moping about Kitty non stop and that e-mail we got this morning didn't help."
"Hey we all know he was partially to blame for that whole mess," Tabitha pointed out. "Then again he and Kitty were never exactly the most stable couple in the universe. Actually it was more like Petey, Kitty, and Lance…Even after Lance broke up with her the final time!"
"I must admit there is some truth to what you say," Hank sighed. "And with anti-mutant sentiment and legislation running amok these are disquieting times. I just hope this United Nations sponsored talks on mutant kind and it's place in the world do some good."
"I'm not so sure we should have let the Professor come here," Sam sighed. "He ain't been looking too good lately."
"That's because ever since Jean and the others left he's thrown himself into fighting mutant legislation non stop," Tabitha said. "Then again there's a small part of me that's worried that he's doing it more to protect Cerebro and his files than the rest of us. I dunno, call it the cynic in me."
"If the Mutant Information Act does become a law, Charles Xavier is not the only one who could find himself in serious trouble," Hank admitted. "We could all suffer as a result."
"I can't believe they might actually pass that piece of garbage," Sam grunted.
"Speaking of which," Tabitha noticed something. "I don't believe this! What are they doing here?"
Roberto and Starla strode up to them in elegant robes and attire. "Well it seems that Starla and I aren't the only ones that have come up in the world," Roberto put on airs. "Then again considering who's left at the Institute there isn't that much of a choice is there?"
"What the hell are you doing here DaCosta?" Sam growled.
"We are the new ambassadors from Madripoor," Starla said haughtily. "Got diplomatic immunity and everything."
"I'll bet," Tabitha sneered. "You're just lucky Amara isn't here to clean your clock again, Starla."
"Tabitha don't," Hank warned. "We don't need to start anything here. We are representatives of the Xavier Institute and must show people that we are the peacekeepers that we have proclaimed ourselves to be."
"Peacekeepers my eye!" Starla fumed. "You guys are little more than vigilantes and you know it!"
"At least we ain't traitors," Sam glared at her.
"Your government might disagree with you on that," Roberto gave him a look. "From what I've heard anyone with an X-Gene in America is suspect. And the Xavier Institute is number one on the most wanted list. I'm surprised the GRSO hasn't knocked down your door lately."
"That's because they are more preoccupied with real mutant threats," Starla grinned. "Now that most of your A list team has run away."
"Well you are the expert about running away," Tabitha made an evil grin. "I suggest you do it now. Unless you want a reminder on how lousy a fighter you are. And I wouldn't be so smug if I were you either Sunny. Remember, Cannonball here is immortal. So unless you've come back from the dead recently I wouldn't be so eager to stay and fight."
"Be interesting to find out wouldn't it?" Sam made an evil grin.
"Another time," Roberto narrowed his eyes. "Come on Starla. Let's go talk to some important people." They walked away.
"I know I should have stopped that," Hank sighed looking at them. "But something in me enjoyed it too much."
"I'll enjoy wiping the smirks off of their faces next chance I get," Tabitha growled.
"Come on, they're starting," Hank steered them away.
On the podium were several people. "Good evening," A respectable brown haired bearded man in his fifties spoke. "I am Professor Charles Zendrowski, professor of genetics at New York University. I welcome all of you to this illuminating debate on the mutant question and how we can best solve it for world peace. Tonight I believe that we can all come to an understanding. I now present Professor Charles Xavier, a well known geneticist and mutant himself. Professor, welcome to the United Nations."
And that was when Professor Zendrowski, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and one of the world's most well respected professors pulled out a gun from his coat pocket and shot Charles Xavier on stage.
And so it finally begins...