Hellfire
Author's note: Ahh... the time honored tradition of the Marvel crossover. Double the sales by making diverse fan bases have to buy comics out of there traditional purchase zones. Enjoyable when done right but... so often done wrong.
Hero on hero action (hot or otherwise) tends to be so... predictable so I've tried to avoid the routine hero vs. hero fight. I think that I've already come up with a better Ghost Rider crossover then any that have come before. Let's see how it develops.
Oh, and why Kurt? I find it odd that Illyana and Kurt rarely interact on the pages of the comic. And Extraordinary X-Men 8, page 1 does show Kurt fighting alone in Mexico with Illyana nowhere in sight (which I address in this story).
Hmm... I read somewhere that Johnny and Robbie were half brothers, but now can't find it. How is that possible? I saw it on the Internet... Oh well, for this story I guess they're now related.
Part 2: Mexico (part 1, or what came before)
So how did this dubious situation develop? Let's turn the clock back an hour or so.
We find two Extraordinary X-Men, Illyana (Magik) and Kurt (Nightcrawler) in Mexico City attending an anti-mutant rally at the historic plaza. One side of the plaza was an old majestic cathedral, upon whose steps the anti mutant speaks were speaking from a podium. Shops and stores line the other sides of the plaza, including some open air cafes.
Illyana and Kurt were walking unseen among the crowd due to a minor obscurement spell by Illyana, to others they just looked like fellow crowd attendees.
Kurt whispered to Illyana. "Not good Fraulein, the crowd is getting uglier".
Illyana coldly eyed the crowd. "Yes... I've seen the look before. The lust for violence grows. Bigger the crowd, lower the IQ".
"And the Polizei are doing nothing except standing by".
"Kurt, some of them are cheering along with the crowd".
Kurt sighed. "Yes Illyana, I see that as well. So where are the mutants that we came here to save"?
"The protest flier promised to show the enemy, the horror that threatens Mexico. For some odd reason I can't detect exactly where they are. They are here, but hidden. Very suspicious, smells of power".
"So I suppose we just keep mingling with the crowd and wait".
"You found nothing in the Catholic church"?
"Nothing out of the ordinary. The Priests are worried that a riot will break out. I must confess that the faith frowns upon former Priests breaking into sanctuaries and fighting. Wouldn't want to lose my Catholic card, I get fifteen percent off in the gift shops and get bumped to the front of the line for confession".
Illyana gave a chuckle. "Ha ha. You joke about it Kurt, but your faith means so very much to you".
"Yes it does Illyana. Mind if I ask you a question"?
"Shoot'".
They were walking by the outdoor cafes. Behind them two men were sitting at one of the tables, likely somewhat drunk due to the number of beer bottles on the table. One was a blond Anglo-Saxon, the other was a dark haired Hispanic man. Unbeknownst to the two X-Men, the blond man was pointing at her and Kurt's direction and saying something.
"Why did you ask the Ororo send me with you on this mission? I'd have thought you'd want to bring your brother or our oddly aged Wolverine".
Illyana gave Kurt another sideways glance. "I wanted some alone time with you, away from prying eyes and wagging tongues".
"Why? Not that I'm complaining about spending time with a pretty Fraulein".
"Flatterer. It's not that... Well... Ok part of it is that. You are very... attractive. Kitty always had a secret crush on you and so did... Umm...".
Kurt smiled, he did so love to flirt, and it was so rare to fluster Illyana.
Illyana regained her train of thought. No it's just that I avoided you for so long back in Utopia and then you... died. I wanted to... explain myself. Explain why I hid myself away from you".
"You were not well then Illyana, I understand".
"No Kurt, you likely don't. That's why we need to talk. Why do you think I avoided you back then"?
The two men at the table stood up, the blonde threw some bills on the table and the two of them started walking in the direction of Illyana and Kurt.
"Well..." Kurt was eyeing the crowd. A new speaker had taken the podium and was busy comparing mutants to devils. "I assumed that former friendships and relationships made you uncomfortable due to your inability to feel and the weight of your trauma. You needed space, needed time to come to grips with... well everything. I didn't want to push".
"No... You scared me".
"How"? Most people who were scared of Kurt were scared due to his appearance. Looking like a blue furry three fingered fanged devil tends to be off putting even for the best and open minded of people. Illyana was not one of these people. Hell, her Darkchilde devil aspect was much scarier, and people were wise to be scared.
"You were good".
Kurt had no answer and just let Illyana continue.
"You looked like the devil and you were good. So much bad happened to you and you were... good. You had a soul and everything. I was so... scared of that. I felt so... low when I thought of you or saw you. Just another example of how inadequate I was. You were so much... better then me. I... I had my plan and I just knew that you'd figure it out or somehow talk me out of it if we interacted so... so we didn't. I avoided you, the same as I avoided Kitty and... I was wrong. So very wrong. I think... I think that you would have helped me find a better way to regaining my soul then the path I was on. The path I took. I was... very blind and... made no attempt to see".
Before Kurt had a chance to say anything there was a shout behind them.
"Demons! Hell spawn! Turn and face your judgment"!
They both turned, surprised that they could be seen. Turned just as they were both enveloped in a blast of Hellfire fired by the blond man. Hellfire that burns the soul without leaving physical injuries on the victim.
Kurt found it painful (we all have caused other's harm), but Illyana?
The Illyana who had done so much harm and had caused so much harm?
The Illyana who had left a trail of bodies across Asgard in her youth?
The Illyana who had waged war in Limbo?
The Illyana that had slain countless numbers of demons and non demons?
The Illyana who had caused her friends and brother such harm?
The Illyana who, as Phoenix, had tortured and imprisoned so many?
The Illyana that had soul raped Megan?
Well... that Illyana went mad.
