Days of Evolution's Past

Year 2003

"Scott, you got the equation wrong," Jean said.

"What?" Scott said, startled. Rechecking his answer, he answered, "Whoops."

The two of them were at Bayville College's library, studying physics and finishing an assignment. The deadline was next week but Scott and Jean were model students and wanted to finish things as early as possible.

"I'm done," Jean announced, arranging her papers in a neat stack.

"Two more questions," Scott muttered. "And… I'm done!"

Scott got shushed by the librarian. He mouthed back an apology as the elderly woman glowered at him. Jean giggled silently.

A blue phoenix soared towards its red counterpart.

Suddenly, Jean felt a sharp pain in her head. She pressed her hand against her temple to massage it away.

"Are you okay, Jean?" Scott asked, mildly concerned.

"It's nothing," Jean said, lowering her hand. "Just tired from working so hard, I suppose. C'mon, break is almost over. We need to get to the next lecture."

Scott nodded, and grabbed his things.


Halfway into the lecture, Jean wondered if she should take an aspirin. Her head was starting to pound. It was like someone was lightly tapping her temples with a plastic hammer. But it wasn't so bad that she couldn't concentrate.

"Jean," Scott asked again, "are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm alright, Scott," Jean replied.

After the lecture, Jean stopped by the nurse's office to ask for some aspirin. Then, she went after Scott to their next lecture. That's when it got really bad.

The red phoenix welcomed its blue relative into its bosom.

The pounding worsened. Now, it was like a rubber mallet was knocking her head. Over and over, the word 'delivery' repeated in her mind.

The red phoenix carried the blue phoenix to its destination.

"Delivery…" Jean whispered faintly.

"Jean?" Scott said, very worried now.

Without warning, Jean collapsed in the middle of the hallway, surprising other students.

"Jean!" Scott cried. He knelt before her.

Jean was convulsing like she was having a seizure. Scott scooped her up in his arms and dashed out of the hall.

"Coming through!" he told the other students as he rushed past them. Leaving the building, Scott quickly got into his car, put Jean in the passenger seat, and drove back to the mansion. "Hold on, Jean!" he told his girlfriend.


"Would you care to explain what happened in school today?" Xavier asked his students, Kitty and Kurt.

The two teenagers refused to meet neither the professor's eyes nor each other's.

Xavier sighed. "Kurt, Kitty, please don't make me read your minds."

"It wasn't Kurt's fault," Kitty said, looking down shamefully.

"Kitty vas just trying to protect my feelings," Kurt said, turning away guiltily.

With answers like that, Xavier was seriously contemplating about reading their minds, but was interrupted by the telephone ringing. He told the two young mutants, "You are excused. We will discuss this later."

Kitty and Kurt, without using the door, left Xavier's office. The bald man picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Professor?" said Scott's worried voice.

"Scott?" Xavier said, sensing Scott's concern. "What's the matter?"

"It's… It's Jean," Scott said, sighing shakily. "She collapsed, so I'm taking her back now. Can you ask Hank to ready the scanner?"

"Of course," Xavier replied. "Get her home as soon as possible." Then, he hung up.

He placed a finger on his temple and summoned Hank, telling him telepathically, Hank, ready the scanner. Jean is unwell. We'll need to put her in a big room, so set the bed in the Danger Room.

Roger—was Hank's reply.


As ordered, Jean was laid upon an infirmary bed in the Danger Room. Hank had attached some probes onto her head, scanning for anomalies, while Jean herself was writhing on the bed.

"During the whole way back," Scott told Hank and Xavier, "she kept repeating the word 'delivery'."

"Did she?" Hank said, rubbing his chin contemplatively. He turned to Jean. While writhing, Jean seemed to be mouthing the word 'delivery'. "So, she is."

"What's wrong with her?" Scott asked.

Hank checked the monitor. "Jean seems to have picked up some sort of wavelength, and it's a heavy one."

Scott wanted ask what was that wavelength, but then Jean screamed, her back arching as she levitated off the bed. But it didn't sound like her voice; rather, it was like a bird screeching. Her eyes opened wide, now fiery red orbs.

"Delivery," she announced. "Delivering from year twenty-twenty-five, to year twenty-zero-three."

From her chest, a red aura shot out. It was shaped like a large bird spreading its wings. From within it, a blue aura flies out, also in the form of a bird, and lands on the ground before the red aura. Then, both auras vanished.

Jean fell back onto the bed and gasped like she'd almost drowned. She coughed a few times before regaining focus. She sat up on the bed, looking around confusedly. Earlier she was so sick, now she was well again.

But the others were more focused on the group of ragamuffins that had just appeared in the Danger Room.

Chapter Two *END*