Second X
Chapter 3: First Blood
In the aftermath of M-Day, many have taken drastic steps to ensure humanity's survival. Mutants across the globe are being hunted. Anti-mutant groups have banded together, determined to exterminate those mutants who still possess their powers. Tension between humans and mutants is greater than ever. Clarity, a mutant with the gift of foresight, has recently had a vision predicting the deaths of the X-Men and a war between the species. Now, she gathers other displaced mutants in the hopes of preventing her vision from being fulfilled.
Disclaimer: The X-men characters either mentioned or appearing in this story are owned and copyrighted by Marvel Comics.
Chapter 3: First Blood
January 9, 10:22 pm
Chicago
Danielle Moonstar was once more than just a mutant. She was a hero. She had visited the gods. She could manipulate cosmic energy with a mere thought. She had literally fought death. She had faced off with some of the most powerful beings on the planet. But that was then. Before M-Day. Now, Danielle Moonstar was human; lost and unsure of her place in the world. Since the events of that crucial day, Danielle had started work as a counselor at a shelter for depowered mutants. "Funny," she thinks, "I'm trying to help people cope with losing their abilities and I haven't fully dealt with my own issues."
The shelter was home to 47 former mutants, including Danielle. Some looked human. Most, however, had retained their outlandish appearance when they lost their powers. All were looking for a home.
"Rebecca," Danielle said as she knelt by a cot, "How are you doing today?"
"As good as possible without legs. Hard to get around," she replied. Rebecca had lost her legs as a child in a car accident. When her mutant powers manifested, she found that she could create objects out of telekinetic energy. Using her powers, she created a set of legs to replace the one lost years before. As a result of M-Day, she once again relied on a wheel chair.
"I meant you," Danielle said.
Rebecca shifted her body upright. "When I received my powers, I was so happy. I had legs. I could fly. I could do anything I wanted. Now? I need help getting into my chair. I have to rely on others to do simple tasks again. What am I going to do now? My powers were my life. I used my powers to help build this place. What now? What can I do when I can't even walk?" Tears flowed from her eyes.
Danielle reached into her pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. "Here," she said. "Rebecca, I don't know why this all happened the way it did. We all lost something. You will get through this. You just need to..."
CRASH!!!
The wall next to Danielle and Rebecca crumbled. Danielle managed to dogde out of the way before it fell on top of her. Rebecca, however, was not so lucky. She looked at the wall with tears as it fell toward her. As the life faded from her eyes, a smile formed on her face. She knew her torment was ending.
"Rebecca!" Danielle screamed in terror as she watched the wall crush the person she was just speaking to.
"Don't worry about her," a man said as he emerged through the hole in the wall. "You will be joining her soon."
Danielle could only watch in horror as eight metallic creatures followed the man into the shelter she called home. The man gave an order, and the creatures charged into the building to begin their slaughter.
"The day of reckoning has come," he said. "The end of mutants and all those linked to them is here."
Outside the shelter, screams filled the air.
End Chapter 3