Rachel's PoV
I better never hear someone complaining about how crappy their life is unless they have endured what my family has… or their cat just died.
I can still hear the urgant commands of my grandparents, yelling at my dad and uncle to put the parachutes on and saying their weepy goodbyes. I can still feel the utmost fear that my dad, only seven years old, undergoes as he and his brother jump from the plane. It's unfair that he has these memories in the first place. t's even worse that I have to keep making him experience it again.
I am almost relieved when I see the X-Men coming in with Vulcan. It means both of our torture is almost finished. I'm also horrified. Scott Summers may not know my origin, But Jean Grey is a telepath. I have to keep my guard up and my mind blocked I I want to make sure they never know my parantige.. My looks themselves will be a red flag. Red hair, green eyes, not to mention that I have telekinesis and telepathy. It will be some type of miracle if I don't end up screwing this for myself.
In all honesty, most 12 year olds shouldn't be hiding from their parents, but most 12 year olds haven't gone through all the trash I have. I'm from another time stream,which means that these two aren't really my parents. Okay, they have the same genetic structure and are basically the same people, but these Jean and Scott never had a kid as far as I can tell. I was sent here with my godmother after my original time stream was destroyed. That was two years ago. Now I'm running rampid with the Shi'ar rebels, fighting against the Empire. That is until I was abducted by my psychopath Uncle, Vulcan, in order to traumatize my dad. I would have refuse to do if my life had been on the line, but Vulcan knew that, so put Cyclops' head on the chopping block instead.
My dad's life depends on so much right now, and if one of these tightly twisted plans of Vulcan's goes through, then he and his brother and my other uncle, Alex, are dead.
The chances that he'll die seem to triple the second that Vulcan calls on the imperial guard to attack.
Soon there is a full-blown fight. Sparks fly as adamantium claws go through one of the guards and strike the ship's wall behind him. I quickly look away from the blood that drips onto the floor. Storm's eyes crackle with electricity while she sends bolts of lightning through the bodies.
I hop around punches and through my own using skills I've been taught by the rebels. Using Telekinesis to add more oomph to each jab, I'm able to have just as much force as a buff, adult male would.
My opponent, a blue dude who looks more like he should be watching the Hunger Games in the Capitol then fighting for Vulcan, laughs as I plant a roundhouse kick in his side. That wasn't the result I was looking for. He glares at me with deep blue eyes and says,"I expected more from you, daughter of Phoenix. But you only tickle me."
If I don't blow my identity, then these idiot guards will. I step back a few feet "running, are you?" Bluey taunts. I make a run towards him, jumping and slamming my foot into his jaw. He stumbles and falls, blood running down from his nose and mouth.I unfortunately fall too. That was the last move that my trainer had taught me, and I hadn't mastered it by any means.
I land hard on my back, knocking the wind from my lungs. "shit!" I hiss, rolling out of the way as a large pair of boots slam down by my head.
"Don't let your parents hear your language," Vulcan says. "Don't want you mouth washed out with soap, do you?" I stand up and prepare myself to kill him. Then I remember that I'm with X-Men now. We won't be killing. It's not their style. If I am to gain their trust, which is my goal at the moment, I need to play by their roles. Even Logan is playing by these instructions, stabbing the guards in areas that will only kill them if they are hit with infection, or bleed out, before help can get to them.
"If you tell them anything, I swear I will end you," I say, my glare shooting daggers into Vulcan's soul.
"Many have tried, Girl, Many have tried," his fingertips begin to glow and an orb of pure energy forms in his palm, "but don't worry. I won't let you litter secret slip. Not unless you disobey my commands."
The ball of energy is thrown my way. It grazes my arm, but with my powers I can mostly deflect it into a wall. It explodes, the impact knocking two Imperials down. The one twitches violently on the floor, blood trickling from her ears.
"You know far well that you can't hurt me with that," I snap, "in your attempts you've possibly killed one of your own."
Vulcan considered his fallen ally with distaste, "Agostinha will regenerate soon enough. As for you, Rachel, you may be immune to my power, but there are other ways to hurt you." He swings a fist in my direction. I duck, feeling the wind whip through my hair. I stand up, tightening my gut and putting my hands up to protect my face. I bounce on my heels, then aim a jab towards his unprotected throat. His reflexes are faster them I am, and he blocks. As his hand raises, it begins to glow the orangish-red of his powers. "Not everyone has a deathwish, Rachel. It would be a shame for someone so close to you to die, wouldn't it?" With saying this he points his glowing hand at my mom.
"Do it and I kill you."
"Kill me and you are executed for killing the Emperor." he shoots back, flexing his glowing fingers.
"That's a risk I'm willing to take," Logan says from behind. The tips of his claws protrude from Vulcan's stomach and he sputters, spitting out blood. I look away as he collapses like a limp noodle.
"Son of a bitch," Logan whispers, wiping his claws off on his already bloody pant leg. "You alright, kid?"
I tell him that I am. Even through I feel like vomiting. After all I've been through you would think I'd be immune to seeing death. Yet, every demise I see feels like my first. "He will just be put in a regeneration pod," I say, acting more of a reassurance for myself then a reminder to him.
"So?" he challenges, "it still gives us time to escape."
I look around, the fight didn't last long. My mom is back at my dad's side. Uncle Alex is talking to Professor X and Storm. Despite all odds the Guards are down. "Come on, do you know the way out?" Logan asks.
"You actually trust me?" I ask. It wasn't what I expected, especially coming from Logan. Maybe it was because I was fighting on their side, or maybe he heard what I Vulcan and I spoke about. Either way I was responsible for torturing Cyclops, and I'll never be able to forgive myself for that. I don't see how they can.
"No," he says, "but do you want the chance to earn it?"
Of course I do, more than anything. But the more time I spend with my mom, the more chances she's going to have to find out who I am.
Part of me longs to just admit who I am and fall into her arms. In my old time stream she was the one I went to for everything. I lost that ability the day I watched her be murdered. Now I'm given the chance again, but I know that I can't just throw myself upon her.. She wouldn't understand. She would shun me for it. She needed to focus on Cyclops right now, without the addition of a daughter. and because of this I can only consider them as fellow mutants.
But the X-Men need my help despite my relations. "Come on, but be ready to fight if we need to. The Guards aren't the only armed Imperials on this ship."
All Shi'ar ships are designed the same. Both the Rebels and Imperials buy their ships from the same neutral company. So if you've been on one, you've been on all of them. However, it's a completely experience going down the labyrinth of corridors with a group of angry Imperials chasing after us.
I lead the way. In the rush of the moment Wolverine grabbed Cyclops, threw him over his shoulder and is now carrying him through the ship like a sack of potatoes (he's going to be furious if he ever finds out that's how we got him out). Storm and Jean come up behind him, then the Professor, who seems to be adjusting well to the sharp turns of the halls in his wheelchair. Havoc takes the rear, blasting away at the Imperials who follow us. It isn't exactly a quiet, easy way out of the ship, but we eventually get the job done.
Havoc blasts the door just as the engine roars to life. Alarms scream overhead and white foam spews from the sprinkler system, trying to calm the detected fire even though there is none. I jump down, the soles of my shoes sinking into wet sand. "Where's your plane?" I ask.
Jean uses her telekinesis to get the Professor off, without the ramp, it's a high jump. Almost hazardous with working legs.
"Over there a little ways," Logan answers. Crimson runs down from the shoulder of his leather jacket. I realize that it's from Cyclops. The blade wound is open again.
About three days ago he had decided to escape. When they were allowing me out to go to my own cell, he rushes past us. Already weak, he was defeated within seconds. One of the Parvus, a guard in training, took him down with one of his training tanto. After a whole lot of begging on my part, they allowed me to treat his injury with limited supplies. All I could really do was sop up the blood and keep it covered. For all I know, it could be infected.
Two Imperials bounce from the ship, one lands hard and collapses on a bum ankle, but the other means business. A combat rifle in both hands, rows of ammunition over her shoulder like a sash, a blade between her teeth, not to mention the feathers that line her armspand like wings. She isn't as much of a Guard then Vulcan's right hand man… woman? Either way I think they are intimate.
"You killed Emperor Vulcan, you must pay for your actions and bow to the high council of Aaries." She says to Logan, her voice thick and slow, like poisoned honey.
"Bring it down a few notches, Deathbird," I snap, "We both know they'll just toss his body into a regeneration pod and he'll be good as new by the morning."
She glares at me, her dark eyes twinkling with great distaste, "watch your tongue, Phoenix Genus, or else you will be the one in this hairy man's place."
I flinch at the name. It basically means Phoenix child, and was a title I had long before I knew about the Shi'ar. In my timestream, I was conceived within the Phoenix. Basically my parents had sex whilst my mom was inhabited and then nine months later, poof! I arrive. It has never affected me, but because my mom is such a legend when the Shi'ar found out she had a kid, I became the hype of their lives, It was probably the the media that came up with the name, but it stick and ever since then I've been considered the Phoenix Genus.. I dislike it.
"What? You want to fight me? Bring it on!" I challenge, spreading my arms in declaration of the duel.
She just laughs, her jet-black head nodding back in enjoyment, "I have had years in of training, you? You've only had a meger few."
Using telekinesis, I rip the gun from her hand. While she's distracted, I attack, sweeping her legs out from underneath her and using telepathy to put her in a coma. "And yet you were beat by a meger few years of training," I say.
I swipe loose hair from my face as I turn to face the rest. Their expressions a spread of confusion and amusement. "Who are you?" Jean asks.
"Rachel," I respond, flipping two fingers off my forehead in a mock salute, "From earth."
To Be Continued
AN: Well, another chapter down, several to go. I hope you all enjoyed it! Pretty please review and f&f so I know to continue this. Cheers!