Chapter 11: Here Lies Paradise
(Xavier Institute)
It was around noon with the sun shining bright rising over the institute. Wolverine was running a session with some of the students. He was training Shadowcat, Iceman, Mirage, Multiple, X-23, Magma, and Colossus. The goal for them was to avoid getting hit by lasers, blades, and other objects.
Meanwhile, Xavier was looking at them training from the window of his office. Hank was also in his office with a suitcase in his hand. He was also dressed in a business suit with his glasses on.
"Are you sure that I should go Charles?" he asked.
"Of course Hank", Xavier replied. "You know as good as well as I do that you are good at negotiating with others as I am."
"Yes well, people actually listen to you and plus you're the one that really wants this to happen."
Xavier gave Hank an assuring nod, "I know but I have to stay here with the students and you're the only one that I trust enough to handle it."
"You're right and I guess I should be on my way."
"Good luck old friend."
(Bayville University)
Jean and Emma were in Emma's dorm room socializing with each other on any and every topic there was. The girls form a bond with one another and everyone knew it. They've done a lot of shopping in their spare time as well as gossiping. Some days Taryn would join in only when Emma convinces her to.
"How are things with you and Warren", Jean asked meekly.
"Things are actual going tremendously well", Emma replied. "I never would have thought he'll be that great to be around. I would have guessed that he'll just be like every other rich kid and blows his money on stupid things."
"He doesn't"
"Yes he does but ever thing he buys has a reason for why. He doesn't just buy things just because he can. He's actual special." Emma glanced over at Jean who was looking through a magazine. "What about you and Scott."
"Our relationship is great", Jean said.
"I'm sure he is."
"I can't believe it took us so long to finally date, but I mostly think that is my fault", Jean started to fill a sharp throbbing pain in her head.
Emma slowly rose from her spot and walked over to Jean, staring at the girl critically. "Is everything alright?"
The pain subsided, "Yeah I'm find". Jean shook her head and took a deep breath.
"How about we go outside", Emma insisted which Jean agreed to.
The radiating heat from the bright sun captivated Jean's skin. The light breeze blowing in her long flowing red hair soothed her heating soul and helped her forget about her past headache. She and Emma were walking along the main building.
"See I knew that coming out her would be the best way to bring peace to her troubled mind"
"What makes you think my mind is troubled?"
"Your headache didn't just come from nowhere. Headaches are triggered from the invasion of the mind." Jean began to think about the idea that Emma was spitting out about someone or something invading her mind. She did feel a slight presence inside that wasn't her owns. "Most of the time it's just stress that causes the problem."
"Maybe you're…" The headache returned stronger than before. It felt like someone was pounding her head into the ground like somehow that would reveal Jean's deepest thoughts. Jean held her head and then the all the glass in the main building formed cracks and then all shattered.
"Jean!" Emma throws herself towards Jean and knocked both of them away from the descending glass, knocking them in the grass.
Jean sat up panting hard and Emma gave her a sympathetic look. "Are you alright?" Emma placed a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder.
"No", Jean shook her head. "I'm not. I think you're right I need to find some way to relax."
"How about we go to a party?"
"Okay. I'll see if Scott wants to come."
"Actually I was thinking that it could be a girl's night out."
(Washington D.C.)
Hank was at the staircase at the White House and quickly but sternly went up the stairs. He enters the building and walked over to the secretary desk. "Hank McCoy", he told the woman. "I'm here to speak with the President." The woman told him that the President location was down the hall.
The door that Hank approached was the corrected on that the woman told Hank and the door were half-opened. Hank peered inside and saw multiple men sitting around a circular table, with the President in the middle. He was talking to a person on a video monitor but what surprise Hank the most was that the leader of the U.S. was conversing with Magneto.
Hank knocked on the door and entered the room which caused the President to shut off the monitor. "Am I interrupting sir?"
"No", The President responded. "We were just finished. Come." He motioned for Hank to take a sit and the man slowly made his way over.
The most of the men in the room, excluding the President and a few others, stared at Hank with caution and disgust.
Hank cleared his throat as he sat down. "Sir", he addressed the head man, avoiding the other looks he was receiving. "If you don't mind me asking, what was the business with Magneto?"
The President chuckled along with some of the other men. The noise subsided as The President face was turned from joking to stern. "Yes. I do mind", he said in a serious tone. "That is the matter of a select few. Now let's get down to business."
Hank didn't like the sound of that and he felt like that something important is what The President was hiding. He decided to let the subject go for now but he would discuss the matter with Xavier later. "Yes about mutant rights."
(Xavier Institute)
Jean was in her room looking at multiple dresses in the mirror. She was holding a green strapless knee-length high dress. The thought of the party was exhilarating for her because it was the first time in a while that she actually got a chance to hang out with friends that weren't apart of the X-Men. Jean loved her fellow teammates but sometimes she thought that it would be great to have fun with 'humans'. That's why she really agreed to go on this outing with Emma, who was one of the few normal people she knew.
"Jean", Scott's voice said from the other side of her door.
"Come in", Jean said examining rummaging in her closet for more dresses.
"Hey", he said. Scott scanned around the room and saw all the clothes that Jean had in her room, he couldn't help but chuckle. "You do know that you're training the students for a Danger Room session right?"
"Of course I did Scott", Jean accidentally read his mind knowing what he was thinking but she wasn't going to tell him that. "One of these will be for later."
"What's happening later?" he urged.
"Emma wanted to have a girl's night out so that I can clear my head."
"Clear your head?" Scott became cautious. "Why do you need to clear your head? Is something wrong?"
"No", Jean smiled at Scott concern for her. "I'm fine she just thought that it would be good for me to relax and I have a good time."
"Oh", Scott moved closer to Jean and wrapped his arms around her waist. "That's great. I'm glad that you actually found a friend that not at the institute who you can trust."
"Yeah me too, it's like Emma came at the right time because if she didn't I don't know how much longer I could deal everyone here. Well everyone exact for you."
Scott gave her a quick peck on the lips before heading to the door. "You should choose the red dress. It brings out the inner beauty in you."
Jean blushed at Scott and stared at the red dress he mentioned. For some reason she thought that what he said was true. The color of the dress screamed out to Jean to pick it. Jean didn't know if it was her self-conscious or something deeper insider her but she had to wear this dress.
Xavier along with Logan and Ororo were in the Communication Room and a video projection from Hank was on. He was explaining to them about what was going on at the meeting. He said that the President agreed with the suspension of the Sentinels and trying to stop or at least lowering the human and mutant prejudice. He mentioned all this before telling them about the last important thing he learned for the meeting.
"I also saw the President speaking with Magneto." The others stared at Hank with disbelief that the head of the U.S. would even talk to Magneto. "I have no idea what they were discussing but the President was keen on me not finding out. Luckily before I entered the room I heard of some of what they were talking about. It was something about Magneto getting land or mutants would make their own by force."
"Magneto is up to no good like always", Logan snarled.
"Yes", Ororo agreed. "And it's our job to find out what that is."
"Thank you Hank", Xavier praised him. "Keep us updated and don't worry we'll find out what Erik is planning and put a stop to it."
The video image of Hank disappeared and Xavier looked over to Ororo and Logan. "This might be hard but we have to find out were exactly Magnus is." The other two adults agreed and they all headed to Cerebro.
Jean was in Danger Room along with Petra, Sunspot, Havok, Multiple, and Wolfsbane. She was standing in the center of the room with the students. The room's scenery turned into a forest with nothing but trees and out outstretched grass surrounding them.
"Okay guys the goal for today is to tag me"
"Isn't tag considered a little childish?" Petra questioned. "Especially for the X-Men"
"Okay maybe most of our enemies will not be this easy", Jean announced. "But some of them like Toad for instance, will make you chase after them and you have to be ready for that."
"Whatever", Petra shrugged. "Let's get this over with."
Jean floats in the sky and then took off away from the trainees, who started to run after her. Petra threw out her hands and a mass of rock and gravel was brought up in front of Jean, who quickly put up a force field to bloke all the material. Once the rocks stopped pouring down on the force field, Jean saw Sunspot all black and in the air to hit the protective bubble. Even inside of the force field he proved to be a great opponent as Jean was knocked down to the ground but still protected. She quickly got back into the air as the students were pursuing her as this continued Havok was trying to blast her but each attacked missed her.
As Jean kept dodging the attacks she saw something from out the corner of her eye. For a second she thought that she saw a bird with fiery red feathers and looked more than average size. She paid it no attention as she thought that it was just a glitch in the control room that she had to mention to the Professor. Jean turned a corner and hide behind a tree as she tried to lose the young students. She grinned as the students were oblivious at where she was. She decided that it would be a good time to take a break from running and sat down on a branch. Jean was enjoying the site of the animated scene of the open out doors that made her feel free. This moment however was broken when Jean saw that same bird again but she was wrong when she thought it had red feathers, the bird itself was in a form of fire. Jean was stunned at seeing the creäture flying around her until it landed on the branched next to her. But when it touched the bark it caught on fire, Jean moved away from the tree as it set a flame but the fire spread out more and the bird moved towards her.
"Jean", the bird somehow spoke to her. "It's time for me to be unleashed."
Jean was confused at what the bird was talking about and she began to panic as it advanced to her repeating the same words over and over again. "No!" Jean yelled. "Stay away from me. Leave me alone!" The bird rushed into the center of Jean's chest and she screamed in pain as a red aura appeared around her. She held her head and a power force wave knocked out all the animated trees and grass. Jean fell to the ground as the Danger Room turned back to its natural setting.
Scott rushed into the room and saw that all the students were all on the ground holding some part of their body. He moved over to Jean who was laying on the ground with her eyes close and muttering something that Scott couldn't hear clearly.
"What happened?" Scott made his way over to the students with Jean in his hands.
"We have no idea", Multiple said.
"We were just doing a session and then we couldn't find her", Havok added.
"I guess she just snapped", Petra said.
"Fire?" Wolfsbane looked confusedly at Jean and everyone looked at the wolf girl. "She keeps repeating the word fire but there wasn't any fire."
Scott looked down at Jean in his arms and caressed her face.
Logan and Ororo were waiting patiently outside of Cerebro, giving the Professor some time to concentrate on locating Magneto. Everyone knew that this would be a difficult task because Magneto has an unruly gift of hiding and only appearing when he wants to be found. The doors to Cerebro open and Xavier wheels himself out with a stern look on his face. He stops in front of the two adults.
"Did you find him Chuck?" Logan asked.
"Yes", Xavier answered. "He's on an island off the coast of Southeastern Africa coast, northwest from Seychelles."
"I guess it's time for us to suit up."
"I'll go get the jet ready", Ororo said walking away.
"Right", Xavier said. "I will get tell the others of the mission."
"Are we taking the whole team Chuck?"
"No Logan. Just in case this is a diversion I would like for some of the students to stay back to protect themselves."
Jean woke up as the Professor's voice was heard in her head explaining to some of the members about the mission that they will be attending. She examined the room she was in and saw that she was somehow in the infirmary. Jean was confused because the last thing she remembered was training in the Danger Room with the students. Her confusion was subsided when she saw Scott sitting beside her with his hands on hers.
"You're awake", Scott exclaimed. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine", Jean said calmly.
"Are you sure? You had a struggling facial expression when you were asleep. Plus you kept mumbling something about a…bird?"
"I don't remember", Jean announced. "But I'm feeling better now so we can go on the mission."
"Actually I already told the Professor that you and I are going to miss this one until you're back to normal."
"Scott", Jean said firmly. "I'm fin-"
"No Jean!" Scott interrupted. "You're not fine. You blank out in the Danger Room and you have no memory of it, that's not okay." Scott stopped when he realized that Jean had an irritated look on her face and was faced away from him. "I jus…I'm just worried about you that's all." Jean still wasn't looking at him so he decided that it was time for him to just give her some space. "I'll let you get some rest."
Jean sighed in relief after Scott left the room. The truth was the Jean really did remember seeing the bird but she didn't want to discuss it with anyone especially since she doesn't understand it herself. Jean felt like that she was slowly losing herself and she didn't want to tell Scott because he would just get all protective over her.
Jean got out of bed and moved over to the made her way over to the infirmary door. The only thing that Jean wanted to do was go to that party and forget about everything especially about that bird.
Within thirty minutes Jean had managed to put on her red dress and golden heels with some silver and gold bracelets along and called Emma to pick her up. At the moment Jean was sneaking out of her bedroom window just as Emma pulled up in her white convertible.
Jean got into the passenger side of the car and Emma gave her an amusing look.
"Why exactly did I have to hurry and get here?" she asked.
"While Scott didn't want me to attend that party since I…um passed out early today. But I refuse to not go out. I just don't want to stay in the mansion all day and wait to figure out what's wrong with me.
"Humph…that's very interesting", Emma smirked.
(Washington D.C.)
After communicating with the Professor, Hank had to wait about forty-five minutes as the President and the members of the Cabinet discuss Hank's proposal on mutant rights. When the time was right the secretary told Hank that they were ready to see him.
As Hank entered the room he had a field of emotions, but more was anxiety. The President was the only person that was standing beside Hank.
"Mr. McCoy", the President greeted. "We have heard your argument of mutant rights and to make that happen we have decided that you should become a member of Cabinet as the Secretary of Mutant Affairs."
Hank was stunned by the news and he was also joyful because he would mark the history as the first mutant to represent the government. This is what the Professor was talking about all along, this prove to Hank that mutants actually do stand a chance at living side by side with humans.
(Genosha)
The X-Jet had landed on the island that Xavier had located that Magneto would be. Xavier along with the members of the X-Men, notably: Storm, Colossus, Gambit, Jubilee, Iceman, Nightcrawler, and Shadowcat, filed out of the jet. As they stepped on the soil of the island, it appeared that the island is currently having construction done. The X-Men started to walk towards the sight but stopped when they saw three figures marching towards them, one woman and two men. A metal sphere hovered above them and when it opened Magneto appeared out of it. The X-Men knew that they were up for a fight because of fighting in new territory and fighting new enemies, they just hope that they can win.
Author's Note:
Guys I know it took me the longest time in the world to create, finish, and post this chapter and for that I do apologize but I have been stress with school work and plus I took my first AP test this week. I also have one more next week so I defiantly won't post the last chapter then. I seriously can't wait until summer. Anyway the next chapter is the season finale which means that it will have more drama, action, and conflict. For anyone that doesn't know the flame bird will be discuss in the next chapter also along with Magneto's plan. Just because I can't hold this back for much longer I'm going to tell you that in the finale multiple people will have broken hearts. Please review and I'm still taking request for season six for anyone with ideas. And skyscaper25 please pm me when you get your new mobile device. I don't know if I ever made this known but any of you can pm me out the story or something. Well until next time this is TotallyT.
