25. THE FLIGHT OF MAGNETO.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yep, here's the beginning of the final part of the trilogy. And I'm using elements from the book as well as from the movie again, in places where I thought that the movie version dropped some great scenes from the book.
{In the highest chamber of Magneto's tower, Magneto is assembling together all the left-over swords, shields, and other metal weapons that he had originally ordered made for his army. Outside, his stronghold has been flooded by Colossus and his Tree-folk; only the tower itself remains. Mastermind is gazing uneasily out the window.}
MAGNETO: I will not accept defeat. If this fortress is lost to me, I will build another.
{He proceeds to use his magnetic powers to pull together all of the metal weaponry, welding them together into one of his travelling spheres. Mastermind sidles over to the stand where his master keeps the Seeing-stone and picks up the stone.}
MAGNETO (walking towards the opening of the sphere): Come, Mastermind. We have work to do.
{He grabs hold of Mastermind by the back of his robe and hauls him into the sphere. Mastermind is so startled that he lets go of the Seeing-stone, which goes flying out the window, to land in the water below with a splash. The sphere closes and rises up, smashing through the roof and hurtling away out of sight.
Elsewhere, not far from the mountains surrounding Apocalypse's kingdom, Kurt and Kitty are in a small cave near a forest of leafless trees; Kitty is fast asleep, while Kurt is uneasily looking at the Ring. Dark clouds are looming over the mountains, drifting westwards, blotting out the sunlight. Toad watches them uneasily, then turns around and nudges the two young mutants.}
TOAD: Wake up! Wake up! Wake up, sleepies, we must go, yes, we must go at once!
KITTY (sitting up and rubbing her eyes): Haven't you had any sleep, Kurt?
{Kurt shakes his head.}
KITTY: I've gone and had too much. It must be getting late.
KURT: No, it isn't. It isn't midday yet. The days are growing darker.
TOAD: Come on! Must go, no time!
KITTY: Like, not before Kurt's had something to eat!
TOAD: No time to lose, silly!
KITTY (giving Kurt some wafer-bread): Here.
KURT: Vhat about you, Kitty?
KITTY: Uh, no. I'm not hungry. At least not for wafer-bread.
KURT: Kitty....
KITTY: All right. But we don't have that much left. We have to be careful or we're going to run out. You go ahead and eat that, Kurt. I've rationed it. There should be enough.
KURT: For vhat?
KITTY: The journey home.
{Kurt stares at her in silence for a moment. Toad has to nudge him again.}
TOAD: Come, you two. Very close now, very close to Apocalypse's kingdom. No safe places here. Hurry!
{The three of them leave the cave and head off through the desolate forest towards the mountains.
Xavier, Scott, Angel, and Wolverine have left Shield's Deep and are traveling through the forest that has seemingly sprung up out of nowhere around the ruins of Magneto's castle, eyeing the trees in amazement. Before them lies the remains of Magneto's castle itself, still flooded, with pieces of broken wall about everywhere. Bobby and Evan are contentedly sitting on one such fragment, helping themselves to food from Magneto's storerooms.}
EVAN: I feel like I'm back at the local Gutbomb's after a hard day's work.
BOBBY: Only, you've never done a hard day's work.
{Both laugh, until they see the Professor and the others arrive.}
BOBBY (standing up): Welcome, my lords, to Magneto's castle!
WOLVERINE (looking sharply at them): You young rascals! A merry hunt you've led us on, and now we find you feasting!
EVAN: We are sitting on a field of victory, enjoying a few well-earned comforts. The salted pork is particularly good.
WOLVERINE: Salted pork?
XAVIER (shaking his head): Mutant teenagers.
BOBBY: We're under orders from Colossus, who's taken over management of Magneto's castle.
{Xavier and his companions, now joined by Bobby and Evan, continue on to the foot of Magneto's tower, where Colossus is waiting for them.}
COLOSSUS: Young Professor Xavier, I'm glad you've come. Wood and water, stock and stone, I can master. But Magneto is another matter. Look to his tower.
XAVIER: And there he must remain, under your guard, Colossus.
WOLVERINE (popping his claws): Let's just have his head, Chuck, and be done with it.
XAVIER: No, Logan. He has no power anymore.
COLOSSUS: The filth of Magneto is washing away. Trees will come back to live here. Old trees, wild trees.
{Evan suddenly sees the gleam of the Seeing-stone that Mastermind threw out the window in the water. He eagerly snatches it up.}
SCOTT (seeing him do so): Evan!
COLOSSUS: Bless my bark!
XAVIER: Evan Daniels! I'll take that, my lad. Quickly, now.
{Evan reluctantly gives the Seeing-stone to Xavier, who stuffs it into his pocket.
Shortly afterwards, the six companions are heading back to Castle Caldecott. Rogue expectantly waits for them just outside the great hall.
That evening, the people of Caldecott have assembled in the great hall, with King Sean presiding over them.}
SEAN: Tonight, we remember those who gave their blood to defend their country. Hail the victorious dead!
ALL: Hail!
{They raise their cups in a toast.
The festivities begin. Rogue brings Scott a goblet, which he accepts and drinks from. As he walks away, Sean joins his niece and smiles approvingly.}
SEAN: I am happy for you. He is an honorable man.
ROGUE: You are both honorable men.
SEAN: It was not Sean Cassidy of Caldecott who led our people to victory.
{Rogue stares at him puzzledly.}
SEAN: Ah, don't listen to me. You are young, and tonight is for you.
{Bobby and Evan have climbed up onto a table, and are doing a little impromptu song-and-dance routine about the delights of Gutbombs back in Bayville, to the amusement of their audience. Even Xavier, watching by himself, smiles a little.}
SCOTT (walking up to the Professor): No news of Kurt.
XAVIER: No news. Nothing.
SCOTT: We have time. Every day Kurt moves closer to Apocalypse's realm.
XAVIER: Do we know that?
SCOTT: What does your heart tell you?
XAVIER: That Kurt is alive. Yes. Yes, that he's alive.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yep, here's the beginning of the final part of the trilogy. And I'm using elements from the book as well as from the movie again, in places where I thought that the movie version dropped some great scenes from the book.
{In the highest chamber of Magneto's tower, Magneto is assembling together all the left-over swords, shields, and other metal weapons that he had originally ordered made for his army. Outside, his stronghold has been flooded by Colossus and his Tree-folk; only the tower itself remains. Mastermind is gazing uneasily out the window.}
MAGNETO: I will not accept defeat. If this fortress is lost to me, I will build another.
{He proceeds to use his magnetic powers to pull together all of the metal weaponry, welding them together into one of his travelling spheres. Mastermind sidles over to the stand where his master keeps the Seeing-stone and picks up the stone.}
MAGNETO (walking towards the opening of the sphere): Come, Mastermind. We have work to do.
{He grabs hold of Mastermind by the back of his robe and hauls him into the sphere. Mastermind is so startled that he lets go of the Seeing-stone, which goes flying out the window, to land in the water below with a splash. The sphere closes and rises up, smashing through the roof and hurtling away out of sight.
Elsewhere, not far from the mountains surrounding Apocalypse's kingdom, Kurt and Kitty are in a small cave near a forest of leafless trees; Kitty is fast asleep, while Kurt is uneasily looking at the Ring. Dark clouds are looming over the mountains, drifting westwards, blotting out the sunlight. Toad watches them uneasily, then turns around and nudges the two young mutants.}
TOAD: Wake up! Wake up! Wake up, sleepies, we must go, yes, we must go at once!
KITTY (sitting up and rubbing her eyes): Haven't you had any sleep, Kurt?
{Kurt shakes his head.}
KITTY: I've gone and had too much. It must be getting late.
KURT: No, it isn't. It isn't midday yet. The days are growing darker.
TOAD: Come on! Must go, no time!
KITTY: Like, not before Kurt's had something to eat!
TOAD: No time to lose, silly!
KITTY (giving Kurt some wafer-bread): Here.
KURT: Vhat about you, Kitty?
KITTY: Uh, no. I'm not hungry. At least not for wafer-bread.
KURT: Kitty....
KITTY: All right. But we don't have that much left. We have to be careful or we're going to run out. You go ahead and eat that, Kurt. I've rationed it. There should be enough.
KURT: For vhat?
KITTY: The journey home.
{Kurt stares at her in silence for a moment. Toad has to nudge him again.}
TOAD: Come, you two. Very close now, very close to Apocalypse's kingdom. No safe places here. Hurry!
{The three of them leave the cave and head off through the desolate forest towards the mountains.
Xavier, Scott, Angel, and Wolverine have left Shield's Deep and are traveling through the forest that has seemingly sprung up out of nowhere around the ruins of Magneto's castle, eyeing the trees in amazement. Before them lies the remains of Magneto's castle itself, still flooded, with pieces of broken wall about everywhere. Bobby and Evan are contentedly sitting on one such fragment, helping themselves to food from Magneto's storerooms.}
EVAN: I feel like I'm back at the local Gutbomb's after a hard day's work.
BOBBY: Only, you've never done a hard day's work.
{Both laugh, until they see the Professor and the others arrive.}
BOBBY (standing up): Welcome, my lords, to Magneto's castle!
WOLVERINE (looking sharply at them): You young rascals! A merry hunt you've led us on, and now we find you feasting!
EVAN: We are sitting on a field of victory, enjoying a few well-earned comforts. The salted pork is particularly good.
WOLVERINE: Salted pork?
XAVIER (shaking his head): Mutant teenagers.
BOBBY: We're under orders from Colossus, who's taken over management of Magneto's castle.
{Xavier and his companions, now joined by Bobby and Evan, continue on to the foot of Magneto's tower, where Colossus is waiting for them.}
COLOSSUS: Young Professor Xavier, I'm glad you've come. Wood and water, stock and stone, I can master. But Magneto is another matter. Look to his tower.
XAVIER: And there he must remain, under your guard, Colossus.
WOLVERINE (popping his claws): Let's just have his head, Chuck, and be done with it.
XAVIER: No, Logan. He has no power anymore.
COLOSSUS: The filth of Magneto is washing away. Trees will come back to live here. Old trees, wild trees.
{Evan suddenly sees the gleam of the Seeing-stone that Mastermind threw out the window in the water. He eagerly snatches it up.}
SCOTT (seeing him do so): Evan!
COLOSSUS: Bless my bark!
XAVIER: Evan Daniels! I'll take that, my lad. Quickly, now.
{Evan reluctantly gives the Seeing-stone to Xavier, who stuffs it into his pocket.
Shortly afterwards, the six companions are heading back to Castle Caldecott. Rogue expectantly waits for them just outside the great hall.
That evening, the people of Caldecott have assembled in the great hall, with King Sean presiding over them.}
SEAN: Tonight, we remember those who gave their blood to defend their country. Hail the victorious dead!
ALL: Hail!
{They raise their cups in a toast.
The festivities begin. Rogue brings Scott a goblet, which he accepts and drinks from. As he walks away, Sean joins his niece and smiles approvingly.}
SEAN: I am happy for you. He is an honorable man.
ROGUE: You are both honorable men.
SEAN: It was not Sean Cassidy of Caldecott who led our people to victory.
{Rogue stares at him puzzledly.}
SEAN: Ah, don't listen to me. You are young, and tonight is for you.
{Bobby and Evan have climbed up onto a table, and are doing a little impromptu song-and-dance routine about the delights of Gutbombs back in Bayville, to the amusement of their audience. Even Xavier, watching by himself, smiles a little.}
SCOTT (walking up to the Professor): No news of Kurt.
XAVIER: No news. Nothing.
SCOTT: We have time. Every day Kurt moves closer to Apocalypse's realm.
XAVIER: Do we know that?
SCOTT: What does your heart tell you?
XAVIER: That Kurt is alive. Yes. Yes, that he's alive.