Mutant Generation Force

Issue #35 – The Neo – Part Three

The Neo Hideout

"How?" Dani asked as she saw her students rushing in and she felt glad to see them but feared for their lives.

"It seems good ol' Psiblock here has developed her powers," Prodigy said as he quickly filled Dani in on how they broke out of their cell and Celeste mentally forced Static to sleep and they bound her up before arriving here.

"Ms. Moonstar, look! Now that my powers are turned back on it appears my arm is growing back!" Anole screamed with excitement as he held up arm to show Dani that it appeared his arm was slowing growing back.

"I can't believe that a bunch of children dare challenge me," Ransome Sole laughed.

"Shall we deal with them?" Elysia asked as she stared at Dani.

"No, the War Clan is here. I want you three to stand by me and only attack to defend yourselves," Ransome Sole said as he waited the joy of watching his clan crush the mutant children.

"As you wish, master," Elysia said as Dani swore she saw a sign of relief. Had her pleadings gotten to her once again?

"Oh, and try and keep some alive for testing," Ransome Sole said as the War Clan burst into the room.

"Do as we planed," Prodigy said as Celeste suddenly put all of them in psi-communication so he could help instruct while standing near the cage with the lesser powered students to try and keep them safe.

While Dust swarmed around making it hard for the Neo to physically see them all, Blindspot huddled around Prodigy, Celeste and the others pushing with her might to make her field around them so that they would be invisible to any other means of detection. Prodigy knew that they might be out powered, but if he coordinated everything perfectly and they worked as a team they just might pull this off, free Dani and get out of this alive and unharmed. If he remembered everything correctly he knew what the War Clan's first strike would be.

Wiz Kid, now! Prodigy thought out as Barbarian and Kilmer's guns ripped from their hands and reshaped into added material for the suit of armor Wiz Kid was forming around himself.

"We don't need weapons, we are weapons," Kilmer said as his hands morphed into long sharp blades.

"I will crush you," Antus said as he began to draw in on the elemental energy of Dust and began to get stronger.

"I don't need to see you to kill you," Barbarian said through the dust as he touched the ground and started to make the floor below the students begin to morph and change.

"First blood will be…argh," Junction began to say when she appeared out of thin air over Dryad with her knife drawn but was cut off when she was immediately hit with a powerful dose of electricity from Surge.

"Thanks for the two second warning, Preview," Surge said as she shut down her powers allowing Junction to fall to the ground unconscious.

With a mental command, Dryad then called on her powers. Thanks to Barbarian morphing the ground he had shifted it enough to allow her to get her plants through. At her command, large giant blades for grass and vines broke through the floor wrapping Barbarian, Antus and Kilmer in their bondage and holding them, struggling in the air. Dryad kept pushing making sure her plants grew big enough to be strong enough to hold them but that she also had enough called to securely hold them as well. Kilmer was the only one that was able to break free.

Using his bladed hands, Kilmer sliced the plants and freed himself. He then leapt with great strength and speed pointing his bladed hands as he went straight for Aura. Dani and Prodigy watched in horror as there was nothing they could do fast enough to stop those blades from striking Aura or any of the others right next to her. Just as Kilmer was upon Aura, Dani saw the most amazing thing. As Aura began to scream with fear and anger, her aura appeared around her, but instead of her usual color that gave her flight it became a deep and muddied red. Kilmer screamed in pain as his blades hit, snapped sideways and his body was instantly repelled backwards. Aura stood unharmed while Kilmer now rolled on the floor nursing both arms that had reverted back and were both clearly broken. Aura was amazed at what happened as her aura vanished while Dani hated herself for not seeing the real source of the girl's powers. If they got out of this alive, she would properly make sure the girl was trained form be a defensive flier to an offensive warrior.

"Melody, how did you do that?" Blindspot asked.

"I don't know," Aura answered still in shock.

Pixie quickly flew over the plant bound New and released her dust upon them. The Neo instantly began to hallucinate and reduced their struggling to break free making it easier for Dryad to hold them. Dani couldn't believe it, the students were winning. She just needed to get free so she could help them but the Neo named Mason only allowed her enough air to stay conscious let alone even must up any strength to call on her powers. She sent a thought to Celeste for her to take out Mason. Celeste nodded and pushed out with her mind. Dani suddenly could breath as Mason released his hands from around his own neck, Celeste had done it. Dani then gasped as Mason slapped his hands back around his neck and not only began chocking Dani and Cecilia but Celeste as well.

"I'm taking that freak down," Wicked said as she moved towards the one called Mason calling on her powers and summoning spirits to her.

"Pandora, no," Elysia said as she reached for her fellow Goth but was shrugged off.

The little girl called Pandora stepped between Mason and Wicked. She closed her eyes and called forth her powers. The spirits and Wicked's power seemed to flow right into Pandora like a large vacuum and she couldn't even shut her powers off. Just as quickly, she felt the pull stop and Wicked looked up to see the girl standing there with her eyes closed in the middle of what looked like a holographic box made of energy. Pandora's eyes suddenly shot open with great force as the holographic box's lid did flipped open at the exact same instant. There was a great roar of power as spirits and apparitions poured out of the box taking on great evil forms attacking Wicked. Pandora smiled as the box vanished and she watched Wicked try and fend off the very solid spirits.

"We have to help her," Eosimias said as he took flight and used his claws to slice into the ghosts causing them to vanish while Wicked tried to cut off the empathic pain from herself.

Species transformed his skin to that of a panther's and called on his ability to mimic it's ability and helped tear into the evil spirits as Wiz Kid used his self made armor to help in the battle. Other went and joined in the battle as Squirt melted and slid under the cage and reformed and started to untie Dani and Cecilia. It seemed no matter how hard they all tried they couldn't take down these spirits. Pandora had somehow taken Wiked's power and twisted it into something more powerful and more evil. There was no way they could stop them without hurting Wicked in the process. They had to stop it at the source and that is what hit Sling Snot when he glanced at the evil little girl.

Sling Snot took a deep breath and summed his powers and forced himself to sneeze. Trying to push himself like never before he managed to produce and shoot a large quantity of mucus from his body. The large mass hit Pandora completely covering her face and knocking her to the ground. As the girl tried to scream and claw the mucus from her face so she could breath, her connection was severed and the spirits vanished, freeing Wicked and the others from their battle. Sling Snot smiled, proud that he had proven himself fighting with the X-Men and not being a Morlock mess up.

"I've had enough. All of you stop right now. You so much as blink and I will crush his neck killing him and all three of your friends that are linked to him," Ransome Sole said as he grabbed Mason by the neck with one hand causing everyone to stop and stair at Dani, Celeste and Cecilia who were all gasping for air as this windpipes began to close.

"Why are you doing this? We've never done anything to you," Anole said as he stared down the large man.

"Because I can," Ransome said with a smile.

"If we promise to surrender will you let our friends go?" Prodigy asked as he moved towards the Clan Master patting a student on the back as he passed.

"Actually, I have all the power here," Ransome laughed as he twisted his hand snapping Mason's neck.

"No!" Elysia and the students all screamed in shock as Mason's body dropped to the ground and they saw Celeste, Cecilia and Dani's bodies jerk backwards.

"Now, to take care of you little pests," Ransome Sole said as he started to move towards the students.

"Not on my watch," Dani sprang to her feet, calling on all her strength and power to manifest a bow and psychic arrow and fire it off hitting Ransome dead on in his forehead causing him to hit the ground twitching.

"They're alive!" Blindspot cheered as she saw Cecilia and Celeste get to their feet.

"Yes, thanks to Psiblock, he went in and blocked his powers freeing them," Prodigy said with a smile.

"No time for that. Celeste, before he recovers shut his mind down," Dani commanded as Celeste pushed with her mind.

"I don't know if I can do it," Celeste said not wanting to accidently kill someone.

"Don't worry, I can," Elysia said as she took a sword and drove it hard into Ransome's neck severing his head.

"Why?" Dani asked as she stared at the young Neo.

"Because, even though I do not forgive the death of my brother, you are not evil and he was leading my people into the wrong path. By doing this I have claimed leadership of the Clans," Elysia said as she snapped her fingers and all the War Clan in the room stopped and bowed to her and stepped back.

"Does this mean you will let us go?" Dani asked as she eyed the young woman.

"You can't," Barbarian said growing angry.

"As Clan Leader she can and we will obey," Static said as she walked into the room preparing to use her powers to back up her old friend.

"Yes, you are all free to go if you promise to also leave our kind alone. I will take the Neo and we will go off and rebuild our people in isolation," Elysia said as Dani agreed.

Dani felt the need for payback, but Elysia had helped them before in the past and did so again. Maybe this time the Neo and the mutants can part and live in peace. As soon as everyone was gathered together and Junction had come to, she used her powers to teleport them all home.

Epilogue

"So how are the kids doing?" Dani said as Xi'an walked in.

"They are just fine. They are more into bragging about how they all stood their own against a group of badies," Xi'an said as she sat down, relieved to have Dani back.

"I was impressed with them. They have done well and also made me see that we also have so much more to do," Dani said thinking of Aura and Anole's regenerating limb that as clearly half way grown back.

"Yes, I didn't even know the extent of my sisters powers till you told what she did. I guess I've been so caught up with everything here that I've neglected to look into and evaluate my siblings," Xi'an said feeling a bit guilty.

"A lot keeps happening and drawing our attention all the time. I've made sure and Sean has helped in making sure we have better security measures in place. Trust me, next person to teleport in will have one unpleasant surprise," Dani said.

"Speaking of, since Sage and Bishop weren't with you, I wonder what happened to them," Xi'an said as three figures entered the doorway.

"We can answer that," the Cuckoos said in unison.

"What are you talking about?" Dani asked sitting up quickly.

"While we were using Cerebra to look for our sister we kept catching a very tiny blip that we could never find when we tried so we didn't pay attention to it till Celeste got back and joined us," Mindee said.

"Once she joined us we got together and snuck Boost into the room to give our powers a boost," Phoebe added.

"For a half a second we found the blip and clearly felt it before we lost it and no matter how much we tried we couldn't find it, not even the small blip," Celeste said.

"What was it?" Dani asked growing impatient.

"It was Sage and Bishop's minds and we felt where they are being held," Mindee answered.

"Girls, spit it out. Where are they?" Xi'an said as she and Dani approached them with intensity.

"They are here at the mansion and they've been here the whole time," the Cuckoos all said at once.

Epilogue Two

"I don't feel right about this," Elysia said as she sat in her room as the rest of the Neo prepared their move.

"Don't worry, child. Except for the loss of Mason everything went as planned. Ransome Sole is gone and you are now in control of the Neo and I not only got to see these mutants in action but was able to tag and plant my devise amongst them," a strange figure whispered to her from the darkness.

"I feel like I'm no better than Ransome Sole," Elysia said.

"I will give the Neo a better home and chance of survival than they would have gotten. By pledging you and your Neo to me, I will do everything in my power to give your brother back to you. That is what you wanted," the voice said with a laugh and then faded away.

"But at what cost?" Elysia whispered as a tear slowly ran down her cheek.

The Secret Mutants

Search for Daken – Part Six

Brazil – Deep Within the Jungles

"Back off killer!" Siryn shouted as she used her sonic scream to send Slash flying backwards covering his ears.

"Are you sure he's even worth this?" Cannonball asked as he watched the trained assassin sit up and shake his head.

"No, he used to be a teammate and friend to us. We have to give him the chance to remember like the rest of us," Rouge said as she leapt at the man and pinned him to the ground with her body.

"Sometimes people are lost to us. Maybe we should cut our losses with him. He's far too dangerous," Magma said as she reached into the core of the Earth waiting to release her power if needed.

"I agree, let's forget about him," Demon Child said as she glared at Slash.

"No, now that I remember I also remember that he was not evil. It's not his fault that when he got reinserted into a new life that he would be taken down this path. We all happened get lucky. Even Rouge's new life led her down a path of evil till she reformed. He deserves the same chance," Sunpyre said as she gave a mean look to Illyana and then softened as she looked to Daken as her heart and mind now both remembered.

"So darlin', how about we head off somewhere and get better acquainted?" Slash whispered up to the woman sitting atop of him.

"You wish. You see, I got your powers so this pheromone thing you're doing won't affect me. Now how about we talk things out here?" Rouge asked trying to push him with pheromones too.

"Maybe a rain check?" Slash asked as he brought his knee up into her gut.

Rouge heard the claws extending and using her enhanced speed, strength and agility she pushed herself off of Slash. She flew into a back flip just as Slash swiped at her with both of his bone claws. Rouge landed in front of her teammates and went directly to one knee grunting in pain. She held her side as she looked down and saw that there was a gash in her side and she was starting to loose a lot of blood. She hadn't been fast enough to escape his claws but she was thankful she had moved quick enough to avoid an instant fatal wound.

"Rouge, you're bleeding," Cannonball said as he knelt to her side.

"Don't worry, the healing factor," Rouge began to say and then paused when she realized she was still bleeding and beginning to feel faint.

"Anna, you're not healing. His powers must have worn off. Hurry and copy them before you bleed to death," Demon Child said in fright.

"I can't. He has to be within my line of sight," Rouge said as they all realized Slash was nowhere to be seen.

"Amara, quick do something!" Sam shouted at Magma.

"There isn't time. Rouge, copy my powers. Now that I have my memories and original powers back you will be able to turn into living fire," Sunpyre said.

Rouge felt herself fading fast and called on her powers. With her gift of sight, she mentally saw Sunpyre's genetic code and then summoned her other power to shape shift her genetic makeup to match her teammate's instantly giving her the ability to copy her powers. At that moment, Rouge felt the fire burning within and she let it consume her as everyone fell back as she exploded into flame. Rouge felt weird standing there now made of living fire but relieved it had worked and she was no longer bleeding to death.

"I can still feel the pain in my side but other than that I'm no longer dying," Rouge smiled as she rose into the air a little.

"Guess that plan failed," Slash said as he leapt out of the trees grabbing Sunpyre from behind and putting his knuckle against her temple.

"Quick, let's fry him," Rouge called out to Sunpyre as she pumped up her flame.

"I wouldn't do that. If she so much as starts to heat up, well I guess we'll see if she can change faster than I can put a claw through her skull," Slash said as everyone stopped in their tracks.

For one facing death, Leyu wasn't scared. This was a cold blooded killer, but yet she was still alive and unharmed. She suddenly realized that he could feel the connection between the two of them. With all her heart, she knew he must realize that he once felt something for her as she knew she had and once again felt for him. Taking a chance and having nothing to loose at this point, Leyu acted upon instinct. With a quick motion she spun around to face Slash as she batted his arm away with one hand and pulled his head into hers with the other forcing them into a major lip lock.

Cannonball and the others stood in shock and then fear as they saw the two kiss and Slash's swatted arm extracting a claw and swinging back down towards Sunpyre's gut. Everyone, including Leyu was surprised when at the last second Slash retracted his claw and instead of stabbing her grabbed hold and leaned into the kiss even more. Illyana fought back her anger and tears as she watched the two kiss. Before she could react further, Slash shoved Sunpyre away from him as he held his head and grunted in pain.

"Daken?" Leyu asked as she motioned for everyone to stand down.

"I, Leyu? I remember everything," Slash whispered as he stared deeply at Sunpyre while rubbing his temples vigorously.

"Be careful, it could be a trick," Warpath said watching the man carefully.

"No, I can feel it. The pheromones are gone as the real Daken returns," Sunpyre said moving closer.

"Who would have thought, after all this time I finally get the kiss you've been dying to give me," Slash said with a smile as he looked at Leyu and then turned to face the others.

"Is that really you, Daken?" Mona asked stepping out of hiding already knowing the answer by the facial expressions that she remembered from long ago.

"Yes, I remember all of you, Mona, Sam, Anna, Theresa, Amara, Illyana and Jason," Slash said as he looked at and recited each of their names.

"Seems everyone's getting their memories back but us," Amara murmured to Theresa.

"Take it easy, it's a lot to take in all at once," Leyu said as she suddenly longed to run back into his arms.

"My head is pounding as I fight two lives' memories. I remember being found and trained by my master, but I also remember being found by another man, then meeting Charles Xavier and being brought to you guys and everything we all went through," Slash said trying to make sense of it all.

"Now you can give up this life of killing and come back with us," Leyu said with hope.

"Great," Illyana said to herself and Sam and Jason began to wonder if that would be wise or if this professional assassin could be trusted.

"I don't know. I feel a loyalty to my master, but yet my new old memories tell me much of what he told me and the life I've lead is a lie. He told me parents are dead, but my gut from my former life tells me something else," Slash said as the killer instinct was still in him but another part of him was trying to pull him away from his current life and back to his old one with them and with Leyu.

"We are all in search of the memories and lives we lost. Why don't you come with us and maybe we can all make sense of this?" Mona said as she gave her former student the cliff notes version of their mission and experiences so far.

"Hard to believe, especially since I don't recall any of this like most of you do now," Sam said as he really didn't like the idea of this killer hanging with them. He may now remember being their friend but he was still a killer.

"Well it seems I have better judgment now and my instinct is telling me that my master may have been hiding things from me. My best option to get answers, for now, is to talk with Charles and the one person my master has always avoided talking about and keeping me away from, Wolverine," Slash said as the two sets of memories showed him conflicts in the things Romulus has told him making him doubt his loyalty to him and that there was something more connected to his lack of memories and Charles Xavier and this person called Wolverine.

"Maybe it's because, like we suspect, you're related to him?" Rouge asked as she wondered how much longer she would be stuck in fire form.

"We shall see. I have a lot to deal with and sort out, but, for now I will join. Where are you headed?" Slash asked.

"To try and find Sam's real parents," Leyu answered.

"All I have is this address to go by," Sam said holding out the folded piece of paper still not too sure about the man in front of him.

"I know where this is. I can take you there," Slash said looking up at Sam.

"How is that possible?" Theresa asked with suspicion.

"Because I never forget the face or the place of one of my marks," Slash said as they all looked at him with horror.

Next: Issue #36 – What's Behind Xavier's Door & Secret Mutants: Family Heritage – Part One