The New Exiles
Issue #37 – A New Beginning – Part One
The Crystal Palace
"So this is the Crystal Palace? Man, this is so cool," Charles Lehnsherr said as he looked around.
"Yes and stay close by. I promised your dad I would look after you and I can and will send you back at any time for any reason," Blink said with a slight smirk.
"Yes, Auntie Clarice," Charles smiled, not even his aunt or the death of his mom would kill his buzz right now.
"Not that I'm complaining, but why did you decide to come back here and not go with your friends?" Skullfire asked as he and Dazzleshot followed the others out of the portal and into the large control room of the Crystal Palace.
"I wasn't really close to any of them, kind of an outsider amongst them. They are all heading to a new home with their rediscovered families. I don't want any of that, I want excitement and adventure and I think I'll get that here," Dazzleshot said as she winked at the man and moved past him.
"I still can't believe she's gone," Chameleon said with a tear as she looked over at Thunderbird who stood like a zombie watching the Palace automatically clean up the battle zone that had occurred here.
"Who's gone?" Sunfire asked as she finally came too and Creed helped her upon her feet.
"Nocturne, she was killed in battle on my home world," Creed said as Sunfire gasped with tears and looked over at Blink who was having trouble holding a smile behind her sad eyes.
"Looks like you got everything under control up here," BattleStar said as he held their prisoner tight. He felt bad about their loss but the sight of Mimic comforting Blink pushed his jealousy and anger over that of sadness.
"Yes, Lamar. The palace has almost got all the damage repaired and all the bodies have been taken care of except that of the Time Hunter. I was just about to send it away," Power Pack said as she glanced at the still and broken metallic blue figure on the floor.
Power Pack was just about to get rid of the Time Hunter's body when it started to jerk and repair itself. BattleStar shouted a warning as all the Exiles turned to see the Time Hunter fully repaired and standing upright. Mimic stepped in front of Blink and hoped that his touch would be enough to take this thing down. Just as the Exiles were ready to attack the Time Hunter looked up and then looked back at its body and then back at everyone that was gathering around and then held out his hands.
"Everyone stop, please. It's me, T.J.," the Time Hunter said with his metallic and echo-like voice.
"You think we're dumb enough to fall for that trick?" Mimic said as he called on his power and raised his hand.
"No, it's true. I can't believe it myself and as much as I don't want it to be true, it is me stuck in this darn body," Time Hunter said as the Exiles barely hesitated.
"How can we be sure?" Krystalin asked as she placed the crystal holder containing the ooze once known as Morph down so she could fight.
"Everyone, wait. I believe her," Thunderbird said as he, now thin with red skin and yellow eyes, walked toward the Time Hunter.
"If it is her, how is it possible when she died back on another world and we left the body there?" Blink asked as she stared at the body claiming to hold her friend.
"I was on the brink of death when Jean Grey touched me with her Phoenix Force. It somehow held on to my soul and latched it onto John here. I saw the whole funeral but could not say or do anything until you all came back here. The Phoenix Force that was left pulled me free and allowed me to possess the only body here, this one," Nocturne, in Time Hunter's body explained.
"T.J., is that really you?" Thunderbird asked as he touched the metallic face.
"Yes, John, but I fear I can no longer marry you," Nocturne said with a voice not her own.
"It doesn't matter. Look at me, I've been changed too but it doesn't change how we feel on the inside," Thunderbird said as he tried to reach out for her metallic hand.
"But you don't understand. I can't leave this body for another unless it dies and we know that this body takes an act of God to kill it on top of having a fresh body nearby to leap to," Nocturne signed as she yanked her hand back.
"Then I guess I'll have you around a long time and not have to worry about anything happening to you," Thunderbird said with a smile.
"Oh, John, I love you so much. I guess if this is going to work I better make some changes," Nocturne said as she stepped back and concentrated.
As she quickly got in touch with her new body and grasped the concept of how it worked she willed it to change. The blue metallic body began to shift and reshape itself. Within seconds the muscular body of the Time Hunter now had a more feminine shape as it molded its shape to take on that of Nocturne, pointed ears and all. All the Exiles stared in awe as the figure's shape in front of them now looked exactly like Nocturne except instead of flesh her body was smooth, shiny, metallic and all one color, blue. Nocturne smiled as she ran her metallic fingers through metallic braid looking hair.
"Quite impressive, but you forget two things," Creed said knowing that the body was that of the Time Hunter made him uneasy.
"What's that?" Nocturne said as her voice shifted, still sounding like a metallic echo but now had a softer more feminine tone to it.
"Your tail and clothes," Creed snickered as Nocturne looked behind her and then down at the front of her.
"Oh, my gosh, I didn't realize," Nocturne said in horror.
"Here, put this one. It is made of the same stuff as my costume," Power Pack said as she threw a costume that Nocturne quickly put on and discovered looked just like her father's costume.
"Well this is as close as I will ever get to a human looking body," Nocturne said as she looked back at Thunderbird.
"Works for me," Thunderbird said as he kissed his true love and trying not to flinch at the hard cold feel of her lips.
"Great to have her back but we need to get this one back in stasis," BattleStar said as he held firmly to the man called the thirteenth ripple.
"Done," Power Pack said as she pressed a few buttons and the man was instantly zapped by a red beam and vanished from their sight as he was encased in crystal and stored away.
"So what do we do now?" Charles asked as many suddenly realized that was the question at hand.
"I think the first thing we do, now that we have the ability, is send anyone home who wants to go home," Mimic said as he glanced at the other people standing in the room.
"Yes, can you do that Alexis?" Blink asked the Crystal Palace wiz.
"I can, as long as the system says it's okay unless I am to ignore any warnings," Power Pack said as she looked to the others.
"No, we don't want to jeopardize anything. Last thing we want to do is cause some crises," Mimic said.
"I would have to agree. First, anyone here want to go back home?" Creed asked looking around the room.
"If it's okay, I think I would like to stick around for awhile," Skullfire said as he smiled at Dazzleshot.
"At first I dreamed of going home, but I have really begun to like it here, plus you all need me to run the operating systems here," Power Pack said with a smile as Blink, Mimic and several others agreed with how much she was needed to help run the Crystal Palace. Plus, she knew she could go home at anytime.
"I want to stay, I'm not ready to go back and deal with things," Krystalin said as she thought about how she had found out who her real father was and the truth of things her mother had hidden from her.
"I know Morph wants nothing more than to stick with us, if we can ever get him to pull himself back together," Nocturne said as she and Thunderbird declared the Palace as their only choice for a home now.
"If I had my other body I may have been able to cast a spell," Nocturne added.
"Don't worry, I'll start working on finding a way," Power Pack said and then turned and looked at BattleStar. "I am able to send you home if you like?"
"When would I arrive back?" BattleStar asked not sure what he wanted to do as he looked over at Mimic hugging Blink. A part of him liked this gig while the other was too painful.
"According to the Palace, the War is over and everyone thinks you M.I.A. or dead. You would arrive during the cleanup and rebuilding and easily claim you were buried in rubble or frozen in ice all this time," Power Pack said while she shrugged with a smile.
"I don't know about him, but I'm staying. I can't return home like this and I'd hate to leave my friends," Sunfire said as she smiled at Nocturne and Blink.
"As much as I would like to stay, it is time I returned to my world," Century said as Power Pack nodded and began to calculate his return home.
"Like Lamar, I too am undecided. When I left my ex-husband was trying to kill me. As much as I would like a chance to repay him for what he's done, it is a bit too emotional for me to go back and I feel like I belong here," Chameleon said as she looked at the group she had gotten to know.
"I personally think that Janet should be sent back," Mimic whispered to Blink and Creed.
"I heard that. Why can't I stay?" Janet asked, growing angry.
"Because, when you get angry and become that white monstrous creature you are an uncontrollable killing machine," Krystalin responded.
"You'll let a blood thirsty vampire stay on the team but not me?" Janet said as her eyes began to glow.
"You know, she could ad an edge to very dangerous missions," Creed added.
"And if she can't be controlled?" Sunfire asked.
"Look who's talking. I think both should be sent back," BattleStar said as Sunfire turned and growled at him.
"If I can't stay then no one can," Janet said as her body suddenly exploded with white fur and the small petite woman was replaced by a large muscular white furred monster-like creature and back handed Century who went flying across the room.
"Looks like I arrived just in time," a voice said as they all paused and looked over to see hanging from the wall was a figure of a man with the red and black face of Carnage on top of a body wearing Daredevil's costume tapping a devise that looked like the Tallus on his arm.
"Death Devil," Creed growled of his former Weapon X team mate.
"Who's that?" Chameleon asked as the face gave her familiar goose bumps.
"That's the Carnage symbiote. It came from a reality where its host was Spider-Man. When Spider-Man died it was later discovered to have survived and found that it no longer needed to merge with a host, it could fully take over a body if it severed the head and then merged with the body. Carnage formed the head while controlling the body and any powers it may have. It now calls itself Death and combines it with the name of the body he controls," Creed said giving a quick bio of the creature.
"Yes and while we all have fun exacting our revenge and killing you all, I can also look for a new body," Death Devil said as he jumped on the console and hit a button that caused a series of crystal chambers to explode somewhere behind them.
"He just released a group of prisoners," Power Pack said as Death Devil and Devourer leapt at the Exiles while Power Pack saw a group of figures moving fast toward them from the dark area of the Crystal Chamber holding area behind them.
Outsiders Beginnings
The Gods Cometh
Earth-Time Quake
Asgard
"I can't believe that there was a whole realm out there that we didn't have access to," Loki said as he walked with his brother Thor.
"Yes, it shall be a grand place to visit if not for father forbidding our trip there," Thor said.
"But father is wrong. We need to go and claim it for Asgard,' Loki said.
"Yes, Thor. I have seen it. If we don't attack and claim it they will soon discover us and attack us," Enchantress said as she moved her fingers softly across Thor's cheek.
"Are we here to witness another battle?" Black Axe asked the woman in his head.
"Yes, a small but significant battle. Loki and Enchantress convince Thor to take an assault team to Earth and demand surrender in name of Odin and Asgard. Thor is convinced this gift will put him in favor of his father over Loki while Loki hopes Thor will fail and fall out of favor," Phoenix said as they saw Thor, Loki, Enchantress, Lady Sif, Balldar, Heamdall and the Warriors Three teleport to Midgard and demand surrender to the Gods.
"If it is small and not worth watching, then why bother?" Black Axe asked as he was starting to grow board with this adventure he was stuck on.
"Watch," Phoenix said as Thor and his warriors had taken over Washington DC and held the President prisoner demanding the surrender of the world.
"We must move quickly and both your teams must work together while I work out a spell to send these pretender gods back to where they came from," Dr. Strange said before the group he had assembled.
Dr. Strange was this world's Sorcerer Supreme and had every intention of retiring and selecting a new pupil when the Asgardians had attacked their nation's capital. He knew it would be too much for him alone to take on so he needed help. He called on the Avengers, the country's government sanctioned Super Hero team and a group of mutants calling themselves X-Factor who were making a mark as heroes in the world. He knew both teams would give the power needed to fend off the gods while he used his magic to best their sorceress and send them back.
Dr. Strange glanced at the Avengers assembled before him. Captain America had taken a leave of absence and in his place was the new leader, Mr. Stretch. Because of the membership limit placed on them from the government, there were only seven members of the Avengers, including Mr. Stretch. The other six were Scarlet Spider, Hercules, who was ready to take on these gods, Black Knight, Sersi, Rage and the android known as Vision. Leaving their little girl back at the mansion, Hank, wearing his Giant-Man costume and his wife Janet wearing her Wasp costume had come as reservists and back up. Dr. Strange then looked at the members of X-Factor which consisted of their leader, Mimic and his team, Dazzler, Sunfire, Nightcrawler, Storm, Havok, Wolverine and Phoenix.
"Wow, you're looking pretty good there," Black Axe said to the woman in his mind.
"Yes, by this time I had changed again. With my time with X-Factor we ended up in a crossover with the other X-Men teams while I was being possessed by the Phoenix Force and all of us got pulled into a war with an alien race called the Shi'ar. In the end we came back to Earth and I was back in control of my body but now with great powers enhanced by a portion of the Phoenix Force left inside of me. During the ordeal I had fallen in love with the one called Wolverine and eventually became his bride," Phoenix said remembering when she had become Mrs. James Howlett and flinched at the memories of joy and sorrow of what was to come.
"Looks like the battle has started," Black Axe said as he saw the two teams engage the Asgardians. He was finding it weird watching a woman down there battling who would some day lose her world and then body to have her mind and essence stuck in his head.
Black Axe watched as Dr. Strange worked his spell as he battled Enchantress while Storm herself took on Thor, lightening on lightening and the Avengers and X-Factor worked together to battle Loki and the rest of the Asgardians. The battle waged on until Dr. Strange found and released a spell that not only caused Enchantress to scream in pain but have her life essence ripped out and sent to Hell, killing her. Before she fell lifeless to the ground, Mr. Stretch reached across the field and placed a devise on her as well as activating another devise in his hand. As Enchantress died, the devise on her exploded and sent a power wave through Mr. Stretch's body and into the devise in his other hand. The devise sent out a pulse wave that caused all the Asgardians to pause and then fall to one knee, except Loki who managed to stay on his feet with a smile.
"What just happened?" Thor asked getting to his feet and moved near his brother Loki.
"I sent a wave that caused them to depower and become essentially mortal," Mr. Stretch said as everyone stared at him.
"There's only one person you could have gotten that kind of devise from," Hank Pym said.
"Then the rumors are true. You've been working with your old friend Reed and spying for Fury," Janet growled in anger.
"He had no choice. You are government sanctioned and not only do you work for the government but that makes you answerable to me," Fury said as he and Reed stepped out of a ship as dozens of S.H.E.I.L.D. craft began to land.
"No wonder Steve quit," Hank said as his wife nodded.
"It can't be true, we can't be powerless," Thor said as he looked at his brother.
"I'm afraid it is," Phoenix said as they all turned to see Wolverine standing over the dead bodies of the Warriors Three with dripping blood from his claws.
"Okay, round them up," Fury began to shout orders as his men began to move toward the remaining powerless Asgardians.
"Not me boys, I'm heading back to Asgard to become ruler," Loki said as with a bout of his powers blew the guards away from him and his brother.
"How?" Thor and Reed said at once.
"Who do you think gave them the idea to build the devise to make you all mortal? Not only did I influence them to build it but I influenced you to bring all of Odin's greatest warriors here to Midgard. While they built a devise to make you all mortal I created one to make me immune to its effects," Loki laughed as he pulled back his cloak revealing a devise on his chest.
"I will kill you, Loki," Thor swore as he waved his hammer.
"That will be enough. You both have done enough here and I will deal with this when we return home," Lord Odin said as he appeared out of nowhere and stared at his two boys.
"You think that I would let them build a devise without building one for you? You just saved me a step in the take over of Asgard," Loki said as he pulled a devise out of his pocket and pointed it at Odin.
"I will not let you do this," Thor said as he moved toward his brother.
"Thor, no," Odin began to say but was too late.
Thor ripped the devise from his brother's chest and crushed it under his boot. He then grabbed the devise in his hand and shoved it down Loki's throat while activating it. The devise going off in his body not only kept the pulse wave contained inside the body but it also rendered Loki mortal. Loki's body convulsed while he instantly began to choke. The choking didn't last long as Thor reached around, grabbed Loki around the neck and snapped it causing him to fall to the ground dead. Thor then looked to his father for approval when all he got was a disappointed look while he fell to the ground by the shear weight of his hammer.
"Father?" Thor asked as he found he could no longer lift the mighty weapon.
"Thor, by this act you have proven you are no longer fit to carry the mighty Mjolnir and I hereby strip you of your title," Odin said as power flashed in his eyes and Thor vanished and was replaced by a thinner man with peasant looking clothes.
"Hold it right there, you think he wasn't the only one to build a backup? Round them all up," Fury said as Reed pulled out a large gun and pointed it at Odin.
"Stop, you have no right to take them prisoner," Mimic said as Hank and Janet voiced their agreement and disapproval of Fury and Reed while glaring at Mr. Stretch.
"She's right. I have struck an agreement with Odin. He will go back to Asgard and with my magic and his power a binding spell will be cast permanently banishing his kind from Earth never allowing them to set foot here again ever if he is allowed to take all his people, dead and alive, back with him to deal with under his laws," Strange said as he nodded at Odin.
"Unacceptable, Reed you got one shot make it count," Fury said as Reed Richards fired the gun causing it to explode as it sent a powerful blast of energy at Odin.
"I will not allow this!" Storm shouted as she summoned her powers knocking Odin out of the way while she took the blast meant for the Lord of Asgard.
"Storm!" Mimic screamed as he flew next to the powerless and quickly blood soaking body of his true love lying on the ground.
"It seems that there is a warrior still fit for the mighty Mjolnir. Allow me to give back to this world the means to help fix and make up for what my sons have done. Dear, please take the hammer," Odin said to the dying woman.
Storm reached out with her hand and suddenly found the hammer in her grasp. Despite being very weak and near death, Storm found she could raise the hammer as if it were light as a feather. The hammer sparked as a large lightening bolt came down from the heavens. Odin's eyes flashed as he placed his hands upon the dying woman at the same moment the lightening struck her and her hammer. Mimic flew back as he turned to see Odin standing next to him with a smile. Mimic couldn't believe it. Storm was no longer on the ground dying; she was standing upright, fully healed holding Mjolnir high above her head and wearing a similar costume of Thor's.
"I don't believe this," Dazzler said to Havok.
"You now have the power as the new Thunder Goddess. Use it to protect and guide this world," Odin said as he nodded to Strange.
"Stop them," Fury shouted but was too late. Strange cast his spell and Odin, Thor and all the other Asgardians, dead and alive vanished from Earth forever.
"Strange, you had no right. I will have you locked up for this," Fury shouted as X-Factor prepared to help defend Dr. Strange.
"Stop, the need to fight is gone. If I promise to join your Avengers, will you agree to forgive and let everyone go?" Storm said with a new sound and power to her voice.
"Storm, you can't do this. You can't leave us, me," Mimic pleaded.
"I have to. I am no longer a mutant but a goddess. I must honor Odin's wish and power and I can do more good as part of the Avengers. As much as I loved you, I must go," Storm said as Mimic began to cry.
"Agreed," Fury said not liking it but knew it was the only way to obtain Storm and her Asgardian powers.
"Storm," Mimic pleaded one last time.
"Storm is dead. I am now, Thora," Thora said as she moved toward Fury and the other Avengers.
"Hank, Janet?" Mr. Stretch asked as he saw the two not coming with the rest of the Avengers.
"We're done, Ben. What you did with Fury and Reed is unforgivable and the last straw," Janet said in anger.
"As of now, we are through with you and the Avengers, forever," Hank said as he and his wife ripped off their face masks and threw them to the ground and walked away.
"Well, that was interesting," Black Axe said as he began to float upwards.
"Yes, not only did this mark the end of Asgard's connection to our Earth forever, but two major events resulted from this battle," Phoenix said.
"What are they?" Black Axe asked.
"One, this will cause Fury and the government to see a stronger need not only to contain mutants, but also the need for all super heroes to be registered and controlled by the government. Second, it created the Outsider named Thora," Phoenix said as they pushed upwards with more speed.
"Where to now?" Black Axe asked as he felt time and space moving before him.
"To a great battle that will rock the stars and create one of the most powerful of the Outsiders," Phoenix said as they moved into space and into the future.
Next: Issue #37 – A New Beginning – Part Two & Outsiders Beginnings: Galactus