Sensational X-Men

Issue #51 – The Search – Part One

Deep Space – X-Men Rescue Team

"May I come in?" Gambit asked after he had already walked in.

"Hey sugah," Rouge said as she stepped out of her bathroom with a towel wrapped around her, water still dripping offer her blue skin.

"You look good in blue," Gambit said with a smile.

Rouge blushed a little and she didn't know why. She had never been self conscious about how she looked, well at least during her second life. She suddenly tapped into her old new memories and remembers how long it had taken her to get used to living with blue skin. On top of learning she was part of a Secret Mutant Team Xavier had mentally kept secret from everyone, but Moira MacTaggert, a closet mutant herself, had used her powers to take Rouge and her teammates and reinserted them into new lives to protect and hide them from Charles Xavier. Obviously that worked out so well.

In Rouge's new life, her second one actually that she had always thought was the only one, she had white skin and been taken in by an evil mutant named Mystique and her friend and lover, Destiny. Then she goes on a quest with Sam Guthrie and the other Secret Mutants and not only did she get her memories of her first life being the real daughter of Mystique and Destiny back but it triggered her body and powers to shift and merge the two lives together. She was still Rouge and had all her memories dominant, but she could tap into her old life memories and her skin had shifted back to blue, her real skin color, and her powers acted different. She could touch someone safely now and didn't have to touch them to get their powers. She just has to be within eye shot of them and she could shape shift her x-gene to mimic their power, but she never knew for how long she would have it. Also, she could still access a persons memories by physical touch, but only if she willed it.

"So, how are you doing? Being I'm not the only one to find out who their real father is," Rouge asked with a smirk.

"He's not really my biological father. Sinister just injected Scott's DNA and Mutant Genetic Code into my mom's egg," Gambit said as he couldn't keep his eyes off the blue skinned woman with long brown wet hair with a white streak mixed within.

"No matter how you look at it, he's still your father and you are genetically connected to the Summers Clan. At least you're not related to criminal and a whole litter she spawned from an experiment with Sinister and Apocalypse," Rouge sighed as she walked out closer into the room.

"I'd rather be connected to you," Gambit said as he moved closer.

"We've been there, it never works. We're bad together," Rouge weakly protested.

"Just the way I like it," Gambit said with a kiss as Rouge dropped her towel.

Ship's Deck

"You're pretty good with a ship," Cyclops said as he stepped up behind Iceman and his brother Vulcan.

"Yeah he is," Iceman answered as Vulcan just gave him a quick glare.

"It's nothing, just what I picked up when me and my crew were stranded in space, fending for our lives," Vulcan answered thinking about is old team and all they had been through, including the stuff they don't remember pre-Xavier.

Gabriel hated that after finally being reunited and rescued that they split up so quickly. All six of them had formed such a bond after waking up in the middle of space not knowing who they were or were they came from except for the little information they had discovered. Then when they found out that they were all part of a team, a second generation and all related to the original team of X-Men. He had sworn he would protect them and do everything to keep them together. He had done all but that in the end. Océana was dead and Sway chose to go back to Earth. She hadn't chosen him and that hurt the most. At least the other three chose to remain with him, even if they were on separate missions out here.

He couldn't blame Sway, she wanted to discover more of where she came from and who her family was before being lost in space. In a sense they were all doing that as well. Even though Petra wasn't here with her twin brother, and Darwin was on another mission team, Spirit was getting to spend time with his half-brothers while Vulcan was here now with the opportunity to get to know his eldest brother. Vulcan realized he had several siblings but Scott seemed to be the one he had the most in common with and was glad he chose to be a part of this team.

"Gabriel, I can't imagine what you all must have gone through and it pains me that Xavier kept it from us that you had been sent to save my team and had died doing it. If I had known, I would not have allowed that to happen or would have looked for you a long time ago," Cyclops said as he put his hand on his little brother's shoulder.

"Not your fault and we survived," Vulcan said as he shrugged off his brother's hand, not knowing why he had done it.

"Any sign of them?" Cyclops asked as he stepped back and looked at his younger brother.

He hated that Xavier had took him from him and his family. No one should be kept or taken from their family, no matter whom they are and that is why he was determined to find his daughter, even if she had been created and spawned from Mystique.

"No, but at least we are still able to track and follow their trail thanks to Forge's devise he made to allow your brother to focus his powers through to pull and control the energy enough to create the trail for us to follow, " Iceman answered.

"Great, keep up the good work you two," Cyclops said praising his brother and seeing a smile escape and then hide from his brother.

Cyclops was proud of his little brother but also feared and envied his powers as well. It seemed out of all of them he had benefited the most from their energy based mutant powers. It seemed that they all absorbed energy, in various forms and ways and then their bodies used it in various abilities as well. His father absorbed the energy and his body just used it to give his natural abilities and reflexes an added boost as well as helping resist injury and heals a little quicker than the average human. His mutant ability was a low a level as they came, unlike his children.

Cyclops, the first born, absorbed energy and could then release it in a very power concentrated blast. He could change the degree of force and power he released but seemed he was only able to do so from his eyes. He always took it as a curse since he had to wear special glasses, but now, thanks to his new wife, she had used her gifts to help teach him to control the abilities to such a degree he no longer needed glasses and could now see through normal eyes. His next brother, Havok had similar powers as his but was able to use it differently than Scott could.

Scott had always been a little jealous of Havok since the first time he had been reunited with him. His brother absorbed more cosmic based energy and he could release a plasma-like energy from all around his body or even with concentration release it from his arms and hands. Even though he too couldn't control his powers and needed a special suit to help him control and release his energy, it was better then being handicapped by your eyes. Now Scott wasn't hindered anymore and wondered after this whole adventure in space was over he could convince Havok let Jam'se try and help him with his powers like she did his. Then there was the next youngest Summers brother, the newly found Gabriel.

While on this trip, thanks to the setup from Lifeguard, Sage and Forge, Cyclops had been able to fill some of his time scanning and analyzing his family tree. From what he could tell, third times a charm as Gabriel's body had vast energy absorption as well as manipulating, transforming and projecting it on a level the rest of them couldn't. Due to his memory loss Scott knew Gabriel has not mastered or realized his Omega Level potential but it was only a matter of time and that scared Scott. It seems not only does his body absorb energy like the rest of them, Vulcan can willingly absorb or drain just about any form of energy into himself, whether it is Cyclopes' optic blast or even magical energy. Though even his body is limited to how much he can absorb at one time or withstand a direct energy blast, but once he does that then it is amazing what he can or could do with that energy.

Like their father, he can use that energy to enhance his physical abilities and even heal but on a greater scale as well as go longer without needing air or food. Then, like his brothers, he can project that energy outwards but on a whole new level than them. He can project the energy outwards to create force fields, propel him in flight as well as variable energy blasts. This is where he differs from his brothers, where his energy blasts can either be force, light, heat or real similar to electricity. Now, if it stopped there where he just excelled at having all of his brother's and father's abilities Scott wouldn't be worried , but it seems as a sort of secondary mutation, Vulcan can go one step further, instead of just absorbing energy into his body, he can manipulate and control external energy sources near or around his body.

He can see and track energy signatures, like he's doing now but also manipulate the energy to the extent he can create solid energy constructs which replicates telekinesis and reinforcing force blasts, force fields and flight. Not only does his manipulation of energy allow him to warp and disable pretty much any form of energy but with enough training he could even tap into a person's mutant energy to use it against them, disrupt them or even replicate it but to Scott's worry, even suppress or turn off a mutant's ability for a period of time. It made Scott shiver thinking if it was wise to discover this brother and maybe Xavier had a reason to "remove" him.

Then there were the last two brothers. Cannonball, who concentrated his energy into a shield around himself and propel him into flight. Now that he got his memories back from his life before being inserted into this current one, he can use his powers in two new, former ways. Without having to go into flight, he can extend his energy outwards and create an energy field around him and others for protection or just release it as a force blast. Then there was X-Treme or Adam-X. It was hard for them to accept his as a brother, despite being a fetus in their mother's belly, he had been harvested and genetically altered and grown rapidly by the Shi'ar, so he was more like a hybrid than fully human. Because of this he has super human strength, reflexes, agility, endurance, senses and other physical traits. His shared mutant energy gene is that he, like Vulcan, can manipulate energy into electricity, but because of what the Shi'ar did to him, he can only seem to tap that electrical energy when a person's blood is oxygenated, hence his Thet'je blades he carries. Scott knew that with training and help from his wife, he might be able to overcome this and even create his electrical energy from any source like Vulcan, but this wasn't a top priority for him.

Then Scott thought if the rest of the family. There were the twins who were cloned from his DNA by Sinister, Roberta and John. John had died but Roberta had survived. It was weird how they accepted her, a clone as their sister a lot easier than they did Adam, but being a clone there was that automatic bond or connection. Being his clone her powers were like his. She could generate energy blasts from her eyes but with instant control unlike Scott's and also had a secondary mutation similar to Emma Frost. She could turn her skin into a red energy ruby-like substance that not only protected her against harm but healed her flesh body and enhanced her physical abilities. Then there was his son, Gambit. Not biological but genetically his son. Sinister had taken his mutant gene and DNA and had injected it into a fetus already growing in a woman's body. This giving Remy the ability to tap into the energy of an object and kinetically charge objects with explosive energy as well as give himself superhuman physical abilities. He can also generate a static like energy around himself that not only shield and protects him from almost all telepaths but can disrupt any touch based powers.

There was also the Guthrie Clan, whose powers were the effect of an experiment from Sinister that was based on the energy gene but had very strange results. They had no true connection to the Summers' Clan except their powers were based that of the Totem of Power like theirs was. They were for all purposes, Sam's sibling from being inserted into that life, but after the reveal of his first life, any signs of Sam being biologically connected to his mom or siblings are gone. They are related by mutant power type only and in the family sense similar to one having been adopted. Scott would like to look further into how their powers were actually connected to Energy Power but that would have to be another time, for he had more pressing matters to worry about concerning his direct family.

Holding Cells

"This is ridiculous, we are all on the same mission here," Mystique said looking at Forge from the inside of her cell.

"I agree, this is not how you treat your comrades," Wingblade said as she stared from Forge to the man she loved sitting inside a cell as well.

"He's afraid I'll gut him," Creed growled with a smile. Even though he still maintained his more beast features form, he had managed to gain his intellect back and ability to stay calm thanks to Queen Animala and the effect Wingblade seemed to have on him.

"You both have a right to go after your children and I know you both wont do anything till after we find them, but till then its better to keep you both where we can keep an eye on you," Forge said as he felt a weird guilt for keeping Raven behind bars. No matter what she's done or pretended to be, Forge knew what they had found with each other was genuine and not a façade by the mistress of deception and disguise.

"Well, you now that if keeping an eye on me is all, what's going on?" Mystique suddenly shouted as the lights went dim and then began flashing red as an alarm began to sound and the room began to shake.

"Scott, Bobby, report," Forge called out through the Comm. System.

"Attention, we are in Red Alert. We are being attacked," Cyclopes voice began to say when it cut out, followed by a large boom that shook the entire ship and then sent them all into pitch black.


X-Calibur

Homecoming – Part One

Braddock Manor

"I am still in shock," Betsy Braddock-Yoshida said as he looked around the room after Kurt, Kitty and Shiro had finished telling them what had happened to them. **See X-Men: GenetiX mini-series**

"I know, to find out that the all powerful Hellfire Club Black King is none other than Shadowcat's father?" Brian Braddock gasped and then ducked when a book came flying at him.

"It's not funny," Kitty said trying not to smile.

"Kat is right though. What Xavier and his group did, it has changed a lot of lives," Kurt added as he thought of Scott and his now huge family tree.

"How is Rachel doing?" Brian asked.

"She is taking the loss of her son hard. She's with Pete now," Kitty said going quiet.

"If there is any good news in this, it's that Kurt did get his son back," Sunfire added as Betsy gave him a quick look reminding him of his short comings when it came to tact when with others.

"Yes, there is that, and that does bring us to our next point in this meeting," Brian said as he looked at the group assembled in the meeting room.

It had been a big reunion when the missing members of X-Calibur had suddenly returned. An emotional rollercoaster as loved ones were reunited, the learning of those that had died and those brought back to them, like Shamrock and Kurt's son. The most excited was Meggan when she was able to wrap her arms around little Drake again. Kurt had informed Betsy that Bobby was still in space with a group of X-Men hunting down his missing child, but said he would talk to her when he returned and trusted her decisions with their future grandson. Betsy hadn't given much response other then she was still fine with Meggan raising the little boy. She wasn't ready to be a mom or if she ever would, plus she had just gotten her new husband back and wanted to enjoy life with just them.

Big Hero 6 was glad to see both Sunfire and Silver Samurai return to them. Silver Samurai had taken the battle in space to heart as well as learning about the battle with the Darkpires. He decided to take over leadership of Big Hero 6 and they had departed back to Japan. They had invited Sunfire and his bride to join them, but he had decided it was his place to remain with his new bride and with X-Calibur. Betsy didn't need to be a telepath to know both Sunfire and Silver Samurai were relived with this decision.

After they had taken some time to celebrate their team's reunion, Brian had called for a meeting. Brian wanted the core of the team to attend, so they could discuss in detail what had happened to the missing team and what had occurred while they were gone as well as the future of the team now that everyone was back. In the meeting were Brian and his sister Betsy as well as Sunfire at his bride's request. Meggan as excused from the meeting so she could take care of Drake and with Lockheed's help make sure the boy wasn't too scared form recent events. Also excused was Rachel. She needed to be alone with Pete and wasn't ready to relive her recent adventure.

Nightcrawler and Shadowcat were in attendance but their future kids, Cat, Nightmagik and Purple Fury were not here so Brian and the others could talk freely. Brian felt just the main core members had to make the main decisions about the team. That is why the newest members, Emerald Dragon and Shuriken were not allowed in. The only exceptions were Sunfire, Betsy's husband, Amanda Szardos and Shamrock. Molly had been with the team long enough and had been through enough that she was considered a core member. As for Amanda, she needed to be here because of the next order of business.

"The clean up has gone well but still a lot of people terrified of the shadows," Betsy said.

"I just can't believe this. Not only is Stefan alive but we share the same father," Nightcrawler said scratching his head looking at Amanda.

"I had no idea that he was only my half-brother, but I shouldn't be surprised mother consulted with demons," Amanda said knowing the only thing good her mother had given her was her abilities and the bloodline for the Coven. **See issues of Salem-X**

"Well he's out there somewhere with your other half-brother, Kiwi Black. Abyss is still here and seams to be okay but we don't now why he hasn't woken up," Shamrock said.

"I've tried, Kurt, but after what our brother put me through I'm still not up to full strength," Amanda added.

"I know Nils hasn't always made the best decisions and has always been easily manipulated. After what I've been through and with both my kids, I feel family is important and I don't want to give up on him," Kurt said.

"Speaking of kids, I hate to bring this up, but before Stefan vanished, he said that all of this happened because of your daughter, Nightmagik," Brian said carefully.

"I tried talking to her but she said she doesn't know what he's talking about. She said all she wanted was to be loved by both her parents. I know I don't really know her and I'm not her actual mother or what not, not real up on the time travel thing, but I can feel genuine emotion from her," Amanda said not really knowing what to think since she barely knew this girl who was looking at her like a mother.

"I don't know how much I can trust her motives," Betsy through in staring at the two future parents of the evil magic girl.

"Betsy, that's not fair. I know she has a bad past, but I can feel genuine goodness in her. I just have to believe she is being true and it was Stefan's last attempt to inflict some further turmoil to me and my team," Nightcrawler said.

"Well, I guess all we can do is wait for your brother to wake up and then we'll know what really was behind Neyaphem's attack on us and our country," Brian said as he decided to move on to the next order of business and come back to this later.

Medical Quarters

"I can manage on my own," Pete grumbled as he moved to a wheel chair.

"I'm sure you can," Rachel said as she still reached out and helped life the man a little.

"So where does this leave us?" Pete asked as he had trouble keeping back the tears after hearing about their future son.

"I don't know. We have a lot to processes and discuss," Rachel said as she pushed Pete's chair out of the room so they could go out into the garden and talk more privately.

"Thought they'd never leave," Nightmagik said as she appeared in the room and walked over to the bed where Nils slept.

"What are you doing?" Purple Fury asked causing his sister to jump.

"Curtis, get out of here," Nightmagik demanded.

"We were combined for a period of time. I may not know what part you actually had in the Darkpire attack here and most of what we shared has blurred since being separated but I do remember enough to know you were connected to it all somehow as well as there is a good person in you," Purple Fury said.

"You don't know what you're talking about. Get out of here now or," Margali began to say as her hands began to glow with magic.

"Or what, kill me?" Purple Fury asked as he began to glow purple.

"No," Nightmagik started to say as she whispered a few words and waived her hand causing her half brother to fly back and hit his head on the wall and pass out.

"But for you, my uncle, I can't allow you to live or talk," Nightmagik finished as she stepped over Abyss and raised her hands and began to call on her magic.

Next: Issue #52 – The Search – Part Two & X-Calibur: Homecoming – Part Two