Chapter 53
Egypt, the last week of August...
The desert. Nothing but sand...and the odd small lizard.
The wind picks up.
There is a flash of light.
And from it an advanced looking diamond shaped vessel appears in the air a few dozen feet up.
Apocalypse has come to lay the 3rd pillar in his plan.
The plan he has been waiting 5,000years to enact.
The bottom of the vessel opens and a brilliant blue beam of energy is emitted.
The sand gets sucked up into a vortex and as it does so it reveals a pyramid that the desert sands had long ago buried.
Energy crackles between the vessel and the pyramid. The stone façade crumbles away to reveal a high-tech pyramid identical to the one in Mexico.
The vessel lowers and attaches into the perfectly created space for it on the top.
The vessel opens...and Apocalypse emerges looking as he did in Mexico. Still dressed as a Pharaoh. Still pulsating and glowing with energy. Still with the same high-tech circuits attached to his arms. He floats high up above the pyramid and stretches out his arms.
Balls of purplish energy form in each hand.
Energy crackles from them, comes together just in front of him forming a large multi-coloured ball of energy. From that ball more energy crackles downward and a new purple energy field grows around the pyramid as impenetrable as the other 2 in Mexico and China.
Boston, Massachusetts...
At the Grey residence Jean is in her bed but not sleeping peacefully. She is tossing and turning, pain and terror etched in her face. Varying objects around the round are vibrating as her not quite under control powers lash out.
It's not that uncommon for Jean, this.
She's dreaming on one of the worst days of her life again. The day her friend Annie died.
And no matter how hard Jean tries it always plays out exactly the same. The car hits Annie, the trauma activates Jean's latent powers and her newly awakened telepathy latches on to Annie's dying mind and begins to drag Jean down into the darkness...until the bird appears.
The small fiery bird appears and soothes Jean, tells them that they can become one...whole...take their respective pain away.
And in her grief Jean reaches for it...
"Are you absolutely sure this is what you want to do?"
Jean stops and looks and standing there, leaning on an umbrella is a bare-footed woman with white skin and dark hair with a spiral mark under one eye. She is wearing a long black nightshirt-like dress and on her head a floppy hat?
The bird speaks. "Sister?" it queries in what is clearly surprise.
"Hello Fifi," the woman who is the anthropomorphic personification of Death greets the bird otherwise known as the Phoenix using what is clearly a nickname.
"You have come for me," the Phoenix states.
"That's entirely up to you," Death tells her, walking around, twirling her umbrella as she goes. She walks up to Jean, lifts her umbrella and touches it to young girl(as she is right now)'s head...and she falls asleep, floating, suspended by some invisible force, caressing and holding her gently but securely. "There, you rest sweetie," Death coos lovingly. "The grown-ups need to have a talk," she says seriously, turning her gaze to her sister anthropomorphic personification of a universal force.
"What do you mean it is up to me?" Death's sister cosmic entity asks.
Death gives her sister a curious look. "All these aeons and you still never listen to me do you," she says, sounding a little exasperated and disappointed. "No. It's all 'I am the Phoenix. I am creation and destruction and rebirth and fire and life incarnate and unlimited rice puddings'" she gently mocks with a perfect imitation. "Have you ever tried rice puddings because you should," Death advises. "They're awesome!"
"You are making fun of me," the Phoenix complains...frowning...well as much as a cosmic entity can frown.
"Not at all," Death insists with a shake of her head. "I'm just trying to get you to actually realise your actions have consequences. Your major flaw is that you never stick around to see them, always off flying through the universe as soon as you get bored but me, I'm always there at both the beginning and the end every time you feel like creating or destroying and then recreating planets and life. You're impulsive...far too much so."
"I am what I am" the Phoenix argues that it merely acts according to its nature.
"No, you are what you choose to be," Death imparts some wisdom...or tries to at least. "Learned that from my last vacation. This..." she points at the sleeping Jean Grey with her umbrella, "do you even realise at all what will happen if you merge with this mortal? And do you even realise how much I hate being the stern big sister?" Death tags on because it is just so against her fun-loving nature. "But someone has to knock sense into your head," she tells her sister...and as the older sibling it falls upon her to be the one to do it.
"I have merged before with mortals," the Phoenix points out.
"Not like this one. Never like this," Death warns, knowing...well she knows many things. That's the price of virtual omnipotence.
"I am dying."
"Yes, you are," Death confirms.
"And with me the universe."
Death shakes her head. "No. No, you don't get it," she denies that is right.
"No. I do," the Phoenix argues. "You may be Life and Death manifest, sister but I am the power of creation itself."
Death sighs sadly. "I was wrong earlier when I said what your flaw was. It's arrogance. Arrogance is your biggest flaw."
"This is what I must do to ensure it continues."
"And now you've stopped listening to me. Wow, it's just like our childhood all over again," Death remarks as if having a flashback to that very time.
"The child chose before you arrived. Chose me," the Phoenix argues that essentially this is not for her sister to interfere in.
"Yet you are free to refuse," Death points out.
"I will not die," the Phoenix refuses to do so.
"Everything dies," Death states, a seriousness rarely seen, a sternness clear on her face. "And listen to me well, sister, you know not where this path leads but know you shall come to regret this day if you choose to merge with Jean Grey. Your pain and anger at Him will only lead to hate and to a Dark version of my sister I do not wish to see. Let it end while you are still my little sister."
"You're wrong. Jean and I, together as one, will bring a new glory to the universe. I know it," the Phoenix declares with certainty.
"Yep. Definitely arrogance. That's your weakness. So be it," Death just suddenly seems to accept the outcome. "While I could intervene I won't. As sad and painful as it will be I think you need this lesson but I promise a day will come when I say 'I told you so'," Death vows before she vanishes from this point of time and space.
Jean wakes up and resumes her actions as if none of that had happened. She takes the little bird in hand as its warmth and fire infuse into her being...
"Jean!"
Jean shoots up in bed. "I'm awake! I'm awake!" she shouts in response to her...mother's calling. She takes a minute and a few gulps of breath. What was she dreaming about?
Can't remember.
There is a knock on Jean's door and the similarly red coloured head of her sister Sara pops in. "Breakfast," she informs Jean. "Mom wants to make sure you're well fed before you drive back to Bayville."
Jean rubs the sleep from her eyes. "Give me a minute," she says, yawning.
Sara steps in smiling as she watches her baby sister stretch out and wake up. "It's funny," she remarks.
"What is?" Jean asks with a curious eye.
"You're sort of famous being an X-Man and all. If only they could see you right now?"
"Yeah. The big scary mutant who probably looks a disaster," Jean jokes, imagining how she must look.
"Ah well, I'm sure we can still find you a boyfriend," Sara insists.
Jean rolls her eyes. For some reason since she got home Sara's been trying to get her back dating. In Sara's opinion(not one Jean necessarily shares) getting back out there is the best way to get over a break-up.
Sara leans back against the door frame and folds her arms across her chest. "Though I am disappointed you didn't suggest someone at the Institute I could date," she says, pouting.
"Oh god, you sound like Taryn before she hooked up with Paul," Jean complains because Taryn use to badger Jean over that. Well to be more accurate Taryn wanted Jean to set her up with Superman.
Sara smirks. "But come on," she implores her sister. "I've seen pictures and some of them are damn fine. Though I'm curious pictures don't always do justice to someone. What's, take a random example, Superman like in real life?"
Jean arches an eyebrow. "Random, huh?" she questions that.
Sara shrugs. "Completely."
Jean isn't buying it. She wonders though if she can have some fun with her sister. "Well if you're willing how about I just show you an image from my memory?" she proposes to use her telepathy.
"Uh...ok," Sara agrees.
"One moment," Jean requests as she trawls her memory. Ok, she knows just the one to really get her sister.
Sara blinks...and finds herself standing at the Institute...at the pool...as Superman walks by in nothing but shorts. "Holy Hannah!" she exclaims at the picture of a Greek God.
Superman stops, flashes her a smile. Sara reaches out to touch him...when she finds herself back in Jean's room...with a smirking Jean sitting on the bed.
"Oh that was so not nice!" Sara complains. "You're just mean!"
Jean laughs heartedly.
"But more seriously how have you not tapped that?"
Jean sighs. "It's complex. Yes, he's very pretty to look at but he's a massively complicated man with multiple layers and masks. To be honest I'm not sure I've ever seen the real man."
"Oh he's the one!" Sara gets.
"He's the one what?"
"That one that had you in a mope since you've gotten back. The one you wouldn't talk about," Sara manages to work out. Jean's talked about Scott but Sara clearly got there was someone else on Jean's mind. Now she knows who.
Jean sighs and crosses her legs over. "Nothing happened."
"Did you wish it had?"
"Betsy made that same point," Jean points out. "And what I wish is that I knew who it was I was talking to half the time. Therefore we never got anywhere near beyond being friends. Frankly if I could fry his mind I was half-tempted to before I left."
"Did you feel something for him, Jean?" Sara presses.
"When Betsy said it, I dismissed it but for a moment I think I wanted to feel something but the moment's passed."
"Sorry," Sara says.
Jean brushes her hair back. "It's fine. Really. I'm feeling much more relaxed on these things now, thanks to you in a large measure," Jean thanks Sara for her moral support.
"What are sisters for," Sara says as if it is nothing.
"Well I better get breakfast, then shower before I head back to Bayville," Jean says as she gets to her feet.
"Soooo...one question. If you're no longer interested do you have Superman's phone number?" Sara tries her luck.
Her luck gets her a telekinetically thrown pillow smacking her in the face.
"I was only asking," Sara mutters as Jean strides from the room.
Bayville...
High above Bayville two figures fly through the air. One smoothly, one very jerkily as if it is very unnatural for them.
"Come on. You're doing great," one certain red and blue clad superhero tells the other. By the way still in t-shirt and jeans. Clark was working on it. He lowers himself down to his struggling student. "You know this would go easier if you opened your eyes, Rogue," he advises her.
Rogue, dressed in her old X-Men uniform, the black with the top part green and brown gloves and black boots, half-cracks an eye open. "Ut uh," she shakes her head in denial. "Last time ya said that ah plummeted 500 feet straight down," she reminds him. If she looks she falls. If she closes her eyes and focusses all her concentration on staying airborne she can just about manage it.
"I caught you didn't I," Clark points out with that adorable goofy grin of his.
Rogue hates that grin. That's the 'aw shucks' one that use to make her insides melt and still kinda does honestly. No, she's not wishing they get back together. The reasons they broke up in the 1st place are still true. There are just aspects of each other there not willing to share but they share enough to be friends again and Rogue is loving that. It makes these lessons fun...when he's not annoying the heck out of her. She tries to slap him on the arm. He easily moves out of the way. She huffs and snorts. "Smart-ass," she grumbles at him in her affectionate tone of grumbling.
Clark smiles broadly at her. So, yeah, the flying lessons had been a slow and painful process but she was getting there. And truthfully he liked the fact it gave him and Rogue a chance to hang out alone as friends. It's very hard to do at the Institute what with so many people around now that Clark wouldn't like to know who he is. He is always having to hide himself constantly.
This is one of the rare times he gets to be himself again...and these lessons have really helped to cement his and Rogue's friendship back together. He was so glad. They may never get back what they once had but this is good enough.
Clark swoops in close and places his hands gently on her waist to give her a break.
Rogue lets out a breath of relief. "Why is this so hard?" she asks him.
Clark chuckles.
"What's funny?"
"The hard part is realising that it's not hard at all," he gives the sum of what he learned trying to figure out flying. It's not actually hard. It's just hard to realise that that is so.
"What does that mean?"
"Something that can't be taught. You have to figure it out but the fact you can even get yourself up here shows you're almost there. You just need to relax, let go of doubt and fear. It's not hard no matter how it may seem to be."
Rogue loosely hooks her hands round his neck. "Y'all make little sense...which ta beh fair is your usual," she says with a jokey look.
Clark sticks his tongue out at her.
"Oh very mature," she sarcastically comments.
"I never claimed to be."
"Uh huh. So what's your plan for today?"
"Lets see. I have to see if there is any new clue on where Lana is, check in with Victor and see if there is anything Lex is up to or any sign of the Metaleks, catch up with Forge on how the atomic sub-dividers are coming along, go shopping so as to be ready for the return to school, write my blog, spend some time with Penance, phone Danielle..."
"How do ya find tha time ta do all that?" Rogue asks.
"Shh, I was only halfway through my list," he criticises her for interrupting.
"Ya know what ah mean, Clark. Ah know ya always did way too much but that's just plain crazy."
"Could be worse."
"How?"
"Mystique could be my mother," he jests.
"Don't remind meh," Rogue mutters.
"Seriously how are things?"
Rogue blows her bangs out of her face. "Ah guess not so bad. She helped meh with mah exams."
"Which you passed. Congratulations on that again," he tells her.
"Thanks but since that means back ta school ah'm not sure congratulations are tha right response," Rogue says, making a face.
Clark shakes his head at her. She put in a lot of hard work to pass her exams and get back into school.
"As strange as it is she's been a help in meh coming ta terms with stuff," Rogue continues, her voice laden with burden.
"The stuff you did for Magneto," Clark guesses.
"Yeah," Rogue says with much regret. Mystique has actually been very understanding, so much so Rogue has almost felt able to start trusting her...almost but part of her still can't and won't.
"Hey, we all do stuff we regret," Clark points out. There's been some things he's done he regrets. The way he acted. "Since I died I've realised I've not always acted my best these last few months," he says.
Rogue still can't quite get her head around this idea he died. It was just too awful really. She would really, really miss him. "Well ah can't exactly criticise now can ah," she accepts any attempt to do so would be hypocritical considering her own actions.
Clark shrugs.
"Hey, is Jean back today?" Rogue suddenly asks him.
"She's suppose to be I think. Not that I'd know. Last I checked she wasn't talking to me."
"Because ya slept with Callisto?"
Clark rolls his eyes. "Damn Betsy," he grumbles because he knows the British telepath was the one that started that rumour. That Jean's mad at him over Callisto.
"Yeah that's mah sentiment on her usually but really what is tha story? Were ya and Jean...?"
"No," Clark insists. "I don't know where Betsy got that from. If Jean was...I don't know sweet on me it's the first I ever heard of it and since she's not talking to me I can't ask her about it now can I."
"And ya? Were ya sweet on her?" Rogue turns the question around.
"That's a loaded question because if I say she was my friend you'll ask did I find her attractive which will have me pointing out the obvious that yes, Jean is a very beautiful girl but then again so are you and frankly I would add everyone is beautiful in their own way. As far as I knew where Jean and I stand we were just friends and I had no interest in anything beyond that. Still don't because as you pointed out I have about a million things to do which leaves romance about number 825,961 on the list."
"So that explains the 'just sex' with Callisto," Rogue figures. "Ah'm disappointed."
Clark sighs. He so doesn't want to talk to her, of all people, about it. "In what way?" he asks and knows he's going to regret doing so.
"Well ah recall making ya an offer and ya chose Callisto ovah this," she points up and down at herself, boasting at her own sexiness.
Clark arches an eyebrow. "Rogue," he says seriously. "It could never be just sex between us," he points out.
Rogue looks into his blue eyes...and even though she was trying to keep it light somehow the whole thing now feels very serious, tugging at emotions they've both buried. She swallows hard. The air seems very thick...and he's looking at her, deep into her with those eyes of his...and it is only now she has realised how close they are, how intimate they are with his hands on her waist, their faces only inches apart.
Oh God...she feels...she wants...her head leans in, she tilts her lips upward...almost touching his...
Clark pulls back suddenly, his body tensed...and not in the good way he was very close to indulging in a moment ago. That was...where the hell did that come from? He's never let his old feelings for Rogue get so close to being let out before. Especially not when nothing has changed over why they broke up and...and he doesn't have time for this right now.
"What?" Rogue asks, her voice husky with desire.
"We need to get back to the mansion."
"What? Why?" Rogue asks, blinking in confusion.
"I can hear the breaking news. It's him."
Rogue doesn't need explained who him is. A cold shudder goes right through her that she can't explain where it comes from. Something deep inside that she knows more than anyone else just how bad this is going to get.
At the Institute...
It's on the news. A breaking story. Another energy dome. This time in Egypt.
Emergency X-Men meeting soon follows down in the War Room.
Present; Professor X...you know he never did bother coming up with a costume, just his usual wear of pants and polo-neck jumpers and a jacket.
Beast: lets face it they're a pair of dark blue swimwear.
Storm; in her dark blue costume with white in-line cape.
Domino; in her all black costume with the red X-patches on her shoulders and weapons strapped to each thigh and one under her left arm.
Wolverine; in the black sleeveless number with gold slashes on the shoulders, black pants and boots.
Banshee; in his mostly green outfit with a yellow upside down triangular section down the middle and yellow gloves and boots and attached from his arms to his waist were these yellow and black striped flap.
Cyclops; in his dark blue costume with a yellow X across the chest and yellow boots.
Betsy; in her sleeveless all in one purple body suit with skin coloured sections up the outside with purple gloves, bands around her biceps and brown belt around her waist.
Thunderbird; in his dark blue bodysuit with a large red eagle crest on his chest that spread down the inside of his legs. The shirt is very short sleeved with red tassels, also on his red boots. He also wears gold wristbands, a gold belt with the eagle crest as a buckle, a red domino mask, and a red bandanna with eagle feathers sticking out the back.
Tarot; with her royal purple and swirling golden patterns ankle length coat that was fastened to the waist and the bottom of it was able to flow freely like a skirt and green-blue pants and purple boots with a golden streak running up them. To top it off she wears a yellow waist sash.
Shadowcat; with her dark blue costume with a strip of lighter blue down the middle, yellow gloves, belt and a bit of yellow on the inside collar and light blue boots. Her original costume by the way that she feels looks so cute on her it doesn't matter she's been wearing it 3 years and counting. Classic never goes out of fashion.
Nightcrawler; in his red and black costume with the yellow belt.
Iceman; in his blue and white costume. Blue across the shoulders and upper part of the chest and then running down the centre of his costume and the inner half of the legs. The arms and the outer sections of the costume were white. There were also blue gloves and boots. He wore a red belt with a blue X buckle and of course all those little pouches they have were attached to it. On the upper left part of his chest was a circular patch with a blue X on red background as well.
Siryn; in her costume that resembled her father's and always showed how close they were. It was green and yellow with the yellow a stripe that went down the centre from neck, including a high collar, to the top of her yellow boots. Everywhere else was green. She had the same glider-wings as her father in yellow and black attached from her wrists to her waist. She wore a pair of yellow gloves with a yellow belt. Side note; Terry still had no idea what to do over the fact James had a crush on her. Just mentioning it.
And finally Superman completely looking like he is slumming it in the t-shirt, jeans, work boots combo. Clark had been there from the start of this whole Apocalypse thing and he was the best chance they had to matching the ancient mutant. Not to mention he had been much more into the team idea lately. Yes, what happened with X-23 and HYDRA postponed his rejoining a team, by a day or so. It never stopped it. Ha, the look on the New Mutants faces when he showed up was priceless. Not to mention Haze's.
The Professor starts off the meeting, bringing up a live holographic feed of the dome in front of them on the table. "So, here we are again. Another energy field and we assume another pyramid underneath."
"Assume?" Cyclops queries.
"There is no record of a pyramid at that particular location," Hank points out. "However this is far into the desert so it is not impossible it was buried."
"Definitely not impossible," Superman chimes in. "When I was retrieving the 1st of the 3 stones it was in a temple that had been completely buried in such a manner," he relays what he recalls of that.
"What concerns me is the location," the Professor reflects on that.
"Egypt?" Betsy pushes for an explanation.
"It's where he ruled he from. It is where he will return to to re-establish his kingdom," Tarot says, her voice echoing.
Everyone looks at her curiously.
Tarot blinks. "I don't know where that came from," she says in confusion.
Charles purses his lips. Both Marie and Wanda have had their ability to foresee blinded by Apocalypse for months except when he freed himself and that vision was so powerful it put both into comas that lasted a week. They never could find an explanation, nor why they just woke up a week later. "Perhaps a tiny glimpse leaking through the shroud," he offers.
"Yeah, maybe," Tarot says, not sounding sure. Sounding very uncertain of everything. Siryn puts an arm around the petite French girl for support.
"Tarot is close to my concern. It's back in Egypt which raises the question is he close to enacting his plan and are we running out of time."
"Forge and myself are not ready to enact our plan to take down the energy fields," Beast points out. "We haven't built enough of the atomic sub-divider cannons to take down one field, let alone 3."
"We need more information," Storm argues. "We know so little what it is Apocalypse is planning."
"Yeah and how do we get it? Go up to one of the domes, knock and ask him nicely?" Iceman jokes.
"If ye can't ask th' man himself ye ask any accomplices he has," Banshee says, using his experience in law enforcement.
"Mesmero?!" Wolverine practically chokes on his own hate of the man.
They had left Mesmero up in Tibet since it became apparent Apocalypse had abandoned him once the ancient mutant made his escape.
"That's actually a good idea," Dom thinks.
"It is," Charles confirms. "We'll take two approaches. I'll try and locate him on Cerebro. Shadowcat, Superman can you try and find that circus he belonged to and see if it is still operating in case he has returned to his cover of Fortune Teller."
"Can do," Kitty agrees, placing two fingers to her temple and giving the Professor a salute.
"Question," Nightcrawler raises. "What do we tell Mystique and Rogue since they have a...connection to Mesmero?" he wonders. For connection read altered minds and lied to, deceived, chewed up and spat out when they were no longer necessary.
"For now, nothing," the Professor decides. "I don't want their anger clouding their judgement and getting in the way. This is too vital. Clear?"
"Clear, Professor," Cyclops accepts his orders.
"Come on Kitssss-ahh!" Clark cries out in pain, covering his ears as an intense high-pitch sound assaults him. "Not now!" he yells in complaint. They haven't talked in weeks and now, now of all times, he's pulling this crap!
"Clark?" Cyclops asks in concern as everyone looks on in concern.
"I'm sorry it's Jor-El," Clark grimaces through the pain. "I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise," he says as he staggers for the door before blurring away in a gust of wind.
The adults look at each other in concern. Last time this happened Clark had his powers removed. And the timing...just like last time when Apocalypse raises another energy field. It can't be a coincidence but what it is they don't know.
The Fortress of Solitude...
"You have the lousiest timing ever!" Clark complains as he zips inside the colossal structure.
"Hello, my son," Jor-El greets him.
Clark folds his arms across his chest and taps his foot, clearly aggravated. "If this is some lecture on my destiny I swear I'll go bat crazy and take you with me."
"Not a lecture," Jor-El assures him. "The time for lectures, lessons, training and trials has passed."
"Huh?"
"It is time."
"For?"
"THE MEETING THAT FATE LONG AGO WROTE FOR US."
Clark spins round, his eyes wide at the figure standing in front of him. It was impossible. He couldn't be here. Clark was in complete disbelief as he hisses out the name. "Apocalypse!"
Author's Note: In my head it makes complete sense that Death and the Phoenix are sisters. In the comics Death has a brother, Destruction, who encompasses the forces of Creation and Destruction like the Phoenix is suppose to. I had almost forgotten how much I had jigged the X-Men line-up over the course of my story because its been ages since I've had them together in one room for something but that's the strength of the X-Men; Variety! Apocalypse in the Fortress?! What?! What?! Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Ascension part 2.
