Disclaimer: Still doesn't belong to me.
50-The End of Days
"Now has come the time for the world to fear the one called Rogue."
-From Chapter 30-
Remy groaned as he slowly sat up with one hand holding the back of his head. He had a headache unlike anything he had ever experienced before. Wearily he glanced around the room, only to find Rogue seated in a chair by the window. In one hand she held a small object that he couldn't quite make out.
"What are you doing, chère?" he asked with a frown.
Rogue didn't look at him as she spoke. "Thinking."
"About what?"
"My past."
With a roll of his eyes Remy got up and walked over to the window, pulling another chair over to sit across from Rogue. He eyed the object in her hands, swiftly reaching for it and bringing it in front of his eyes. It was a beeper.
"When I first became a mutant I went with Mystique because I thought the X-Men were out to get me…I didn't want to be a part of Xavier's plan for peace. I never believed there was a chance mutants and humans could get along…and I never thought anyone could ever accept me with my powers. The X-Men still have a hard time accepting my powers…I guess it's too much for them to handle.
"Mystique didn't pressure me to work with the Brotherhood when I first got to Bayville…but somehow I ended up working for Magneto, searching for new recruits. Then he tried to kill me…and it was the X-Men who saved me. The group that I didn't trust saved my life…I never really thanked them because my life was so screwed up at that point. I tried to fit in, but I kept seeing them as the enemy…and I think they felt the same way, because it didn't take long before I went back to working for Magneto again.
"I don't think I fit in anywhere anymore. I skipped out on Magneto and worked with the X-Men when Stryker came to town…and I've been trying to settle in at the new mansion…but it all feels wrong. I'm not an X-Man, and that beeper proves it." Rogue eyed the beeper with unreadable eyes as Remy turned it around in his hands.
"I take it Mags gave this to you, chère?"
Rogue nodded. "I've never gotten rid of it. Magneto was pissed I didn't take up his fight during the Stryker deal and I guess you could say he kind of dropped me from his payroll. But it doesn't mean I ever became a part of the X-Men. I kept the beeper in hopes that Mags might need me again. I've made so many mistakes in my life that I don't think it'll be easy making it right again. Like this whole thing with Jean. It's my fault she's all crazy now. She wouldn't have given in to her anger if I hadn't pissed her off so many times. Now I'm going to try and make it right…and probably get myself killed in the process."
Remy sighed as he reached out for one of Rogue's hands, grasping it tightly and making sure not to come in contact with her fingertips. "You aren't a bad person, chère; maybe a little crazy, but not bad. So what if you're going to let loose the Apocalypse? You're going to kill him too, remember? And you're going to try and get rid of the crazy bird lady and bring back the red head…that doesn't make us part of the X-Men does it? Because if it does, chère, I'm out of here. I didn't sign up for their side. I barely signed up for old Bucket Head's side."
"Then whose side are you on, Swamp Rat?" demanded Rogue with narrowed eyes.
"Your side, so long as it's the winning side, chérie. So you better win today, or else we can't get married, you hear?" retorted Remy with a grin.
Rogue's face darkened, but then she smiled in amusement. "I don't know why I even put up with you, you crazy Cajun."
"It's because you can't resist the Cajun charm, chère. You and me, we're going to be very happy together."
"We aren't ever going to be together."
Remy chuckled. "But we already kissed…its one step closer to the altar."
"When did I ever agree to marry you, Swamp Rat?" Rogue crossed her arms and studied Remy suspiciously.
"Well I haven't asked you yet…I don't have a ring yet, and I'm not getting married without a ring, so you're just going to have to be patient."
"You do know that both of my parents will probably kill you for even thinking about asking me, don't you?"
"Who says they're going to know about it? It's called eloping, chère. We elope and no one is ever the wiser."
"Do you even remember who my father is?"
Remy shrugged. "So the big bad wolf attacks me…he'll be happy to know we're married after he finds out we've been sharing the same room for a couple of days now. It's your call, chère. I only live to serve you."
"Remind me to push you off the first cliff I find today," muttered Rogue.
"That's the spirit. Now, let's go find our good friend, old Black and Grey and the crazy bird and let out that Apocalypse fellow. I've been itching for a real battle instead of rescuing your scrawny ass every day." Remy got to his feet and held out a hand towards Rogue, stuffing the beeper inside his trench coat. Rogue grumbled, but complied. She had all day to think up a fitting death for the Cajun.
The Hellfire Club
Emma glanced up from the map in front of her as Rogue and Remy entered the small study. The blonde woman gritted her teeth as Selene and Sebastian congratulated the southern belle for returning in one piece; one sane piece. The Black Queen and King had been half afraid Rogue would return to wipe them out since every time she absorbed another person she lost control of her mind.
"What, you don't want to shake my hand, blondie? And here I thought the two of us were getting to be such good friends," murmured Rogue coming to stand on the opposite end of the desk as Emma.
"I'd rather eat vomit," muttered Emma darkly. Rogue snorted and turned away to return to Remy's side. The pair took seats on a love seat, Emma's eyes never leaving them. She watched as Remy lit a cigarette only to have it whisked out of his mouth by Rogue.
Sebastian cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the two Queens, Sinister, Rogue and Remy. "Mesmero has been hard at work gaining control of the minds of the Four Horsemen, but fairly soon they should be at our beck and call. Then we will be able to go to Egypt where the Tomb of Apocalypse lies and set him free."
Sinister nodded in agreement. "Phoenix, Rogue, Gambit, Sabertooth, Lady Deathstrike, Destiny, Juggernaut, Black Tom, the Black King and Queen, the White Queen, Mesmero, and I with accompany the Four Horsemen to Egypt. The Hellions will wait here with King Bedlam. However, we will have three more join our venture. Viper, Captain Britain, and Sage will all be coming along to ensure nothing gets in our way of letting Apocalypse out of his chamber."
The three new mutants in question appeared in the doorway, entering to stand in a straight line in front of the others already in the study. Rogue took note of the fact that all three seemed under a trance, one probably brought about by contact with Mesmero.
Viper was a well built, slender woman wearing a green body suit. Her long black hair had a green tint to it, matching her green eyes. Around her waist was a belt covered with small throwing darts.
Captain Britain was a tall and muscular man wearing a red, white, and blue uniform that resembled the British flag. His eyes were dark, and were somewhat familiar to Rogue. She couldn't quite place where she had seen him before when he pulled off his mask, revealing dark hair. He looked an awful lot like Psylocke.
The third mutant, Sage, had chin length black hair and brown eyes. She was dressed in all black and quickly slipped on a pair of dark sunglasses to cover her eyes. Her lips were painted a dark red color, giving her a deadly serious look.
Entering behind the three newcomers was Mesmero. "The Four Horsemen await us outside," murmured the evil mutant quietly. The room began to empty, leaving only Rogue and Remy behind.
"You don't want to go see the horsie people, chérie?"
Rogue pursed her lips thoughtfully. "How many mutants does it take to unlock the Apocalypse?"
"Is this a trick question?"
"I think the others are afraid I won't keep my end of the bargain—or if I do I'll turn on them and try to kill them. This whole letting Apoca-whatever-his-name-is free business is turning out to be fun, Swamp Rat. Come on, we better go check out the four horses before Phoenix calls me a traitor again."
Remy snorted. "You're one scary fille, you know that?"
"And here I thought you wanted to marry me, sugar."
"Oh we're getting married alright, chère, but just as soon as you complete some therapy time."
Outside, Rogue and Remy stopped in the doorway to inspect the Four Horsemen. The Morlock Plague, Warren, Abraham, and Autumn were all standing stock still as the leaders of the Hellfire Club inspected them carefully. Now they were simply known by the monikers of Pestilence, Death, War, and Famine respectively. They were Apocalypse's army.
Westchester Army Base:
"Trask! You're sure about this, aren't you?" demanded a man with gray hair and a patch over one eye.
"General Fury, you have nothing to worry about. These Sentinels come with the latest designs. The first ten destroyed in battle against the mutants were nothing more than test subjects. They didn't have the armory that these latest ones have. These will capture mutants just like you wanted." Dr. Trask assured the angry General to the best of his abilities. He didn't know how many different ways there were to say that the new copy of the Sentinels were built with the latest most latent technology on the planet.
Fury snorted. "Just as long as they don't become shit when the mutants go up against them. You forget that three of Weapon X have been working together to outrun S.H.I.E.L.D…and that the Hydra project is now missing its own little robot. And that there are rumors of a mutant uprising going on as we speak. We've got three mutant groups to be on the lookout for. Xavier and his bunch, Lensherr and his gang, and now the Hellfire Club have been ousted as mutants themselves. All I want to do is round them up and then lock them up where they belong."
"We don't have the authority to lock them up yet, Nick. We're only being asked to bring them in for questioning."
"They're mutants. They're all guilty of something."
Elsewhere:
"I need something good that will make voters want me as their senator," growled Graydon as he paced back and forth in his office. "What the hell are those muties doing just sitting around? They should be out causing hell so I can win more voters!"
"Yes sir," murmured the acne faced aid, writing on a clipboard.
"And what the hell happened to Kieros and Rolfson? I needed them today—where are they?"
"Uh…we're still looking into that, sir."
"Dammit. A war veteran and a college kid both went missing while working on my campaign. The press is gonna turn this shit against me." Graydon cursed under his breath, pausing in his pacing to glance out the window. "See if you can hunt down a mutant or two and get them riled up. If there's an uprising on the streets we'll be winners come election time this fall."
"Yes, sir. Right away, sir."
The X-Mansion:
"Did you find any sign of them?" asked Logan as Xavier rolled himself out of Cerebro.
"I could only find a sign of Gambit. They're moving…and I believe they're headed straight towards Egypt. That is where the tomb of Apocalypse is rumored to be hidden," replied Xavier.
Ororo chewed on her bottom lip with a worried look on her face. "So what do we do?"
Xavier sighed. "There is only one thing we can do in a time like this. We must go to Egypt and stop them."
Magneto nodded in agreement, exchanging a glance with Mystique. "The Brotherhood has its own means of transportation, my old friend. I believe we are going to need all of the students to put a stop to the prophecies."
"Yes…everyone will be needed in this battle." Xavier looked at Ororo and Logan with a pained expression on his face.
"But all of us? Even the children?" Ororo shook her head. "They aren't ready."
"If they aren't ready now they never will be," remarked Logan gruffly. "Jean and Rogue need our help. Warren needs our help."
"Not just Warren," came another voice. The small group glanced down the corridor to see Evan standing there with Callisto and Caliban at his side. "They took one of the Morlocks too."
Callisto eyed the adults cautiously as she pulled her hair up into a ponytail. "The one called Rogue has much to answer for. Stopping the prophecies is one thing…but letting loose the Apocalypse is quite another."
"Fear is only the beginning," added Caliban softly.
Logan opened his mouth to speak, but his words were drowned out by the soft footfall of another. Glancing behind him he came face to face with Laura, X-23.
"I want to help."
"Does everyone want to go play with the bad guys?" grumbled Logan throwing his hands into the air. "Jesus-fucking-Christ, it's like this is some kind of game."
"In some minds," murmured Caliban, "it is a game unlike any other. Only the worthy will survive."
"And who decides who the worthy ones are?" snapped Mystique crossing her arms.
"Fate."
"Then it is settled," said Xavier. "We had better go now…I fear we don't have much time left."
Egypt—Apocalypse's Tomb:
They stood in two straight lines facing the dark opening leading inside of the tomb. Sinister was in the middle with Phoenix, Emma, Sebastian, Selene, Sabertooth, Captain Britain and Juggernaut on his left, and Rogue, Gambit, Lady Deathstrike, Black Tom, Viper, Sage, and Destiny on his right; behind them stood Mesmero with Death and War on his right, and Pestilence and Famine on his left. No one spoke a word.
With a simple nod from Sinister, Rogue stepped forward, extending her hands into the air. Gritting her teeth Rogue quickly brought her hands together in a single clap. The air around the group of mutants seemed to explode, wind picking up dust as the ground beneath the pyramid rumbled. As soon as the wind had died away, Rogue stepped inside the pyramid with the rest of the group right behind her.
Inside the pyramid the air was cool and damp. Rogue walked forward without a backwards glance. She knew where to go without having to ask. It was as though she had always known. Her head no longer ached…the voices that had once bothered her were gone. Rogue was in complete control now that she was getting closer to Apocalypse's tomb.
The first door they came across was a single stone slab covered with intricate markings of the days of old. Rogue walked up to the door, her arm becoming pure metal. With ease she slammed a fist into the slab, watching in satisfaction as it crumbled into a million pieces. Her arm returned to normal and Rogue stepped over the broken stone pieces to walk further into the crypt.
The second door was made of a sturdier and darker stone material. This time Rogue brought a purple psychic blade into view. She gripped the blade in both hands, lunging towards the door, bringing the blade into direct contact with the stone. It sliced through the stone, but the door still wouldn't budge. Without bringing the blade out of the stone Rogue focused her attention on the blade. Magma began to pour out of the stone until it had melted away. The blade vanished as Rogue stepped through the new hole in the door.
She came to a halt outside the third door. The final door; this was the door that would set Apocalypse free. Rogue studied the double stone doorway with a thoughtful look before noticing a single slab sitting directly to one side of it. As she neared it Rogue knew this was the only way to open the door. This would be how she set Apocalypse free. Rogue pulled off her glove and gingerly reached towards the slab.
"Stop!" Phoenix's voice cut through the air like a knife.
"What the hell are you doing?" demanded Sinister turning to glare at the red head.
Phoenix, however, only had eyes for Rogue. "You will die by my hands today. You will not defeat me!"
Rogue tore her hand away from the stone slab, dropping to the ground before Phoenix could blast her away using her powers. Pushing herself back to her feet, Rogue could feel the anger inside of her letting loose. The months of being used by her own mother and Magneto, the feeling of the lack of trust she had received with the X-Men, the hurt of both Lance and Bobby for cheating on her, the pain of seeing Scott turning his back on her, the anger she had felt at the human race in general for fearing mutants—all of it came rushing forward in Rogue's mind, taking control.
Floating into the air, Rogue regarded Phoenix with a tilt of her head. "Fear me for I am more than you will ever be." Her voice had an odd ring to it, her accent gone as she spoke. "You cannot hope to defeat me. None can ever defeat me."
"Thy doom awaits thee." Phoenix's body began to glow a red color as she too flew into the air to be eye level with Rogue. The two mutants eyed one another carefully, and then as one, lunged straight for the other.
"What the hell was that?" shouted Wolverine as he fell in the sand. The ground beneath them had begun to shake, toppling the X-Men and Brotherhood rolling down the sand dunes to land at the base of Apocalypse's tomb.
"Whatever it is it means trouble!" shot back Mystique scrambling to her feet. "We have to hurry!"
Together the two groups raced inside the pyramid, trying hard not to fall with each rumble as they passed through the first doorway. It was the second doorway that made them stop, though. Coming through the melted hole in the door was a bright light that made many of the younger mutants shield their eyes.
Cyclops moved through the doorway first. "Jean!"
In the air, high above the temple floor, Rogue and Phoenix were locked together in a fierce battle. Phoenix was shielding herself from a series of attacks by Rogue, who seemed to be using every power she had ever drained. As the last of her newfound powers subsided, Phoenix let down her shield as a red ball of fire formed in one of her hands.
"The power is mine!" she shrieked, sending the ball flying towards Rogue.
"You don't know what power is!" cried back Rogue as the flaming ball phased right through her. Phoenix ground her teeth together, flying straight towards Rogue, intent on grabbing the southerner's throat with fiery hands. Rogue had other ideas. She too flew directly towards Phoenix, her gloveless hands outstretched as far as they would go.
The two girls hurtled into each other, each grabbing the other's throat. Rogue let out a strangled cry as she felt her powers of absorption take control. Phoenix's eyes widened and a red glow began to form directly behind her in the form of a large fiery bird. Rogue saw the bird out of the corner of her eye and only tightened her grip on Phoenix's flesh.
"You will not win," hissed Phoenix as the fiery bird rose directly above them, a black shadow beginning to tinge its red color. "I am as powerful as they come."
"Yeah, but I'm as dangerous as they come," replied Rogue through gritted teeth. "And if I die, you're going down with me, sugar."
"I will not die!" Phoenix's cry echoed throughout the temple, sending the fiery bird above her in a wild frenzy. The fiery image shrieked an ear piercing sound as it flew around the room in control, until it was eventually hurtling itself straight towards the third doorway.
A loud cracking sound could be heard across the globe, striking fear into the hearts of humans and mutants alike. The skies began to darken as clouds settled in, a fierce wind ravaging the planet. Inside the temple of Apocalypse the wind seemed to be blowing straight through the third and final doorway.
The mutants on the ground all reached for something to keep themselves from being sucked into the black hole, but Rogue and Phoenix were not so lucky. The heavy wind blew them straight into the darkness, dying away completely the moment they were out of sight.
The tomb became deathly quiet as the mutants stood on their feet. Their attention was focused on the open doorway, but nothing could be seen or heard. Minutes went by.
Then there was the sound of a footstep, and another. It soon turned into the sound of two footsteps headed towards the opening. Phoenix emerged first, her eyes downcast; Rogue was right behind her, walking in the same manner. Their movements seemed almost mechanical, and when they looked up it was evident why. Both their eyes were clouded over. No longer were they blue and green; they were simply a dark black color.
"Chère, is that you?" asked Gambit cautiously as he slowly made his way over towards the southern belle. Rogue didn't answer.
"Jean?" called out Cyclops with a worried tone. "Or is it Phoenix?"
Still there was no answer. Just as Cyclops was about to move from his spot a giant rumbling shook the temple, knocking everyone but Rogue and Phoenix to the ground. A heavy thud was heard from the darkness beyond the doorway. And then a figure appeared.
He was tall and muscular and his body shone with such a bright light that his figures were close to undistinguishable. But there was no denying who he was. This was Apocalypse.
When he spoke, the pyramid shook, and pieces of stone fell to the ground, barely missing the mutants huddled together in small groups. "Only the worthy will stand by my side." He shot a single hand before him, sending the glow from his body outwards, bathing the entire room and everyone in it with light.
The light soon subsided, leaving many of the mutants lightheaded. Looking around they began to see the ramifications the glow had had on a small portion of the room. Gambit, Lady Deathstrike, Sabertooth, Juggernaut, Angel, Plague, Autumn, and Abraham had dark eyes that matched those of Phoenix and Rogue.
"Together we will stand against the world and put a stop to all those who seek to destroy our kind!"
Emma glanced around wildly. "Why not us?" she hissed at Sinister. "We're the fucking Hellfire Club! Why aren't we worthy?"
"How the hell should I know?" shot back Sinister looking up at Apocalypse and the small group he now controlled.
"You promised us we would have eternal glory if we helped you set Apocalypse free!" screeched Emma. "What makes them better than me?"
"They are the susceptible ones. Their minds are easily controlled," said Mesmero sharply. "Apocalypse will only employ those who can be manipulated to complete his every desire on Earth. They are the ones who will die in the end—we on the other hand will not die. We will live to see mutants take over the planet."
"What the hell do we do now?" asked the Scarlet Witch glancing over at Magneto and Professor Xavier.
Caliban was the one who answered. "There is nothing we can do. The only two who can stand a chance against Apocalypse are Rogue and Phoenix…and they are now his puppets. I am afraid the end of days has arrived at long last."
A/N: As of June 12, 2007, Chapter 50 has been revised.
