What to do about Magik?
Author's note: Spoilers ahead! So Destiny (Irene Adler) is back at the end of Inferno Issue 2 (she died years ago in the comics). Issue 1 and Issue 2 details just how that was brought about. Hat's off to Mystique (Raven Darkholme) for figuring out that Eric and Xavier would not fulfill their word to Mystique, and I have to point out that once again Xavier is just not somebody you can trust. Now Illyana's few interactions with Destiny was long ago, the largest standout being the attack upon Illyana's brother (back when Destiny and Mystique were running the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants), as well as the very bad writing when Illyana fell and killed herself when Destiny prophesized about the Inferno to come if Illyana did not do what Destiny said (here's a hint, Illyana tried and… still everything went bad which I think makes the advice somewhat suspect).
Now Destiny has been dead long before Illyana returned so those two instances are really the only interactions between the two. Which makes me think that Illyana is not a member of Destiny's fan cub; and likely a great deal of fear and loathing from Destiny in Illyana's direction. So this is short interaction I came up with.
See Uncanny X-men 177-179 and New Mutants 65 for full details as to their prior interactions.
Part 65a: We all have a destiny…
Irene was now a member of the Quiet Council, after the vote that had not got Xavier's and Erik's way. And after the vote the Council had been dismissed by a most irate Xavier. He was:
Vexed that Destiny was now a member of the Quiet Council.
Irritated that his plans to remove Mystique from the Quiet Council had been thwarted.
Concerned as to just how Destiny had been brought back to life as he and Erik had so far blocked any and all mutant resurrections of those able to see the future. Concerned as to how many of his secrets might now be at risk of exposure to one such as Destiny. Concerned as to the reactions of Moira MacTaggert, who all likewise thought dead and was the source of the rule that no mutant prophets were to be resurrected.
And to be truthful, a bit afraid that his leash on Mystique was now broken, not that Charles Xavier would admit such a thing.
Irene had been returned to life a few weeks ago, and at first reality had been agony as she struggled to comprehend all that had changed. A struggle as her talent was the ability to view the future, a vision that was rarely clear. But with all that had happened since her death, the magnitude of the changes to reality… that struggle had nearly broken her. But it hadn't, and now…
Irene had taken some time to just sit alone in the garden that was Krakoa. Guided by her talent she was located in a small isolated bit of mutant Eden enjoying a moment of peace after that most tense of meetings. The vote had broken down as follows for Destiny joining the Quiet Council.
No votes: Kate (Kitty), Xavier, Erik, Ororo.
Yes votes: Mystique, Mr. Sinister, Kurt, Sebastian Shaw, Emma, Exodus.
Resulting in that Destiny now sat in one of the two empty seats, and Xavier's announced intent to hold a vote to remove Mystique from the Quite Council was tabled; possibly helped by Destiny's offer to Charles to tell him just how the vote would go. After all, the reasons that Xavier and Charles were sharing were not the real reason they wished to remove Mystique, and actually sharing the real reason would definitely have not resulted in Mystique's removal; but likely would have turned every other member against Charles and Xavier, not that Destiny knew that.
At least not yet (here's a hint folks, lying to everybody is not how to get on their good side, something you'd think Xavier would have figured out by now).
Which brings us to the topic of just how does Irene perceive reality as she was blind since birth, the sight centers of Irene's brain were instead devoted to seeing the future, or more precise, seeing many of the permutations of the future. This not only allowed Irene to walk about as if she could see, it allowed her to shape the future by seeking to change current events that shaped the future. Such shaping is not very precise as changes create new futures that can diverge further and from the intended result the longer that time passes. So… invoke a change to change the future for the better always bears the risk that you are actually making it worse. Another way of visualizing her ability is to think in terms of probability as she can search forward from current events to see the likely outcomes as things stand unaltered; but she can't see the possible effects of a change until after she makes the change. One could conclude that her talent works best in short term combat situations but was less then ideal at most long term manipulations.
But… when you "see" the future, the inability to see is still perceived as darkness.
So… Irene taking a moment to relax and enjoy this Eden. And like all Eden's, a snake entered into Destiny's garden. It was one she feared, had feared, but this encounter was not at a time foreseen by Destiny.
It started with a song that began playing from an IPod that was suddenly next to Irene, the song was unknown to her but felt… very appropriate. It was Spirits by Strumbellas.
I got guns in my head and they won't go
Spirits in my head and they won't go
I got guns in my head and they won't go
Spirits in my head and they won't
I've been lookin' at the stars tonight
And I think, oh, how I miss that bright sun
I'll be a dreamer 'til the day I die
And they say, oh, how the good die young?
But we're all strange
And maybe we don't want to change
I got guns in my head and they won't go
Spirits in my head and they won't go
I got guns in my head and they won't go
Spirits in my head and they won't go
But the gun still rattles, the gun still rattles, oh
I got guns in my head and they won't go
Spirits in my head and they won't go
…
…
"I see you walk again…." Spoke the Darkness that was suddenly standing before Destiny as the song cut off as the IPod vanished.
In this case, the Darkness had no shape, just a large black fuzzy distotion might be one way of describing what Destiny perceived. Why darkness you ask? Well, what is the dark? The inability to see, although this was very very noticeable in that it was not a concealing darkness but a blatant blockage of her ability to glimpse the future. And does that not describe the one some call…
"And I see that you come to grips with what you are… DarkChilde" Said Destiny to the Darkness.
An unforetold flicker, and the Darkness was behind Destiny. "Illyana if you please. Oh, and Henry said it best, even us Monsters get used to ourselves eventually. And we do, don't we old woman."
Monsters…
They come in many flavors. There are the more traditional ones, Frankenstein, Dracula, zombies; call them… external monsters. Then there are the more subtle monsters who's monstrosity might not be so simplify discerned. Why… that nice old lady drinking tea and having a scone might just as easily burn somebody alive to make a point as spreading jam on her scone (just ask Moira MacTaggert who most vividly remembered, from her second incarnation, just how Irene had oh so slowly roasted Moira alive so she would remember it, not that this Irene remembered doing such as that was a prior reality). And Irene had not been a nice woman to oh so many. Now, some would protest that statement, Rogue being one, but kindness to those we love is not really a good indication of general character.
"I have been returned to youth." Deflected Destiny.
"And yet we remain what we are, regardless of what the surface shows." States the Darkness now sitting on Destiny's right side, in fact had always been sitting at Destiny's right side… um… hadn't she? Destiny felt an extra case of Déjà vu, like… this was happening over and over again. Either way, the Darkness was close enough to strike with a concealed dagger if Destiny but dared. And if Destiny strikes… who could see the blow in time to dodge? But if you can't see the future around you then… it's just a blind stab, reduced to luck.
"I have felt your claw marks upon reality." Stated Destiny. "Endless wounds as you wrenched reality into the shape you desired."
"Yep…" Replied the Darkness with an annoyingly flippant tone. "Crazy times, which makes a kind of sense as I was a very crazy person when I did that. Heck, I don't really understand anymore the why of some of my decisions, something I guess Harley and I share, but that is an odd complaint seeing as you likewise kept shaping the future, or at least trying to."
Destiny had seen just what Illyana had done to regain her soul, the shear magnitude of what she had done to reality had been very difficult for Destiny to come to grips with. "I did it to try to shape things for the better for Mutantkind, you did it for purely selfish reasons."
"Pffff, you know what I remember about you old woman?" Murmured the Darkness. "Two things. You hurt my brother, almost killed him when I was but a child and powerless to do anything about it. And second, how your advice about an impending Inferno resulted not in it being prevented, but in my suicide; which… in hindsight… I hazard that you might have found most… convenient."
The Darkness did not sound angry, rather just contemplative.
"Peter was the world to me back then. Somebody who loved me, really the only one who did. Kitty and I were friends but my brother? He loved me so… even if he was afraid of what I might be. They all were back then. Before… I reclaimed my powers, both magical and mutant. But before that, just a powerless child, looking at what you and yours had reduced by brother to. A cracked, almost shattered metal statue, fated to but die if he somehow reclaimed his flesh."
Destiny explained, or at least tried to, as she spoke to the Darkness on her left. "Raven was… distraught over the loss of our daughter to Xavier. She was convinced that Xavier was using his mind powers on her. This… this was a way forward, a way out for us."
"Us being…?"
"Those who mattered… Raven, Anna Marie, myself…"
A long pause, then a reply from the Darkness. "At least you're honest about it. Did you foresee that my Brother would be safe or…"
A sigh from Destiny. "No… there were paths that he lived, and paths that he died. Either outcome was irrelevant as they all lead to what Raven desired."
"And my death?"
"You… were very troubled. Reckless. Bound and determined on a course of action that would have destroyed us all. You needed to leave, you needed to learn. Like many fulcrum points, all it takes is a little nudge on the correct side to cause major changes. You might have found a way, but that would have meant that you would have to understanding what you are, which was very… chancy. Best that you remove yourself before you caused more harm."
The Darkness standing before Destiny spoke. "As I long suspected. Rather surprised that you've decided to be truthful."
"Would it have helped if I'd lied?"
"No, you'd be surprised how many try. Hmmm, perhaps you wouldn't be surprised now that I think about it."
This giant blob of Darkness upon her senses was beginning to give Irene a Irene had a theory as to how it was being done. "Are you going to stop continually moving back in time?"
A shrug of a tone "I guess…" and with that Darkness faded away, leaving her, the Darkchilde, or was it Illyana? Irene could not be sure as the image in her mind kept morphing.
"So why are you here?" Asked Irene.
"Just… wanted to take a look. Always good to come to grips with one's monsters, or so I've been told."
"And… Or is this the time for vengeance?"
"No. I told Scott I no longer walk that path, and I don't, apart from the son of Xavier whom I trapped in a time loop for killing my brother from the future."
"Trapped?"
Just a one word answer from Darkchilde/Illyana. "Sisyphus."
A slight frown of concentration from Irene, then she remembered her schooling. "Oh… forever condemned to roll a rock up a hill. So… he endlessly tries to…"
"Kill the X-Men and fails, only to be sent back in time to try a different approach, over and over for all eternity."
A nod from Destiny. "Cruel."
Darkchilde/Illyana turned to walk away. "Yeah, I can be a total bitch when people fuck with those I care about."
With that Darkchilde/Illyana put in some ear buds and hit play on her IPod. It was the song In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins.
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord
And I've been waiting for this moment, for all my life, oh lord
Can you feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord, oh lord
Well, if you told me you were drowning
I would not lend a hand
I've seen your face before my friend
But I don't know if you know who I am
Well, I was there and I saw what you did
I saw it with my own two eyes
So you can wipe off that grin, I know where you've been
It's all been a pack of lies
And I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord
Well I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh lord
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord
Well I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh lord, oh lord
Well I remember, I remember don't worry
How could I ever forget
It's the first time, the last time we ever met
But I know the reason why you keep this silence up
No you don't fool me
The hurt doesn't show, but the pain still grows
It's no stranger to you and me
…
…
A flash of a teleportation disk and she was gone.
Leaving Irene to whisper to herself. "Something to remember."
And more then a few things to reflect upon.