Storm the Castle, Kill the King

His body screamed in protest. Every muscle, bruised. Every nerve, aflame. His vision was tunneled and hazy. Traces of blood and bile slipped from his lips. His own weight felt magnified.

And yet, on shaky arms and legs, he planted his fists against the ground and rose.

"Why? Why do you continue to oppose me?" For the first time since their grueling duel began, his foe did not sound so invincible. "I thought you would understand. You, who was betrayed by all your comrades. Your friends. Your family! Why!"

Beaten and almost broken as he was by this incredible monster, the question rang true.

Indeed, why?

But the answer was so simple.

A grinning demon that knew more torment than warmth.

An indomitable queen standing proudly above her ghosts.

A machine that knew more humanity than those with flesh.

An old foe that believed in him more than his father ever did.

"Not all of them." Scott grunted with finality.

And he knew one thing for certain.

For so long as someone still believed in him, even when he no longer had faith in himself, he would rise. They were his strength, and he would be damned if he were to lose to this egocentric monstrosity.

Because he had to get back to them.

Stubbornly, Scott willed his body to rise. He knew he couldn't wait. He knew he couldn't make them wait. There was still far more to do before his body became dry.

Even though he had been thrashed in all their previous encounters, Scott knew with absolute certainty that this time, he would win.

Just one more.

Scott tore his visor and looked up to the high heavens.

And thus did the Cyclops bathe the world in red.

A/N: Was watching One Piece: 3D2Y and One Piece: Stampede, where both antagonists were betrayed by various people they cared for and grew stronger because of it. Then antagonists then goad the MC, Monkey D. Luffy, that he, too, should abandon all his friends if he wishes to be king of the dangerous seas.

Then I imagined a story where a lost Scott is forced to fight someone similar—an almost mirror image of his situation, and imploring Scott to give into his feelings of anger over the betrayal. But in shounen-esque fashion, Scott recalls that there were a precious few that didn't abandon him, and it is for them that he continues to fight…

…and then Scott becomes the pirate king /jk

-0-0-0-

We love to drink with Scotty, 'cause Scotty is our mate-

A familiar flash of blue light wasn't an odd sight for one Emma Frost.

Illyana Rasputin clad in only horns and hooves was.

"Dare I ask what tomfoolery is afoot?" Emma called from her perch on the bed.

"Scott!" Illyana howled before falling on her tight bottom with a giggle. "Scott!" Illyana repeated, and it was all the confirmation needed that, yes, Illyana was drunk on her ass. "Sco—"

"Scott Summers, yes." Emma cut off the giggling demon. "What of him?"

"I—" Illyana hiccupped. "I need help."

"Oh no." Emma gasped insincerely. "However may I help?"

"You can start by stripping and helping me get him in bed. Or ceiling; I'm not picky." Illyana suggested.

"Of course." Emma slapped her forehead. "I should have known better when you invited him out for a drink."

Illyana grinned stupidly. "How else was I supposed to seduce him?"

The demon had already tried nearly everything, so sober was never in the cards tonight.

"And where do I fit in your equation?" Emma asked, curious about how Illyana's mind worked, but careful enough not to pry.

"We're two blondes. How can a man resist two blondes, especially one Russian?" Illyana slurred out each syllable, making a point to lace her words thickly with an accent. "Now help me up so we can stop Scott from pummeling Logan blue so he can pummel my backside instead."

"What?"

"He got into a fistfight with Logan when I suggested he fist me instead."

"And how, pray tell, did that misunderstanding come about?"

Illyana shrugged.

"Scott don't think too clearly when he's drunk." Illyana pointed out. "It's why I got him drunk in the first place."

Faced with impeccable logic, Emma was forced to concede.

And, following Illyana's earlier suggestion, she conceded her panties, too.

A/N: Not really sure where I was going with this. To be fair, Scott's not really sure what's happening, either.

-0-0-0-

Baby, It's Cold Outside:

She Got Dragon

"I had the most joyous of times, dear beloved." Kori exclaimed as she nuzzled further into Scott's embrace.

"Yeah?" Scott smiled, not even feeling as his ribs cracked under his girlfriend's glomp. "I was honestly worried. When Amadeus and Sam volunteered to bring you 'round the Arcade while Kamala and I settled the reservations and movie tickets, I was certain no good things will happen."

"You are too hard on your friends, beloved." Kori chastised him playfully. "They are not so bad. It is like having young siblings that are male and are up to no good."

"Exactly." Scott nodded. "Like I said, worried."

"But the food at night was most delicious, however!"

Scott smiled in remembrance. "I missed sushi too. Nothing quite like freshly cut fish."

Kori nodded, staring up at him expectantly. "And the sukumon was simply glorious!"

Confused, Scott tilted his head. "The sukumon?"

He didn't remember ordering that.

A Cheshire grin immediately bisected Kori's face.

"Sukum on these nuts!"

Scott blinked.

Scott stared.

Scott sighed.

"And thus," Scott finally said amidst Kori's incessant giggling, "I was very worried."

They wouldn't be visiting Earth again anytime soon.

A/N: No, Kori, noooo!

-0-0-0-

Rose-Colored Boy:

Project Superpower

"Look," Caitlin repeated exasperatedly, "All I'm saying is, the physics of your powers doesn't make any sense."

"None of our powers make any sense." Scott shifted on his seat.

"I said stop moving!" Caitlin shouted.

"Caitlin, I've been sitting here for four hours already!" Scott pouted hard. "Can't I just-"

Caitlin dismissed his whining. "But I've almost got it!"

"You've said that 13 times already."

"And if you want to get lucky in the near-future, you will stop counting and let me run my tests on you!"

Scott slumped in his seat. "Can't I at least take a leak?"

"Just a few more minutes-"

"Then get me a catheter or even a bottle."

"Scott, that's disgusting!"

"My bladder is going to be disgusting once it's popped all over my seat."

"I got it!"

"Finally!" Scott exclaimed. "Can I get out of this suit already?"

"Of course, of course!" The gorgeous redhead was nearly bouncing in excitement. "Come, lover, and allow me to rock your world."

"…I need the toilet first."

xxx

"So you're telling me…" Scott began, realization slowly dawning on him. "…that I'm, what, psionic?"

"Exactly!" Caitlin cheered. "Look, here is where you're emitting a force-field." She showed him a picture of his body. "And here is where it's weakest to non-existent." She pointed to a lateral view of his eyes. "My guess is, this same field is what prevents you from suffering any lethal recoil whenever you blast people."

"Thank god." Scott gingerly massaged his neck. "I like keeping my head on my shoulders."

"Yes! But you know—with some training, you might be able to adjust your force-field." She pointed out. "Maybe even control your powers or find new ways of using it."

Scott pondered her words.

And then, after a brief moment, he smiled.

"You know what, Caitlin?" Said young woman preened at her boyfriend. "You're the greatest girlfriend ever."

xxx

The younger Bobby, Hank, Warren, and Jean stared dumbfounded.

"What the frick am I looking at?" Hank, ever the poet, had learned modern jargon to sum up their bewilderment.

Before them, Scott was using his optic blasts to fly around during mutant dodgeball at the school, cackling madly as the ball could not so much as graze him as he jerkily waltzed and flipped through the air.

Bobby sighed mournfully. "No one's ever tagging him in dodgeball ever again."

And then Scott fired a blast from his back.

"NOW THAT'S JUST UNFAIR!"

A/N: What can I say? Caitlin Fairchild is a certified genius and bombshell.

-0-0-0-

A/N: Not officially back. Also seems like the X-Line is dead. Hah.