X-MEN
Dawn of Destruction
Last Chapter: Professor X, Cyclops, and Wolverine all struggle to cope with Jean's death. Rogue and Iceman deal with their break-up while Storm and Nightcrawler attempt to offer refuge to a mysterious mutant named Zee. New mutants begin arriving at the academy.
"Card-Throwing Cajuns & Red-Headed Psychics"
"What was Wolverine doing back there?" Rogue asked, still astonished at what she had caught her role model and mentor doing.
He had actually been in a physical fight with another professor.
"It looked to me like he was kicking Cyclops's ass", joked Iceman as he made his way downstairs behind the auburn-haired power-stealing mutant.
He and Thunderbird laughed at his (to Rogue) unfunny joke. Obviously it had been over Jean, she'd shown up in the hallway early enough to know that much. She knew Wolverine had always had a thing for Jean-something more than just teammates. Ever since her death, everything around the academy had been about Jean. Two people were fighting over Jean, students were doing reports on her heroism, and most of the male body was beginning to admit their secret crushes on her.
The three friends finally made it downstairs to the foyer where Professor Xavier and Professor Hank McCoy, aka-the Beast, were greeting a tall, able-bodied, muscular young man with dark blond hair and blue eyes. He was loaded with two suitcases, a duffel bag, and a backpack. Beast caught the three students staring, open-mouthed at the newcomer and introduced them.
"Ah", he sighed, as if they were a relief, "Rogue, Bobby, Neal-meet Samuel Guthrie. He just came to us from Kentucky-you remember Husk, right?"
How could they forget the polite, yet brash young blond who could shed her skin into anything from titanium to glass?
"Well, this is her older brother", Beast introduced, smiling. He was in human form, so instead of a rugged row of beastlike teeth, straight, pearly-white glistened in the morning's light.
The boy dropped his bags and offered his hand to Rogue. Her breath caught in her throat. She wasn't wearing her gloves. Bobby sensed her dilemma and took the boy's hand instead, "I'm Robert Drake, but you can call me Bobby. I'm the Iceman."
"Call me Sam, or Cannonball, whichever you prefer", the young boy said, next taking Neal's hand.
"What exactly is your power?" Thunderbird asked.
"You will find out soon enough", Professor X interrupted, "Because Mr. Guthrie will be sharing a room with you, Mr. Sharra."
"Really?" Neal choked, "Awesome-we're going to have the best time", he continued talking as he grappled two of Sam's bags and led him upstairs.
Bobby grimaced. Pyro had been his roommate before he up and ran off with Magneto. What cocky newcomer did they have sharing a room with him? Professor X and Beast waited near the door for any other new mutants, while Rogue and Bobby made their way into the common room where Artie, Leech, and Colossus where busy doing homework.
She probably had no idea that Bobby still cared for her. He had broken up with her after all. He just couldn't handle not having his family backing him up and not being able to touch her-not being able to feel affection. So he had dumped her and now he realized what a hug mistake he had made by doing so two months ago.
"You gonna sit down or what?" Rogue asked as she plopped down on the sofa in front of the television where Jubilee was watching intently.
Bobby smiled earnestly and took a seat beside her. Jubilee looked at the two suspiciously, icicles still clinging to her black hair. The screen flickered on a local news station where a large crowd was surrounding a large pile of ash that stretched on for miles. A female newscaster's voice could be heard.
"The American Shelter for Abandoned Mutants was burned down and bombed only two nights ago, but the controversy has exploded all over the nation. Three hundred and fifty mutants were killed in the burning, and suspects are the H.S.A.M.F., the Homo Sapiens against Mutant Freaks, an anti-mutant hate group that grows larger by the year. This is the third large institute for mutants that the gang has hit. The group is known to be very intelligent and dangerous. Here is some footage a local bystander took of the explosion."
The students watched as a large gang dressed in black, carrying guns and other various weapons approached the shelter. A few mutants tried to defend it, only to be bathed in a shower of bullets before the large boom filled the television screen and fire emerged everywhere.
"Oh my God", Jubilee gasped.
Rogue could only cover her mouth at the gruesome sight before her. Bobby's eyes widened intensely and the room began to get very cold.
"Bobby!" Jubilee scolded, shivering in her recliner.
"Sorry", he apologized, "I just. . .I just panicked."
"Well could you panic a little warmer next time?" Jubilee snapped, clutching herself in an attempt to keep warm.
"Sorry, my powers just released themselves when I saw that footage. I just thought about that happening to the school and. . ."
"That would never happen here", Colossus remarked from his spot at the table behind them, "They probably think this is a prep school. Besides, the professors wouldn't let anything happen to us."
"They can't control what they don't expect", the Iceman muttered.
Jubilee rolled her eyes, "Okay, this is getting a little too deep for me. I'm going to the danger room for a workout-anyone who's with me can tag along." She got out of the recliner and exited the room, Colossus followed close behind.
Bobby glanced over at Rogue, who was anxiously watching the news with a trembling lip, "Ah can't believe that actually happened. What is the world coming to?"
Bobby put a supportive hand on her heavily clothed shoulder, "It'll be okay.
And for a brief moment in time, the Iceman felt like he was on fire.
XXXXXXXXXX
Wolverine sliced off another rose petal from a nearby plant in the garden as he stalked through it angrily. Where did Cyclops get off hitting him? Where did he even get off accusing him of lusting over Jean? Even he had lusted over her slim, red-headed body while she was still alive; it wasn't any of three-eyes business.
Then Rogue had seen the whole thing. He cared too much about her to let her see his angry side. She was like his little sister, and he hated setting a bad example.
Cyclops always had everything handed to him on a silver platter. The perfect family with the perfect woman to back him up and a leadership role handed to him by the Professor. Cyclops kind of reminded him of Rogue's little squeeze, that Bobby-kid with icicles for balls. Preppy and perfect all around, with nothing ever threatening his perfect existence.
He didn't know what it was like to not have it as good. He didn't know what it was like to wake up one day and find claws protruding from your knuckles-he had no clue how it felt to not know anything about your past. Wolverine slammed his clawed fist into the nearest bush he could find, wishing it were Cyclops's face.
"Something bothering you, Wolverine?" came the Professor's cool, calm voice from behind him.
Wolverine turned around to face the wheel-chair bound psychic and clenched his fists, "When is there something not bothering, Prof?"
The Professor smiled, "If it's about Scott-I suggest both of you get over it and begin to control your temper. Remember, we have students here that we must set a prime example to."
Wolverine glared at him. He had to agree, not only because his respect for the Professor was great, but because he was right. He couldn't wash out the look on Rogue's face when she had seen them pounding on each other in the hallway. Wolverine looked down, his jaw twitching in anger.
"I'll be expecting you to baby-sit. Hank and I are making a trip down to California-there's a mutant down there who needs our help. Cyclops will be taking some time off-a temporary leave of absence-so that leaves you since Storm is away."
Wolverine took a deep breath.
Why did God make his life so miserable?
XXXXXXXXXX
"Hello and welcome to Xavier Institute for the Gifted", greeted Beast as he yanked the door open with a shuddering creak. His muscles froze tightly as studied the girl standing before him. No way-same green eyes- same bouncy red hair that groped her shoulders.
"Jean?"
The girl eyed him confusedly, "Who's Jean?"
XXXXXXXXXX
Remy LeBeau rapped quickly on the door frame of the already open backdoor of the Gifted Institute. It already looked like some conservative little boarding school and he was beginning to wonder why he even came here armed with his one duffel bag, bostaff, and stack of playing cards.
Because they can help you.
He tightened the long, brown leather trench coat around his leather- clad body before glancing around the yard. It stretched out for miles into the sun, with brick buildings of dorms and classrooms surrounding it vainly. Suddenly a thin finger tapped his shoulder.
He turned to face the person and found himself looking into the eyes of a short, young, tanned black-haired girl that looked about two years younger than him. He smiled. She was attractive-just not his type of girl. She looked like the good girl prototype, he liked them wild.
"Hey", he said suavely, offering his hand, "I'm Remy-Gambit to most- and you are?"
She smiled sweetly, taking his hand, "My name is Amara Aquilla-I call myself Magma. Do you have any idea where we are supposed to go? I'm lost."
"We'll find out together", he said, and the pair tore across the lawn.
XXXXXXXXXX
Danielle Moonstar brushed a strand of dark black, Cherokee-bred hair from her eyes as she slammed her knuckles into the hard wooden door before her. She grumbled a few curses under her breath-her place was NOT down here with city mutants-it was back up in the Colorado Mountains with her grandfather. Why had he sent her here anyhow? She was in complete control of her powers.
As the golden knob began to turn another young girl, about her age took a step next to her. She was dressed in a dark blue tank-top and a pair of low-cut jeans. Her hair reached down to the small of her back and tinted in an unusual purple color in the afternoon sun.
"Hi", Danielle murmured, only because she had nothing else, really, to say that could break the ice.
"Hello", the girl said, fighting off a British accent, "I'm Elisabeth Braddock."
"Danielle Moonstar", Danielle answered, "But you can just call me Dani."
"I can move things with my mind as well as the gifted mutation of telepathy", the purple-haired girl replied, "So I call myself Psylocke. What's your gift?"
Gift? More like a curse.
Danielle scowled, "My GIFT-as you so willingly call it-is that I can reach into your mind and bring forth 3-D images of your greatest fear. Wanna see?"
A frightened look came to the other girl's face and she shook her head and crossed her arms, slinging her backpack of her shoulder as she did so. The door swung open and the two girls were looking into the icy blue eyes of a blond-headed stranger.
In the background, a man laden in black leather, a trench coat, and sunglasses and a black haired man with glasses were staring wide-mouthed at a young, red headed girl who was also accentuated in a leather uniform and jacket.
The two girls entered slowly. The silence inside was incredible. Danielle looked around-what was going on? Wasn't anyone going to welcome them?
"Who are you?"
The question was proposed by the man in sunglasses as his lip trembled. At first Danielle thought he was talking to her in that snappy, disrespectful tone and was about to turn on the attitude. Then she realized he was referring to the nervous yet confident looking red-head before him.
"I'm your daughter."
XXXXXXXXXX
Rogue had finally changed the channel to some lame music videos on MTV. It was better than watching some mutant-hunting hate group slander people not of their own kind. She bit her lower lip nervously. What if Bobby was right? What if the Xavier Institute somehow had a run-in with that violent crowd? He was obviously serious about it, since it got damn near below freezing in the room when he'd said it.
She couldn't help but feel that the X-Men were their next target.
Before the young girl with white streaks running through her hair could delve further into her thoughts she heard a loud footstep slam into the tile behind her from the outside patio. She cocked her head to the side quickly and saw two unrecognizable faces.
The first was a pretty, young, tanned girl with black hair that hung at her shoulders and an innocent, smiling face. Beside her was someone who would put Bobby to shame.
Rogue looked the tall, slender boy over with approval. His hair was dark and sandy, falling into his deep, moody eyes every chance it could. He was armed with only a duffel bag slung over one shoulder and a long bostaff constrained to a sheath on his back. He smiled at her slightly.
He was shuffling a pack of playing cards swiftly in his hands.
"Uh, hey ya'll", Rogue greeted awkwardly as she got to her feet, "Ya'll must be the new students Professor X was talkin' about."
"That would be us", said the girl with a smile, "I'm Amara."
The boy looked Rogue over, amused, "And I'm Remy LeBeau. Nice to meet you, Ms. . ."
"Rogue", the girl who longed to touch him, but couldn't finished for him, "Mah name is Rogue."
"Well, Rogue", he said, smiling, "You can call me Gambit. And yes, we are the new students."
"Uh, I'll introduce ya'll to Professor McCoy", Rogue stammered, "He'll make sure you get your rooming assignments."
Gambit nodded, and Amara followed Rogue out of the common room and into the foyer where two new girls stood by in shock as Cyclops broke down. A tall, beautiful, slender red-head was looking Cyclops over with amusement and her arms crossed.
"What's goin' on?" Rogue asked as she entered the room.
Bobby grabbed her shoulder and said, "This nutcase", he nodded toward the red-headed girl before them, "Is saying she's Scott and Jean's daughter."
"What?!" Rogue exclaimed, covering her mouth in astonishment as she did so.
"I know this is all hard to believe", the girl said, offering her hand, "But it is the truth. My name is Rachel Summers and I am from an alternate future. If I could explain to you how I got here-to the present day-in words you would believe, I would do it. I'm afraid that's impossible. You'll just have to believe me. I'm here because the future for mutants is not good-and I want to change that."
Cyclops stared at her for a moment longer and swallowed, "How could Jean and I have a daughter if she's dead?"
"I said from an alternate future", answered Rachel, "Not this exact timeline. You have to believe me."
"I'm sorry", Cyclops apologized scornfully before taking off out the main doors, "But I just can't accept that."
As the door slammed shut behind him angrily, the foyer fell silent. Rogue and Bobby exchanged weary glances. Neal, who had jut come downstairs to show Sam around, stared wide-eyed and Rachel shut her eyes in humiliation and an attempt to keep her dignity in front of all these strangers.
Suddenly, Professor McCoy turned to face the two wide-mouthed girls at the doorway and said, "Welcome to Xavier Academy for the Gifted."
XXXXXXXXXX
Professor Xavier has the Institute, Magneto thought with a smirk as he made himself comfortable in the large, overstuffed throne-like structure in the middle of the stone-like dungeon he had created, so it is only fitting that I have a base of operations.
He had been planning how to get rid of that wheel-chair bound psycho for a while now. Was he crazy to think that humans and mutants could co- exist together? He was only making things worse for mutants with his clan of do-gooders and future-peace making students.
Magneto had formed his own team now-and he knew it put the Institute's weaklings to shame. First, was his ever faithful Mystique. Then, the young, fiery Pyro who was ready for action-just a little to ahead of his time and rebellious. He then recruited the young, homeless adult he had found working the streets with the incredible power to control electricity-he called himself Surge.
There was also the large, extremely overweight young man of about Pyro's age who called himself Blob. His body was about as big as three body-builders and each of his arms were as big as a four by four. He was skyscrapers taller than the young Pyro with just as much tenacity.
He also adopted the youngest, and what he thought was the most interesting, of his new mutants. She called herself Methane-she breathed out deadly gas that could either kill you or mess with your brain and make you her slave. She was thin, but with beautiful, Asian cut eyes and long, black hair streamed with silver. She was also trained in knife-throwing and ninjistu.
And right now, they were all gathered before him. His servants. And hopefully these ones wouldn't mess up like Sabretooth and Toad had.
"Are you ready, Mystique?"
The tall, slender mutant that was smothered in a reptilian blue nodded and murmured in her raspy voice, "Of course I'm ready."
"Good, so we all know our parts. Mystique, you disguise yourself as the head guard. Methane, make sure you knock all of the guards out-good. Surge, I want you to knock all the power out of the place and then I will free our ally. The one man that can help us defeat Professor X and his gang of Dudley-Do-Rights."
"What about us?" Pyro asked, lighting his lighter with a click before glaring up at Magneto.
"You and Mr. Blob", started Magneto, "will remain back here to make sure all runs smoothly. You are not ready for this type of a mission yet."
Pyro rolled his eyes, "This place sucks. It's just like Xavier's mansion-a bunch of stupid rules and regulations. I'm sick of it."
"You'll get your chance soon enough", Magneto snapped, "As soon as we free Mr. Sinister, I'll make sure you get your chance to play."
With that, and thoughts of the Xavier Institute lying in ruins, Magneto's harsh, malicious laugh filled the ebony, starlit night sky.
A/n: Okay, so Magneto and Mr. Sinister are planning to buddy up against the X-Men. Will Rogue and Bobby get back together or will Remy sweep her off her feet? Is Rachel Cyclops's daughter? If so, will he accept her? What about the rest of the mutants? If you want to know than you're going to have to review!
Chapter Three Preview:
Bobby eyed the cocky Cajun over quickly and tossed Beast another hopeful look, "Please don't tell me I have to share a room with HIM!"
***
"So, you can make people disappear?" Storm asked as Nightcrawler guided the X-jet through wind-filled currents and pumped up clouds.
Zee looked at her and swiped her disheveled black hair from her space, "I can also defy gravity. My parents found out when I began to have this excruciating headache. While I was screaming in pain, an arsonist appeared out of nowhere in our house and nearly killed my father. When my mother realized that my headache had stopped when the murderer appeared, she knew something was up and before I knew it, I was out of the curb."
***
Cyclops screamed in pain as his nostrils filled with a stinging, angry sensation. He tried to cover her nose, but a kick to the stomach did nothing to help him catch his breath. He was sent flying backward, landing hard on the ground before air came back to him. It was then that his attacker spoke.
"We can make this easy, or we can make this painful. Now get up and come with me or I will have to get extremely violent."
Dawn of Destruction
Last Chapter: Professor X, Cyclops, and Wolverine all struggle to cope with Jean's death. Rogue and Iceman deal with their break-up while Storm and Nightcrawler attempt to offer refuge to a mysterious mutant named Zee. New mutants begin arriving at the academy.
"Card-Throwing Cajuns & Red-Headed Psychics"
"What was Wolverine doing back there?" Rogue asked, still astonished at what she had caught her role model and mentor doing.
He had actually been in a physical fight with another professor.
"It looked to me like he was kicking Cyclops's ass", joked Iceman as he made his way downstairs behind the auburn-haired power-stealing mutant.
He and Thunderbird laughed at his (to Rogue) unfunny joke. Obviously it had been over Jean, she'd shown up in the hallway early enough to know that much. She knew Wolverine had always had a thing for Jean-something more than just teammates. Ever since her death, everything around the academy had been about Jean. Two people were fighting over Jean, students were doing reports on her heroism, and most of the male body was beginning to admit their secret crushes on her.
The three friends finally made it downstairs to the foyer where Professor Xavier and Professor Hank McCoy, aka-the Beast, were greeting a tall, able-bodied, muscular young man with dark blond hair and blue eyes. He was loaded with two suitcases, a duffel bag, and a backpack. Beast caught the three students staring, open-mouthed at the newcomer and introduced them.
"Ah", he sighed, as if they were a relief, "Rogue, Bobby, Neal-meet Samuel Guthrie. He just came to us from Kentucky-you remember Husk, right?"
How could they forget the polite, yet brash young blond who could shed her skin into anything from titanium to glass?
"Well, this is her older brother", Beast introduced, smiling. He was in human form, so instead of a rugged row of beastlike teeth, straight, pearly-white glistened in the morning's light.
The boy dropped his bags and offered his hand to Rogue. Her breath caught in her throat. She wasn't wearing her gloves. Bobby sensed her dilemma and took the boy's hand instead, "I'm Robert Drake, but you can call me Bobby. I'm the Iceman."
"Call me Sam, or Cannonball, whichever you prefer", the young boy said, next taking Neal's hand.
"What exactly is your power?" Thunderbird asked.
"You will find out soon enough", Professor X interrupted, "Because Mr. Guthrie will be sharing a room with you, Mr. Sharra."
"Really?" Neal choked, "Awesome-we're going to have the best time", he continued talking as he grappled two of Sam's bags and led him upstairs.
Bobby grimaced. Pyro had been his roommate before he up and ran off with Magneto. What cocky newcomer did they have sharing a room with him? Professor X and Beast waited near the door for any other new mutants, while Rogue and Bobby made their way into the common room where Artie, Leech, and Colossus where busy doing homework.
She probably had no idea that Bobby still cared for her. He had broken up with her after all. He just couldn't handle not having his family backing him up and not being able to touch her-not being able to feel affection. So he had dumped her and now he realized what a hug mistake he had made by doing so two months ago.
"You gonna sit down or what?" Rogue asked as she plopped down on the sofa in front of the television where Jubilee was watching intently.
Bobby smiled earnestly and took a seat beside her. Jubilee looked at the two suspiciously, icicles still clinging to her black hair. The screen flickered on a local news station where a large crowd was surrounding a large pile of ash that stretched on for miles. A female newscaster's voice could be heard.
"The American Shelter for Abandoned Mutants was burned down and bombed only two nights ago, but the controversy has exploded all over the nation. Three hundred and fifty mutants were killed in the burning, and suspects are the H.S.A.M.F., the Homo Sapiens against Mutant Freaks, an anti-mutant hate group that grows larger by the year. This is the third large institute for mutants that the gang has hit. The group is known to be very intelligent and dangerous. Here is some footage a local bystander took of the explosion."
The students watched as a large gang dressed in black, carrying guns and other various weapons approached the shelter. A few mutants tried to defend it, only to be bathed in a shower of bullets before the large boom filled the television screen and fire emerged everywhere.
"Oh my God", Jubilee gasped.
Rogue could only cover her mouth at the gruesome sight before her. Bobby's eyes widened intensely and the room began to get very cold.
"Bobby!" Jubilee scolded, shivering in her recliner.
"Sorry", he apologized, "I just. . .I just panicked."
"Well could you panic a little warmer next time?" Jubilee snapped, clutching herself in an attempt to keep warm.
"Sorry, my powers just released themselves when I saw that footage. I just thought about that happening to the school and. . ."
"That would never happen here", Colossus remarked from his spot at the table behind them, "They probably think this is a prep school. Besides, the professors wouldn't let anything happen to us."
"They can't control what they don't expect", the Iceman muttered.
Jubilee rolled her eyes, "Okay, this is getting a little too deep for me. I'm going to the danger room for a workout-anyone who's with me can tag along." She got out of the recliner and exited the room, Colossus followed close behind.
Bobby glanced over at Rogue, who was anxiously watching the news with a trembling lip, "Ah can't believe that actually happened. What is the world coming to?"
Bobby put a supportive hand on her heavily clothed shoulder, "It'll be okay.
And for a brief moment in time, the Iceman felt like he was on fire.
XXXXXXXXXX
Wolverine sliced off another rose petal from a nearby plant in the garden as he stalked through it angrily. Where did Cyclops get off hitting him? Where did he even get off accusing him of lusting over Jean? Even he had lusted over her slim, red-headed body while she was still alive; it wasn't any of three-eyes business.
Then Rogue had seen the whole thing. He cared too much about her to let her see his angry side. She was like his little sister, and he hated setting a bad example.
Cyclops always had everything handed to him on a silver platter. The perfect family with the perfect woman to back him up and a leadership role handed to him by the Professor. Cyclops kind of reminded him of Rogue's little squeeze, that Bobby-kid with icicles for balls. Preppy and perfect all around, with nothing ever threatening his perfect existence.
He didn't know what it was like to not have it as good. He didn't know what it was like to wake up one day and find claws protruding from your knuckles-he had no clue how it felt to not know anything about your past. Wolverine slammed his clawed fist into the nearest bush he could find, wishing it were Cyclops's face.
"Something bothering you, Wolverine?" came the Professor's cool, calm voice from behind him.
Wolverine turned around to face the wheel-chair bound psychic and clenched his fists, "When is there something not bothering, Prof?"
The Professor smiled, "If it's about Scott-I suggest both of you get over it and begin to control your temper. Remember, we have students here that we must set a prime example to."
Wolverine glared at him. He had to agree, not only because his respect for the Professor was great, but because he was right. He couldn't wash out the look on Rogue's face when she had seen them pounding on each other in the hallway. Wolverine looked down, his jaw twitching in anger.
"I'll be expecting you to baby-sit. Hank and I are making a trip down to California-there's a mutant down there who needs our help. Cyclops will be taking some time off-a temporary leave of absence-so that leaves you since Storm is away."
Wolverine took a deep breath.
Why did God make his life so miserable?
XXXXXXXXXX
"Hello and welcome to Xavier Institute for the Gifted", greeted Beast as he yanked the door open with a shuddering creak. His muscles froze tightly as studied the girl standing before him. No way-same green eyes- same bouncy red hair that groped her shoulders.
"Jean?"
The girl eyed him confusedly, "Who's Jean?"
XXXXXXXXXX
Remy LeBeau rapped quickly on the door frame of the already open backdoor of the Gifted Institute. It already looked like some conservative little boarding school and he was beginning to wonder why he even came here armed with his one duffel bag, bostaff, and stack of playing cards.
Because they can help you.
He tightened the long, brown leather trench coat around his leather- clad body before glancing around the yard. It stretched out for miles into the sun, with brick buildings of dorms and classrooms surrounding it vainly. Suddenly a thin finger tapped his shoulder.
He turned to face the person and found himself looking into the eyes of a short, young, tanned black-haired girl that looked about two years younger than him. He smiled. She was attractive-just not his type of girl. She looked like the good girl prototype, he liked them wild.
"Hey", he said suavely, offering his hand, "I'm Remy-Gambit to most- and you are?"
She smiled sweetly, taking his hand, "My name is Amara Aquilla-I call myself Magma. Do you have any idea where we are supposed to go? I'm lost."
"We'll find out together", he said, and the pair tore across the lawn.
XXXXXXXXXX
Danielle Moonstar brushed a strand of dark black, Cherokee-bred hair from her eyes as she slammed her knuckles into the hard wooden door before her. She grumbled a few curses under her breath-her place was NOT down here with city mutants-it was back up in the Colorado Mountains with her grandfather. Why had he sent her here anyhow? She was in complete control of her powers.
As the golden knob began to turn another young girl, about her age took a step next to her. She was dressed in a dark blue tank-top and a pair of low-cut jeans. Her hair reached down to the small of her back and tinted in an unusual purple color in the afternoon sun.
"Hi", Danielle murmured, only because she had nothing else, really, to say that could break the ice.
"Hello", the girl said, fighting off a British accent, "I'm Elisabeth Braddock."
"Danielle Moonstar", Danielle answered, "But you can just call me Dani."
"I can move things with my mind as well as the gifted mutation of telepathy", the purple-haired girl replied, "So I call myself Psylocke. What's your gift?"
Gift? More like a curse.
Danielle scowled, "My GIFT-as you so willingly call it-is that I can reach into your mind and bring forth 3-D images of your greatest fear. Wanna see?"
A frightened look came to the other girl's face and she shook her head and crossed her arms, slinging her backpack of her shoulder as she did so. The door swung open and the two girls were looking into the icy blue eyes of a blond-headed stranger.
In the background, a man laden in black leather, a trench coat, and sunglasses and a black haired man with glasses were staring wide-mouthed at a young, red headed girl who was also accentuated in a leather uniform and jacket.
The two girls entered slowly. The silence inside was incredible. Danielle looked around-what was going on? Wasn't anyone going to welcome them?
"Who are you?"
The question was proposed by the man in sunglasses as his lip trembled. At first Danielle thought he was talking to her in that snappy, disrespectful tone and was about to turn on the attitude. Then she realized he was referring to the nervous yet confident looking red-head before him.
"I'm your daughter."
XXXXXXXXXX
Rogue had finally changed the channel to some lame music videos on MTV. It was better than watching some mutant-hunting hate group slander people not of their own kind. She bit her lower lip nervously. What if Bobby was right? What if the Xavier Institute somehow had a run-in with that violent crowd? He was obviously serious about it, since it got damn near below freezing in the room when he'd said it.
She couldn't help but feel that the X-Men were their next target.
Before the young girl with white streaks running through her hair could delve further into her thoughts she heard a loud footstep slam into the tile behind her from the outside patio. She cocked her head to the side quickly and saw two unrecognizable faces.
The first was a pretty, young, tanned girl with black hair that hung at her shoulders and an innocent, smiling face. Beside her was someone who would put Bobby to shame.
Rogue looked the tall, slender boy over with approval. His hair was dark and sandy, falling into his deep, moody eyes every chance it could. He was armed with only a duffel bag slung over one shoulder and a long bostaff constrained to a sheath on his back. He smiled at her slightly.
He was shuffling a pack of playing cards swiftly in his hands.
"Uh, hey ya'll", Rogue greeted awkwardly as she got to her feet, "Ya'll must be the new students Professor X was talkin' about."
"That would be us", said the girl with a smile, "I'm Amara."
The boy looked Rogue over, amused, "And I'm Remy LeBeau. Nice to meet you, Ms. . ."
"Rogue", the girl who longed to touch him, but couldn't finished for him, "Mah name is Rogue."
"Well, Rogue", he said, smiling, "You can call me Gambit. And yes, we are the new students."
"Uh, I'll introduce ya'll to Professor McCoy", Rogue stammered, "He'll make sure you get your rooming assignments."
Gambit nodded, and Amara followed Rogue out of the common room and into the foyer where two new girls stood by in shock as Cyclops broke down. A tall, beautiful, slender red-head was looking Cyclops over with amusement and her arms crossed.
"What's goin' on?" Rogue asked as she entered the room.
Bobby grabbed her shoulder and said, "This nutcase", he nodded toward the red-headed girl before them, "Is saying she's Scott and Jean's daughter."
"What?!" Rogue exclaimed, covering her mouth in astonishment as she did so.
"I know this is all hard to believe", the girl said, offering her hand, "But it is the truth. My name is Rachel Summers and I am from an alternate future. If I could explain to you how I got here-to the present day-in words you would believe, I would do it. I'm afraid that's impossible. You'll just have to believe me. I'm here because the future for mutants is not good-and I want to change that."
Cyclops stared at her for a moment longer and swallowed, "How could Jean and I have a daughter if she's dead?"
"I said from an alternate future", answered Rachel, "Not this exact timeline. You have to believe me."
"I'm sorry", Cyclops apologized scornfully before taking off out the main doors, "But I just can't accept that."
As the door slammed shut behind him angrily, the foyer fell silent. Rogue and Bobby exchanged weary glances. Neal, who had jut come downstairs to show Sam around, stared wide-eyed and Rachel shut her eyes in humiliation and an attempt to keep her dignity in front of all these strangers.
Suddenly, Professor McCoy turned to face the two wide-mouthed girls at the doorway and said, "Welcome to Xavier Academy for the Gifted."
XXXXXXXXXX
Professor Xavier has the Institute, Magneto thought with a smirk as he made himself comfortable in the large, overstuffed throne-like structure in the middle of the stone-like dungeon he had created, so it is only fitting that I have a base of operations.
He had been planning how to get rid of that wheel-chair bound psycho for a while now. Was he crazy to think that humans and mutants could co- exist together? He was only making things worse for mutants with his clan of do-gooders and future-peace making students.
Magneto had formed his own team now-and he knew it put the Institute's weaklings to shame. First, was his ever faithful Mystique. Then, the young, fiery Pyro who was ready for action-just a little to ahead of his time and rebellious. He then recruited the young, homeless adult he had found working the streets with the incredible power to control electricity-he called himself Surge.
There was also the large, extremely overweight young man of about Pyro's age who called himself Blob. His body was about as big as three body-builders and each of his arms were as big as a four by four. He was skyscrapers taller than the young Pyro with just as much tenacity.
He also adopted the youngest, and what he thought was the most interesting, of his new mutants. She called herself Methane-she breathed out deadly gas that could either kill you or mess with your brain and make you her slave. She was thin, but with beautiful, Asian cut eyes and long, black hair streamed with silver. She was also trained in knife-throwing and ninjistu.
And right now, they were all gathered before him. His servants. And hopefully these ones wouldn't mess up like Sabretooth and Toad had.
"Are you ready, Mystique?"
The tall, slender mutant that was smothered in a reptilian blue nodded and murmured in her raspy voice, "Of course I'm ready."
"Good, so we all know our parts. Mystique, you disguise yourself as the head guard. Methane, make sure you knock all of the guards out-good. Surge, I want you to knock all the power out of the place and then I will free our ally. The one man that can help us defeat Professor X and his gang of Dudley-Do-Rights."
"What about us?" Pyro asked, lighting his lighter with a click before glaring up at Magneto.
"You and Mr. Blob", started Magneto, "will remain back here to make sure all runs smoothly. You are not ready for this type of a mission yet."
Pyro rolled his eyes, "This place sucks. It's just like Xavier's mansion-a bunch of stupid rules and regulations. I'm sick of it."
"You'll get your chance soon enough", Magneto snapped, "As soon as we free Mr. Sinister, I'll make sure you get your chance to play."
With that, and thoughts of the Xavier Institute lying in ruins, Magneto's harsh, malicious laugh filled the ebony, starlit night sky.
A/n: Okay, so Magneto and Mr. Sinister are planning to buddy up against the X-Men. Will Rogue and Bobby get back together or will Remy sweep her off her feet? Is Rachel Cyclops's daughter? If so, will he accept her? What about the rest of the mutants? If you want to know than you're going to have to review!
Chapter Three Preview:
Bobby eyed the cocky Cajun over quickly and tossed Beast another hopeful look, "Please don't tell me I have to share a room with HIM!"
***
"So, you can make people disappear?" Storm asked as Nightcrawler guided the X-jet through wind-filled currents and pumped up clouds.
Zee looked at her and swiped her disheveled black hair from her space, "I can also defy gravity. My parents found out when I began to have this excruciating headache. While I was screaming in pain, an arsonist appeared out of nowhere in our house and nearly killed my father. When my mother realized that my headache had stopped when the murderer appeared, she knew something was up and before I knew it, I was out of the curb."
***
Cyclops screamed in pain as his nostrils filled with a stinging, angry sensation. He tried to cover her nose, but a kick to the stomach did nothing to help him catch his breath. He was sent flying backward, landing hard on the ground before air came back to him. It was then that his attacker spoke.
"We can make this easy, or we can make this painful. Now get up and come with me or I will have to get extremely violent."