X-Men : Wake to Dream
"Once in a dream" story and concept by, Jonathan Gray
Chapter 1 - The Awakening
" Hello can anyone hear me? ...Is anybody out there.... Help!!!!! Somebody please answer me!"
Her name is Jean Grey and for the past 48 hours, she has been trapped inside her own mind on what is called the astral plane.
One may wonder how that is possible. The fact of the matter is that Jean is a mutant - a telepath and telekinetic to be exact. She has the special ability to read the chemical reactions in a person's brain that make up their thoughts. Her telepathic powers also allow her to mentally manipulate these chemical reactions to give her control over the person's thoughts and can fire the person's neural synapses sending them into mental shock. Her telekinetic abilities allow her to mentally move objects with just the power of her mind.
"Jean," my mental voice is calm, as I try to pull her back into focus. "You must concentrate on the sound of my voice. I will guide you back.
"But, whatever you do, don't embrace the light, Jean. Don't go into the light." My name is Professor Charles Xavier. I, too, am a mutant telepath. I have been working with Miss Grey for the past six months on the control of her powers. She is the first of what I hope to be my legacy to mutant and humankind alike.
I was on my way to Washington D.C. to a lecture in on mutant affairs and the highly controversial Mutant Registration Act when my close friend, and Jean's father, Dr. John Grey called to tell me his daughter had slipped into a coma. I discovered it to be a deep self-imposed exile in her mind. Needless to say, I rushed there as soon as I could.
"Professor?" Her voice is more frantic. She's drifting deeper and deeper toward the spectral lights of the Astral Plane. "Professor, I felt her die. I reached out to grab her, but the pull was too strong. I got sucked in. I know you told me never to enter a dying mind, but she is my best friend. Professor I don't want to die."
"You won't. You need to remain calm and allow me inside your mind...there...now relax. I shall pull you back." I feel Jean's mental hand clasp mine. "Yes that's it. Jean, keep calm." I suddenly feel my brain slightly convulse as I see another dark shadow behind her. "Oh my god, Jean!!! There is something else here -something dark... We must go now!" And with that, I feel the familiar rush, as we are both thrust back into to our physical bodies.
I'm sitting in my wheelchair next to the 16-year-old Jean. Her eyes swell up with tears as she grasps and accesses the nightmare she has just endured.
"Professor," the voice of Jean's father, who rushes to his daughter's side, says. "I think it is best that Jean leave with you tonight."
I look at my friend and nod. John has done his best with Jean since her mother passed away. When her mutant powers manifested, he knew it was only a matter of time before Jean would have to leave so she could learn how to use her gift. "I've made the arrangements to place her in your care and I will see to it that you get any and everything you my need to further your goals," he looks away for a second; I sense the sadness about his daughter's absence. "Charles," his eyes, too, are glistening with tears. "These children need you. Do the best you can for them."
Rachel Summers gasps as she abruptly wakens from the dream.
She quickly darts her head from left to right in the dark room, then pauses to see if she can sense any foreign presence. nothing, just her teammates in slumber with various dreams she wills herself not to invade.
This was no ordinary dream of hers. She's had many of her mother, but none so vivid and never from the view of Professor Xavier.
She shivered and looked at the empty spot next to her in bed. Where was Norton? Why did he have to be working when she needed him near her?
Before she could mentally send out a message to her new husband, another voice entered her head. "Rachel?" It's Charles. I felt that as well. Are you ok?"
"A dream," she started and stopped. "Nothing I can't handle sir. I apologize for awakening you." She shut him out with a thought. No need to tell him anything now.
It is morning at Xavier's School for Gifted Children, Washington DC.
It's been a week since the shared dream with Professor X and Rachel can still feel the intensity of it, She has come to the DC school on business.
One of the schools most promising psionics has begun to undergo her secondary mutation, under normal circumstances this would; not require Rachel's attention, but this is a different case for the young mutant is only 16 the youngest recorded mutant to ever undergo the process.
"Cassiona? " she says calmly, placing her hand on the psioplasmic cocoon the young girl has erected for her protection during the change. "Cassiona, Hi. My name is Rachel Summers - Hampton I am with Xavier International. I am here at the request of the Phoenix medical Institute. Do you know what is happening to you?"
There is no answer. Rachel kneels down next to the cocoon and gently beings to stroke it while at the same time psionicaly scanning it for any openings for telepathic communication.
"Miss.it hurts...can you stop the hurt...I just want it over with.... god I want it over." it is a telepathic cry from with in the cocoon. The first attempt at communications Cassiona has made since erecting the psioplasmic shield.
To be continued in X-Tech #1 coming soon
"Once in a dream"
Chapter 2 - Sleepwalker
"Miss.it hurts...can you stop the hurt...I just want it over with.... god I want it over." it is a telepathic cry from with in the cocoon. The first attempt at communications Cassiona has made since erecting the psiplasmic shield.
"Cassie honey I need you to psionical block your pain receptor like we taught you in Psi-class.... there, that's better. breath honey it's almost over." Rachel pulls a truss of flaming red hair from her face. She can feel the rush of psionic energy flowing from the young girl in front of her and remembers her transformation into the Phoenix and the raw power and emotion she felt as her first body burned away to expose her true form. She smiles and as she comes to her feet her emerald green eyes become a blazing yellow that seem to rival the fury of the sun. Arms stretched she calls on the very force of he will and in a display of primal power she releases Cassiona from her cocoon. "Come on girl welcome to the new world.let it go.let it go..".
The room becomes an amazing lightshow the puts New Years in Time square to shame. As the light fades left standing in the center of the massive med bay is Cassiona Maria Garcia gone are her psionic powers the have been replaced with a new physical mutation. Cassie a girl who for most of her life was a skinny sickly looking girl stand at just about five feet in now a six-foot Amazon like goddess. Her once stringy blond hair is a main of thick black curls, her pale skin now golden tanned She stands in awe as she tries to adjust to her new body.
"Mrs. Summers.oh my god .I feel.amazing.like I can do anything.. Like.. oh ugh I'm not doing so well.. arggggggggggggh!!!!" Cassie falls over on the floor .a sharp pain runs down her spine and with sound of ripping flesh metallic wings spring from her shoulder blades. Rachel pulls up a personal telekinetic shield to protect herself as she instinctively leaps across the room to attend to the girl's injuries.but before she reaches her Cassie is back on her feet.
"Wings and a Healing Factor? Odd, nothing like this in years.reminds me of Warren.but his was caused by Apoc ... no, no. he dead push it out Rea." And she does, put the idea of the Dark lord aside and re focuses on Cassie. "You ok love? Everything all right, had me sacred for a minute.wow an avian.not many natural flyers these day congrats.
"Once in a dream" story and concept by, Jonathan Gray
Chapter 1 - The Awakening
" Hello can anyone hear me? ...Is anybody out there.... Help!!!!! Somebody please answer me!"
Her name is Jean Grey and for the past 48 hours, she has been trapped inside her own mind on what is called the astral plane.
One may wonder how that is possible. The fact of the matter is that Jean is a mutant - a telepath and telekinetic to be exact. She has the special ability to read the chemical reactions in a person's brain that make up their thoughts. Her telepathic powers also allow her to mentally manipulate these chemical reactions to give her control over the person's thoughts and can fire the person's neural synapses sending them into mental shock. Her telekinetic abilities allow her to mentally move objects with just the power of her mind.
"Jean," my mental voice is calm, as I try to pull her back into focus. "You must concentrate on the sound of my voice. I will guide you back.
"But, whatever you do, don't embrace the light, Jean. Don't go into the light." My name is Professor Charles Xavier. I, too, am a mutant telepath. I have been working with Miss Grey for the past six months on the control of her powers. She is the first of what I hope to be my legacy to mutant and humankind alike.
I was on my way to Washington D.C. to a lecture in on mutant affairs and the highly controversial Mutant Registration Act when my close friend, and Jean's father, Dr. John Grey called to tell me his daughter had slipped into a coma. I discovered it to be a deep self-imposed exile in her mind. Needless to say, I rushed there as soon as I could.
"Professor?" Her voice is more frantic. She's drifting deeper and deeper toward the spectral lights of the Astral Plane. "Professor, I felt her die. I reached out to grab her, but the pull was too strong. I got sucked in. I know you told me never to enter a dying mind, but she is my best friend. Professor I don't want to die."
"You won't. You need to remain calm and allow me inside your mind...there...now relax. I shall pull you back." I feel Jean's mental hand clasp mine. "Yes that's it. Jean, keep calm." I suddenly feel my brain slightly convulse as I see another dark shadow behind her. "Oh my god, Jean!!! There is something else here -something dark... We must go now!" And with that, I feel the familiar rush, as we are both thrust back into to our physical bodies.
I'm sitting in my wheelchair next to the 16-year-old Jean. Her eyes swell up with tears as she grasps and accesses the nightmare she has just endured.
"Professor," the voice of Jean's father, who rushes to his daughter's side, says. "I think it is best that Jean leave with you tonight."
I look at my friend and nod. John has done his best with Jean since her mother passed away. When her mutant powers manifested, he knew it was only a matter of time before Jean would have to leave so she could learn how to use her gift. "I've made the arrangements to place her in your care and I will see to it that you get any and everything you my need to further your goals," he looks away for a second; I sense the sadness about his daughter's absence. "Charles," his eyes, too, are glistening with tears. "These children need you. Do the best you can for them."
Rachel Summers gasps as she abruptly wakens from the dream.
She quickly darts her head from left to right in the dark room, then pauses to see if she can sense any foreign presence. nothing, just her teammates in slumber with various dreams she wills herself not to invade.
This was no ordinary dream of hers. She's had many of her mother, but none so vivid and never from the view of Professor Xavier.
She shivered and looked at the empty spot next to her in bed. Where was Norton? Why did he have to be working when she needed him near her?
Before she could mentally send out a message to her new husband, another voice entered her head. "Rachel?" It's Charles. I felt that as well. Are you ok?"
"A dream," she started and stopped. "Nothing I can't handle sir. I apologize for awakening you." She shut him out with a thought. No need to tell him anything now.
It is morning at Xavier's School for Gifted Children, Washington DC.
It's been a week since the shared dream with Professor X and Rachel can still feel the intensity of it, She has come to the DC school on business.
One of the schools most promising psionics has begun to undergo her secondary mutation, under normal circumstances this would; not require Rachel's attention, but this is a different case for the young mutant is only 16 the youngest recorded mutant to ever undergo the process.
"Cassiona? " she says calmly, placing her hand on the psioplasmic cocoon the young girl has erected for her protection during the change. "Cassiona, Hi. My name is Rachel Summers - Hampton I am with Xavier International. I am here at the request of the Phoenix medical Institute. Do you know what is happening to you?"
There is no answer. Rachel kneels down next to the cocoon and gently beings to stroke it while at the same time psionicaly scanning it for any openings for telepathic communication.
"Miss.it hurts...can you stop the hurt...I just want it over with.... god I want it over." it is a telepathic cry from with in the cocoon. The first attempt at communications Cassiona has made since erecting the psioplasmic shield.
To be continued in X-Tech #1 coming soon
"Once in a dream"
Chapter 2 - Sleepwalker
"Miss.it hurts...can you stop the hurt...I just want it over with.... god I want it over." it is a telepathic cry from with in the cocoon. The first attempt at communications Cassiona has made since erecting the psiplasmic shield.
"Cassie honey I need you to psionical block your pain receptor like we taught you in Psi-class.... there, that's better. breath honey it's almost over." Rachel pulls a truss of flaming red hair from her face. She can feel the rush of psionic energy flowing from the young girl in front of her and remembers her transformation into the Phoenix and the raw power and emotion she felt as her first body burned away to expose her true form. She smiles and as she comes to her feet her emerald green eyes become a blazing yellow that seem to rival the fury of the sun. Arms stretched she calls on the very force of he will and in a display of primal power she releases Cassiona from her cocoon. "Come on girl welcome to the new world.let it go.let it go..".
The room becomes an amazing lightshow the puts New Years in Time square to shame. As the light fades left standing in the center of the massive med bay is Cassiona Maria Garcia gone are her psionic powers the have been replaced with a new physical mutation. Cassie a girl who for most of her life was a skinny sickly looking girl stand at just about five feet in now a six-foot Amazon like goddess. Her once stringy blond hair is a main of thick black curls, her pale skin now golden tanned She stands in awe as she tries to adjust to her new body.
"Mrs. Summers.oh my god .I feel.amazing.like I can do anything.. Like.. oh ugh I'm not doing so well.. arggggggggggggh!!!!" Cassie falls over on the floor .a sharp pain runs down her spine and with sound of ripping flesh metallic wings spring from her shoulder blades. Rachel pulls up a personal telekinetic shield to protect herself as she instinctively leaps across the room to attend to the girl's injuries.but before she reaches her Cassie is back on her feet.
"Wings and a Healing Factor? Odd, nothing like this in years.reminds me of Warren.but his was caused by Apoc ... no, no. he dead push it out Rea." And she does, put the idea of the Dark lord aside and re focuses on Cassie. "You ok love? Everything all right, had me sacred for a minute.wow an avian.not many natural flyers these day congrats.