Alright, here's the deal: I promised big Rogue in the next chapter, but it's getting too long, so I had to split it into its own chapter. So, no Rogue, or Romy in the next chapter, but it's all Rogue/Romy in the next one after that, which I'll post really quickly after the next chapter. Now, about the posting, I have finals this week, so I'm not sure how much I'm going to be able to get done, or typed up. I promise I will have next chapter posted by the end of next weekend though, so don't get disparaged. After this chapter, there's only three left, and then it's over (tear). So you better get all your reviews in!! I love each and everyone of you, and your reviews mean so much to me!! Thanks so much and keep reading and reviewing!!
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"What are your duties?" Xavier yelled at the Phoenix as she turned toward the Sphinx, still hovering in the sky.
"You must go." She answered him telepathically. "There is nothing you can do now, you must protect yourselves."
"We will not leave you, Jean." He responded aloud.
"Then I cannot help you." She replied, leaving him behind. She pressed her elbows into her hips once again as she flexed her muscles. The monument before her began to tremble as it felt the same pressure Jean's body did. Cracks began to snake up the Sphinx, into its crevices and through its structure. As pieces began to break off and fall to the ground, The Beast's eyes grew wide with horror.
"You're destroying thousands of years of history!" Beast gasped with disbelief.
"You are a slave to your intellect, Dr. Henry McCoy." The Phoenix spoke into his mind. He could feel the warmth of her smile, though her body showed nothing as she continued to level the Sphinx. "Do not worry about the kingdoms of old. The past is behind you, and you have already begun to rewrite history." Her words left him speechless as the multiple-millennia old monument crumbled to reveal a metal frame work and machinery that still has thousands of years to be developed. The X-Men were astonished to see it, but the Phoenix remained unphased. A marvel of Egyptian architecture and artwork was gone, reduced to little more than dust and pebbles. They all waited to see what would happen next when something rose out of the ground. As Apocalypse burst forth from the ground on a metal platform, The Phoenix smiled, fire rising in his eyes; distinct from the flamed rapture that protected her and gave her her power.
He stood tall on the sturdy platform under him. He wore metal body armor that covered him from his neck down. The bluish grey tint that composed it was a mixture of the muted grey of his own skin and the blue color of his lips that spread across his jaw line. The nemes headdress he wore when he was risen, a symbol of his Egyptian royalty, was replaced with his own mere presence. When the platform reached the desert sands, it stopped, but Apocalypse continued to rise, using his own power to lift him up to the same level of The Phoenix.
"Why have you dared to call upon me, Phoenix?" Apocalypse's dark, deep, raspy tone came to her telepathically, but she used her powers to make it audible for everyone present.
"You have dared to change the course of nature." She answered.
"I have done no such thing. I only act as a catalyst for evolution. I am setting mankind on nature's path." He replied.
"You call yourself a catalyst, but instead you mean only to bring war and fear. You dare to assume that one can rule this planet, and that it can be you. It is my duty to protect this place, and its purpose in my universe." She continued.
"You mean to challenge me?" Apocalypse asked condescendingly.
"I mean to end this… on your own terms: Survival of the fittest." She answered, throwing everyone aback.
"I have seen your coming many years in the future, and many years in the past. I know your weaknesses." He said back.
"Then you know I have none." Her calm ethereal voice that had clashed against Apocalypse's threatening, evil voice turned harsh and stern. The thin flames about her slowly faded into one another, like idle fingers itching for a fight.
"I know you are a slave to your inherited human emotions. You crave for destruction. Join me, Phoenix. Together, you and I will rule not only this planet, but the universe. You and I will rule time and space. With me, you will hunger no more." Apocalypse enticed and tempted her. There was dead silence as everyone waited to hear her answer.
"You instill terror in the hearts of men, En Sabah Nur, but I know no such fear. I am the life force of the universe. You seek to ravage all that is good and sacred. I am the child of laughter and light, and you must be destroyed." With that, the Phoenix threw up her arms, and the bird shaped rapture that kept her grew in size to prey on Apocalypse. He merely scoffed at her stunning display and grew within his armor to meet its size. He threw out his arm, forming into some kind of gun. He used his will to fire strange organic missiles at Jean. The Phoenix wrapped its wings around her to protect her, but when they hit her body she soared back in the air several feet, but remained unharmed. She grew angry, her eyeballs replaced with a white and orange glow. The Phoenix shrieked, embodying her fury. She threw her hands back at him, releasing a firey orb that charged for Apocalypse. He surrounded himself with a telekinetic shield to deflect it. The Phoenix laid flat on her stomach, in the air, and began to fly forward, quickly gaining the momentum of a bullet. She grew so fast that all that could be seen of her was a lightning streak of fire across the sky. Apocalypse phased himself, allowing her to pass right through him. As she regained her bearings, the Phoenix screamed again. She stood up again in the sky and calmly cocked her head to the side. In the blink of an eye, Apocalypse's body armor had converted to solid gold. He came crashing to the ground with a thunderous boom. He quickly recovered, using his own technology to convert it back. Instead of rising back up in the sky, he remained on the ground and grew taller to compensate for her height over his. He was now nearly 30 feet tall and pissed off. His eyes glowed red and an optic blast shot toward her. The Phoenix put her hand out, and before the beam could reach her, it slowed to a halt. Apocalypse used her slight distraction to hit her with a psychic grenade that once again sent her back in the air, clutching her head. It took her a moment to compensate, but she did, sending a grenade right back at him. He managed to get off a few more missiles from his arm before he was hit, and they were both sent reeling at the same time.
The X-Men below, all of them, regardless of allegiance of beliefs, watched the two battle in stunned silence. The amount of power and emotion being thrown back and forth held them locked to their posts as firey explosions lit up the Egyptian night sky. There was nothing any of them could do as they all wanted it just simply go away. Everyone wanted to go return back to the time before any of this; the Phoenix, Apocalypse, the fate of the world, ever happened. They each wished they could go back, before it became their duty to protect the future, whatever future it was. They wanted to go back before they had stepped down the rabbit hole that led them to where they were today, at this moment, watching the fate of the very planet being decided before them, and powerless to do anything about it. They wanted to go back before they were mutants, when their biggest fears were what their parents would do if they were caught out past curfew. They all prayed the Phoenix would win, then leave them alone.
The Phoenix recovered from her arsenal assault fastest, and threw her hands at Apocalypse, sending an endless wave of fire at him that grew out the rapture. Even though the fire was hotter than the surface of the sun, Apocalypse didn't react, merely scoffing as he used his hands to spread the fire before it reached him, sending it around him. When the Phoenix realized her attempt was futile, she stopped and prepared to try another method. Apocalypse held out his hand and made it into a fist. Jean's body responded in kind by forcefully curling up into a ball. She strained and fought against the restriction as Apocalypse used her own telekinesis against her, and brought her small body closer to his monstrous form. She couldn't find the strength to free herself of his grasp as he was forcing her body to cave in on itself. When she was at an arms length for Apocalypse, he splayed his fingers, opening her up. Her arms and legs stretched so far out into the air, it felt as though they were going to rip at the joints. Apocalypse raised his giant hand, and closed it over her face, extinguishing the flames that carried with them the life force of the universe. Her body instantly went limp. Either Apocalypse had suffocated her, or crushed her skull. The bottom immediately dropped out of Cyclops' stomach.
"No! Let her go!! LEAVE HER ALONE!!" He shouted, afraid he'd hurt her. "Please! Please! I'll do whatever you want! We all will… Please, just let her go!" Everyone looked at Cyclops as if was crazy, having just signed away their lives, then they all looked up to Apocalypse, waiting for a response.
"As I always knew, you are all reckless, emotional warts on my heel. Your weakness is merely a burden on my presence. There is nothing you can do. With the Phoenix gone, I will destroy you, and the universe will be mine." There was a moment of eerie silence as the world was decided, and that was it. There was nothing they could do. The calm was cut short by a sizzling sound coming from Apocalypse's hand as he held Jean over the team below. His hand was bubbling and smoking as it fizzled like someone had poured acid over it. As his hand melted away, the firey bird returned, growing brighter and more ferocious than before. Apocalypse was stunned as his whole hand was nothing more than a burning stump.
"You may kill this body, Nur, but you will only release me." The Phoenix said, letting out another painful screech of anger. "I am reborn of the ashes of defeat. Every time you hurt me, you only make me stronger. I am the Phoenix, Nur, I am HOPE!" with that, the Phoenix put her arms over her chest, forming an X, then threw them down at her sides, using Jean's telekinesis, mixed and intensified with her own powers, and ripped a hole in the sky. It was as if someone had punched a knife through the darkness of night to open up a portal to some unknown place. "For one who claims to control such technology called 'The Eye of Ages', one who claims to posses the knowledge of many generations, you seem to know very little." She pulled her arms back behind her and brought them in front of her to clap them together, sending out a bright orange beam of light, flying through the air. The force of the light shoved Apocalypse back through the hole in the sky. He screamed as he flew toward a dark, unknown destination, not of any time or space continuum of this universe. Once he was safely gone, the Phoenix pulled her arms back up over her chest, sealing up the hole behind him. The Phoenix watched the sky, making sure there were no complications. The team on the ground stared at her with open jaws, but there was nothing but calm quiet.
"Is he gone?" Wolverine asked cautiously, breaking the awkward, peaceful silence.
"Just as I am the embodiment of all that is good, he is the embodiment of all that is evil." The Phoenix once again moved in slow motion as she made her response. She turned from staring at where the hole had once been and looked at the X-Men below her. "Evil will always exists, for without it, there can be no good. To destroy him would merely give rise to another form. I have moved him to a place it will take him a very long time to find his way out of. I have tipped the balance in our favor."
"But he will find his way out?" Mystique interjected, hoping for a straight answer instead of philosophies.
"The only doubt that remains is when." The Phoenix replied, gently nodding her head. "You all have many questions, and I will do my best to answer, but I must now finish what I have started." She said as she turned toward the metal frame that was all that remained of the Sphinx. She once again flexed every muscle in her body, forcing the X-Men to take a step back, afraid of what she might do next. What was left of the Sphinx, and the pyramid in the distance, began to rumble. The stones of the pyramid began cracking to bits like the Sphinx had before it. The metal technology rose out of the ground. Slowly after, a metal frame was revealed as it was pulled out of the pyramid as well. The Phoenix raised her hands in the air, bringing the metal structures up with them. When she had them where she wanted them, she clasped her hands together over her head. The two metal frames came crashing quickly together. Two more metal frames came soaring through the sky, one from the Western horizon that came from the pyramid in Mexico, and the other from the East; China. As they all four clashed in the air, they became nothing more than a mess of twisted metal and strange computer chips. Then she threw the heap to the ground. "Dr. Henry McCoy, see what you can learn from this… so that it never happens again." The Beast just stared at the technology in complete amazement as he blankly nodded his head, not sure what to do with it.
"Are you leaving now?" Cyclops called out to the Phoenix, the professor sitting at his side. She merely turned and smiled at them both.
"My love, you wonder if she will come back to you, or is she is gone forever." Cyclops blushed, embarrassed that he was so easy to read, but nodded anyway. "Jean Grey and I are one within this body. I said before that she no longer existed only to hurt you. In fact, she can not exist without me. But at the same time, I can not exist without her. The Dark Phoenix was briefly unleashed from Jean's own hidden desires and darkest feelings. By the same token, her sense of love and morality brought me back to where I was meant to be. Jean Grey is with you forever, as she is with me." There was a pause as Cyclops was dissatisfied with the answer, but had no choice other than to accept it. "And, you, my mentor, you wonder, 'why her'?" The professor was surprised by the fact she could read his mind, something no one had ever been able to do, and nodded in a trance. "On my travels through out the many galaxies I am destined to protect and serve, I heard a call, pure and selfless. She cried not save herself, but the one she loved. She struggled on the brink of death, prepared to sacrifice her life for you, dear boy." She said, turning back to Cyclops. He lit up, knowing finally, how much Jean cared for him, and only wished he could return the favor. "And to the soul with red eyes, an innocent heart, and a heavy conscience, I leave you on your own now." She said to Gambit. "Your burden and your gift all at once is something you must learn to control all by yourself. Cutting corners has proved to do nothing but make you dependant on others. I will tell you, that focus comes easier when you learn to forgive yourself." Gambit nodded as he hung his head between his shoulders. With that, a warm sensation washed over him as he felt her presence depart from within him. He quickly began to concentrate on keeping his thoughts to himself so as not to hurt anyone, but all he could think about was Rogue.
The Phoenix turned upward, preparing to leave this world when she was stopped.
"Hey, just a sec there uh… Phoenix." She turned back to see Pyro standing beneath her. "I got a question." She simply shut her eyes and curled her lips up, grinning, signaling him to go on. "You've talked a lot about… I mean, you said before that… Uggghhh!!" He grew frustrated with himself as he couldn't find the words to elegantly ask his question.
"Tongue tied, Aussie?" Toad taunted him, hopping up beside him. Pyro just growled at Toad, the Phoenix patiently waiting in the air.
"Are we alone in the universe? Are there… y'know… aliens?" He finally asked.
"Lookin' for your mother ship?" Toad chuckled. Pyro got angry at him and shoved him aside, causing him to let out a girlish scream.
"To your companions, you are the aliens." The Phoenix replied cryptically.
"But there are others?!" Pyro shouted.
"It is my job to preserve the sanctity of peace in this universe. I have been to this planet only a few times since its birth, but I have hardly ever had a moment's rest." She answered evasively.
"Bonzer!! There are aliens!!" Pyro shouted to the others as he jumped up and down. The Phoenix smiled at him as she prepared once more to go.
"I don't know if you're the right pers-uhhh… thing to be asking this…" Avalanche interrupted her. She turned back to let him finish. "Uh… what's the meaning of life?" The simplicity of his curiosity and complexity of his question made her smile again.
"There is so much to life that your frail human mind could never understand." She started, "But to put it in terms that are within your grasp… your purpose for being here, is to evolve into whatever comes next." Avalanche just watched her as she turned up to the sky again. He wasn't sure exactly what to make of her response, but it left him satisfied.
As the Phoenix pulled upward toward the sky, she flexed every muscle in her body. Cyclops looked at the ground, unable to see Jean leave him again. The Phoenix let out an excruciating screech as everyone knew it was preparing for interstellar travel, but as the firey rapture tried to move up, Jean's body remained stationary. The shriek of the bird became Jean shouting in pain as the fire ripped itself from her. The bird quickly disappeared in a bright flash of light in the sky before Jean began to fall back to the ground. Cyclops was surprised to see she wasn't gone too. It took him a second before he rushed to catch her. As she fell into his arms, he was knocked down on the ground, but she was unhurt… physically.
"Jean?" He asked her as she lay limp in his arms. "Jean?!"
"Scott?" She finally muttered with her own voice. Her eyes were closed as she could barely keep herself conscious. "Scott… can you hear me?"
"I can hear you Jean, I'm here." He said, his heart jumping in his chest.
"Scott? Scott? I'm so tired of fighting." She whimpered.
"It's okay, Jean, you don't have to fight anymore. It's over, she's gone." He tried to reassure her, everyone else watching fearfully.
"I'm so tired, Scott… Can you hear me? I'm so tired…" she continued before she finally passed out in his lap.
"Jean?! Jean!?!" He shouted, afraid he'd lost her.
"Scott, it's alright." The professor interrupted. "She's asleep." Cyclops looked up at him and heaved a sigh of relief before looking back to Jean.
"Jean, it's okay. We're going home."
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Roguewanderer – Thank you!! I'll do my best to keep up the good work, and I hope this suffices!!
Rogue151 – Don't get me started on the comics! Lilandra was meant to be empress of the Shi'ar Empire but her evil brother D'ken usurped her power and went mad. He tried to use the M'kraan crystal to take power of the entire universe, and Lilandra contacted Xavier to ask for his help, then the Phoenix showed up to protect the crystal. That's just the short story, you can check it all out at uncannyxmen.net. I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and I hope you like this one too. I also hope you like the next one, despite the lack of Rogue, but she will have her very own chapter. All Rogue, all the time. I promise!!
Gothic Cajun – Yay!! I'm glad you liked the Romyness of the last chapter, and the Phoenix. Yes, yes explosions to come. You'll what happens to Carol within the next two chapters. And… uh… I don't know anything about Pokemon…
Aimtbj - I'm glad you liked the chapter, hope this one is just as great!!
Aro – you like me, you really like me!! Awww, you logged in just for me!! That is much obliged! I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and just because of it, I won't call the MFFNA on you. I can't guarantee for the next week though… oh, and by the way, I am a kind queen person, not king, thank you very much!! (But telepathy doesn't exist yet :*( so I wouldn't expect you to know!)
N'Awlins Demon Lover – Normal?? Hmmm… I don't know if Rogue is back to normal per se… stick around!! Much Rogue to come!
Ishandahalf – I'm sorry if the Phoenix is too confusing… I don't think I really made that any easier in this chapter… sorry. And so so so soooo sorry about making you wait a whole extra chapter for Rogue, but I promise you won't be disappointed by any lack of explosion. The next chapter will definitely be out quicker than a bunny on crack, provided studying for finals isn't too big a deal (I'm a senior with four exams and a project… how sad is that? Most people in my grade have no more than two!!) So, keep those reviews a comin' supafast!
Ellavira – "Curious"?… I'll take that!! Thanks so much and keep reviewing!!
TMR – Wow, you got an account just to review to my story?!? (;-P) Aww how sweet! Let me know when you start writing, I'll definitely be there to review! I'm sorry I have to push back the Romy, but you won't be disappointed.
Lady Farevay – Oooh.. A dare! I can't pass that up!! Okay, here goes: First of all, you were rambling quite a bit, so I'm not sure I understood everything you said, but I'll try my best. Second: Saying it was perfect seriously nearly brought a tear to my eye! I know it wasn't really perfect, but the thought that somebody thought so made me so happy, I don't think I've ever felt so loved! Okay, the philosophy… hell if I know where it cam from. I talk to myself a lot and practice things a lot, so I just kept rewriting it until is sounded good to me. I think it all made sense. Next, I'm sorry if I made you feel you had to apologize… but I really didn't mean to do that, I kid, y'know? And I kid because I love ;-P just don't let it happen again!! I'm glad that my fic inspired you to review and talk, even if it was endlessly. I'm honored anyone takes the time to write a review, especially when they don't normally review! Wow, you're gonna put me in your bio?? Make me feel humbled why donchya?!?! I honestly don't mind the sarcasm, anyone who takes anything at face value without a sense of humor is definitely missing the point of life. Oh, never fear, I'd never turn down a review just because it was too long. The longer the better I say, bring it on!! Anybody who would, is definitely not worth the time and thought you put into your review!! And I love that word "ficing"… it's right up there with masticating… even if ficing isn't a real word! Thanks so much for your wonderful comments and I hope I continue to please you enough to write more reviews!! And Last but not least… how's that for a response, huh?? Don't ever dare me a responding competition, cuz I will so kick butt. Thank you so much!!!
