Jean continued her psionic battle with the Professor, but she could feel
herself slipping farther and farther behind. Cerebro and adrenaline where
bringing her close to Xavier's range, but their powers were intrinsically
different. Xavier's were much more focused, aiming straight at whatever he
wished like a spear, while Jean's flowed and ebbed. Right now she had them
as a gale blowing at Xavier, but she knew she couldn't last.
Jean dug within herself, forcing every iota of her power forward. She didn't know if she'd even survive this gambit, but at least she'd buy her friends, her second family, a chance. She'd give the Professor's dream a chance at succeeding, even if she had to destroy what was left of him in the process. She'd do all she could. She had to.
*******************************************
In China, all the mutants stayed hidden below Bobby's ice shield, unsure of what they could do. Berzerker was raging to the heavens, barely controlling the energy that flowed about him enough to keep it from flying off and hitting his own teammates. Beast peered around the edge of the shield, trying to figure out what to do, muttering possibilities to himself before dismissing them as impossible.
Evan looked around his compatriots. He was a Morlock now, but the longer he remained here the more he remembered why he had believed in the Professor's dream. When the other Morlocks had heard what was going on, they'd rejoiced, believing that they'd be able to go out in the sun again. Callisto had stayed silent, and he believed she realized what was more likely to result from the whole situation. She'd made no attempt to stop him from leaving to help the effort against Apocalypse, and he was somewhat surprised that she wasn't here to help with the effort.
He looked at Bobby and was surprised when he noticed that not all of the young mutant's attention was focused on the ice shield. He looked scared, but of something other than Storm and the whole situation. Evan had seen that look before in some of the gentler Morlocks and realized what was going on. Bobby had an idea to get out of this mess that was so heinous that he wouldn't mention it.
"What do you have?" Evan asked.
Bobby shot his head up, startled. He looked like a deer caught in headlights for a moment before he dropped his head again and answered, "Nothing."
"If you'd have nothing, you wouldn't understand the question well enough to answer nothing. I know we have to fight someone you love. She's my aunt, and I know her better than anyone. She'd rather die than live like this." Evan tipped Bobby's head up and did his best impression of a ticked-off Callisto as he growled, "Now what do you have?!"
Bobby seemed to wilt. He cast a sideways glance at Evan, then lowered his head as he replied, "My ability to create the ice, lower the temperatures, everything, is connected to my ability to manipulate water molecules, to slow them down." Bobby looked up at Storm and continued, "Humans are mostly made out of water."
Evan's heart stopped within his chest as he realized what Bobby meant, but he'd been with the Morlocks long enough to know what he had to do. With a look that brooked no argument and a great deal of pain if disobeyed, Evan said, "Do it."
***************************************************
Within the Sphinx, Nightcrawler and Wolverine advanced. Both knew that they probably wouldn't see Mystique coming, but they still searched through every shifting shadow for her. Logan took the point, claws at ready, while Kurt clung to the ceiling behind him. After several heartstopping moments, Kurt noticed something. According to his night vision, part of the wall was moving, though he saw nothing with his eyes. He carefully let his eyes continue to slide around the room, searching. He didn't need to look at something for his night vision to see it, and he was too far away to make his move.
Kurt didn't know what Mystique would do now that she was under Apocalypse's control, but he suspected she would still attack Logan first. He changed his winding path across the ceiling slightly so he'd be in a better position to attack if she lunged for Logan. He just hoped he was right. Even with his night sense, he only saw an occasional, odd, flicker, and wasn't certain that he was right in his guess to where she was. For all he knew, he could be tracking some part of the Sphinx's machinery, but he couldn't give up hope.
Logan continued to pace and whirl about, slowly making his way deeper within the Sphinx. Mystique made her move, leaping for him, but Kurt's many training sessions with Logan had paid off. He managed to reach her before she hit Logan. Now was the time to unleash the little surprise that Forge had cooked up for him, the one he'd sworn he'd never use but Logan had snuck onto the plane anyway.
Kurt grabbed her and teleported, Forge's device once again slowing the teleport, but this time he was only in the fire-land for about half a second, just long enough to do what he needed to do and get out. Kurt had dragged Mystique though the portal with him, then pushed her away, trying to remain calm through the veil of tears covering his vision. He didn't know whether to be overjoyed or horrified when she split into a cloud of bats that all tried to cling to him as he returned. About a third of them succeeded and she'd slashed him open and taken him out of the fight before he even hit the ground on his return teleport. Maybe, just maybe, he'd bought Logan the edge he needed. Kurt smiled wearily, glad that his mother was alive and they still had the chance to save her along with the rest of the planet, as he faded into unconsciousness, held gently on the red carpet of his own spilt blood.
_________________________________________________________
Commercial break number one. Opinions are welcomed.
Jean dug within herself, forcing every iota of her power forward. She didn't know if she'd even survive this gambit, but at least she'd buy her friends, her second family, a chance. She'd give the Professor's dream a chance at succeeding, even if she had to destroy what was left of him in the process. She'd do all she could. She had to.
*******************************************
In China, all the mutants stayed hidden below Bobby's ice shield, unsure of what they could do. Berzerker was raging to the heavens, barely controlling the energy that flowed about him enough to keep it from flying off and hitting his own teammates. Beast peered around the edge of the shield, trying to figure out what to do, muttering possibilities to himself before dismissing them as impossible.
Evan looked around his compatriots. He was a Morlock now, but the longer he remained here the more he remembered why he had believed in the Professor's dream. When the other Morlocks had heard what was going on, they'd rejoiced, believing that they'd be able to go out in the sun again. Callisto had stayed silent, and he believed she realized what was more likely to result from the whole situation. She'd made no attempt to stop him from leaving to help the effort against Apocalypse, and he was somewhat surprised that she wasn't here to help with the effort.
He looked at Bobby and was surprised when he noticed that not all of the young mutant's attention was focused on the ice shield. He looked scared, but of something other than Storm and the whole situation. Evan had seen that look before in some of the gentler Morlocks and realized what was going on. Bobby had an idea to get out of this mess that was so heinous that he wouldn't mention it.
"What do you have?" Evan asked.
Bobby shot his head up, startled. He looked like a deer caught in headlights for a moment before he dropped his head again and answered, "Nothing."
"If you'd have nothing, you wouldn't understand the question well enough to answer nothing. I know we have to fight someone you love. She's my aunt, and I know her better than anyone. She'd rather die than live like this." Evan tipped Bobby's head up and did his best impression of a ticked-off Callisto as he growled, "Now what do you have?!"
Bobby seemed to wilt. He cast a sideways glance at Evan, then lowered his head as he replied, "My ability to create the ice, lower the temperatures, everything, is connected to my ability to manipulate water molecules, to slow them down." Bobby looked up at Storm and continued, "Humans are mostly made out of water."
Evan's heart stopped within his chest as he realized what Bobby meant, but he'd been with the Morlocks long enough to know what he had to do. With a look that brooked no argument and a great deal of pain if disobeyed, Evan said, "Do it."
***************************************************
Within the Sphinx, Nightcrawler and Wolverine advanced. Both knew that they probably wouldn't see Mystique coming, but they still searched through every shifting shadow for her. Logan took the point, claws at ready, while Kurt clung to the ceiling behind him. After several heartstopping moments, Kurt noticed something. According to his night vision, part of the wall was moving, though he saw nothing with his eyes. He carefully let his eyes continue to slide around the room, searching. He didn't need to look at something for his night vision to see it, and he was too far away to make his move.
Kurt didn't know what Mystique would do now that she was under Apocalypse's control, but he suspected she would still attack Logan first. He changed his winding path across the ceiling slightly so he'd be in a better position to attack if she lunged for Logan. He just hoped he was right. Even with his night sense, he only saw an occasional, odd, flicker, and wasn't certain that he was right in his guess to where she was. For all he knew, he could be tracking some part of the Sphinx's machinery, but he couldn't give up hope.
Logan continued to pace and whirl about, slowly making his way deeper within the Sphinx. Mystique made her move, leaping for him, but Kurt's many training sessions with Logan had paid off. He managed to reach her before she hit Logan. Now was the time to unleash the little surprise that Forge had cooked up for him, the one he'd sworn he'd never use but Logan had snuck onto the plane anyway.
Kurt grabbed her and teleported, Forge's device once again slowing the teleport, but this time he was only in the fire-land for about half a second, just long enough to do what he needed to do and get out. Kurt had dragged Mystique though the portal with him, then pushed her away, trying to remain calm through the veil of tears covering his vision. He didn't know whether to be overjoyed or horrified when she split into a cloud of bats that all tried to cling to him as he returned. About a third of them succeeded and she'd slashed him open and taken him out of the fight before he even hit the ground on his return teleport. Maybe, just maybe, he'd bought Logan the edge he needed. Kurt smiled wearily, glad that his mother was alive and they still had the chance to save her along with the rest of the planet, as he faded into unconsciousness, held gently on the red carpet of his own spilt blood.
_________________________________________________________
Commercial break number one. Opinions are welcomed.
