Child of Light and Darkness
~
Chapter Four
It was dark all around her. She squinted her eyes hoping it would help her see through the darkness. It did no good. She turned around she was afraid to move, to walk; she didn't know where she was. She could have been anywhere. She put her feet out in front of her and walked slowly, she began to walk a little faster, when a light appeared in the darkened room. A hooded figure emerged from the darkness.
"Hello, sir. Can you tell me where I am?" Jean asked.
The figure said nothing. Instead, he motioned with his left arm summoning something from the darkness. Jean peered closer at the man curious at what he was doing. She walked a little closer to him, when suddenly she was swept off her feet. She regained her composure and found herself face to face with a man, a man on a metal horse.
Jean backed up, afraid at what he would do. The horse and rider backed up as well, but to hover above the hooded man along with two other horses and their riders. Still backing up, Jean was caught off guard as a circle of fire appeared around her and the unidentified figures.
Jean pulled in to avoid the leaping flames by her feet. The heels of her feet felt very warm as they were only inches from the ring of fire behind her. She watched, as the flames behind the figures seemed to grow enormously, while the fire behind her stayed the same length. The flames of fire seemed to lighten the darkened room.
Jean peered closer to get a look at the man's face. She watched as his hands moved up to take his hood off. The man smiled as he revealed his face. Jean took a step back startled and frightened as she recognized the man's face...Mesmero!
Mesmero let out a loud cackle that frightened Jean even more. She noticed the flames behind Mesmero and the horseman were now enormously huge. And the heat in the room was growing rapidly as well. Jean suddenly began to feel really hot.
Mesmero turned and walked into the large flames behind him. Jean was tempted to stop him from certain death, but something held her back.
A few moments later Mesmero emerged from the fire, unscathed. This surprised Jean but she didn't have much time to think of this matter, for the flames that once leapt behind Mesmero were no longer flames, the flames had disappeared leaving a figure standing in the darkness. He was not a normal human. He couldn't be. He was extremely large. Larger than both the Juggernaut and Blob.
Jean couldn't see him, But she noticed that the fire now leapt behind the large man.
The fire behind him lightened up his darkened features. Jean could kind of make out his face, it was extremely hideous, and it glinted on the light. He must have been some sort of.... Machine. He laughed, shaking the ground below Jean's feet.
Jean felt as if the fire was running throughout her veins. But surprisingly she knew that the fire wouldn't hurt her, instead she felt powerful. And she liked it. The power surged throughout her body and she just knew that she was somehow...different now. She curled her hand into a fist and fire burnt around it. She opened her hand and the fire disappeared. She could feel the fire burning around her...she knew she was somehow controlling it. She took a deep breath and fisting both her hands, she concentrated and she was able to suck the fire around her into herself.
The man and Mesmero stood in the room and Jean could now make out his face; she shivered with fright as she looked upon his face. It was machine like, not human, he had blue markings on his face, over his lips, around his face, a metal wire ran across his left arm to his back than to his right arm. His face was gray but his body blue.
However, she didn't feel afraid, somehow, she knew that whoever he was...he was no match against her. She knew they were no match against her...that no one was a match against her. Somehow, she knew she was stronger than him...more powerful than him...and deep down she loved it. She could feel the power surging through her with more force trying to fight its way to consume her. She wanted the power...her need for it was overwhelming. Whatever she was feeling...was wonderful. She never wanted it to stop. She let the power consume her... and her eyes flashed an evil red as the power finished it's run throughout her body. The power lit around her like a bird...like a Phoenix. She smiled evilly as she played with the fire in her hands. She stared at the men as she smirked.
She noticed that they now stood in fear before her...that somehow they both knew they didn't have a chance against her. And they thought right,. With a shrill birdlike cry Jean let the power surge out of her it played around her for a moment than overwhelmed the room as the two men fell... dead... from their fiery demise. She hadn't even given them a fighting chance. She had shown no mercy, no care whatsoever. She had killed them...but not out of hate or despise...not even love...but only because she could. It was at this moment she realized she could do anything...anything. She was a GOD...and no one could stop her. The room flashed around her and she now found herself in the midst of the solar system. Where she truly felt alive. With a single thought the worlds around her combusted and were destroyed. She didn't give it a second thought...she didn't care who was living there...she just did it for the joy it brought her. One by one the stars dissipated the planets disappeared. She laughed as her hunger for power lifted as she destroyed everything around her. Soon all that was left was the planet of the sun. And the creature...she was no longer Jean Grey...but a creature of great power and godlihood. She had just proven that nothing stood a chance against her...she was POWER!!! The creature...Phoenix...laughed as her eyes bounced with evil glee...and her lips parted in an unearthly smile as she realized what she was...what she would always be...and now nothing was left of the solar system...It was only her and the sun...And it was in the sun that she had found her home. In a swirl of fiery light, she flew into it's hot depths.
The woman once known as Jean Grey...the woman who had created this creature... spawned this creature...was no longer. At realization of this the woman...Jean Grey...wherever she was....cried in saddened anguish.
~x~x~x~x~x~x~
Jean's head shot up, her hair stuck to her face as her breathing tensed than calmed at the realization that she was home and safe. It had only been a dream...a nightmare.
It took Jean a moment to realized she was levitating above her bed, with a quick thought she released her TK hold on her body and fell comfortably unto her bed. Along with her, the furniture and appliances that had been under her telekinetic hold also fell down to into their remaining spots.
This was the same dream she had had last night. She had woken up excessively the same way too, Frightened, hot and puzzled at the meaning of the dream. She didn't know why she woke up to notice that she held herself and everything else in her room under her TK hold. It must spawn out unnoticeably during her dream. That had to be it, but she didn't know why, recently, she hadn't been able to realize she was using her telekinesis. At different times also, she realized that during her sleep she had been intercepting the thoughts and dreams of the rest in the household. She knew no one was broadcasting their thoughts to her, so she had to be unknowingly intercepting their dreams and thoughts. She didn't like it, just like she didn't like the way she had been handling her telekinesis. Her powers seem to be getting out of her control. She didn't think it possible since she had been using mind exercises everyday to keep them in her control. They had been working to, until recently. Jean just didn't know why.
Jean ran a hand through her bangs loosening her hair from her face. She reached over to her nightstand and turned around the alarm clock to read the time 5:58 am.
Jean usually got up at 7, But she knew after that dream she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep.
She could still see the images from her nightmare flashing through her head. Xavier had told her that usually a dream is just that...a dream. But of course that time he had been wrong, Scott really had been in trouble and because of her dream she was able to find him. But that had been different she had seen him because of the connection they seemed to share, so maybe her nightmare was only a dream. But something just didn't sit right with that thought. She just knew somehow it meant something.
Jean felt sick and tired just thinking of it all...the best thought she had right now was to jump in the shower early and beat the morning rush. At least that way she'd get hot water.
~x~x~x~x~x~x~
Logan was already downstairs in the kitchen when the usual morning rush of chaos burst into the dining room all ready for breakfast.
Logan sighed as he stood up to fill his fifth cup of coffee. In this place you needed it.
"Hey watch were yer goin'!" Logan growled as Sam cannonballed down the stairs.
"If I see that 'gain your gonna have an early mornin' trainin' session with yers truly."
"Look who's his usual grumpy self this nice fine morning." Bobby smarted-off.
Logan heard Bobby and Ray snicker as he picked up his cup and paper and walked back into the kitchen.
"They're keeping you busy I see."
Logan looked up from his paper as Ororo walked in.
"Not anymore than usual." Logan took a sip of his coffee.
"Ya might want a cup, I have a feelin' it's gonna be on o' those days." Logan said motioning to his mug.
"You know Logan I just might."
After she had gotten a cup Ororo sat down across the table from Logan.
"So how you been copin'?" Logan asked as he finished the paper and slid it to his side.
"Oh you know…Everyday's different. But I don't worry, I'm getting along fine. You?"
"Ah, you know me 'Ro I got my ups and downs."
"Yes I do understand. The world is getting rough out there. I hate to say it but sometimes I have to wonder about the safety of this place."
"Well, for the most part it's safe, after all Hank and the Prof installed more drastic security measures to this place here, but I'm wit' you on this one, I can't help but wonder if there's a mutant somewhere out there with powers that we can't begin to comprehend, it really makes ya wonder how safe we really are."
Ororo took a sip of her coffee. "At least we know that here our students are safe and their mutations are only as powerful as they can control. That can ensure us some peace."
"I dunno 'Ro, maybe not."
"What?"
Logan shook his head. "Nothin' It's just somethin' the Prof n' I talked 'bout yesterday."
"Did it have anything to do with Irene Adler visiting?"
"Yeah, I guess the story's that she had another vision."
"A good one I hope."
Logan cast her a doubtful look.
"'Ro ya know as well as I do that if that'd been the case she wouldn't have come."
"As I feared I suppose."
Ororo took another sip of her cup before continuing. "Did this vision have to do with one of ours?"
"Yes and no."
"So it did or it didn't?"
"Sorta I guess. It had to do with the future and all that stuff, ya know future nemesis."
"Care to explain?"
"Well-"
Logan was cut short, as the students began filing into the kitchen for the buffet of eggs, pancakes, waffles…etc.
Logan mentioned to her that they should take this conversation elsewhere.
Ororo grabbed her cup and followed him into the now quiet livingroom as burst of noise erupted from the kitchen.
"The Prof doesn't want anyone to know about it until we learn more." Logan explained.
"Of course." Ororo nodded understandingly.
"'Fore I continue, ya might wanna take a seat." Logan said mentioning toward the couch.
Ororo cast him a wary glance before taking a seat next to him.
"Logan what is this about?" Ororo asked him worriedly noticing the look on his face.
After a moment of hesitation, Logan replied. "Jeannie."
Ororo seemed surprised, "Jean?"
"Look 'Ro I dunno how to say this but things are a little complicated right now. Anyway I dunno how to put this so bare wit' me. You know like Hank, the Prof, n' I that Jeannie is an omega class mutant."
"Yes I do."
"Right her full potential of her mutation is unknown…all that crap. Well I guess what the Prof n' Destiny are sayin' now is that Jeannie's powers are gonna manifest...she'll have no limits, n' it's gonna get pretty ugly."
"I don't understand...isn't the Professor working with Jean to allow her to be able to wield her telepathy and telekinesis without using more than she can control?"
"Yeah, but ah...it ain't those powers...at least it's just not those powers alone." Logan sighed before continuing.
"I guess what they're sayin' is that Jeannie is supposed to manifest powers beyond human conception."
"Wh- that's a lot to say. I mean beyond human conception. How is that Possible?"
"Phoenix."
"What?"
"Jean is supposed to harness powers that she uses to symbolize herself to the likes of a Phoenix."
"I don't understand."
"In the future that Destiny saw, Jean was a freedom fighter who went by the codename Phoenix, but she was nothin' like a Phoenix, I mean at least not the one Webster describes. Jean had enormous power, you can't even began ta' imagine all the power that she wielded. But ah...I guess the story's goin' that they dunno if Jeannie's future will be one o' good."
"But I can't imagine Jean being evil."
"Yeah that's pretty much the same as the rest o' us. But I dunno, cuz, uh I been 'round in my life, n' I seen a lot o' things that I wish I coulda changed or never seen. 'O course now I don't remember most of 'em, but want I've seen n' I've learned is that a person can go to incredible lengths to get what they want, if they want it bad enough. N' one o' those things is the need for power. I've seen many people who want power so bad that they will do anything for it...anythin'. Sometimes I seen 'em do anythin' for just a taste o' power, We know how these things end up, we fight 'em everyday. Power corrupts, power consumes...imagine how you'd feel if you knew that you wielded power beyond conception, that knowledge could go to yer head an' ultimately consume you. Cuz deep down everyone longs for the chance to have power, you can't say that you've never felt the need, the want for power?"
Ororo shook her head, "Well yes doesn't everyone? I mean that's the temptation of it. Everyone wants power they can't have."
"Yer right o' course. Power ya can't have, cuz it's to dangerous. To have power so incredible surging through yer veins wouldn't that corrupt you day n' night? I'm tellin' ya that power can go to yer head...no one ever said the road to evil was an easy one."
"So you're telling me that this will become Jean?"
"Yep."
"When?"
"Apparently yesterday."
"But how? Why?"
"'Ro you can keep askin' but I don't have all the answers. If I knew those things myself I wouldn't be here right now, I'd be out there tryin' ta stop it."
"I thought you said it was Jean's mutation, you can't prevent it."
"Yeah I know but there's gotta be somethin' I could do."
"When are we going to tell Jean?"
"When the Prof says to, No need to alarm her I mean we don't know that much about it as it stands."
"So what about this future nemesis?"
"His name's Apocalypse, he's an ancient evil Egyptian I guess. He was one of the first mutants to be born inta the human race 5 thousand years ago. Anyway story has it that he is a very powerful mutant, who has an incredibly long life span which has allowed him to live through or jump through timelines, cuz o' course he's hell bent on gainin' power and has tried but failed numerous time to get it. I guess now he's been resurrected or somethin' n' he knows 'bout Jeannie n' her mutation, so o' course Destiny warned us 'bout that."
"How did he find out?"
"I dunno, it's possible he has seen it, I mean seen Jeannie. He has been through many futures, with his long lifespan."
Ororo put her head in her hands as they both sat in silence for a moment.
"You know we're virtually sitting on a ticking time bomb."
Logan shook his head, "Yeah I know...I know."
Logan fingered his mug in his right hand. "I need more coffee...you?"
Ororo looked up. "Yeah I could use some."
"Gonna be one o' those days."
"Yeah...one of those days." Ororo said handing him her mug to refill.
~x~x~x~x~x~x~
Okay…I will tell you this. The pairings as it stood in the 1st chap, were, Jott, Romy and a tiny bit of Kurmanda, and now I'm getting into LoRo and sorry, but last chap's where Kurmanda stopped. Um that's only 'cause I'm kinda fazing this out to be a Scott/Jean centered fic…um So you may not see a lot of other characters. I like Logan and Ororo after Scott and Jean…so u may see more of them then of Rogue, Remy, Kitty and Kurt. I believe Kurt and Kitty mainly use their pwrs in the action chaps…but I believe that's about all I say of them. However, um as it stands Kurt's still with Amanda and Kitty's with Lance cause that's the way I like it. Although I'm not a huge B-hood fan, cause the show's X-men Evolution not Brotherhood Evolution…so that's it.
As always R&R!