Professor! Professor, trouble! Professor, can you hear me?!
Professor X grimaced in pain, placing a finger to his temple. Quieter, please. Order your thoughts. Now, what is the matter Evan?
Under attack! The Morlocks are being slaughtered, there're all these huge sentinels! We need backup from the X-Men! Please hurry!
Help is on its way, Professor X projected towards his former student. Then, breaking off the link, he initiated another with the students of the Institute. His new recruits. Not so new, however. They were ready and trained and needed. They were X-Men now.
Everyone. Please gather in my office.
Spyke grunted and dodged low, narrowly avoiding an energy blast that lanced over his shoulder. Quickly he turned and rolled, launching some flaming spikes at the automaton. As before, some penetrated, some didn't, but all they did was manage to slow it down.
"Everyone! Back to the Alley!" shouted Callisto, waving her iron staff. "Retreat! Don't try and fight them!" she shouted, her voice echoing off the tunnels of the Morlocks as its owners ran for their lives from the sentinel-soldiers.
They'd seen them before, what seemed like years ago now. Before Apocalypse, when a madman had tried to kill them using a device that nullified their powers and made them ordinary humans. Sentinel-soldiers. Mark II sentinels. Humanoid they were, and only six or seven feet tall, armed with energy weapons and programmed to kill any with an X-gene.
In other words, trouble.
A pitiful scream split the air, and Spyke rushed ahead, recognizing the tone instantly. He wasn't terribly surprised to find Torpid with one of her legs crushed beneath a fallen piece of gravel. A sentinel-soldier loomed over her, preparing to finish her off.
Spyke did not hesitate.
He launched a spike out of his hand and formed a pole, running forward and using the pole to push off, slamming both feet full force into the sentinel-soldiers chest and letting it fall flat onto its back into the sewer water.
"Pity you're waterproof," grunted Spyke as he reached down and shoved the rock off of Torpid's ankle, grabbing up the teenaged Morlock and carrying her with the others as they ran for their lives. The Morlocks managed to get to the Alley without serious casualties but the sentinel-soldiers were already pouring towards them in large numbers and it was abundantly clear that, unlike last time, they weren't here to take prisoners. Spyke ducked behind an overturned table for cover, helping moving Torpid out of the way, and then began to search. Even in the midst of all this, he had to know she was safe first.
Originally designed as a bomb-shelter, the Alley was a perfectly sealed structure of thick iron and reinforced concrete, and even if sealed off the Morlocks could've survived down there for a good year or so before starving. However, the door had been long gone by the time Callisto had first arrived and began the mutant tribe. Unfortunately, there was only one way in or out. Spyke had, while given them temporary safety, led them into a death-trap. For all his friends and everyone he cared about.
Finally, Spyke located Callisto, hanging down behind one of the offshoots of the Alley with Cybelle. The girl had been shot clear through the arm and was bleeding profusely. Callisto had removed the sash from her waist to bind the wound roughly. After the attack, they'd need to raid some stores for medical supplies. But that'd come later.
"How is it?" she asked, tying the makeshift bandage tightly, Cybelle groaned softly, but otherwise made no protest. She was accustomed to pain.
"Bad. I think we might've lost two, maybe three more."
"Damn," cursed Callisto. "How long until they get here?"
"They move fast. They could be here in maybe ten minutes. Probably less," he added morosely.
"Then we make our stand here," stated Callisto, banging her iron staff down on the ground hard. "Prepare yourselves for close-combat!" shouted Callisto. "Wait until they're in the center."
Spyke and Callisto made their way to the edge of the off-shoot. Several of them existed in the Alley, leading off in various directions before stopping after a few feet. With a few empty boxes and crates, the Morlocks had organized them into semi-private rooms. Most bedded down in the center, which was now being cleared in preparation for the machines, but some were permitted to sleep in the off-shoot rooms. Spyke shared one with Callisto and, on some cold nights, Torpid. Though that was happening less frequently of late.
The machines entered, the sentinel-soldiers storming in, organizing themselves in a pentagon pattern, back-to-back, preparing to blast down the few defenses the Morlocks had and crush them. They were deliberately waiting until all were in the Alley before they began. Callisto's hands tightened around her iron staff and Spyke shot long bone spikes from between his knuckles, like Wolverine. They tensed, preparing to attack...
... when suddenly a cry came from above, and the sentinel-soldiers turned to face a new threat that had risen at the entrance to the Alley.
The X-Men.
A form rocketed past the other X-Men and slammed into the first sentinel, shattering it and sending metal shards flying in every direction as Cannonball entered the fray. The years had changed the lanky and somewhat awkward boy from Kentucky into a muscular young man with no hesitation. His uniform continued the black and gold look of the older X-Men, his belt bore the 'X' symbol that was now recognized nearly worldwide, and of a design similar to that worn by Kurt, with gold running along his sides instead of crimson.
Wolfsbane was right behind Cannonball, leaping up and tearing at another sentinel with her sharp claws. Her uniform was the same as it always was, but she'd ripped off the arms and legs (enough to keep modest of course) to allow her now furry appendages to have more space to breath. She wore no boots, nor gloves. Her eyes glowed amber as she tore into the ranks of the sentinels in her lycranthropic form. Behind Wolfsbane came Sunspot and small army of Multiples. Their costumes also features the upgrade to black and sleeveless, resembling slightly less adorned versions of those worn by Cyclops. But they too had grown up in the past few years, and it showed.
The sentinels quickly tried to return fire on their new opponents, but a explosive ball of energy and a fireball burnt down two more as Magma and Boom-Boom enter the fray, dressed in their Siryn costumes. However, Magma's now was featured more prominently with gold and crimson flames along the black material, while Tabby had a pair of blast goggles covering her eyes (the only part of her body found to be vulnerable to her own time-bombs).
Jubilee moved in next, blasting away sentinel-soldiers with powerful plasma bursts projected from her hands. Her uniform was the same black as Jean's, but over which she'd thrown a distinct yellow trenchcoat that came to her ankles and across her waist she wore the customary belt with the 'X' symbol. Her hair had been cropped spiky short and on her forehead she wore a pair of bright pink sunglasses.
And finally trailing behind them came Berzerker. Not that he was reluctant to fight, of course (perish the thought) but he was reluctant to deal with the Morlocks again. Even after their last encounter three years ago they hadn't been all too friendly to him. To them, he would always be a deserter. Still, didn't stop him from launching a lightning bolt at a nearby sentinel to blast its head clear off. Berzerker's uniform had gotten an upgrade too. Black instead of dark blue, with a number of jagged lightning bolts striking up along his arms, legs, and vertically across his chest.
Invigorated by their saviors, the Morlocks rose up, and the sentinel-soldiers were quickly reduced to only so many piles of broken pieces and sputtering electronics. Callisto personally crushed the last one's head beneath her boot.
Both sides regarded one another then, Morlock and X-Man alike. Spyke was the first to speak.
"Nice suits, who's your tailor?" he asked.
Professor X's posture relaxed, the furrows in his brow vanishing as he smiled. X23, standing nearby, raised her head, tilting it questioningly. Lockheed was currently perched on a nearby bookshelf, on the bust of former President Lincoln.
"They have been successful," stated Professor X. "The sentinel-soldiers have been destroyed."
"I should've been there as well," she stated darkly, rubbing her knuckles in a nervous fashion she'd inherited from her sire. She wasn't angry at the Professor, exactly. More frustrated. Her instincts told her danger was coming... and she needed to face it, not hide and wait for it to come finish her off.
"A moment, Sarah... they've discovered something," he replied, closing his eyes again. His consciousness merged with Cannonball, the nominal leader of the new group of X-Men and the most experienced of them all.
Cannonball reached down, brushing off some sewage and lifting up a broken metal fragment from one of the destroyed sentinel-soldiers. On the inside of the plate, the markings were damaged but still clearly distinct. It was the Legacy Logo. A circle with an arrow, designed to represent eternity.
So the Circle had been responsible for the attack, trying to finish off the Morlocks. But why? They were barely an annoyance to Spears and his start-up company of Pow-R8. Why seek them out so deliberately? And for that matter, why leave such an obvious mark of their handiwork?
"Professor?" asked Cannonball, speaking to empty air. He wasn't quite used to telepathy yet. "Can you see this?"
I can, reply Professor X, gently disconnecting the deep mental link he'd shared with the young man. Care for the wounded, X23 will keep me safe here until you return. "Sarah," he said, now speaking aloud as he turned to face her, re-opening his eyes. "I want you to..."
She was gone.
X23 revved up her bike, slamming her helmet on and grabbing the handles, tearing clear out of the mansion before the garage door and gates barely had time to open for her. She took off, lifting the protective visor to sniff the air. Yeah, this was, definitely.
Professor X might be angry with her, for abandoning him. Cyclops would definitely be, for her disobeying orders. Wolverine... she didn't know. He was going off on his own half the time anyway, but he did always have the philosophy of 'do what I say, not what I do.' Not that she cared much at the moment. She recognized this scent. She smelled it every night, clear as if she was right there, in her dreams. No amount of perfume smelling like sakura blossoms could mask the scent of death and poison, anymore than a lifetime of scrubbing could. Even now, had she bothered to look for it, X23's own body reeked of it. It was a characteristic of those who'd been born of Hydra's dark experiments.
It wasn't X24, no. He was long dead, his body had been found (or at least, his adamantium claws and teeth had been, the rest of him had been obliterated) and as far as X23 knew, the entire facility had been reduced to rubble. How had one survived? Were the more facilities, more clones, more demonic living weapons with adamantium for bones and a desire to kill? She prayed not.
She'd have some answers soon. The source was leading her east, towards the bay. Towards the Bayville Aquarium, no less. She'd visited it on a number of occasions with the other students. Personally she'd always been most fascinated with the shark exhibits.
No time for sight-seeing, she reminded herself.
Time for business.
Author's Notes:
And so the New Recruits have become full X-Men and gotten their own custom uniforms. Not perhaps so custom, given the new scheme of the uniforms we saw in Ascension, but they're definitely an improvement. Honestly, who wears neon-yellow gloves and boots? Ugly. And we see more of the Morlocks as well, fighting for survival as always. They've grown up by about two years now, so more or less most of them are the same, except Torpid. She's about what Jamie was at the end of Evo, which I can only presume was fourteen or fifteen. And now the stage is set for X23 to put her past completely to rest with her dark sibling. I suspect that'll be the best fight yet, since it only involves two characters. Coming next time, X23 vs. X25. And after that, back to the plot.
Star-of-Chaos: Yeah you'd think, but whatcha gonna do? Besides, Omega Red's never been exactly what most would call stable... maybe they designed the weakness to keep him under control. I enjoyed sending Sabertooth off like that too, although part of me was tempted to have storm send a few lightning bolts down his backside first to scare him.
Todd fan: I don't fret Forge. I still have plans for you. Wizard of Oz, WTH?! Oh, oh right, the barn... heh. Poor bastard. You're right, probably bad idea to say anything he might hear. He might put your name on that infamous list of his.
X00001: You got it, more chapters coming up as quick as I can with all the action you can handle.
DoubleL27: I'm glad I managed to create enough confusion with Mystique's appearance as Jean. I do so love a befuddled audience. Glad you enjoyed the manipulation of Arcade into becoming his comic counterpart (a death trap assassin) and how Lance showed that even though he's Brotherhood he can still be a good guy. And yeah, he's a much better leader than Pietro. If you think those fights were good, just wait 'til you see what's comin' up next!
Oceanbang: Oh I shall... I shall. Battles, plot twists, character development galore! For you are reading the works of Rurouni Tyriel! lightning in the background
Comet-hime: We can and will. Pity those two aren't as close in Evo as they are in our fanfics. I'm glad you enjoy my action scenes, I too take pride in those since I can picture them so well in my head. Poor Sabes, he's gonna feel sore in the morning. And yeah, just don't let anyone know you're my beta reader, or they might get jealous.
CrypticIdentity: Yup. Also where I got inspiration to give X25 red hair, that's her momma. I am writing, I'm working like a damn dog here, with all these battle scenes and wrapping up of plots and such. Patience.
Nessie6: Well clearly not Red Witch. And yeah, Kurt/Amanda is a better couple, if for no other reason than Bluebelle. Surprisingly, your request was envisioned by my psychic powers when I started this story, and I will be involving Crystal as a regular human. She and Pietro will have a mutant kid named Luna, whom you will see later on. Her powers? Let's just say she calls herself the Fastest Woman Alive.
ViciousAssassin: Omega Red did say that, which is why Sabertooth working with him is a new low. I didn't explain this well obviously. Victor sold out his comrades to Omega Red. That's how low. Mystique might actually show some promise, since I do like her and her children and I'm a sucker for happy endings, but you'll see what I have planned for her. And yeah that barn collapsed on Sabertooth but it was only about ten minutes. He is a tough bastard, you know. Not that hard of a fight? Well, it was a long chapter and I felt like tying it up quickly, sorry if it seemed rushed. Didn't total the XM-Velocity with the missile, just damaged its side. It was designed to kill people, after all, not destroy state-of-the-art aircraft. Sorry, again, should've gone into detail but didn't. I have a basic outline set up, little details tend to pop up without warning all over the place, but I know exactly who lives, who dies, when and where etc. So enjoy.
Sandoz: I'm not a big fan of bringing in just anyone from the comics just to jazz up the story. Lots of other authors did that and their stories become great big messes of names. With a few exceptions, I prefer to stick to the Evo cast. And yeah, definitely classic when Sabertooth was surrounded and told to run.
Princess Myra: I always take a certain pride in my battle scenes, I'm just glad my audience enjoys them as much as I do. And no, 'fraid not for the mindless slaves and punks that used to serve Emma in the comics. Just our lovable enemies of Logan. And yeah, like you said, people we know and love (or hate) makes it better. Glad I could clarify with Mystique.