Warning: Male on male kiss in part of it, nothing sexual...and Glory's come
back...ends with a cliffhanger to be wrapped up in part 6, the end of this
little story.
Part 5:
Juggernaut sat alone in the kitchen sipping cold water. The liquid trickled down his throat like a soothing tonic. So Glory had gotten away or at least that's what Jean had told him. Cain would hunt her down and kill her. She would never touch Dawn, ever. Cain heard a woman walk into the room and his head turned up. He knew it was a woman from the light footsteps.
Matching eyes with the witch he smiled, "Hello Willow."
Willow nodded her head slowly. She was upset with herself for being unable to locate Glory through any mystical spell she had tried. She was a very confident woman and that was something Cain respected about her. What she said surprised him even further.
"Cain we need help. People who can truly stop Glory...people without inhibitions about death." Willow said her eyes narrowed as if she was saying something more.
"You mean people like Logan and me?" Cain asked raising his eyebrows in question.
"Or Faith." Willow said and the spoke slowly as if to make sure Cain understood, "I need to get to LA. My protection spell can be kept up by Tara and I have an idea to help us defeat Glory."
"Well anything you think can help I am all for." Cain said and then he heard a voice he hadn't felt in the room.
"Faith does not get involved." A blonde bombshell said coming into the room, "Willow I will do anything to stop Glory but Faith is no more powerful than..."
"Look Buffy! You aren't in charge anymore this has gotten out of all of our hands!" Willow said standing up to the Slayer for the first time in her life. For once Willow felt passionately that Buffy was extremely wrong, "We need people who are willing to take..."
"I will take lives!" Buffy said walking to Willow face her eyes narrowed in a form of hate towards her long time friend. She clenched both her fists and Marko stood up. He reached his full ten feet and smashed the wooden kitchen table down the middle.
"Enough! Stop it both you!" Cain hissed, "We're all stressed. Now calm down and any power we can get will be helpful!"
"Not Faith's power." Buffy said and spun out of the room in a huff.
"Um...history between them?" Cain said resting back down into his chair collecting his glass between his fingers. "So what's with this Faith girl?"
"She tried to kill all of us...well long story short anyway." Willow said rubbing both her temples. She really thought bringing Faith in was a good idea. The girl could really help with Glory. She had methods and ways Buffy just wasn't open to. They should at least call Angel and tell him what was happening.
"I've tried to kill all these X-Men in the past but they're giving me a second chance." Cain said to Willow. He continued on for a little while about it but Willow was zoned out. Her mind was trying to solve the puzzle of the day, where was Glory?
. . . .
Ben sat in the jail cell at least it was similar to a cell. Thing was it was gigantic, nearly a football field long and wide. Ceiling was just about that far up as well. Glory was in Ben's ear hissing about how eventually he would grow weak and she would take over again. She would kill them all starting with the Slayer he had the crush on.
"Shut up!" Ben hissed hitting the side of his own head shifting into Glory for a mere moment.
"Oh calm down Benny boy." Glory said becoming Ben once more.
"I will not calm down. You killed people...more people and got me into a mess I don't think I can get out of this time!" Ben screamed and he could feel Glory replaying the memory of ripping out Hank McCoy's neck in his head. She had enjoyed it. Kept calling Hank a false demon. McCoy was the only X-Man that Ben had really spoken to before running. Attempting to stop exactly this from happening.
* You know they have a real power here Benny. One that might be able to separate us. * Glory said in his head and suddenly Ben perked up.
"What?" He said paying attention as Glory played another memory for him. One of the red-headed woman that had saved life a few days ago. Only this time she was drenched in a fiery bird and was filled with a aura of power.
* She is connected to the primal force of the universe. Neither good or evil simply power. * Glory said as if explaining it to Ben's poor human mind, * She isn't the first. Back when darkness walked this plane a Phoenix policed it. It was he; the first Phoenix that trained the monks that gave the Slayer her power in the first place. She is the root of power. *
Ben smiled the thought of being rid of Glory making him happier then he had ever been, "I will do anything to be rid of you."
"Rid of who?" A mechanical voice called into the cell. One Ben recognized immediately.
"Buffy?" Ben called out and he saw a light come on up near the ceiling line. Buffy stood in a booth looking out onto Ben.
"Yeah. Look Ben I'm sorry...the red-head, Jean. She insists we leave you in here. We can't really argue with her." Buffy said looking down at how small Ben appeared in the vast empty room before her.
"Its fine Buffy. I just would like some food. To keep my strength up." Ben called shaking his head slowly, "And some Advil. That would be great."
"I'll see what I can do." Buffy said. And just as quickly as it had come the light was off again and Buffy was gone.
* Its only a matter of time Benny. Then Glory is back. * She hissed in his brain.
. . . .
"Look Cordelia I don't care what problems you guys have right now! ...We have a hell-goddess who just a tad outranks them!... Give the phone to Angel!...No, now!" Tara heard from her usually meek girlfriend. She could only hear one side of the conversation with the Scoobies connections to LA.
Willow seemed to calm down and stop being tense dropping back onto the bed relaxing a bit. She began talking slowly to Buffy's ex-boyfriend and vampire Angel. Tara rose from the bed to give the two privacy even though they were on opposite sides of the continent. Just as she did she heard a knock at the door. Walking over she opened it to reveal Bobby Drake powered down now.
"Hi...um...Willow..is...uh.." Tara said nervous and not sure what to say to the Iceman.
"Actually I was looking for you. Xander and I are going to play a board game and we were hoping you'd join us." Bobby said and thumbed over his shoulder to Xander and Anya touching each other lightly the Game of Life in Xander's left hand.
"Why can't we just have sex...with all this danger.." Anya was saying before she was drowned out by Bobby again.
"You see why I need a companion. Unless of course you two ladies are busy." He said motioning slightly to Willow with a sly grin.
"No...I...I mean yes. Willow might be awhile." Tara said brushing hair from her face the sorceress walked over giving Willow a kiss on the cheek before following Bobby Drake down the stairs to the game room Xander and a complaining Anya trailing behind.
"So are you and Willow really of the girl on girl persuasion?" Bobby asked his blue jeans making a rough noise as he hopped off the last step of the stairs.
"Um...I.." Tara was frankly shocked by the openness of this man. She smiled a sheepish grin that made Bobby burst into a ear to ear beam. He laughed slightly and sat down by the armchair.
They began playing the game Tara opting for a female spouse when it said she got married. Bobby was losing horribly when he heard the front door slam. "Weather is going down hill. To bad Storm's run off with her own team."
Iceman smiled, "Never a weather witch when you need one." He called to Northstar as the man came into the room to join them.
"Spell is holding though. Oh and the sensors are back up. Between that and our psychics we should not have anyone sneaking up on us." Jean- Paul said flopping down in the armchair behind Bobby Drake. He smiled when he saw Tara's single-sex van, "Pride sister."
"Oh yes Jean-Paul is our resident homo...it makes Cain uncomfortable." Iceman said with a smile referring to Juggernaut who sat across the room playing pool with Wolverine. Probably the two most closed minded conservative men in the building.
Juggernaut flipped Bobby off before taking his next shot. Iceman simply laughed and blew Marko a kiss, "So your turn Xander." Bobby said watching as Harris spun the dial to move. As soon as Jean-Paul had come in he had scooted closer to Anya as if she was his security blanket. The overly horny ex-demon had had no problems with this sliding in closer to her fiancé.
Jean-Paul leaned over whispering something to Iceman that made the mutant smile looking at Tara.
"What?" Tara said she was terrified that she may have upset them.
"Nothing. Jean-Paul just thinks your friend Xander is cute." Iceman said and the look of fear that crossed Xander's face was classic, "Oh god I wish I had a camera."
"But Xander is not gay. He is mine." Anya said looking faux angry with Iceman.
"Yes...not gay. With the Anya." Xander chimed.
"I just said you were cute. Not I want to jump your bones." Jean-Paul said which actually made a smile appear on Tara's lips. Willow came down the stairs looking flustered to say the least. She walked in sliding onto the couch Tara, Xander, and Anya were perched on. She put her arms around Tara nuzzling her girlfriend's cheek with her nose.
"So um...game over then?" Tara said noticing that Xander and Anya had gotten up to leave. With the very apparent idea of relinquishing some of Anya's horny tendency.
"Yes game over. We must make with the..." Anya began but Xander clamped her mouth shut leading her up the stairs to their room.
Iceman smiled his eyes meeting Tara's for a moment, "Yeah game over. Look you two go get some sleep. We need your power at high strength if anything goes down." Tara smiled sheepishly for being considered so useful before being lead from the room by Willow's drawing hand. Iceman was definitely trying, unsuccessfully but trying, to woo Tara. She was the most ravishing creature he had ever had the pleasure of spending time with.
"Now's not the time to play the turn her straight game Bob." Northstar said cracking his knuckles as he flopped sideways in the chair eyeing Iceman over. Jean-Paul still had a large crush on the iced boy, "I should know." He added under his breath.
"What?"
"I said now is not the time..." Jean-Paul began.
"After that."
"Look if you're getting so specific you obviously heard me." Jean- Paul said glaring down at Iceman, "I'm going on patrol." With that he was gone in a blur flipping over the back of the chair his only sign of exit the door slamming shut.
"Did you upset your woman Bobby?" Cain asked from the pool table. This time it was Iceman's turn to do the flipping off. He was good friends with Northstar but apparently the man had wanted more all along. How had Bobby not seen it? He was the king of flirting.
Icing up as to avoid the weather conditions Iceman made for the door. He slipped out into the dark night his iced skin cracking as he did. The ground and water around him literally froze as it struck his exterior. Pulling the moisture easily from the air Bobby formed an ice slide moving off the porch trying to locate the estranged Northstar. Moving through the wreckage that was the mansion's current exterior but still within the spell's boundaries he knew Northstar couldn't have gone many places. Touching down momentarily he made his way around to the back of the mansion where the lake was were they able to cross the barrier spell.
He saw Northstar fully suited up in his classic silver and blue outfit that kept him warm and dry. The hero was sitting atop a rock along the back line of the mansion staring into the storm filled sky. The water splashed through the barrier spell as if it didn't exist. Luckily Glory couldn't turn herself into water or that might be a problem.
"Jean..." Iceman said dropping the slide to the ground making the last few feet on foot. He crossed to the other man's side placing a hand on his shoulder. Northstar pulled away not meeting Bobby's eyes. Wow, gay man were a handful nearly as bad as a woman he had rejected, "Look J.P. we...we could never be." Iceman said an uncommon lump forming in his own throat.
"Look I know. I just need alone time." Northstar said his eyes boring into the floor. He had dealt with this his whole life.
"I mean I experimented a little as a teen but I am very straight. Sorry, I guess that's what I wanted to say." Iceman said and turned walking away. As he got about ten feet away he heard a voice over the storm.
"I don't love you or anything. I just..." Jean-Paul said the end of the sentence said in front of Iceman's face, "...had a crush. Its no big nothing changed between us...its that I wanted more."
Iceman nodded uncomfortable with the entire situation. He cared to deeply for his teammates in general to have let this lie. This was good for both of them. To finally get this off of his chest, "Its fine Jean-Paul we're cool."
Northstar said nothing and both men stood in silence for nearly seventeen minutes or so. Jean-Paul had been attempting to count the time in his head. He hated standing still that long. When you moved as much as he did it was like a lifetime. Northstar could have sliced the awkwardness between the two with a knife at that moment. Iceman reverted to his human form his beautiful eyes meeting Northstar's own.
"I just wanted to get this out in the open. Finish it for both our sakes." Bobby said trying to figure out what to say. He had no jokes that wouldn't leave Jean-Paul crushed and he couldn't do that to his teammate. His lack of jokes put Iceman in a very weird position.
"Thank you for caring. Lets just leave it at that." Jean-Paul said and leaned in kissing Iceman lightly on the lips the rain soaking them both as lightning flashed in the background cutting through the darkened sky that surrounded them both. Pulling back to the stunned face of Bobby Drake he smiled momentarily.
"That it? We good?" Iceman said after overcoming his shock that Northstar had kissed him. He didn't like it but in a way felt it had been appropriate end to the two. It was obvious Jean-Paul had had an interest since coming to the school and Bobby had yet to address the other man. The kiss was poetic in Iceman's head. The death of this possibility sealed with a kiss, just never let Logan know.
"We're fine."
"Then lets get the hell out of the rain psycho." Iceman said making both of them crack a smile as they went back inside.
. . . .
Kurt sat or rather laid in bed his legs tucked gracelessly above the brims of his ears as he sat in a yoga type style on the beds edge. He was staring, though an onlooker never would have known, at the receiver of the phone. Ever since Willow had shown up he had had one thing on his mind, Scarlet Witch. Wanda Maximof the beautiful brunette of the Avengers. Recently he had met a universe hopping team known as the Exiles. A member of this little squad had been supposedly Wanda and his daughter. Kurt had truly bonded to T.J. Wagner in her short time with him and thus he had thought a lot about Wanda.
His trail stretching out he snatched the phone delicately off the receiver tossing to cordless to himself over his legs and into his three fingered palm. He knew the Avengers number from the short period of time Beast had spent with them. It was scribbled in Beast's old personal phone book, not that Kurt had looked for the number. But then again Beast was dead wasn't he.
Kurt's eyes blinked at that. Their had been so much rush and anger this evening he had yet to really realize that fact. Lightly touching his eye he felt a tear for his fellow blue furred mutant. Without realizing it had he absent mindedly already dialed the number. He heard a soft mechanical hello on the other end.
"Oh excuse me hello." Kurt said pausing breathing deeply before continuing.
"Can I help you? This is the Avengers private unlisted line. We're being recorded who is this." Came Tony Stark's had voice over the line. Kurt smiled, he really appreciated Stark. The man had designed the image inducer that got Kurt through so much in the bigoted world.
"Yes, sir. This is Kurt Wagner." Nightcrawler began and was about to continue when Stark interrupted him.
"Oh Kurt. Nice to hear from the X-Team once in a while. Things treating you well? Inducer running?" Stark said which knocked Kurt mentally off balance. That was hard to do physically.
"Um...yes its running fine. But that's not what I called about. Is Wanda home?" Kurt asked. Wow he sounded dumb. Is Wanda home? Come on idiot what were you saying.
"Maximof? Yes she is let me get her." Stark said putting Kurt on hold for what seemed more then a lifetime as he obtained Wanda for the purpose of speaking. The art in Kurt was lost. He was a nervous pile and didn't know what to do. Why was he really calling, to talk? No, because he thought she could help the situation. Oh, shut up, he chided himself. You want her and that's the only motive.
"Hello this is Wanda." Came a breezy voice over the phone. She seemed to be very intent on what he had to say. Perhaps Stark had made it seem more urgent then it was.
"Yes...um...Wan..Ms. Maximof this is Kurt Wagner from the X-..."
"Yes I know." She said and Kurt could hear her smile on the other end.
"Oh, well...we have a bit of a situation here. With magic users and stuff." Kurt said. Was he really that nervous? Where was the suave dashing Kurt he truly was. Kurt collected himself before continuing, "What I mean to say Wanda is, we're under attack by a hell-goddess and she has pretty much depleted our resources. We are fairly sure we have her trapped outside the mansion via a spell two witches have cast..."
"The X-Men have witches?" Kurt heard a deep male voice say. It sounded like Hawkeye if Kurt's memory wasn't failing him.
"Um...yes staying with us right now. The point is we're not doing well. Cyclops and a few others are bed-ridden in the infirmary and Hank...er...Beast is dead." Kurt said realizing a moment later that Beast knew all these people. He was a good friend to most of them. Kurt heard the inaudible gasp on the other end laced into the silence.
"Thou shalt not be alone any farther in thy battle." Kurt heard the distinctive Norse-god Thor say. He cracked a devilish grin. Hearing that was voice was as music. It made Kurt smile momentarily.
"I'm not calling for help." Kurt said sheepishly.
"Well then what can we do for you?" Kurt heard another male say. He believed this one to be Captain America himself. A hero Kurt placed a step above most, in the class of Wolverine or Spiderman. Just a powerhouse for years now.
"I just...well I was putting you on alert. If we fail on this front a second one should be prepared to fight on." Kurt said recovering nicely, "I believe we will defeat her...she is no Onslaught. But better safe then sorry. Also I was wondering if perhaps Thor or Wanda would be able to locate her mystically. Our telepaths and witches are having trouble finding the bitch." Kurt said his bitterness finally showing through. He was angry at the way Glory had treated his team and he would make her pay. He would cause her pain for McCoy.
"She shalt be found." Thor said and Kurt could just hear the storm getting worse even though the Thunder God was nowhere around him. He collected the end of the conversation and he hung up. Well he had achieved two things he had gotten a slight of help and given himself a reason to call Wanda again. This time perhaps for a more private moment if she was willing.
Flipping over Kurt landed on his hands before springing to his feet dressing himself in his all leather black X-Men outfit donned for a short period of time a few months ago by the entire team. But of course that made them appear to much as an army so Xavier had done away with the matching costumes. They were peace keepers when necessary not a fighting force.
Opening the door to the hallway he found Wolverine standing outside his door leaning on the wall across from him. So the quick healer was pushing himself to far. Frankly Kurt was not surprised, "You're pathetic." Logan said with a smile to his best friend.
"Oh and you've dun much better on de girl front as of late?" Kurt said a bit of his old german accent showing through. Logan smiled and said something along the lines of you got me their. Stepping into his room the two rested talking mainly of a man they both knew, Hank McCoy. Logan was of course steely about it saying, people die. Kurt even prayed for his soul at one point.
. . . .
Buffy Summers wiped her tears. She was sitting in the control room under no light. The gleam from inside the Danger Room shined in across her hair. She couldn't lose Dawn but now she had lost Glory and the infirmary was lined with people. People she cared for; Scott Summers one of her only living relatives, the man Angel who was a personification of her old boyfriend's name, Giles still rested in that dark place and the blonde woman Emma Frost. They all were down for the count as Faith would say. Buffy was appalled that Willow had even mentioned Faith's name as an option for help. They didn't need help, Glory had yet to feel the pain this group could really cause her.
Standing up bracing herself on the cold wall she moved to the door it swishing open with a deafening click. Moving down the hall it seemed as if this huge mansion would swallow Buffy if she made on wrong step. If she didn't know exactly what to do next she would fail. Buffy was headed for the kitchen, she would make Ben some food. A sandwich and maybe a glass of milk. She was give him that food no matter what the red-head woman said to her. Hopefully Willow still didn't linger around the kitchen waiting to pounce on her with more inane ideas.
Stepping onto the cold linoleum of the nearly all white kitchen Buffy opened the fridge and began searching for meats. The sandwich didn't take that long to complete but most people don't truly consider a sandwich. The meat on it from the slaughtered visage of a pig, the cheese churned for hours on end from rotted milk with flavors added, the bread harvested by hard working men and women who didn't deserve the conditions they were in, and the mustard...well Buffy wasn't really sure how the mustard was made. Sliding the sandwich onto a plate she poured a glass of milk and made her way out of the kitchen closing the refrigerator with her left foot. It was getting late or rather early as Buffy had been up all night and she knew she should get some sleep. But how could anyone expect her to sleep when Glory was still out there somewhere.
Making her way slowly back to this Danger Room she slumped down to the door. Clicking the keypad to open it a red light came up and a soft Scottish mechanical voice access denied. Of course they would have the bloody thing locked. Buffy hit the door in anger then sat leaning against it. Then into her vision she saw the red-head, her cousin in law. Jean walked to her in her classic gold and green Phoenix outfit. "Buffy. Can I help you?"
"I...wanted to take him some food." Buffy thought she could cry on this woman's shoulder right now but she was all cried out. She had no tears left only fight.
"I will do it. You're sweet." Phoenix said lightly touching Buffy's cheek as she helped her up, "I can definitely see the Summer's family in you."
"How is Scott?" Buffy asked now at her standing height. Jean took the food from Buffy's hands smiled as best she could. Buffy could see the woman wasn't doing well.
"He will be fine. Some internal bleeding but the Shiar tech is really helping to shut it down. It would be better if Hank could..." Jean let it hang turning away from Buffy. Reaching out Jean accessed the Danger Room stepping inside the door closing behind her to Buffy's dismay. She needed to see an unbiased friendly face, Ben's face. But that isn't what you really want is it?, Buffy harassed herself mentally. You want Riley to come back. To have him come running into your arms begging you forever or better yet, you want Angel.
. . . .
Phoenix kneeled before Ben. He seemed to have fallen asleep in the dark of the Danger Room. Their was no need to keep the boy trapped in an endless dark room. "Computer, lights." Jean said and then room lit up with an electronic glow powered by the Shiar Core Generator. Pulling her long hair back over her shoulder she met Ben's opening eyes.
"Hi, Ben." She said pulling the gloves off both hands as she sat his food between them. She rested back trying to pick into his mind. It was harder then it had been before but she hadn't been even remotely forceful yet, "Ben I wanted to ask you some things."
"Okay. Look about the injured I could help, I want to help." He said and Jean smiled at the weakness lining his voice, but if he was weak why couldn't she play a part in his head. She felt that same tendril as before. Wait as before what? Jean had a familiar sense with Ben's mind. It was like the stream, the tendril, she had taken inside Tara's mind when Glory had stolen it. Had Ben been mind wiped by Glory?! No, that couldn't be it. Tara had been near catatonic and Ben was fully lucid.
"Glory, Ben...are you Glory?" Jean asked suddenly interrupting his continued rant on ways he could help the injured. About how he was this close to being an MD. Her question knocked Ben off balance. He blinked at her and repeated her in a terrified fashion.
"Am I Glory?" Ben said his mind racing. Oh my god how did she know! This was the one Gory feared and the one that Glory said could separate them. Take the literal monkey on his back away. Finally set Ben free, "Why do you ask?"
"You're Glory." Jean said her eyes phasing to orange. She grabbed both sides of Ben's face, "Let me..." * IN THERE! * She finished her statement psychically. As you finished her last word the Phoenix exploded around the two nearly filling the Danger Room's breadth.
Jean shoved her way deep into Ben and apparently Glory's mind. This is why she had been confused. The Phoenix not being human had remembered Glory's transformation into Ben but her human half had a spell on it that forced her to forget it ever happened. She could see his entire life played out before her. The boy was sad, a tragic story. When Glory first showed up coming from him on his eleventh birthday, the pain he suffered. Amazed at what she could see, all the minds Glory had eaten they were all here. Jean could use the Phoenix to restore them and empty Glory but it was going to take everything out of her. Her physical body already screamed in pain from the resistance Glory was putting up. Ben was physically screaming at the top of his lungs tears of blood running down into the Phoenix's fire. His skin seemed to be boiling as Jean shoved her way in deeper. She began plucking them out mentally shoving them onto the astral plane. They would be safe there and return to their natural owners within time as it was their rightful locations. Jean released Ben's body slumping back onto her knees her power drained. She had just freed hundreds of minds from this demon-god. Flexing her hands she tried to rise but her shirt was seized.
"Oh get up bitch! Now I am really hungry!" She said bringing Jean into her face. Glory stood in Ben's sweatpants and X-Men shirt he had been given. Glory's left hand seemed to light with a starved energy as her fingers were shoved into Jean's brain, "I bet the Phoenix tastes great!"
Glory's entire body seemed to explode in elation like a rocket first released from its platform. She could feel power surging into her. This was like no mind she had ever tasted. Tara's mind had been a treat, like an instant high with its immense possibility for power. Tara had the power from natural birth she didn't find it like Willow. Tara could be far more powerful then she was. But this was realized power, core true power. This was like nothing Glory had ever tasted.
Tossing Jean aside Glory grabbed both sides of her head. Oh my god this was wonderful. She could feel the energies flowing inside her. She was stronger then she had ever been. She could do anything. The Slayer, she was near. She would die first. The all time biggest pain in her side, Buffy Summers, would pay with her life. Running to the door of the Danger Room it flew out from Glory's punch. Reaching out she had hold of Buffy before the girl realized what was happening. "Hey Bunny." Glory said squeezing Buffy's neck hard leaving deep marks on both sides of the skin. Tossing Buffy up Glory backhanded her sending the Slayer flying into and through the wall.
Alarms were sounding everywhere from the escape notice of the door blasting out. Two men were already in front of her. The demon Nightcrawler and the short one, Glory believed his name was Logan and he loved her. No he loved Jean the woman's whose brain she had tasted. This was the most unusual mind she had ever had the pleasure of eating. It was different from any other she could still feel Jean and the Phoenix lying back in the Danger Room, as if they were one. She could remember Jean's thoughts and hear Jean rummaging about captive in Glory's mind.
Logan snarled and dived at Glory. She reached out her fist breaking through his metal ribcage and into the area around his heart. She squeezed it causing an instant explosion of Logan's heart. The man's face seized up and he slumped to the floor. Glory could already hear Nightcrawler on the horn again, "X-Men Emergency. Jean, Buffy and Logan are down outside Danger Room. Glory is..." That was all he ever got out as Glory grabbed the confused demon by the tail snapping him in next to her their faces inches apart.
* Lets test something. * Glory said into Kurt's mind. She could do it. She could use Jean's powers they really were connected. Just as this thought completed Glory's skin seemed to tingle then light on fire. She looked at Kurt's yellow orbs, * Work for me elf. *
Kurt simply nodded his yes. His eyes glazed over into a fiery orange, he was a slave of Glory. A slave of the new Phoenix. If Jean didn't regain control of her power soon all would be lost.
To Be Continued....
(Next time...and the last time: Willow vs. Glory, Havok vs. Dru/Vampires....and finally the showdown between Glory and Xavier to make happen the story's close.)
Part 5:
Juggernaut sat alone in the kitchen sipping cold water. The liquid trickled down his throat like a soothing tonic. So Glory had gotten away or at least that's what Jean had told him. Cain would hunt her down and kill her. She would never touch Dawn, ever. Cain heard a woman walk into the room and his head turned up. He knew it was a woman from the light footsteps.
Matching eyes with the witch he smiled, "Hello Willow."
Willow nodded her head slowly. She was upset with herself for being unable to locate Glory through any mystical spell she had tried. She was a very confident woman and that was something Cain respected about her. What she said surprised him even further.
"Cain we need help. People who can truly stop Glory...people without inhibitions about death." Willow said her eyes narrowed as if she was saying something more.
"You mean people like Logan and me?" Cain asked raising his eyebrows in question.
"Or Faith." Willow said and the spoke slowly as if to make sure Cain understood, "I need to get to LA. My protection spell can be kept up by Tara and I have an idea to help us defeat Glory."
"Well anything you think can help I am all for." Cain said and then he heard a voice he hadn't felt in the room.
"Faith does not get involved." A blonde bombshell said coming into the room, "Willow I will do anything to stop Glory but Faith is no more powerful than..."
"Look Buffy! You aren't in charge anymore this has gotten out of all of our hands!" Willow said standing up to the Slayer for the first time in her life. For once Willow felt passionately that Buffy was extremely wrong, "We need people who are willing to take..."
"I will take lives!" Buffy said walking to Willow face her eyes narrowed in a form of hate towards her long time friend. She clenched both her fists and Marko stood up. He reached his full ten feet and smashed the wooden kitchen table down the middle.
"Enough! Stop it both you!" Cain hissed, "We're all stressed. Now calm down and any power we can get will be helpful!"
"Not Faith's power." Buffy said and spun out of the room in a huff.
"Um...history between them?" Cain said resting back down into his chair collecting his glass between his fingers. "So what's with this Faith girl?"
"She tried to kill all of us...well long story short anyway." Willow said rubbing both her temples. She really thought bringing Faith in was a good idea. The girl could really help with Glory. She had methods and ways Buffy just wasn't open to. They should at least call Angel and tell him what was happening.
"I've tried to kill all these X-Men in the past but they're giving me a second chance." Cain said to Willow. He continued on for a little while about it but Willow was zoned out. Her mind was trying to solve the puzzle of the day, where was Glory?
. . . .
Ben sat in the jail cell at least it was similar to a cell. Thing was it was gigantic, nearly a football field long and wide. Ceiling was just about that far up as well. Glory was in Ben's ear hissing about how eventually he would grow weak and she would take over again. She would kill them all starting with the Slayer he had the crush on.
"Shut up!" Ben hissed hitting the side of his own head shifting into Glory for a mere moment.
"Oh calm down Benny boy." Glory said becoming Ben once more.
"I will not calm down. You killed people...more people and got me into a mess I don't think I can get out of this time!" Ben screamed and he could feel Glory replaying the memory of ripping out Hank McCoy's neck in his head. She had enjoyed it. Kept calling Hank a false demon. McCoy was the only X-Man that Ben had really spoken to before running. Attempting to stop exactly this from happening.
* You know they have a real power here Benny. One that might be able to separate us. * Glory said in his head and suddenly Ben perked up.
"What?" He said paying attention as Glory played another memory for him. One of the red-headed woman that had saved life a few days ago. Only this time she was drenched in a fiery bird and was filled with a aura of power.
* She is connected to the primal force of the universe. Neither good or evil simply power. * Glory said as if explaining it to Ben's poor human mind, * She isn't the first. Back when darkness walked this plane a Phoenix policed it. It was he; the first Phoenix that trained the monks that gave the Slayer her power in the first place. She is the root of power. *
Ben smiled the thought of being rid of Glory making him happier then he had ever been, "I will do anything to be rid of you."
"Rid of who?" A mechanical voice called into the cell. One Ben recognized immediately.
"Buffy?" Ben called out and he saw a light come on up near the ceiling line. Buffy stood in a booth looking out onto Ben.
"Yeah. Look Ben I'm sorry...the red-head, Jean. She insists we leave you in here. We can't really argue with her." Buffy said looking down at how small Ben appeared in the vast empty room before her.
"Its fine Buffy. I just would like some food. To keep my strength up." Ben called shaking his head slowly, "And some Advil. That would be great."
"I'll see what I can do." Buffy said. And just as quickly as it had come the light was off again and Buffy was gone.
* Its only a matter of time Benny. Then Glory is back. * She hissed in his brain.
. . . .
"Look Cordelia I don't care what problems you guys have right now! ...We have a hell-goddess who just a tad outranks them!... Give the phone to Angel!...No, now!" Tara heard from her usually meek girlfriend. She could only hear one side of the conversation with the Scoobies connections to LA.
Willow seemed to calm down and stop being tense dropping back onto the bed relaxing a bit. She began talking slowly to Buffy's ex-boyfriend and vampire Angel. Tara rose from the bed to give the two privacy even though they were on opposite sides of the continent. Just as she did she heard a knock at the door. Walking over she opened it to reveal Bobby Drake powered down now.
"Hi...um...Willow..is...uh.." Tara said nervous and not sure what to say to the Iceman.
"Actually I was looking for you. Xander and I are going to play a board game and we were hoping you'd join us." Bobby said and thumbed over his shoulder to Xander and Anya touching each other lightly the Game of Life in Xander's left hand.
"Why can't we just have sex...with all this danger.." Anya was saying before she was drowned out by Bobby again.
"You see why I need a companion. Unless of course you two ladies are busy." He said motioning slightly to Willow with a sly grin.
"No...I...I mean yes. Willow might be awhile." Tara said brushing hair from her face the sorceress walked over giving Willow a kiss on the cheek before following Bobby Drake down the stairs to the game room Xander and a complaining Anya trailing behind.
"So are you and Willow really of the girl on girl persuasion?" Bobby asked his blue jeans making a rough noise as he hopped off the last step of the stairs.
"Um...I.." Tara was frankly shocked by the openness of this man. She smiled a sheepish grin that made Bobby burst into a ear to ear beam. He laughed slightly and sat down by the armchair.
They began playing the game Tara opting for a female spouse when it said she got married. Bobby was losing horribly when he heard the front door slam. "Weather is going down hill. To bad Storm's run off with her own team."
Iceman smiled, "Never a weather witch when you need one." He called to Northstar as the man came into the room to join them.
"Spell is holding though. Oh and the sensors are back up. Between that and our psychics we should not have anyone sneaking up on us." Jean- Paul said flopping down in the armchair behind Bobby Drake. He smiled when he saw Tara's single-sex van, "Pride sister."
"Oh yes Jean-Paul is our resident homo...it makes Cain uncomfortable." Iceman said with a smile referring to Juggernaut who sat across the room playing pool with Wolverine. Probably the two most closed minded conservative men in the building.
Juggernaut flipped Bobby off before taking his next shot. Iceman simply laughed and blew Marko a kiss, "So your turn Xander." Bobby said watching as Harris spun the dial to move. As soon as Jean-Paul had come in he had scooted closer to Anya as if she was his security blanket. The overly horny ex-demon had had no problems with this sliding in closer to her fiancé.
Jean-Paul leaned over whispering something to Iceman that made the mutant smile looking at Tara.
"What?" Tara said she was terrified that she may have upset them.
"Nothing. Jean-Paul just thinks your friend Xander is cute." Iceman said and the look of fear that crossed Xander's face was classic, "Oh god I wish I had a camera."
"But Xander is not gay. He is mine." Anya said looking faux angry with Iceman.
"Yes...not gay. With the Anya." Xander chimed.
"I just said you were cute. Not I want to jump your bones." Jean-Paul said which actually made a smile appear on Tara's lips. Willow came down the stairs looking flustered to say the least. She walked in sliding onto the couch Tara, Xander, and Anya were perched on. She put her arms around Tara nuzzling her girlfriend's cheek with her nose.
"So um...game over then?" Tara said noticing that Xander and Anya had gotten up to leave. With the very apparent idea of relinquishing some of Anya's horny tendency.
"Yes game over. We must make with the..." Anya began but Xander clamped her mouth shut leading her up the stairs to their room.
Iceman smiled his eyes meeting Tara's for a moment, "Yeah game over. Look you two go get some sleep. We need your power at high strength if anything goes down." Tara smiled sheepishly for being considered so useful before being lead from the room by Willow's drawing hand. Iceman was definitely trying, unsuccessfully but trying, to woo Tara. She was the most ravishing creature he had ever had the pleasure of spending time with.
"Now's not the time to play the turn her straight game Bob." Northstar said cracking his knuckles as he flopped sideways in the chair eyeing Iceman over. Jean-Paul still had a large crush on the iced boy, "I should know." He added under his breath.
"What?"
"I said now is not the time..." Jean-Paul began.
"After that."
"Look if you're getting so specific you obviously heard me." Jean- Paul said glaring down at Iceman, "I'm going on patrol." With that he was gone in a blur flipping over the back of the chair his only sign of exit the door slamming shut.
"Did you upset your woman Bobby?" Cain asked from the pool table. This time it was Iceman's turn to do the flipping off. He was good friends with Northstar but apparently the man had wanted more all along. How had Bobby not seen it? He was the king of flirting.
Icing up as to avoid the weather conditions Iceman made for the door. He slipped out into the dark night his iced skin cracking as he did. The ground and water around him literally froze as it struck his exterior. Pulling the moisture easily from the air Bobby formed an ice slide moving off the porch trying to locate the estranged Northstar. Moving through the wreckage that was the mansion's current exterior but still within the spell's boundaries he knew Northstar couldn't have gone many places. Touching down momentarily he made his way around to the back of the mansion where the lake was were they able to cross the barrier spell.
He saw Northstar fully suited up in his classic silver and blue outfit that kept him warm and dry. The hero was sitting atop a rock along the back line of the mansion staring into the storm filled sky. The water splashed through the barrier spell as if it didn't exist. Luckily Glory couldn't turn herself into water or that might be a problem.
"Jean..." Iceman said dropping the slide to the ground making the last few feet on foot. He crossed to the other man's side placing a hand on his shoulder. Northstar pulled away not meeting Bobby's eyes. Wow, gay man were a handful nearly as bad as a woman he had rejected, "Look J.P. we...we could never be." Iceman said an uncommon lump forming in his own throat.
"Look I know. I just need alone time." Northstar said his eyes boring into the floor. He had dealt with this his whole life.
"I mean I experimented a little as a teen but I am very straight. Sorry, I guess that's what I wanted to say." Iceman said and turned walking away. As he got about ten feet away he heard a voice over the storm.
"I don't love you or anything. I just..." Jean-Paul said the end of the sentence said in front of Iceman's face, "...had a crush. Its no big nothing changed between us...its that I wanted more."
Iceman nodded uncomfortable with the entire situation. He cared to deeply for his teammates in general to have let this lie. This was good for both of them. To finally get this off of his chest, "Its fine Jean-Paul we're cool."
Northstar said nothing and both men stood in silence for nearly seventeen minutes or so. Jean-Paul had been attempting to count the time in his head. He hated standing still that long. When you moved as much as he did it was like a lifetime. Northstar could have sliced the awkwardness between the two with a knife at that moment. Iceman reverted to his human form his beautiful eyes meeting Northstar's own.
"I just wanted to get this out in the open. Finish it for both our sakes." Bobby said trying to figure out what to say. He had no jokes that wouldn't leave Jean-Paul crushed and he couldn't do that to his teammate. His lack of jokes put Iceman in a very weird position.
"Thank you for caring. Lets just leave it at that." Jean-Paul said and leaned in kissing Iceman lightly on the lips the rain soaking them both as lightning flashed in the background cutting through the darkened sky that surrounded them both. Pulling back to the stunned face of Bobby Drake he smiled momentarily.
"That it? We good?" Iceman said after overcoming his shock that Northstar had kissed him. He didn't like it but in a way felt it had been appropriate end to the two. It was obvious Jean-Paul had had an interest since coming to the school and Bobby had yet to address the other man. The kiss was poetic in Iceman's head. The death of this possibility sealed with a kiss, just never let Logan know.
"We're fine."
"Then lets get the hell out of the rain psycho." Iceman said making both of them crack a smile as they went back inside.
. . . .
Kurt sat or rather laid in bed his legs tucked gracelessly above the brims of his ears as he sat in a yoga type style on the beds edge. He was staring, though an onlooker never would have known, at the receiver of the phone. Ever since Willow had shown up he had had one thing on his mind, Scarlet Witch. Wanda Maximof the beautiful brunette of the Avengers. Recently he had met a universe hopping team known as the Exiles. A member of this little squad had been supposedly Wanda and his daughter. Kurt had truly bonded to T.J. Wagner in her short time with him and thus he had thought a lot about Wanda.
His trail stretching out he snatched the phone delicately off the receiver tossing to cordless to himself over his legs and into his three fingered palm. He knew the Avengers number from the short period of time Beast had spent with them. It was scribbled in Beast's old personal phone book, not that Kurt had looked for the number. But then again Beast was dead wasn't he.
Kurt's eyes blinked at that. Their had been so much rush and anger this evening he had yet to really realize that fact. Lightly touching his eye he felt a tear for his fellow blue furred mutant. Without realizing it had he absent mindedly already dialed the number. He heard a soft mechanical hello on the other end.
"Oh excuse me hello." Kurt said pausing breathing deeply before continuing.
"Can I help you? This is the Avengers private unlisted line. We're being recorded who is this." Came Tony Stark's had voice over the line. Kurt smiled, he really appreciated Stark. The man had designed the image inducer that got Kurt through so much in the bigoted world.
"Yes, sir. This is Kurt Wagner." Nightcrawler began and was about to continue when Stark interrupted him.
"Oh Kurt. Nice to hear from the X-Team once in a while. Things treating you well? Inducer running?" Stark said which knocked Kurt mentally off balance. That was hard to do physically.
"Um...yes its running fine. But that's not what I called about. Is Wanda home?" Kurt asked. Wow he sounded dumb. Is Wanda home? Come on idiot what were you saying.
"Maximof? Yes she is let me get her." Stark said putting Kurt on hold for what seemed more then a lifetime as he obtained Wanda for the purpose of speaking. The art in Kurt was lost. He was a nervous pile and didn't know what to do. Why was he really calling, to talk? No, because he thought she could help the situation. Oh, shut up, he chided himself. You want her and that's the only motive.
"Hello this is Wanda." Came a breezy voice over the phone. She seemed to be very intent on what he had to say. Perhaps Stark had made it seem more urgent then it was.
"Yes...um...Wan..Ms. Maximof this is Kurt Wagner from the X-..."
"Yes I know." She said and Kurt could hear her smile on the other end.
"Oh, well...we have a bit of a situation here. With magic users and stuff." Kurt said. Was he really that nervous? Where was the suave dashing Kurt he truly was. Kurt collected himself before continuing, "What I mean to say Wanda is, we're under attack by a hell-goddess and she has pretty much depleted our resources. We are fairly sure we have her trapped outside the mansion via a spell two witches have cast..."
"The X-Men have witches?" Kurt heard a deep male voice say. It sounded like Hawkeye if Kurt's memory wasn't failing him.
"Um...yes staying with us right now. The point is we're not doing well. Cyclops and a few others are bed-ridden in the infirmary and Hank...er...Beast is dead." Kurt said realizing a moment later that Beast knew all these people. He was a good friend to most of them. Kurt heard the inaudible gasp on the other end laced into the silence.
"Thou shalt not be alone any farther in thy battle." Kurt heard the distinctive Norse-god Thor say. He cracked a devilish grin. Hearing that was voice was as music. It made Kurt smile momentarily.
"I'm not calling for help." Kurt said sheepishly.
"Well then what can we do for you?" Kurt heard another male say. He believed this one to be Captain America himself. A hero Kurt placed a step above most, in the class of Wolverine or Spiderman. Just a powerhouse for years now.
"I just...well I was putting you on alert. If we fail on this front a second one should be prepared to fight on." Kurt said recovering nicely, "I believe we will defeat her...she is no Onslaught. But better safe then sorry. Also I was wondering if perhaps Thor or Wanda would be able to locate her mystically. Our telepaths and witches are having trouble finding the bitch." Kurt said his bitterness finally showing through. He was angry at the way Glory had treated his team and he would make her pay. He would cause her pain for McCoy.
"She shalt be found." Thor said and Kurt could just hear the storm getting worse even though the Thunder God was nowhere around him. He collected the end of the conversation and he hung up. Well he had achieved two things he had gotten a slight of help and given himself a reason to call Wanda again. This time perhaps for a more private moment if she was willing.
Flipping over Kurt landed on his hands before springing to his feet dressing himself in his all leather black X-Men outfit donned for a short period of time a few months ago by the entire team. But of course that made them appear to much as an army so Xavier had done away with the matching costumes. They were peace keepers when necessary not a fighting force.
Opening the door to the hallway he found Wolverine standing outside his door leaning on the wall across from him. So the quick healer was pushing himself to far. Frankly Kurt was not surprised, "You're pathetic." Logan said with a smile to his best friend.
"Oh and you've dun much better on de girl front as of late?" Kurt said a bit of his old german accent showing through. Logan smiled and said something along the lines of you got me their. Stepping into his room the two rested talking mainly of a man they both knew, Hank McCoy. Logan was of course steely about it saying, people die. Kurt even prayed for his soul at one point.
. . . .
Buffy Summers wiped her tears. She was sitting in the control room under no light. The gleam from inside the Danger Room shined in across her hair. She couldn't lose Dawn but now she had lost Glory and the infirmary was lined with people. People she cared for; Scott Summers one of her only living relatives, the man Angel who was a personification of her old boyfriend's name, Giles still rested in that dark place and the blonde woman Emma Frost. They all were down for the count as Faith would say. Buffy was appalled that Willow had even mentioned Faith's name as an option for help. They didn't need help, Glory had yet to feel the pain this group could really cause her.
Standing up bracing herself on the cold wall she moved to the door it swishing open with a deafening click. Moving down the hall it seemed as if this huge mansion would swallow Buffy if she made on wrong step. If she didn't know exactly what to do next she would fail. Buffy was headed for the kitchen, she would make Ben some food. A sandwich and maybe a glass of milk. She was give him that food no matter what the red-head woman said to her. Hopefully Willow still didn't linger around the kitchen waiting to pounce on her with more inane ideas.
Stepping onto the cold linoleum of the nearly all white kitchen Buffy opened the fridge and began searching for meats. The sandwich didn't take that long to complete but most people don't truly consider a sandwich. The meat on it from the slaughtered visage of a pig, the cheese churned for hours on end from rotted milk with flavors added, the bread harvested by hard working men and women who didn't deserve the conditions they were in, and the mustard...well Buffy wasn't really sure how the mustard was made. Sliding the sandwich onto a plate she poured a glass of milk and made her way out of the kitchen closing the refrigerator with her left foot. It was getting late or rather early as Buffy had been up all night and she knew she should get some sleep. But how could anyone expect her to sleep when Glory was still out there somewhere.
Making her way slowly back to this Danger Room she slumped down to the door. Clicking the keypad to open it a red light came up and a soft Scottish mechanical voice access denied. Of course they would have the bloody thing locked. Buffy hit the door in anger then sat leaning against it. Then into her vision she saw the red-head, her cousin in law. Jean walked to her in her classic gold and green Phoenix outfit. "Buffy. Can I help you?"
"I...wanted to take him some food." Buffy thought she could cry on this woman's shoulder right now but she was all cried out. She had no tears left only fight.
"I will do it. You're sweet." Phoenix said lightly touching Buffy's cheek as she helped her up, "I can definitely see the Summer's family in you."
"How is Scott?" Buffy asked now at her standing height. Jean took the food from Buffy's hands smiled as best she could. Buffy could see the woman wasn't doing well.
"He will be fine. Some internal bleeding but the Shiar tech is really helping to shut it down. It would be better if Hank could..." Jean let it hang turning away from Buffy. Reaching out Jean accessed the Danger Room stepping inside the door closing behind her to Buffy's dismay. She needed to see an unbiased friendly face, Ben's face. But that isn't what you really want is it?, Buffy harassed herself mentally. You want Riley to come back. To have him come running into your arms begging you forever or better yet, you want Angel.
. . . .
Phoenix kneeled before Ben. He seemed to have fallen asleep in the dark of the Danger Room. Their was no need to keep the boy trapped in an endless dark room. "Computer, lights." Jean said and then room lit up with an electronic glow powered by the Shiar Core Generator. Pulling her long hair back over her shoulder she met Ben's opening eyes.
"Hi, Ben." She said pulling the gloves off both hands as she sat his food between them. She rested back trying to pick into his mind. It was harder then it had been before but she hadn't been even remotely forceful yet, "Ben I wanted to ask you some things."
"Okay. Look about the injured I could help, I want to help." He said and Jean smiled at the weakness lining his voice, but if he was weak why couldn't she play a part in his head. She felt that same tendril as before. Wait as before what? Jean had a familiar sense with Ben's mind. It was like the stream, the tendril, she had taken inside Tara's mind when Glory had stolen it. Had Ben been mind wiped by Glory?! No, that couldn't be it. Tara had been near catatonic and Ben was fully lucid.
"Glory, Ben...are you Glory?" Jean asked suddenly interrupting his continued rant on ways he could help the injured. About how he was this close to being an MD. Her question knocked Ben off balance. He blinked at her and repeated her in a terrified fashion.
"Am I Glory?" Ben said his mind racing. Oh my god how did she know! This was the one Gory feared and the one that Glory said could separate them. Take the literal monkey on his back away. Finally set Ben free, "Why do you ask?"
"You're Glory." Jean said her eyes phasing to orange. She grabbed both sides of Ben's face, "Let me..." * IN THERE! * She finished her statement psychically. As you finished her last word the Phoenix exploded around the two nearly filling the Danger Room's breadth.
Jean shoved her way deep into Ben and apparently Glory's mind. This is why she had been confused. The Phoenix not being human had remembered Glory's transformation into Ben but her human half had a spell on it that forced her to forget it ever happened. She could see his entire life played out before her. The boy was sad, a tragic story. When Glory first showed up coming from him on his eleventh birthday, the pain he suffered. Amazed at what she could see, all the minds Glory had eaten they were all here. Jean could use the Phoenix to restore them and empty Glory but it was going to take everything out of her. Her physical body already screamed in pain from the resistance Glory was putting up. Ben was physically screaming at the top of his lungs tears of blood running down into the Phoenix's fire. His skin seemed to be boiling as Jean shoved her way in deeper. She began plucking them out mentally shoving them onto the astral plane. They would be safe there and return to their natural owners within time as it was their rightful locations. Jean released Ben's body slumping back onto her knees her power drained. She had just freed hundreds of minds from this demon-god. Flexing her hands she tried to rise but her shirt was seized.
"Oh get up bitch! Now I am really hungry!" She said bringing Jean into her face. Glory stood in Ben's sweatpants and X-Men shirt he had been given. Glory's left hand seemed to light with a starved energy as her fingers were shoved into Jean's brain, "I bet the Phoenix tastes great!"
Glory's entire body seemed to explode in elation like a rocket first released from its platform. She could feel power surging into her. This was like no mind she had ever tasted. Tara's mind had been a treat, like an instant high with its immense possibility for power. Tara had the power from natural birth she didn't find it like Willow. Tara could be far more powerful then she was. But this was realized power, core true power. This was like nothing Glory had ever tasted.
Tossing Jean aside Glory grabbed both sides of her head. Oh my god this was wonderful. She could feel the energies flowing inside her. She was stronger then she had ever been. She could do anything. The Slayer, she was near. She would die first. The all time biggest pain in her side, Buffy Summers, would pay with her life. Running to the door of the Danger Room it flew out from Glory's punch. Reaching out she had hold of Buffy before the girl realized what was happening. "Hey Bunny." Glory said squeezing Buffy's neck hard leaving deep marks on both sides of the skin. Tossing Buffy up Glory backhanded her sending the Slayer flying into and through the wall.
Alarms were sounding everywhere from the escape notice of the door blasting out. Two men were already in front of her. The demon Nightcrawler and the short one, Glory believed his name was Logan and he loved her. No he loved Jean the woman's whose brain she had tasted. This was the most unusual mind she had ever had the pleasure of eating. It was different from any other she could still feel Jean and the Phoenix lying back in the Danger Room, as if they were one. She could remember Jean's thoughts and hear Jean rummaging about captive in Glory's mind.
Logan snarled and dived at Glory. She reached out her fist breaking through his metal ribcage and into the area around his heart. She squeezed it causing an instant explosion of Logan's heart. The man's face seized up and he slumped to the floor. Glory could already hear Nightcrawler on the horn again, "X-Men Emergency. Jean, Buffy and Logan are down outside Danger Room. Glory is..." That was all he ever got out as Glory grabbed the confused demon by the tail snapping him in next to her their faces inches apart.
* Lets test something. * Glory said into Kurt's mind. She could do it. She could use Jean's powers they really were connected. Just as this thought completed Glory's skin seemed to tingle then light on fire. She looked at Kurt's yellow orbs, * Work for me elf. *
Kurt simply nodded his yes. His eyes glazed over into a fiery orange, he was a slave of Glory. A slave of the new Phoenix. If Jean didn't regain control of her power soon all would be lost.
To Be Continued....
(Next time...and the last time: Willow vs. Glory, Havok vs. Dru/Vampires....and finally the showdown between Glory and Xavier to make happen the story's close.)