Title: The One Who Sees
Author: Dhampyrx2
Category: Crossover W/ X-Men: Evolution, X-Men comic elements
Timeframe: Post-Dirty Girls, S7
Pairings: I'm open to suggestions that don't involve Spike, unless he reverts to his old, evil self
Summary: Xander's loss of an eye at the hands of Caleb stirred up a hornet's nest of trouble. His family is angry, worried, and happens to include several Alpha Class mutants, who will descend on Sunnydale with a vengeance to find out what happened, and take their frustrations out on the Caleb and the First Evil's hides.
Standard Disclaimer: I own squat. Several very wealthy people own the rights to Buffy, X-men, and any other character I may throw in. I make no money off of this. Nobody else try to do it either.
Distribution: You want it, just ask.
After Tabitha's best attempts to mortally embarrass Kurt and Wanda, as well as make Talia and Xander wish they were deaf, blind, and psychically shielded all the time, the tension in the room seemed to ease. Although that admittedly might have had more to do with the departure of several people at the hands of the nursing staff (who surprisingly paid no attention to Kurt and TJ's appearance either), than with any increase in comfort being near one another.
Buffy and Faith both left to check on the potentials, with promises that they would return that afternoon when the doctors cleared Xander to leave under his parents' custody. Tabitha and TJ, meanwhile, were headed to Xander's apartment to get him some fresh clothes, with Talia insisting on picking something out for him that "had style for a change." Logan was hustled outside to finish his cigar, no matter how much feral growling he protested with.
That left only Kurt, Wanda, Rogue, and Willow behind to keep Xander company in his room.
"I understand you've become quite the talented Wicca now, Willow." Wanda said, now much calmer after Faith and Tabitha's departures.
"Oh, yeah. We had a bit of a problem with it last year, but Xander talked me down before it went too far." Willow replied nervously.
Rogue snorted then as she cut in and said, "You ain't the first good guy to go a little nuts, Willow. It feels like we rate one every couple of months in the X-men. It was just Jeannie's turn six month ago in fact."
"Rogue." Kurt said in a tone that was half warning, and half plea.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, Kurt. It's not like I never lost it either. That time I touched mama when we were Willow's age and attacked you all as Sabretooth an' Juggernaut comes to mind. Or how Mesmero brainwashed me and had momma lead me tah steal all our powers for ol' Porklips. Got to say I was glad tah learn she only did that 'cause Irene had been zapped by Mesmero too, an she thought she was protectin' us." the southern belle responded.
"Yeah, Nana might not be nice, but she isn't into hurting her family, that's for sure." Xander added, as he grabbed his aunt's hand and comforted her through her hard memories.
"Agreed. Mozher has her problems, but she does care about us." Kurt commented.
And so the Xander's family continued to reminisce, making Willow feel that much better with each story to show that even heroes of their caliber aren't perfect.
Wolverine smoked his cigar leisurely as he stood up against the tree next to Xander's room. He sniffed the air experimentally for danger, and looked above him, noticing a large raven roosted in the tree.
"Raven." he said conversationally, appearing to any passers-by that he was just identifying the animal.
He was unsurprised though, when the bird flew down and morphed into a striking blue skinned woman with red hair. "Logan." Mystique responded in an equally even tone.
Neither commented on his ability to identify her. She had not bothered to change her scent along with her form, and he would have ferreted her out easily as a result.
"Got to admit, I'm surprised you're still here. I figured you'd cut out once you knew we were watching the kid." Wolverine said, his posture relaxed as he enjoyed his cigar.
"You know better than that." Mystique spat as she gave him a dirty look. He knew good and well she wouldn't leave until the ones who had hurt her grandchild were dealt with.
"Yeah. I guess I do." Logan replied. "You gonna say 'hi' to the Stripes an' the Elves?" he asked after a pause to take a drag of his stogie.
Raven calmed down as she shifted to a more normal looking version of her regular form (think Principal Darkholme without the glasses). "Not yet. I want to wait until Magneto's daughter is done smothering Alex first." she replied coldly.
Logan rolled his eyes as he replied, "Magneto gave up the mutant supremacy shit and was helping Charles when she joined the Avengers, Raven. Can't you let it go and quit acting like she abandoned the cause or something? She was already a white hat when he changed his tune back again."
"You forget her time working for Fury, and forget that she abandoned my grandson without even telling Kurt he was a father?" Mystique asked contemptuously.
"Or like you abandoned the Elf? Or how you always left Stripes with Irene while you ran errands for old Bucket Head? You ain't no angel as a parent, Raven." Logan replied coolly.
"They were better off where I left them, Logan. Alexander wasn't. And I never gave Kurt up, I dropped him running from Magneto, you know that. Once I knew he was alive, he was safe from that...asshole." Raven spat back coolly. "It still doesn't excuse her actions no matter what I did. Or the fact she actually volunteered to work for SHEILD's lapdogs.
"Like neither of us ever did jobs for SHEILD." Logan replied tiredly.
"Not by choice. You were on loan from Weapon X. And I..." she trailed off then, not wanting to discuss any more ancient history with Wolverine.
"Yeah." Logan said, not really wanting to dredge up that part of his past any more than she did. As with most things related to Weapon X, it was better left forgotten.
"You do realize that this Caleb person has to die?" Raven asked, changing the subject to more immediate concerns.
Logan just nodded. That was a problem some of the X-men like Scott had with Xander's fights and methods. You tended to have to deal with demons and their minions more permanently that the Professor's dreams envisioned. Even with Chuck gone off to live in outer space with the Princess Lillandra of the Shi'ar empire, Scooter kept the anal retentive aspect of the X-men's dreams alive. "Sometimes it's good to get back to basics. Besides, if Delphi can't read him, he ain't human enough to lose sleep over, anyway." Logan answered finally.
"Delphi? That's a new one for you to call him. It's quite a bit smarter than you're usual nicknames." Mystique replied with a bit of humor in her voice.
Logan snorted at her snotty teasing as he responded, "It's the kid's codename, if he wants it."
"You know he won't leave the Hellmouth to become an X-man." Raven replied as she rolled her eyes.
"Maybe, maybe not. Either way the name, and the position, is his for the taking. And I'm putting him in some proper uniform body armor the second he checks out of this dump." Logan countered.
"It's about time." Raven replied in exasperation. Then after a pause, she started to stroll off, and called out over her shoulder, "I'll see you later, Wolverine. Watch out for my family."
"Always do, Raven." Logan replied, as he dropped the butt of his finished cigar to the ground and stomped it out.
As all this took place, Caleb was receiving his orders from the First as he tried to get the Slayer Scythe from its stony prison.
"How are things progressing?" the First, currently in the shape of Buffy, asked.
"All is going according to plan. Soon, we'll find a way to get it loose, and then its power shall be mine to serve you in your final glory." Caleb replied.
The First was strangely silent for a while, before it commented, "You need to tread lightly. There are new forces converging here because of the raid by Buffy and her little army."
"With you at my side, I am ready for all opposition." Caleb replied in rapture.
"We'll see. Just tread lightly. When powerful forces collide, something has to give." the First responded.
"I'll be prepared." Caleb assured.
"Then go. Our little patsy will be at the school soon, and you need to be there to greet her." the First urged. The noncorporeal being watched the preacher smile and nod congenially to it, before hurrying back up the stairs to the Vineyard, and then out into the town to hand Buffy her ass in yet another battle.
Once it was sure he was gone, the First's eyes started to glow blue, and its' voice grew deeper as it said, "Yes, go my pawn. I have given you power to face the arriving X-men. Now we shall see if you are truly strong enough to serve me, Caleb."
The evil figure laughed, as it morphed into another form. This one had bluish-gray skin, blue body armor, blue lips, and evil red eyes and almost Egyptian features. It stood over seven feet tall and was clearly muscled beneath the armor, now with various tubes sticking out of it as it completed its transformation. "After all, only the strong shall survive." Apocalypse added, before he started to chuckle darkly again, his face never even breaking into a grin.
End Part 4