Thanks to:
Kurttyscogue – I missed out the episodes because they were superfluous to the storyline here and I would only be rehashing plots we already know about. I figured I've been mean enough to Scott and Rogue now, this is my equivalent of an apology!
LadyEvils – The Brotherhood will be back – but not here sadly. Lance and Piotr are not gonna be friends (evil chuckles). I had no idea that Avalanche had been a horseman!
X00001 – Another horseman on the horizon…and that'll made all four!
Rogue14 – (Drools over thought of naked Remy poster) Emma is too evil to kill! She rules. Mystique will be making an appearance here…
Furygrrl – Lance and Piotr are gonna have a few 'issues' (evil smirk). I was kinda worried that the Scogue was a bit sickly, but I'm still feeling guilty for all the torture. I promise no zombie-hobo Jean, but I think I can manage a touch of Phoenix…
DemonRogue13 – Glad you like it!
Akaineko – I'm glad you like the story, although the Scogue isn't to your taste. I haven't exactly forgotten Gambit, but I found the romance in Evo a bit forced. Check out my Jeance fic for some Romy in an uncoming chapter! (shameless self advertising!)
XX-Goth-Gal – Nah, Warren was barely around in Evo, considering he was one of the original members of the X-Men. And I'm looking forward to making him the eil Archangel! The teams who face the horsemen will be very different, but you'll have to wait and see which, if any, Morlocks go with.
Enfant-terrible – A convert to Jean fandom, cool! I'm glad you like the story!
Oceanbang – I wasn't gonna give Rogue control back, but then I wondered why I had to be so mean and changed my mind. And Lance is gonna hate Piotr!
UncannyAsianGirl – There are some Darkholme family conversations in here! I'm not sure that Piotr/Lance/Kitty will become a triangle, but I think he'd enhance Lance's current relationship issues. Yeah, in 'Manipulating' the Cauldron episode, Scott removed his visor and got a good look at Rogue, but he was a bit too concerned with mutant domination to appreciate it. I thought the TK could be used to hold back her powers although I didn't think of Cable it's a good analogy. Even if her lack of control is psychological, it would cause her to believe she can control it. I think. About the fourth horseman, I'm saying nothing…only that it might not be who you think it is. And thanks for the recommendation! I'll be sure to check it out.
Author Note: Please forgive the lateness of this chapter (Goddamn real life). I'm back on track now though! I also have another fic on the go at the moment, called 'Unpredictable' (more shamelss self advertising!) if you'd like to check out other things I'm writing!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
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When Scott and Rogue got back to the Institute, they had planned to go to the rec room and wait for some one to notice they were touching. Scott figured he could take some good-natured teasing if it meant that Rogue could show off her control. But when the Beast met them in the hangar, his expression grim, they realised that there might not be time for jokes.
"There have been new developments in China." The Beast led the two teens and the other three instructors through to the control room, giving Rogue a sideways look that she didn't like one bit.
"Don't tell me the military made another strike," said Logan.
"Some one did. And it turned out much the same way as it did for Magneto." The Beast paused and turned to look at them. "It was Warren and Jean."
"Angel? With Jean? Why?" Rogue couldn't believe what she was hearing. It didn't seem possible that Jean could be dead…
But the footage of the attack left no room for doubt. The Beast played back the film that had been captured by the Chinese Military's cameras, showing Jean making an abortive attempt to defeat Apocalypse, using Warren as a shield but still unable to escape. Both of them being surrounded by energy fields that compressed until they were no longer there.
"Ah never thought Jean would get into that situation," said Rogue as she stared at the screen. "Ah never thought she'd get…you know. Killed."
Scott put an arm around her shoulders. "What was Warren doing with her?"
"She met Warren when she was pretending to be me and ah guess she thought he'd have a place for her to hide and she could do what she liked to his head without anyone noticing."
"You think she used her telepathy to make him go with her?"
"Ah'd put money on it. Because of her nasty games, Warren died too…oh no, who'll tell his parents?"
"I'd imagine they already know," said the Professor. "It was on all the news channels."
Rogue glanced at the screen again, the picture frozen to show Apocalypse sinking back into the dome. "Do the other students know?"
"I think so," replied the Beast. "They've been glued to the TV all night watching the anti-mutant riots escalating – how was the situation outside the mansion?"
"A sudden heavy rain shower seemed to put most of them off." Storm allowed herself a slight smile.
"Ah need to speak to Lance and Kitty," said Rogue. "We were all at the Brotherhood together and we all got brainwashed by her…ah just don't know how to feel."
"Let's go find them." Scott and Rogue walked out of the door, leaving the adults to contemplate the recent developments.
"What was she thinking?" Storm sighed and shook her head. "Why did she have to go on some revenge mission?"
"The same reasons Magneto had," said the Professor bleakly. "When she felt threatened, she attacked without thinking."
"Whatever the reason, it doesn't matter now." The Beast leant over and turned off the screen. "The outcome's still the same."
In the rec room, most of the X-Men were gathered around the TV, talking excitedly. A few of them had shot looks at Kitty and Lance, who had withdrawn from the conversation as soon as the futile attack by Jean and Warren had been shown. Everyone in the mansion knew that the pair had once been on the same team as Jean.
When Scott and Rogue walked in, there was a slight pause in the noise before everyone began talking at once. Scott held his hands up in an appeal for quiet. "We already know. Don't you have a danger room session at 5-30 in the morning?"
Grumbling to themselves, the New Recruits left the room. Lance and Kitty stayed, as did Kurt and Piotr. The Russian looked a little uncomfortable. "You want I also should go?"
"Yeah," said Lance.
"No." Kitty gave Piotr a smile. "Stay. You might like, help us get a fresh look at all this."
"The Beast just told us about Jean." Rogue sat on the sofa and glared at the TV, showing the results of a football game. "I just can't believe it."
"Me either." Kitty sat curled up in an easy chair, Lance sat on the arm beside her. "She always seemed so – in control. Oh, sorry Rogue."
"That's OK."
"I never thought she'd let herself go up against some one who could beat her so easily," said Lance. "Remember when she got put on the soccer team? She didn't need to use her powers, but sometimes she would anyway. The opposing teams' cheerleaders fell on their asses too many times for it to be a coincidence."
"Yeah." Kitty smirked vaguely at the reminder. "Remember when she brainwashed Taryn into telling Arcade she had a crush on him?"
"Ah think he's still following her around," said Rogue with a smile. "Ah thought ah'd be ecstatic when Jean died, but now ah don't know. Ah feel…ah dunno. Not sad exactly, but not as happy as ah thought ah'd be."
"Me either," said Kitty. "I never hated her as much as you did, but I didn't think I'd miss her after all the things she did."
"You are both capable of compassion for this friend gone bad," said Piotr carefully.
Lance rolled his eyes and jumped up. "Uh, hello! Jean was a bitch who used us, brainwashed us, almost killed me, trapped Rogue in her own head for months and sold us out to Apocalypse! Why do we all feel sorry for her all of a sudden? As far as I'm concerned, she got what she deserved and about time."
"Lance!" Kitty jumped up too. "Jean's dead! No one deserves that!"
"No? Wake up Kitty. You're turning her into a misunderstood saint and she wasn't. She was a cold bitch who thought that the rest of us were just here to use and throw away afterward. And now you're sorry for her? Save the pity for when Apocalypse does whatever it is he's gonna do to the rest of us."
Kitty stared at him, her eyes beginning to tear over. "You're such a – a shit! She's dead and OK, she was a bitch but you don't need to be so fucking pleased about it!"
Everyone watched in stunned silence as she stormed out of the room. None of them had ever heard Kitty go into a screaming rage at anyone or use some of the words she just had.
"Kitty was right Lance," said Rogue with a contemptuous look. "You are a shit." She left the room to go after Kitty in the hopes of calming her down.
"There was no need to upset her," said Piotr reproachfully.
Lance spun around, clenching his fists. "You ridin' me Tin-Can? 'Cause I got no problems taking you out, right here, right now!"
Scott glanced around in alarm as the room began to shake. "Calm down Lance! What's with you?"
"Nothing's with me!" Lance stalked out of the room, the other two watching him.
"He's a very angry boy," said Piotr, the understatement of the year.
"But he's not normally like this," said Kurt thoughtfully. "Something's been really bugging him lately."
Lance hurried through the mansion, cursing himself. Now he'd done it. Kitty would probably ditch him and run straight into the arms of the big Russian asshole she seemed so fond of. And it was his own fault.
But he was so afraid, all the time, ever since he'd seen the path his life should have taken courtesy of Jean Grey. Always worried that he might really be like that, that he'd attack Kitty just because she was in his way, or attempt to hurt other people because he was given the order to…
…they're comin after us…
…then bury 'em…
The images in his head were driving him insane. He couldn't deal with it anymore.
On a whim he changed direction, heading to the control room where he knew the instructors would still be trying to work out exactly what had happened to Jean and Warren. Outside the door he paused, wondering if he really wanted to do this – then the image of Kitty running away from him through the office of Northbrook High and his reaction, dropping half the ceiling on her head. Mind made up, he shoved the door open and walked into the room.
The Professor and the Beast were still working at the computer, Logan and Storm nowhere in sight. The Professor turned around and raised an eyebrow. "Lance? Can we help you?"
"Uh, yeah…" Lance was beginning to have second thoughts. "I need you to go into my mind."
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Mesmero stalked the streets of Bayville long after most of its citizens had retired to bed. Apocalypse had given him a job to do and he was going to do it without the interference of the X-Men, thanks to the protection of his master. There was only one person who could know he was here…
He heard the scraping of a manhole cover and smirked, waiting for the new arrival.
"Why are you here? What isss it that you want?"
"I come with an offer from Apocalypse."
"The one in the dessssert."
"He wants you to stand by his side in the upcoming battle, to be part of the bright new future instead of hiding in the sewers. Isn't that what you always wanted?"
"Yesss…"
"Apocalypse can offer you that. You can come out of hiding, stop being afraid of the humans. And he will improve your powers."
Mesmero didn't like the sound of silence that greeted this information. But he had known that this horseman might need a little push…
He didn't need to enslave the mans mind, but he did take advantage of the indecision to steer the outcome in the desired direction.
"I will come with you."
There was no need for them to use air travel when Apocalypse's power had grown so much. A blue portal appeared at the end of the alley and Mesmero herded Caliban into it.
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Kurt awoke the next morning and dressed in a hurry, teleporting into the kitchen and grabbing himself a sandwich before the others were up. He considered waking his sister for a moment, then chose not to. Rogue might have saved Mystique from her stone form, but she was serious when she said she wanted no more to do with the woman. But Kurt wanted answers.
Chewing thoughtfully on the sandwich, he heard the noise of the New Recruits heading to the kitchen after their Danger Room session and teleported away, arriving outside the Brotherhood house. There were no signs of activity, so Kurt crept tentatively closer, wondering if he should just enter the house or maybe knock on the door…
"What are you doing here?"
Kurt turned and saw the gun pointed in his face, the blue face of his mother out of focus behind it. "Just to talk!"
Mystique frowned, tucking the gun into a holster on her hip. Kurt began breathing again. "Did Xavier send you?"
"No, I just needed to – why are you carrying a gun?"
"Target practice."
"Isn't it illegal to discharge a gun within Bayville limits?"
"So?"
"You didn't have to point it at me."
"You're sneaking around my house. I want to know why."
"I was looking for you. I wanted to ask you about – well, about my past. What happened to me?"
Mystique's look was almost pitying. "I was running away and I dropped you. You were rescued and adopted by a German family."
"Why did you run? What were you doing with Magneto?"
"Jean found all this out when she touched me?"
"And she let Rogue know about it. You're not answering the question."
Mystique looked him straight in the eye. "I do what I have to do to get by. I always have."
"Why are you so full of anger?"
"I don't harbour false hope about the future of mutants and humans. Better to know that we'll be hated and return that than to plan for peace that will never happen." Mystique dropped her gaze. "I always regretted what happened and I thought about you every day, but I did what I had to do. I can't answer any more of your questions. I can't tell you what you want to hear."
Mystique turned and walked back toward the house. Kurt wanted to go after her and for a moment he was going to – then a silver streak raced out of the house and grabbed the morning paper. Pietro. With a sigh, he teleported back to the grounds of the Institute.
Jamie was outside, playing basketball with five clones. Kurt 'ported four feet into the air, caught the ball, 'ported over to the net and sunk the ball, much to the annoyance of the Jamie's.
"What's going on?" asked Kurt.
"Not much," said Jamie, absorbing the duplicates. "Kitty's in bed with the flu and the Professor went to Scotland with Scott, Rogue and Storm. There's a rumour that the Professor's got a secret kid there!"
"Parents all have their little secrets," muttered Kurt miserably. Then he sneezed.