DISCLAIMER: The X-men are property of Marvel. Not mine.


Magneto-Xavier laughed, loving the pleasure jolt he received at Rogue's horrified reaction. Magneto had an odd fondness for her, but Xavier felt no such softness. He raised his hand, watching as the girl rose, still fighting it, and flung her into a wall. She crumpled with a loud groan, holding her shoulder. Her eyes were smoldering as she stared at him.

"What the Hell is going on?" she demanded.

"Foolish child. And to think I once thought that you were to be my Supermutant. It's no matter now. I have the one I want."

"Your behind this?" she demanded. Magneto-Xavier laughed, then warped the field around her neck so that it felt as if a hand were crushing her throat, then lifted her towards him by it. She struggled, clawing at neck, leaving crimson welts.

"I've been behind everything, from the very beginning. It started with Carol. Lovely, young Carol. Her mind was so sharp. At first I thought I could use her. But she was weak, you see. She loved me. And I thought if I melded with her, we'd be able to do it, to use the necklace. So I made her mind my own," the hand tightened around Rogue's throat. She gasped and grabbed at her throat again, and he loosened it. "But it only tainted her. That I was able to take over her mind made her even weaker. Made her unfit.

"Then I found you. All alone and malleable, but your mind was so powerful, even I couldn't breach it. So I took over Mystique. And I made you run away, and run to her. I lost control then, lost it to Him," Magneto-Xavier sneered. "But, during that brief time he was in control, he had found the one. Jean Grey. And I wanted her. He thought he had won, that he was rid of me. But there was still Carol. She helped me regain control. How I enjoyed her mind. You wouldn't believe it. And she did it out of love. What a foolish, inconsequential emotion. Then I made Mystique make you absorb Carol, in essence, absorbing me. And through your absorption, I could control you, without tainting your mind. So I was going to have you absorb her. I had already made Sinister create his virus. Would you believe he originally intended to cure mutations? Now his "cure" will be used to super enhance mutations, while causing the rest of humanity to further evolve. Because we are the evolution. And I was going to use it to enhance Jean's telekinesis through you, to sway the wills of those that might oppose me…

"And then she met him…," he laughed. Rogue kicked his shin, but her foot bounced harmlessly off his armor. He didn't seem to notice. "And he made her doubt herself. And then I could have her, because she was strong enough to keep us separate in her minds. He taught her that ," he giggled then, insanely. "But at that time, it was too late. Magneto had found the necklace, and he was determined to use it for his own good. Would you believe he was going to create the world as he wanted? Mutants and humans living in peace. It wasn't easy taking control of him. But through him I could. After that, the pieces began falling into place. I had Sinister merge Carol and your psyche's, freeing mine to inhabit the mind of Emma Frost. You and Gambit escaping was an unforeseen side effect. I didn't know the boy would be so affected by you," he brought her closer to him. "Like I said, love is foolish.

"Then I had Mystique kidnap Scott and Jean. Then you came running back. It was almost too easy," Rogue was afraid of the insanity in his eyes. "Then Gambit came ruunninnng aaaafter," he singsonged. "But then," his voice changed into a sneer, "he managed to break free again. I had been giving him too much liberty. Allowing him too much freedom. See, he didn't really know about me."

"Who?"

"Xavier, of course."

"But-" he shushed her with another squeeze of her throat.

"He wanted to call for help. I made himcall Emma Frost, who had worked for him before she had gone to Sinister, who now was my primary host. Then he called Mystique. Did you know she was going to work for him, after she freed Kurt? No, I can see you didn't. She really did want to do what was best for you two. A little late but it was genuine. So then Emma foiled your little escape plot and Sinister has infected Jean with the virus, who even now could be at Omega levels. . ."

"Why are you doing this?" Rogue asked, her voice scratchy.

"Because this world is not fit for the likes of you! With the necklace, I will be in control! And the world shall recognize me, and all Homo sapien superiores as the rightful evolution of man! And I can create the world in my image!"

"You're crazy," Rogue shouted at him. Magneto-Xavier looked at her, a smile carving Magneto's craggy features that was purely Xavier's. An evil smile. She struggled against him.

"Be that as it may, it is time you met your end." Rogue felt her blood heat. It felt as if it were carrying tiny razorblades throughout her entire body. She could feel it leaking from her eyes and ears and nose, and she began to struggle, violently, fiercely.

"Why is it dat you psychos always have t'explain your evil plot before doin' it? Don't you know dat's always your downfall?"

"Why is it that you pesky X-men keep interfering?" Magneto-Xavier roared. He dropped Rogue and turned to face the intruders. Gambit stood at the front; hand on his cocked hip, holding his recovered bo-staff. Angel's wings rippled as he moved forward, wishing to take to the heights of Magneto's throne room. Electricity flowed off Storm, dancing along her hands. Beast and Iceman stood ready, Shadowcat at their side, anger marring her cute, pixie like face. Psylocke's fist glowed brilliantly in the dim light. Colossus stood at his full, impressive height and Mystique stood next to him, an Uzi in her hands. Cyclops was in the back, holding the limp body of Jean Grey, Nightcrawler's blue hand on his shoulder. Magneto-Xavier laughed, full, throaty. "You dare to defy me?"

"Yeah!" Rogue shouted, darting forward and wrenching the necklace from his hands. He halted her progress magnetically, but a card exploded in his face, sending him reeling back.

The battle for the world had begun.


Let me know if something still isn't clear, I have it all in my head and I can't tell if anything got lost in the transcription!

Thanks,

Kinsella