Eclipse
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Disclaimer: see previous chapters for details.
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Chapter 4
"How do you like the show so far, Charles?" The image cut off as the blast exploded from Eclipse's hand. "It won't be long before Ms. Lee is eclipsed by her darker emotions."
"I don't believe Jubilee will ever become what you envision for her."
"Oh how vain you are Charles to believe that your beliefs have any impact on the reality I am creating." Charles held his head. "You feel it don't you, Charles, the slow pull of death as your waning life force bleeds away into the ether."
*********
Blinding death sped towards Monet only to stop inches before her heart. It dissipated with the clenching of Jubilee's hand. Jono made it up to the room mere seconds after the blast had been fired and was too late to do anything but watch. Monet just stood there not knowing what to do.
"Why?" She asked Monet. That one word, a question, summing up the years of bad blood between the two young women. They had started to become great friends even though they had such vastly different views of the world.
Monet's mind was in turmoil at the question that was so many accusations in one. 'Why did you betray me? Why did you give up? Why did you not ask for help? Why…Why…Why…?' Monet hung her head answering without looking the young Asian woman in the eyes. She pointed over to the beds; "They're the only family I have left. I was so ashamed that I couldn't prevent this from happening. I'm sorry…"
Jubilee looked away. 'Monet, we are so the parallel of each other you and I. You chose family over everything else and I've chosen my needs over my families'. We have changed a lot since we first met.'
Jono finally chose to speak up. **Why are you here?**
"I need your help Jono."
**I don't do the superhero thing anymore.**
"It's nothing like that Jono. I only want to repay a debt."
**I can sense you're not telling me the whole truth gel.**
"It's for Ange." That gave both Monet and Jono pause.
"Jubilee. Angelo is dead."
"Yes and no. He's still alive in the past." That statement startled them but Jubilee was ready to press on. "Monet what do you remember about Legion?" It was a dumb question given that M was blessed with a photographic memory.
"You can't be serious." Monet said as what Jubilee proposed began to dawn on her and Jono. "We can't do that it's too dangerous and unpredictable. The X-men aren't just going to let you meddle with temporal energy."
"They're well taken care of." An evil gleam appeared in Jubilee's eyes for a second and vanished. 'It's now or never.' She began to tell them as much as she legally could about her dealings with the Gamesmaster.
**How could you do that to Professor Xavier? Do you honestly think the Gamesmaster will keep his word?**
"I have my reasons. No I don't. Are you two going to help me or not?" They both looked as if they were about to refuse. 'I need Jono in on this or it's not going to work plus Monet would be a big help. What can I do to convince them?' Jubilee pulled out one of the vials she'd taken from Kine Labs. She tossed it to Monet. "I believe this will help your sister." Monet deftly caught it.
**What's that?**
"It is a drug designed to attack and destroy the cells of artificially created and altered genetic structures. It should counteract the emplate affect and return her to normal. Do we have a deal?" Monet looked at Jono with pleading eyes.
"Alright I'm in." Jubilee breathed a sigh of relief, as Jono looked her way. She closed her mind as flashes of memory boiled to the surface. She held her head.
"So English you got a spare room?" He quickly pointed her to an unused bedroom. She locked it and slid down to the floor. Sabretooth, Sinister, Shinobi Shaw and countless others appeared in her mind's eye. 'We got what we came for frail. Light em up!' The guards disappeared in dark bursts of plasma. The scene changed to a chamber littered with the broken and charred bodies of Hand ninjas. Then to the image of young blue skinned child she left on Sinister's doorstep. {{Is it worth it?}} 'I've come too far now.' {{So be it. You're on your own.}} Young Jubes voice echoes in her head before it is silenced.
~*~
"Well Charles the Endgame is upon us. Do you have anything to say now that you've seen what Eclipse has been up to?"
"…"
"It doesn't matter. You will be leaving my company very soon. I can't have you missing the welcome back party I've planned for you." There's a bright flash and Professor Xavier is once more in his body. The first thing he notices is the burning pains within his chest. It appeared that the Gamesmaster had been holding back the full brunt of his pain while he was on the Astral Plane.
Beast and Synch turned as the Professor stirred in his bed. They quickly went to help their mentor. "Mr. Thomas I assume you know the situation."
"Yes Professor. Cyclops has called a briefing in the warroom in an hour. Are you okay?"
"It hasn't been one of my better days."
"That is putting it mildly Professor. The Shi'ar equipment has only been able to remove 75% of the toxin in your blood. I suggest that you don't over exert yourself so soon."
"I'll be fine Henry. For now we need to get ready. I believe that the Gamesmaster was hinting at Jubilee returning here. For what I don't know what I do know is that she plans to bring back…"
"Angelo." Synch finished for the Professor. Beast helped the Professor into his hoverchair and quickly moved towards the warroom.
~*~
"Gambit don' like dis."
"What other choice do we have, shuga? She tried to kill the Professor once already."
"The child plans to attempt what Legion did a time rift."
"She ain't a child no more 'Ro. She ain't thinkin straight. Do you think she'll pull her punches? She made it in here once and she can do it again. We may have to take her down."
"I can't believe what I'm hearing especially from you Wolverine."
" X-men don't kill."
"We've done it before…"
"In the most extreme situations only."
"Yes. But this is one of our own we're talking about."
"We don't know what happen if Jubie open dat rift."
"Gambit's right. Can she even do it?"
"Do you want to take that chance?" The briefing continued like this for over an hour. It just got louder and louder with people tossing the same things back and forth. Charles Xavier took a deep breath feeling the slow burn of the toxins. The last resort was upon them and they didn't want to accept it. 'They had no choice but to kill Eclipse.'
~*~
TBC
