Arise Phoenix Arise

"Jean! Jean!" Xavier called out to Jean who was still in her trance. "Wake up!"

"There's nothing you can do, Charles," Shaw told him. "She's completely under our control and ready to fufill her destiny. This prophecy has been around for thousands of generations. Even our Founding Fathers knew all about it and revered it. That's not an eagle on the floor of the Oval Office. It's a Phoenix."

"No it's not," Steve spoke out. "Its an eagle."

"For once young Steve is correct," The Kingpin said. "I've been to the Oval Office and it indeed is an eagle."

"He's right boss," Leland said. "It's an eagle."

"Well it was supposed to be a phoenix," Shaw glared at him.

"It doesn't matter what it's supposed to be," Kingpin told him. "It's what it is that matters. And it's an eagle."

"If Ben Franklin had his way it would have been a turkey," Steve said aloud.

"WHO CARES?" Shaw snapped. "The point is this prophecy has been around for ages! It even goes all the way back to the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt."

"Rama Tut and En Saba Nur," Xavier frowned.

"Yes," Shaw nodded. "But Alien technology wasn't the only thing that descended from the stars, the power of the Phoenix was there as well. In this crystal. In those days they picked their most highly trained priestesses to serve as its host, channeling its power. I think your Miss Grey will do rather nicely."

"Why her?" Roberto shouted. "You've got a ton of other telepaths working for you!"

"Well not that many," Shaw smirked. "But Sinister assured us that your Miss Grey was the most genetically compatible for our project."

"Sinister…" Remy growled.

"You can't do this!" Roberto strained against his bonds.

"Quiet boy," Pierce sneered. "Just be grateful that you are not also going to be sacrificed in the blood rite, thanks to your father!"

"Blood rite?" Roberto gasped. "You're going to kill them?"

"Technically she is going to kill them," Emma pointed to Jean. "Okay that's splitting hairs, or in her case an heir splitting…Well you get the idea. Let the ceremony begin!"

"By the fire within my heart I call on you, O sacred Flame…" Shaw intoned. "You who were born of creation's first light, through the darkness that you came…"

"Who wrote this? Dr. Seuss?" Pietro grumbled.

There was a commotion at the door. Some of the Hellfire Guards went to investigate only to be knocked aside as Destro and the Crimson Guard Twins burst in. "We've broken through first!" Destro crowed. "BATS! ATTACK!"

"And now the power will be mine!" Cobra Commander laughed. The Cobras and their BATS quickly knocked out the guards and then were forced to contend with the Hellfire Club themselves.

"I'm going to blast…" Pierce began to shout. Suddenly Destro pushed a button on his wristband and Pierce found his arm and leg malfunctioning. "What the…?"

"This Electronic Disablelizer is quite an ingenious invention if I do say so myself," Destro laughed. "It sends out a short range pulse that interferes with any technology, including cybernetics!"

"You're also shorting out the BATS Destro!" The Baroness snapped as the Kingpin clobbered a few.

"That's not supposed to happen!" Destro snapped. "What about the techno-stablizers that were supposed to be installed in them?"

"The what?" Xamot asked.

"The little green devices that look like spark plugs," Destrosnapped. "The ones you were supposed to install!"

"When was this?" Tomax yelled as a BAT exploded.

"When Cobra Commander ordered you to do so before the mission!" Destro snapped.

"No he didn't," The Crimson Twins said.

"Oops," Cobra Commander hit his head with his hand. "I knew there was something I forgot to do before we left!"

"Somebody please shoot me," Destro muttered. "Or better yet shoot him!"

"I am really beginning to hate Cobra!" The Kingpin shouted as a few BATS tackled him.

"Raise us oh Ancient…" Shaw intoned and then he saw what was going on. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE DOING?"

"Seizing the power of the Phoenix Force for myself!" Cobra Commander sneered as he grabbed for the crystal.

"No you idiot! You mustn't disturb the ceremony once it's begun!" Shaw raced to stop him.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Cobra Commander drew out his laser. "That crystal is mine!"

The X-Men and Misfits ran into the room and saw the situation. "I must be seeing things," Todd rubbed his eyes. "Cobra's helping us?"

"More like helping themselves," Lance told him.

"Give me that crystal!" Cobra Commander ordered.

"Get away from here you stupid…" Shaw tackled him. Cobra Commander accidentally fired his laser.

The laser beam hit the crystal dead on.

CRASH! SHATTER!

At that sound everyone stopped fighting instantly.

The crystal splintered into a thousand pieces. A huge ball of flame arose from the shards and it turned into the shape of a bird.

"Whoops…" Cobra Commander gulped. "That's not good is it?"

"YOU FOOL!" Shaw roared. "Without the crystal the entire Phoenix Force has nothing to contain it other than…" He saw that the strange flames were now entering Jean's body. "Oh sh….!"

"I am Phoenix…" Jean was consumed by the Phoenix fire which turned into a giant bird of flame. Pieces of furniture broke all around them. "AND I LIVE!"

"No…" Xavier gasped as he saw Apocalypse's visions had come true again.

"This is so not good," Kitty gulped.

"You think?" Emma snapped at her.