Rogue looked to the Professor, then back down to Oni and over to Jean.. She was worried, but.. she trusted the Professor.. And he trusted Oni. So, they would all do the same.. Have hope, and trust.. In this young man.
Oni was in a corridor; its lights flickered and it looked pretty old and abandoned. He knew it was the locked part of his mind. He turned and saw an open door at the end of the hallway, and after checking to make sure he had everything he needed, he headed off. "Alright, its time to prove that this thing doesn't control me."
He burst through a door and into total darkness. He saw Scott a long ways off. He looked like he was searching for someone, searching for Jean. He looked around, but saw nothing else but black. Suddenly, a fiery phoenix appeared.. It flew at Scott and placed him into a cage of fire. Then, it came towards Oni. He readied himself for anything, but anticipated the attack.
A jolt of laughter echoed through the darkness but as the Phoenix came at him, the surroundings changed.. The darkness turned into a bright summer's day.. around 2 o'clock. Kids were walking from school around him, children laughing.. smiling, having such a wonderful time..
Then, there was Jean.
Jean walked along the sidewalk, her dark crimson hair falling in curls into her face. She held onto her books and laughed, a friend beside her telling a joke. They were best friends, friends 'til the end. Jean looked up and smiled a magnificent smile... One that would brighten up anyone's day. There were almost home, and so glad that school was out for the day. They had plans, to go to swimming at Jean's house the very next day after school. Childhood was such a great time for her.. Until this day.
Pure laughter escaped her lips, the joyous childish laughter.. She waved to her friend and started walking the other way, not knowing that this would be the last she would ever see her again.. Alive, and not knowing that once it had happened, nothing could ever change it..
"Bye, Jean!" The girl called, waving as she crossed the street.
Jean turned around and her eyes widened. "AMAN-!" It was too late..
The driver wasn't paying attention, grabbing something in the other seat beside him as he pulled around one of the corners.. He really wasn't supposed to go through these streets, but hey! It was a shortcut to Kansas City. No one was there a minute ago! No body! As soon as he turned his head back to the road, there was a young girl in the middle of the street.. and he was heading straight towards her.
He immediately slammed on the brakes, but it was too late.. He knew it. The 18 wheeler tumbled over to its side and kept rolling and rolling, taking the little girl along with it..
Blood splattered all over the place, leaving Jean with her hand out.. Blood splatter on her face, her body.. her outreached hand. Tears ran from her eyes. "AMANDA!" She screamed; thoughts running through her mind, flooding her soul.
Oni bowed his head. He had seen enough. He didn't know if he was just being played a memory, of if this was Jean's way of reaching out to him. "Jean! If you can hear me, there is no way you could have stopped this. You didn't cause it, even if you go back in time. An 18 wheeler is a huge machine. It was the drivers fault that he was taking a school road. You didn't cause it and there was nothing in the world you could have done to stop it. Please Jean, if you can hear me, let me talk with you. Everyone outside is waiting for us. I can feel it, everyone there needs you, and everyone there hopes that you'll come back. And.. I want you to come back too. I never told you this, but the first time I met you, I felt like a kid. It was the first time I ever.. ever thought I could be a teenager or a kid for just one second. I try to act grown-up, I try to act like a man, but I know I'm still a kid. But, when I'm with you.. I-I don't know. I almost see you as a mother I have always wanted but never had. I trust you enough to be a kid around you, so you have to come back. I know what happened was terrible, both then and now.. I have my own horrors, and we have our own demons, but if we don't move beyond them, we will let them win, and I know I can't let that happen. Can you?"
The memory disappated, disappeared into the darkness again.. A figure appeared. "What makes you think that I haven't won already?" Her voice was deeper, a bit more seductive and full of manipulation. She stepped closer to him, a red glow of fire appearing.. It was Jean...--but it wasn't.. She figured he already knew who she was.. "Let's skip the introductions, shall we?"
She clenched her fist and laughed, looking into his eyes. "You're just as weak as she is.." She said, throwing a ball of this red glowing ball towards him.. She wanted to play with him a little bit.. This would be fun.
Oni pulled up a kunai knife with a tag on it and blocked the ball of light away. "Because I am not stupid, and she's not that weak. Just like my demon, you may take over for a short while, but in the end.. You'll be shoved back into your little box, Phoenix. And If I have to be the one to do it this time, so be it." He set four tags out to surround Phoenix and made several hand signs. "I know this is all figurative, but let's try anway.." A block of ice surrounded her. "It's dense, and has been compressed. It won't be easy to break, Phoenix."
Phoenix almost laughed, throwing her head back.. Yes, she was in ice.. But, she had more than that fire ability.. Of course, she was sure he knew that too. She sighed with a smile on her face.. She closed her eyes as the block of ice started to shake, rumble.. crack.. She laughed as the ice blew up, sending chunks of it everywhere..
She opened her eyes and looked to Oni. "..Why don't you bring you're little demon out.." She grinned. "Let's see how much fun we can really have?" She stepped towards him again and threw her hands towards him. She was helluva lot stronger than Jean with Telekinesis..
She was weak because she gave up all this power.. She wanted to be weak, mind.. body.. and soul. Phoenix laughed. "Come on.. I know you can do better than that.. I've seen it!"
Oni dodged out of the way of the attack. "You're slow, Phoenix. What's wrong, Jean starting to distract you? You can't fight a war on both sides, can ya? You're just a weak apparishion. The only way you can exist is by inhabiting a body! I say its you who are weak. You can't stand to live your own life, so you take someone else's. How pathetic?" He took out a large sherukan and slapped tags on each blade. It hovered above her, creating a solid barrier that was impenetrable. Soon after, it started to suck all of the air out of the barrier. "Nothing can live without oxygen."
Phoenix growled and tried to break the barrier. "BASTARD!" She screamed, choking.. "...I'll tell you... She can't exist.. without.. me.. either." She dropped to her knees, narrowing her eyes. She laughed insanely before her eyes fell back into her head she passed out from lack of oxygen..
Oni waited a few extra seconds, making sure she was unconscious. He made a hand seal and quickly tapped two fingers to the barrier. "Kai," the barrier disappeared and air rushed back into the small space. He swiftly pulled out a seal and slapped it to Phoenix's forehead and chest, making seven hand signs activating the seal. This was a million times stronger than any normal seal, and it would bind her away for at least a while. "Jean, I've sealed Phoenix.. Please, come out.. Please, you have to."
"It won't be enough.." A voice came from behind him. "...Nothing will ever be enough." It was Jean--the real Jean this time.. Her face was flustered, her eyes blood-shot red.
She stepped towards him. "It doesn't matter what anybody does.." She looked down to Phoenix. "You can't put her away for good.. She is still a part of me, and if she disappears.. Well, so do I."
Oni turned to Jean. "That's not a problem. We'll just have to fight our inner demons together. I will always be there to help you Jean, that I swear. So please, come back to us and we'll deal with whatever comes… Together." He walked to her and hugged her tightly. "Please, come back.. Everyone is waiting."
Jean closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around him.. "I don't know if I can.." She whispered. There was a pause.. "...If you stay, will you promise to stay?" She asked.
Oni was stunned. What was he to her? Why was he so important, but.. If she wanted him to stay that meant he finally had found someone to accept him for who he was even knowing who and what he was. He slowly began to smile and nodded. "I swear it upon my life. That's a promise of a lifetime. I will never take back my words. I will stay, so.. please come back with me?"
Jean slowly opened her eyes. "...Alright." She whispered. "..I'll come back with you. Or.. I'll try." She smiled softly. She pulled away from him for a minute and looked down, Phoenix wasn't there anymore.. She sighed heavily. "..Let's go."
Oni opened his eyes and saw the room around him.. He was back. "I think I can report a mission success, Professor." He laid back down, exhausted both mentally and physically.
The Professor smiled. "Well done, Oni." He rolled towards Jean. "Jean, are you alright?"
Logan let out a sigh of relief, as did everyone else.. The kid did it.. He would have to thank him.. and probably apologize later. He looked to Oni and walked over to him.. "..Good job, Oni.."
Rogue was still holding his hand and she let go a little bit when he came to.. "..She's okay!" Rogue jumped up..
Jean opened her eyes slowly.. She could hear their thoughts.. all of them... She tried to drain it out, but it was all just too loud.. She finally had enough strength to pull it back a bit and looked up to the Professor.. "...Yes," she whispered quietly. She still laid still.. She was exhausted as well.. She could barely move.. "..I'm fine.."
Xavier spoke up. "I;m sure they're both exhausted and would like some sleep. I am afraid I must count myself among them. After all of this, we could all use some rest. Oni, Jean.. I will speak with you later. For now, you both can have some much deserved rest." He smiled and began to roll out of the room.
Oni looked up to Logan. "I told you I'd do it.. and I'm sorry about earlier. I was a coward, and I did the only thing I knew. But, I won't run anymore and in a strange sort of way, you yelling at me actually helped."
Logan looked to him.. "Yeah, well... I only do what I do best." He chuckled. "..Get some rest, kid." He said, walking away from the both of them.
"Get some rest, now.. Ya hear?" She said, walking out of the room..
Jean looked over to him and gave a weak smile. "..Thank you, Oni." She whispered, not able to get her voice any stronger or higher than that.
Oni nodded, wondering what the next day would bring. But, for now he was too tired. He could feel something different as if he could tell where Jean was, and what she was doing. Not by sight or sound, but something else. "Anytime, but.. what is this? It feels as if I.. can feel you."
Jean looked over to him; her eyes narrowing slightly. "..It may be that our minds have a link--since you have came into mine, and pulled me out of it.." She smiled softly, looking into his eyes. "It's not that bad. I have a connection with the Professor; but it is so many years old." She pushed herself to sit up. "It may feel weird for the next few days, for the both of us." She chuckled, closing her eyes for a moment. "Now you'll really be able to see through me, won't you?"
Oni chuckled tiredly. "If that's so, the same thing will go for you, but I understand. I am so tired I don't think I could get up if I wanted to, Goodnight Jean," and with that, he fell into a deep sleep, and for the first time, he was no longer plagued by the nightmares that haunted him.