Disclaimer: Furor Paxx and VulgateOfEarth do not own the X-Men or any affiliates. All are the property of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc and its various affiliates and partners. Phoenix Malcolm, Haiden Malcolm and all irregular characters are the sole property of Furor Paxx and are being used with permission.
~~ Evan's Room ~~
"C'mon, you've gotta be kidding me. Zat's too much like a ghost story to be true." Kurt broke the silence that followed Pietro's retelling of Phoenix's life.
"It's true. I know for a fact." Pietro countered.
"Evan, tell him it's not true. Evan?"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever."
"You're not even listening!" Kurt accused.
"Where is she now?" Evan ignored Kurt and spoke to Pietro.
"I saw her on my way over here. She was really mad about something. I don't know what or at who, but I don't envy them."
"Take me to her."
There was silence.
"You're kidding right? Didn't you hear vhat he just said about all zhose people she killed?" Kurt demanded.
"C'mon Pietro, let's go." Evan picked up Pietro's books and headed for the door. Kurt and Pietro just watched him. "Well?"
"We'll wait for you."
"You're scared, Pietro?"
"Yep. Terrified." Evan grabbed Pietro's wrist and physically dragged him home. It wasn't easy, Quicksilver moved like molasses when he wanted to and Kurt didn't help either. He was busy describing in vivid detail how Phoenix was going to kill the three of them. He was the most frightened of all, but couldn't seem to stop himself from describing all manners of torture and slow deaths.
When they finally reached the house it was eight o'clock. The house was dark as night and if Kurt didn't have night vision, the three boys might have woken the dead with their stumbling over furniture. As it happened, Pietro's father wasn't home yet, and Phoenix was nowhere to be found, so they only woke the neighbors. They stood outside of Phoenix's room and debated whether or not to enter.
"No way, man, a girl's room is sacred grounds." Evan argued.
"But ve aren't supposed to know she's a girl." Kurt said.
"What if she's in there, or comes in while we're in here?" Pietro was shivering like a homeless man in the middle of winter, even though the house was as warm as a spring day.
"Vhy don't ve just peek. Pietro can stand watch, if she comes in he'll tell us and I'll 'port us out."
"I don't like going in a girl's room without permission, man. You don't know what's in there."
"Ve aren't going in, ve're just looking."
"What if my dad comes home while you guys are here?"
Evan thought fast. It was against his upbringing, but he really wanted to look. "A glance."
Nightcrawler slowly opened the door and peeked in with Spyke and Quicksilver peering over him. Kurt withdrew with a hiss. "She's in zere, sitting on zhe floor."
"What?" Pietro whispered furiously, desperately hoping that she hadn't seen them at her door. At that exact instant, the three of them heard a board creak around the corner. "He's home. Hide." Pietro dashed for his room and Evan shoved Kurt through the nearest door. They crouched in the dark and prayed that he wouldn't stop at their door. After a little while, they sensed, rather than heard Magneto, Father of the Brotherhood of Mutants, and the X-men's greatest foe, move past them. They breathed a sigh of relief that caught in their throats when they realized where they were. Phoenix's room.
Kurt sent a silent prayer to God that she was asleep and that he and his friend could slip quietly out of the house. When he opened his eyes again, Evan was sitting beside Phoenix, staring up at the wall with her.
~~ Pheonix ~~
In her mind, she was kneeling at an alter at the foot of the Masters' table. Are you okay. Can you hear me. The voices had never said those things before. Maybe it was a test. She felt an arm around her waist and was startled out of her meditation. When she looked up, she saw him. How had he gotten to her sacred place? It had to be a test. Phoenix focused on the alter and the words of the chant, but panic filled her. Above the Masters' voices, was his. Answer me Phoenix. Are you okay. The words became questions and then, against her will, her ears began to separate his voice from the Masters'. All of a sudden, she was back in her room, back in the world of fear. She had failed.
"Please, answer me, Phoenix. Are you alright?" His arm was still there, his voice still mocked her. He had done the impossible, shaken a thrall placed by the Masters, invaded their sacred spot, torn her from it and still lingered, still taunted her. With a shuddering sigh, she turned away from the wall. And saw his blonde hair, and dark shape, right there beside her, in her room. It was just too much. The world faded and Phoenix sagged in Evan's arms.
~~ Evan's Room ~~
"C'mon, you've gotta be kidding me. Zat's too much like a ghost story to be true." Kurt broke the silence that followed Pietro's retelling of Phoenix's life.
"It's true. I know for a fact." Pietro countered.
"Evan, tell him it's not true. Evan?"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever."
"You're not even listening!" Kurt accused.
"Where is she now?" Evan ignored Kurt and spoke to Pietro.
"I saw her on my way over here. She was really mad about something. I don't know what or at who, but I don't envy them."
"Take me to her."
There was silence.
"You're kidding right? Didn't you hear vhat he just said about all zhose people she killed?" Kurt demanded.
"C'mon Pietro, let's go." Evan picked up Pietro's books and headed for the door. Kurt and Pietro just watched him. "Well?"
"We'll wait for you."
"You're scared, Pietro?"
"Yep. Terrified." Evan grabbed Pietro's wrist and physically dragged him home. It wasn't easy, Quicksilver moved like molasses when he wanted to and Kurt didn't help either. He was busy describing in vivid detail how Phoenix was going to kill the three of them. He was the most frightened of all, but couldn't seem to stop himself from describing all manners of torture and slow deaths.
When they finally reached the house it was eight o'clock. The house was dark as night and if Kurt didn't have night vision, the three boys might have woken the dead with their stumbling over furniture. As it happened, Pietro's father wasn't home yet, and Phoenix was nowhere to be found, so they only woke the neighbors. They stood outside of Phoenix's room and debated whether or not to enter.
"No way, man, a girl's room is sacred grounds." Evan argued.
"But ve aren't supposed to know she's a girl." Kurt said.
"What if she's in there, or comes in while we're in here?" Pietro was shivering like a homeless man in the middle of winter, even though the house was as warm as a spring day.
"Vhy don't ve just peek. Pietro can stand watch, if she comes in he'll tell us and I'll 'port us out."
"I don't like going in a girl's room without permission, man. You don't know what's in there."
"Ve aren't going in, ve're just looking."
"What if my dad comes home while you guys are here?"
Evan thought fast. It was against his upbringing, but he really wanted to look. "A glance."
Nightcrawler slowly opened the door and peeked in with Spyke and Quicksilver peering over him. Kurt withdrew with a hiss. "She's in zere, sitting on zhe floor."
"What?" Pietro whispered furiously, desperately hoping that she hadn't seen them at her door. At that exact instant, the three of them heard a board creak around the corner. "He's home. Hide." Pietro dashed for his room and Evan shoved Kurt through the nearest door. They crouched in the dark and prayed that he wouldn't stop at their door. After a little while, they sensed, rather than heard Magneto, Father of the Brotherhood of Mutants, and the X-men's greatest foe, move past them. They breathed a sigh of relief that caught in their throats when they realized where they were. Phoenix's room.
Kurt sent a silent prayer to God that she was asleep and that he and his friend could slip quietly out of the house. When he opened his eyes again, Evan was sitting beside Phoenix, staring up at the wall with her.
~~ Pheonix ~~
In her mind, she was kneeling at an alter at the foot of the Masters' table. Are you okay. Can you hear me. The voices had never said those things before. Maybe it was a test. She felt an arm around her waist and was startled out of her meditation. When she looked up, she saw him. How had he gotten to her sacred place? It had to be a test. Phoenix focused on the alter and the words of the chant, but panic filled her. Above the Masters' voices, was his. Answer me Phoenix. Are you okay. The words became questions and then, against her will, her ears began to separate his voice from the Masters'. All of a sudden, she was back in her room, back in the world of fear. She had failed.
"Please, answer me, Phoenix. Are you alright?" His arm was still there, his voice still mocked her. He had done the impossible, shaken a thrall placed by the Masters, invaded their sacred spot, torn her from it and still lingered, still taunted her. With a shuddering sigh, she turned away from the wall. And saw his blonde hair, and dark shape, right there beside her, in her room. It was just too much. The world faded and Phoenix sagged in Evan's arms.