The Flame of The Phoenix

"This reality doesn't seem so bad," Kitty said as she looked around. It seemed rather peaceful at the Xavier Institute. There were several mutants they didn't know happily walking the grounds.

But Jean wasn't convinced. "I'm not so sure, there's something about this reality that's off. But I don't know what it is."

"Off?" Scott asked. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know it's just a feeling…." Jean began.

"Hey they have a pool! Cannonball!" Todd crowed as he charged forward.

SPLASH!

"Of course they have a pool! We have a pool!" Scott snapped. "Toad get out of there!"

"You know I could go for a dip myself," Althea said.

"I am thirsty," Kitty said. "Maybe a nice drink."

"I could go for a nice stretch in the sun," Hank thought.

"Guys we really shouldn't…" Scott began when he was hit on the head with a beach ball. "ALVERS!"

"Oh boy," Jean sighed. Something grabbed her attention and she walked towards it. It was a gold sign on the side of the building. Her heart nearly stopped when she read it.

"The Phoenix Institute?" Jean gasped. "Wait then that means…"

"Yes Jean, in this reality the Phoenix controls the world," A familiar voice entered her mind.

"No…" Jean turned around and saw herself. The Phoenix was wearing casual jeans, sneakers and a green top. But her eyes were glowing golden and her hair was radiantly red.

"We have a lot to talk about," The Phoenix said. "Follow me."

"But the others…" Jean began.

"They won't even notice you're gone thanks to a little mental suggestion. I wanted a private moment between the two of us," Phoenix said. "Come there's so much I want to show you."

"You look…" Jean was surprised. "Normal…"

"Did you think I walked around in black leather all day?" Phoenix grinned. "Or in one of those Hellfire Club get ups?"

"Well…" Jean blinked. "I guess it's not exactly practical is it?"

"Not really no," Phoenix told her as they walked inside the mansion. "Personally I like being able to wear comfortable clothes as much as possible."

"Easier to control the world?" Jean asked.

"Only a few people know what I do in this reality," Phoenix told her. "The best way to keep control is to let people think they know what they are doing."

"Control? You mean you control their minds?" Jean was appalled.

"They're not zombies, my dear," Phoenix sighed. "Stop thinking of it in such absolute terms. Here this is something I want you to see."

She took Jean's hands. "Open your mind…Don't worry I won't try and mind wipe you or anything like that. I just want you to see what the world is like here."

Instantly billions of images assaulted Jean's mind. "I…I…" Jean's head hurt from the sensory overload.

"Oh I'm sorry," Phoenix calmed down the images. "I'd forgotten you're not fully omnipotent yet. Here, this will be easier for you."

Like a montage Jean saw the world. Polluted rivers and oceans cleaned. New rainforests being grown and replanted. Alternate energy sources being created and used. Mutants and humans working together to rebuild houses, farms, entire communities. Slums were being changed into luxury apartments and their tenants were pleased. Many people who were formerly illiterate could now read and write with ease all over the world. Feuds and wars were settled and there was peace among nations. There were even experimental colonies now on the Moon and Mars.

"It's…it's unbelievable…" Jean was shocked.

"There's more," Phoenix showed her. "With a simple suggestion even the most hardened criminals have been reformed."

She saw images of Sinister in a doctor's uniform working with sick children. Destro overseeing a new space colony. The Kingpin becoming a true philanthropist instead of pretending to be one as his cover. Magneto was peacefully working with mutants and humans rebuilding a dam with Trask. Even the Dreadnoks were cheerfully working helping rebuild a rainforest.

"I have fulfilled Xavier's dream," Phoenix responded to Jean's awe. "I have given this dying world new life and hope."

"Yes it is beautiful," Jean said. "But at what cost?"

"Does there have to be a cost?"

"There always is."

"Very well," Phoenix sighed. "Follow me."

They made their way to the back yard of the Institute. There was a brilliant garden behind it. And several gravestones. "The Professor…" Jean looked at them. "What happened?"

"He was unable to imprison me inside your body when we first bonded," Phoenix said truthfully.

"Wait that's the difference between this world and mine," Jean said. "When the Hellfire Club…"

"Yes…"

"You killed them didn't you?" Realization hit Jean like a dead weight.

"Yes," The Phoenix said. "But then I brought them back to life." She pointed to Ororo and Rogue flying in the distance.

"Not all of them," Jean pointed to the gravesite outside. "What about Xavier? Why didn't you bring him back? Because he was a threat to you. He could have imprisoned you inside me!"

"Some sacrifices had to be made," Phoenix sighed. "For the greater good. Pretty ironic if you think about it. All those times Xavier hid things from me, from us…He believed he was sacrificing some of his principles for the greater good. The truth is he had no idea what sacrifice truly was."

"And what sacrifice was needed for Althea and Toad?" Jean pointed out their graves. "Why did they have to die? They were no threat to you!"

"They are and you know it," Phoenix said. "Deep down instinctively you do."

"NO! YOU'RE WRONG!" Jean snapped. "You killed everyone who could oppose you and you destroyed everyone else's free will!"

"Free will? Free will to do what?" Phoenix asked. "Hurt people? To maim and kill and create wars? What kind free will is that? I didn't enslave them; I simply gave them different choices. To either work on diseases or world hunger. To build better houses or be teachers. To pass laws that will actually help people instead of making them prisoners or worse! That's the kind of world I made!"

"But it's not a real world!" Jean shouted. "It's only an illusion you created! A world is made up of the thoughts and minds of many people! Not just one!"

"Look around you Jean," Phoenix showed her several images again. "Not too many people are complaining. And those that are, only because I let them. Even the Phoenix knows the value of chaos. No one too dangerous mind you. A bumbling bank robber here. An idiot Mafia gang that can't even shoot straight there. A stupid heiress who just can't keep her private life private. Just enough to give the police and the heroes have something to do and make the newspapers more interesting."

"And Scott…" She looked at another grave. "How could you kill the man you love?"

"It was painful, but a necessity…" Phoenix sighed. "The Phoenix must rule alone. That is our destiny."

"NOT MINE!" Jean snapped. "I'd rather die than lose Scott and my friends, especially to someone like you!"

"Darling," Phoenix laughed. "I am you."

"No," Jean trembled. "I'll never be like you!"

The Phoenix laughed. "It's too late Jean. You're already changing into me. It's just a matter of time."

BOOM!

BOOM!

ZAP!

"What in the…?" Phoenix snapped as she saw the Institute on fire.

"Uh Jean, we kind of made a mess," Daria said as she and her sisters landed next to her. "We were just playing with the defense systems and they went a little haywire!"

"YOU?" Phoenix roared. "I'D FORGOTTEN WHAT LITTLE PESTS YOU WERE…"

"STAY BACK!" Jean flared up. "Girls! Get out of here now! I mean it!"

"We're gone," Quinn said as they used the IM NUTS II device to teleport away.

"What's the matter Phoenix?" Jean mocked. "Can't handle a little chaos?"

"I suggest you and your friends leave this world," Phoenix growled. "Now…"

"Gladly!" Jean snapped.

"And I'll help you on your way," Phoenix snapped using her powers. "By giving you a little taste of what your future holds if you continue to deny your destiny!"

Jean felt the world spinning around her. The next thing she knew she was on the ground somewhere. "Okay how did we end up here?" She heard Todd say.

"Who was fiddling around with the machine?" Pietro snapped. "And why does everything look so damn depressing?"

All around them were ruined houses, the charred black remnants of trees and a dark gray sky. "I mean gray, gray, gray! It's so depressing!" Pietro threw up his hands.

"Well we are in a graveyard," Kurt pointed. There were several broken headstones of various X-Men, Misfits and other mutants around them.

"Okay this is officially creepy," Kitty shuddered.

"Oh," Pietro looked around. He saw one grave marked Magneto. "Well never let it be said I never wasted an opportunity." He started to dance on it. "DA! DA! DA! DA! DA! DA! DA! DA!"

"Pietro," Wanda gave him a look. "Move over!" She shoved him aside and started to dance. Everyone looked at her. "What? I'm just fulfilling a fantasy here? Do you have any idea how this dream helped me get through some of those nights in the asylum?"

"Where's Mystique's grave?" Todd piped up.

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" Kurt snapped.

"Aw come on," Todd said. "When are you ever going to have a chance like this again?"

"If it was Rogue she'd take it," Kitty said.

"Well that's pretty much a given," Lance said. "Oh here's Summer's grave…"

"Don't," Scott warned. "Don't…"

"DA! DA! DA! DA! DA! DA! DA!" Lance sang the Mexican Hat Dance song and danced on it. "DA! DA! DA! DA! DA! DA! DA! DA! DA! DA!"

"Okay that does it!" Scott snapped. "Where's your grave? I'm gonna do the Tango on it!"

"Here's Mystique," Todd pointed. "De da de dah da!"

"Let me join you," Althea shrugged and joined him.

"OH YEAH?" Kurt roared. "THIS IS YOUR GRAVE TOAD! I'M DANCING ON YOU! AND I'M LOVING IT!" He proceeded to dance on the grave.

"So? I'll just dance on yours!" Todd hopped over and did so. "And back to Mystique again!"

"Most people would freak out when seeing their own graves," Kitty groaned. "What do we do? We dance on them! We are so not normal!"

"DA! DA! DA!" Lance continued dancing on the grave.

"Okay where are you?" Scott looked around in the graveyard. "When I'm through they're gonna need…"

"MUTANT LIFE SIGNS IDENIFIED! TARGET FOR EXTERMINATION!"

"Oh crap," Todd stopped and looked upwards. Seven very large Sentinels loomed over them.

"Here we go…" Scott growled as he sent an optic blast at one that sliced its head off.

"I thought we weren't supposed to go into Sentinel worlds?" Pietro grumbled as he ran rapidly around and around another creating a mini tornado that toppled it.

"Well that flew out the door when we went to the world with the nice Duncan," Wanda told him as she zapped another Sentinel.

"Logically we should have figured this out when we saw the graveyard with our names on it!" Hank grumbled as he dodged the laser blasts from the Sentinels.

"As if logic ever stopped us before," Lance told him as he created a huge rumble that knocked over several Sentinels.

"Let's just like get out of here!" Kitty leapt through the leg of another Sentinel, shorting it out. The Sentinel fell and collided with another Sentinel.

"I AM SICK OF SENITNELS!" Jean flew into the air and used her powers. Suddenly around her a flame in the shape of a Phoenix appeared. She called upon the power to destroy the remaining Sentinels.

"Jean…Whoa…" Kitty blinked as she landed.

"Are, are you okay?" Scott asked.

"I'm fine," Jean told him. "I'm not even tired. But we'd better get out of here. I have a feeling more Sentinels will be showing up pretty soon."

"Good news is it seems for some reason we only have ten minutes to go then we can get out of here," Hank told them as he examined the machine.

"Can't be soon enough," Kitty shuddered as she looked at the severed Sentinel head.

"Jean what happened?" Scott asked. "How did we end up here in the first place?"

"Let's just say I got us kicked out of that last dimension," Jean told him. "And I'd do it again!"

"I don't want to know do I?" Scott asked.

"No," Jean gave him a hug and a kiss on impulse. "Trust me on this!"

Next: Things really heat up for the gang! Wait until you see what happens next!