AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you, Tenshi no Koneko, Thanx4reading, and Jean-
Grey/Phoenix, for your reviews!! Just some history for those of you who
don't read the comics much: the Shi'ar is an alien race of mutants that are
close allies of the X-Men. The M'Kraan Crystal is the Nexus of all
Realities-basically, the timestream that I explained earlier is just for
one reality in the Marvel Universe, and there are many realities, each with
their own complicated timelines, all contained within this crystal, which
acts as a doorway between them. The Crystal is also the resting place of
the Phoenix Force. Okay, enjoy!!
616 timeline 07-16-2004 Westchester, New York, United States
A gentle push of telekinesis left the door swinging open, revealing a pink bed with a princess canopy, before a backdrop of black and white. The various posters, which depicted every musical group from the New Kids on the Block to Black Sabbath to the Eagles, covered every inch of the 14-foot wall. Rachel stepped in cautiously, rubbing the outside of her thighs as a nervous habit. To her right, a ticklish breeze filtered through the room from a window flanked by laced curtains. It was exactly as Logan had described it.
She sat upon the edge of the bed, careful not to wrinkle the perfect comforter. Looking up, she caught her breath, as she saw her mother looking into her eyes. She sat still for a full two seconds. When she finally realized that she was looking at her own reflection, Rachel laughed at herself so hard she fell back onto the bed, hugging her sides in pain.
Wiping her tearing eyes with a chuckle, she rose to inspect the dresser on which the deceptive mirror sat. Several stuffed animals smiled awkwardly at her. She looked through a wooden jewelry box and a craft kit without interest. But it was a tiny, simple crystal that caught her eye. The jewel had a bright pink color and was shaped into the form of a bird.
Rachel carefully picked it up with her TK, and cradled it in the palm of her hand. As soon as it had touched her skin, it appeared to glow and, in a smooth gesture that almost rendered grace, changed its shape and size. Hovering before her, it transformed into a sphere the size of her head. Inside, a network of rotating bands sent out a wild wind, and blast a shimmering light upon the wall, which read:
In Honor of Jean Grey, the Shi'ar Empire donates this holempathic matrix, constructed of the M'Kraan Crystal, as a Tribute to her Humanitarian Contributions as the Phoenix and the Self-Sacrifice she gave in order to Defeat the Dark Phoenix.
Afraid that her grandparents might come home at any minute to find their daughter's window bursting with light, Rachel grasped the matrix. And in doing so, she awoke the power contained within. The light and wind vanished, just as suddenly as they'd come, and the sphere became the jewel again, falling to the floor with a thud. But Rachel was nowhere to be seen.
She was in fact no longer of physical composition. Her body became a part of the M'Kraan Crystal itself, as the Phoenix Force shook her awake once again, and Rachel watched history unfold before her. She saw the first creatures of creation. She saw centuries of war, whose brutality far surpassed anything seen on Earth. She saw small clans of noble beings, the X-Men to name one, fighting against tyranny and injustice. All this she absorbed in a few seconds' time, before she was thrust back into the reality she'd come from. Rachel awoke, naked and shaking, nestled inside the Crystal's womb, deep within the heart of the Sun.
* * *
616 timeline 08-10-2004 Westchester, New York, United States
Everyone noticed a change in Rachel when she returned. For one thing, her powers were no longer limited to her genetic abilities; on the battle field, she often displayed the newborn ability to teleport, produce ice or fire, and move at the speed of light, among others. She donned the Dark Phoenix costume, saying that she loved the color red. Her attitude had changed as well. Whereas she had established herself as a no-nonsense hermit with impeccable grades before, she came back with little to no appreciation for school (or any kind of authority). She not only socialized with her friends again, but soon became the group's leader. Even more surprising, she often led that group into fits of rebellion that usually got them and Xavier into legal trouble. But, as far as anyone could tell, she was far happier.
Because, if nothing else, Rachel took back from the Sun a sense of identity. She now knew that the Phoenix Force had not been involved in her life in a series of spontaneous interest, but had actually been a part of her since her birth. And, above all, she now knew that nothing could stop her. Or so she thought, when she rapped upon Professor Xavier's door that morning.
His voice came from behind the thick oak. "Come in, Rachel." She stepped in with a pleasant smile and seated herself in a comfortable chair before his desk. "How are you, Professor?"
"Quite well," he answered. "And you? These past couple of months you've seemed restless, irritable."
"No, I'm just fine, myself. Listen, I actually came here to ask you if the gang and I could go out tonight and see a few movies, maybe get a bite to eat."
Xavier studied her for a while. "I've already told Alex that I would not allow him or his 'gang' a permit off campus for the weekend."
She nodded. "May I ask why?"
"You may."
Rachel rolled her eyes in annoyance. "So?"
"So, I do not think it wise to give free reign to 10 specific students who have a tendency to break the law together."
"With all due respect, I think that's a little harsh."
"Really?" His eyes were weary. "3 weeks ago, you were kicked out of several restaurants for displaying your abilities in public, and 4 calls were made to the police complaining that you were disturbing the peace. 2 weeks ago, Jubilee received a speeding ticket, without a license, John exposed himself in public, and you were all drinking underage. Last weekend, you stole a gun from the X-Men armory, shot several rounds at each other, and robbed half the shops of the downtown mall." He paused. "Or have I left something out?"
"Well, we didn't get caught drinking, and that mall thing was just a game we play called Supermarket Sweep. We would've returned everything, except that we were interrupted. Oh, and the gun? That was training."
"Training?"
"Yeah. You know, all those kids are very interested in joining the X-Men."
"Well, of course they are. You're an X-Man, and they idolize you. And if they only judged the amount of responsibility and commitment required by your example-"
"Oh, I'm setting a bad example now, is that it?"
"Frankly, yes."
Rachel scanned the old man's mind. "You want me off the team."
"First and foremost, it is rude to read another person's mind without permission-"
"You did it several times before I put up a telepathic shield."
"-And second, yes, I'm going to ask that you step down from your position, but not because you're 'setting a bad example'. If that were the case, half of my recruits would be out of the question. I think it's far too much stress on you."
"Stress? Professor, I am more than capable-"
"Physically, yes. I'm referring to psychological stress."
There was a minute-long silence, before Rachel finally muttered, "Because I'm obviously on the verge of a mental breakdown."
"Rachel, you may have put up a telepathic wall between us, but, whether you realize it or not, every time you have a panic attack or get lost in an astral jump, your mind screams out to me."
"What the hell is an astral jump?"
"That's when you travel through time with your mind only and leave your body here."
She gave him a blank stare. "I can't do that."
"Of course you can. I've heard you talk to people from different realities."
"They were real? I thought I was just seeing things!"
"And you weren't concerned about this?" She shrugged. "Look, Rachel, I can assure you that you're not hallucinating. It's one thing to travel back and forward through time in one reality; it's another entirely to jump between timelines. And you went back and forward between M.E. and your reality twice in a matter of eight days. Your body basically went through low-level trauma, and it's performing spontaneous astral jumps as part of the recovery from that trauma. It's nothing to be worried about, however much it may be an inconvenience. The depression you're going through could also be linked to the sheer intensity of your telepathic abilities, which enhance human emotion exponentially. However, your aggressive behavior and your panic attacks are the result of emotional trauma." Finally, he took a breath, as he prepared to tell her what he was getting at. "I think you should talk to someone."
"Like a shrink?!"
"No, it could be me, or Ororo, maybe Hank. Hell, it can be Logan if you want. But I think you need to vent to someone what you've gone through."
"Fuck you."
"Excuse me?"
"Fuck you," she repeated, now rising from the chair. "You have no idea what I've been through, and quite frankly, I don't think you could handle it. Fine, whatever. I'll drop out of the team, but I'm not going to talk to anyone, just so that they can report back to you. I've had enough of your brainwashing."
"Rachel, I'm trying to help you." As she opened the door to leave, he tried to forcibly hold her back telepathically, desperate not to lose her entirely. But, in response, Rachel choked him with a fierce grip of telekinesis, toppling him out of his chair and onto the floor.
"I've had enough help from you, Grandpa. Thanks." And with that, she stormed out, slamming his office door shut behind her.
Outside, Sam Gutherie was waiting for her. "What the hell happened? I heard screaming."
Rachel chuckled. "That old man doesn't know who he's dealing with. C'mon, we don't need a fucking permit."
616 timeline 07-16-2004 Westchester, New York, United States
A gentle push of telekinesis left the door swinging open, revealing a pink bed with a princess canopy, before a backdrop of black and white. The various posters, which depicted every musical group from the New Kids on the Block to Black Sabbath to the Eagles, covered every inch of the 14-foot wall. Rachel stepped in cautiously, rubbing the outside of her thighs as a nervous habit. To her right, a ticklish breeze filtered through the room from a window flanked by laced curtains. It was exactly as Logan had described it.
She sat upon the edge of the bed, careful not to wrinkle the perfect comforter. Looking up, she caught her breath, as she saw her mother looking into her eyes. She sat still for a full two seconds. When she finally realized that she was looking at her own reflection, Rachel laughed at herself so hard she fell back onto the bed, hugging her sides in pain.
Wiping her tearing eyes with a chuckle, she rose to inspect the dresser on which the deceptive mirror sat. Several stuffed animals smiled awkwardly at her. She looked through a wooden jewelry box and a craft kit without interest. But it was a tiny, simple crystal that caught her eye. The jewel had a bright pink color and was shaped into the form of a bird.
Rachel carefully picked it up with her TK, and cradled it in the palm of her hand. As soon as it had touched her skin, it appeared to glow and, in a smooth gesture that almost rendered grace, changed its shape and size. Hovering before her, it transformed into a sphere the size of her head. Inside, a network of rotating bands sent out a wild wind, and blast a shimmering light upon the wall, which read:
In Honor of Jean Grey, the Shi'ar Empire donates this holempathic matrix, constructed of the M'Kraan Crystal, as a Tribute to her Humanitarian Contributions as the Phoenix and the Self-Sacrifice she gave in order to Defeat the Dark Phoenix.
Afraid that her grandparents might come home at any minute to find their daughter's window bursting with light, Rachel grasped the matrix. And in doing so, she awoke the power contained within. The light and wind vanished, just as suddenly as they'd come, and the sphere became the jewel again, falling to the floor with a thud. But Rachel was nowhere to be seen.
She was in fact no longer of physical composition. Her body became a part of the M'Kraan Crystal itself, as the Phoenix Force shook her awake once again, and Rachel watched history unfold before her. She saw the first creatures of creation. She saw centuries of war, whose brutality far surpassed anything seen on Earth. She saw small clans of noble beings, the X-Men to name one, fighting against tyranny and injustice. All this she absorbed in a few seconds' time, before she was thrust back into the reality she'd come from. Rachel awoke, naked and shaking, nestled inside the Crystal's womb, deep within the heart of the Sun.
* * *
616 timeline 08-10-2004 Westchester, New York, United States
Everyone noticed a change in Rachel when she returned. For one thing, her powers were no longer limited to her genetic abilities; on the battle field, she often displayed the newborn ability to teleport, produce ice or fire, and move at the speed of light, among others. She donned the Dark Phoenix costume, saying that she loved the color red. Her attitude had changed as well. Whereas she had established herself as a no-nonsense hermit with impeccable grades before, she came back with little to no appreciation for school (or any kind of authority). She not only socialized with her friends again, but soon became the group's leader. Even more surprising, she often led that group into fits of rebellion that usually got them and Xavier into legal trouble. But, as far as anyone could tell, she was far happier.
Because, if nothing else, Rachel took back from the Sun a sense of identity. She now knew that the Phoenix Force had not been involved in her life in a series of spontaneous interest, but had actually been a part of her since her birth. And, above all, she now knew that nothing could stop her. Or so she thought, when she rapped upon Professor Xavier's door that morning.
His voice came from behind the thick oak. "Come in, Rachel." She stepped in with a pleasant smile and seated herself in a comfortable chair before his desk. "How are you, Professor?"
"Quite well," he answered. "And you? These past couple of months you've seemed restless, irritable."
"No, I'm just fine, myself. Listen, I actually came here to ask you if the gang and I could go out tonight and see a few movies, maybe get a bite to eat."
Xavier studied her for a while. "I've already told Alex that I would not allow him or his 'gang' a permit off campus for the weekend."
She nodded. "May I ask why?"
"You may."
Rachel rolled her eyes in annoyance. "So?"
"So, I do not think it wise to give free reign to 10 specific students who have a tendency to break the law together."
"With all due respect, I think that's a little harsh."
"Really?" His eyes were weary. "3 weeks ago, you were kicked out of several restaurants for displaying your abilities in public, and 4 calls were made to the police complaining that you were disturbing the peace. 2 weeks ago, Jubilee received a speeding ticket, without a license, John exposed himself in public, and you were all drinking underage. Last weekend, you stole a gun from the X-Men armory, shot several rounds at each other, and robbed half the shops of the downtown mall." He paused. "Or have I left something out?"
"Well, we didn't get caught drinking, and that mall thing was just a game we play called Supermarket Sweep. We would've returned everything, except that we were interrupted. Oh, and the gun? That was training."
"Training?"
"Yeah. You know, all those kids are very interested in joining the X-Men."
"Well, of course they are. You're an X-Man, and they idolize you. And if they only judged the amount of responsibility and commitment required by your example-"
"Oh, I'm setting a bad example now, is that it?"
"Frankly, yes."
Rachel scanned the old man's mind. "You want me off the team."
"First and foremost, it is rude to read another person's mind without permission-"
"You did it several times before I put up a telepathic shield."
"-And second, yes, I'm going to ask that you step down from your position, but not because you're 'setting a bad example'. If that were the case, half of my recruits would be out of the question. I think it's far too much stress on you."
"Stress? Professor, I am more than capable-"
"Physically, yes. I'm referring to psychological stress."
There was a minute-long silence, before Rachel finally muttered, "Because I'm obviously on the verge of a mental breakdown."
"Rachel, you may have put up a telepathic wall between us, but, whether you realize it or not, every time you have a panic attack or get lost in an astral jump, your mind screams out to me."
"What the hell is an astral jump?"
"That's when you travel through time with your mind only and leave your body here."
She gave him a blank stare. "I can't do that."
"Of course you can. I've heard you talk to people from different realities."
"They were real? I thought I was just seeing things!"
"And you weren't concerned about this?" She shrugged. "Look, Rachel, I can assure you that you're not hallucinating. It's one thing to travel back and forward through time in one reality; it's another entirely to jump between timelines. And you went back and forward between M.E. and your reality twice in a matter of eight days. Your body basically went through low-level trauma, and it's performing spontaneous astral jumps as part of the recovery from that trauma. It's nothing to be worried about, however much it may be an inconvenience. The depression you're going through could also be linked to the sheer intensity of your telepathic abilities, which enhance human emotion exponentially. However, your aggressive behavior and your panic attacks are the result of emotional trauma." Finally, he took a breath, as he prepared to tell her what he was getting at. "I think you should talk to someone."
"Like a shrink?!"
"No, it could be me, or Ororo, maybe Hank. Hell, it can be Logan if you want. But I think you need to vent to someone what you've gone through."
"Fuck you."
"Excuse me?"
"Fuck you," she repeated, now rising from the chair. "You have no idea what I've been through, and quite frankly, I don't think you could handle it. Fine, whatever. I'll drop out of the team, but I'm not going to talk to anyone, just so that they can report back to you. I've had enough of your brainwashing."
"Rachel, I'm trying to help you." As she opened the door to leave, he tried to forcibly hold her back telepathically, desperate not to lose her entirely. But, in response, Rachel choked him with a fierce grip of telekinesis, toppling him out of his chair and onto the floor.
"I've had enough help from you, Grandpa. Thanks." And with that, she stormed out, slamming his office door shut behind her.
Outside, Sam Gutherie was waiting for her. "What the hell happened? I heard screaming."
Rachel chuckled. "That old man doesn't know who he's dealing with. C'mon, we don't need a fucking permit."