Another usual day after the bell rang, ending another school day for our heroes.
"Finally! I thought that the chemistry exam would never end." Kurt exclaimed as he threw his hands up in the air, with Markus behind him.
"C'mon, it wasn't that long. By the way, what did you fill in for question 20?" Markus asked
"Mustard gas, why?" Kurt said as he turned to face Markus.
"Wait, seriously?" Markus asked
"It's bleach and ammonia. Jean's been helping with my studies." Kurt explained how he got the answer.
"So what do we do-" Kurt paused as he picked up something in his hearing. "Is it your phone that's buzzing?"
"Oh, right, I switched it to silent mode for the exam." Markus explained as he pulled out his. "Hello?"
"Hey, Markie." A familiar voice said
"...Hope? It's...good to hear you. What's up?" Markus said as he stopped walking entirely
"Oh, don't tell Rachel I told you, but we're coming over to that Manor." There was a bit of noise on the other side, before it continued. "Sorry, the bus is here, gotta go, bye!"
"Markus? Are you there?" Kurt waved a hand at the frozen Markus. "Hey!" Kurt said, slapping Markus in the back of the head.
"What's up with you? Thought the Professor mind-frozed you or something." Kurt continued
"Ha-ha, very funny." Markus replied sarcastically. "No, it's - ugh, how do I explain it? A family issue?"
"What's wrong with Jean?" Kurt asked, confused.
"No, it's, well, our cousins." Markus explained
Meanwhile back at the Mansion...
"Yer kidding." Logan said as he looked at the email.
"'Fraid not." Jean sighed. "Tell Xavier we're going to get some company."
"I'm afraid it might be a little too late." Ororo came into the room with a hand on her head. "Your cousin is currently "occupied" with Xavier."
"Oh, no." Jean rushed out of her room and towards the main hall, only to find what Ororo said was true.
Hope was sitting on a suitcase, watching the - at first glance - staring contest between the sweating Xavier and Rachel, who had sat down on the floor cross legged.
"What's wrong, old man, can't help it?" Rachel taunted, as her eyes narrowed.
"Hey, Jeannie!" Hope gave an innocent wave as she got off and gave Jean a hug. "Been awhile."
"Likewise." Jean replied before turning to the elder cousin. "Rachel, stop that mental battle, now!" She ordered, before Rachel rolled her eyes and turned to face her cousin.
"Well, hi there, cousin." Rachel smiled smugly as she extended an arm, while the Professor coughed violently in the background. "How have you been?"
"Fine, actually." Jean replied shaking her hand
"So how's the X-Men life?" Rachel asked
"It's been fine, not much happens besides the occasional trouble." Jean explained "This visit is...unexpected."
"Sorry, but Mom had to go to this event and there's no one left watching us, and our private tutors wanted a holiday as well. Besides, it's our break." Rachel shrugged.
"Come on, we only see each other like, once a year. What's the harm?" Rachel continued
"Well, you could have at least told us. We don't exactly have a spare guest room that's ready." Jean said
"It's okay, we can just crash on the sofa!" Hope went back to their luggage. "Really, it's no biggie-!"
Before they could say anything, a loud honk could be heard before Kurt and Markus appeared out of thin air.
"So, YOUR still here. Unsurprisingly." Rachel said mocking as she got in Markus's face
"Good to see you too, Rachel." Markus plainly said
"So... What have you been up to? Besides playing superhero?" Rachel said with a smirk on her face
"Well... Not much besides not thinking about how you're gonna insult me and how I live so..." Markus said not wanting to fight nor hear her insults, so he only walked away so he could have some space
"I'm gonna get you this time..." Rachel mentally swore
Later at dinner time...
"So where do you live?" Ella asked
"We live in sunny Florida, despite the constant hurricanes and other forces of nature it's pretty good." Rachel replied
"What are your abilities?" Evan then asked
"The usual for a psionic: Telekinesis, Telepathy, Psionic Shielding, Psionic Constructs, oh and the good old Energy Manipulation." Rachel replied
"Well... I can actually copy anyone of your powers." Hope quipped into the conversation
"So Hope, can you copy anyone's powers all at once or one at a time?" Markus asks
"Usually one at a time cause if I were to do it all at once I'd pass out due to the overwhelming possession of power just like that." Hope explained
"Like when I first developed my power... I... I... I created a telekinetic shockwave that pushed dad and he... Was killed." Rachel voice quieted as tears formed in her eyes but was comforted by Hope
"I'm sorry Rachel." Markus said apologizing that he unintentionally brought up her memory
"Like hell you are, I'm going out... Thanks for the dinner Ororo." Rachel said, wanting to leave for a little while
"I have never realized nor been told about our uncle's death Jean... Why is that?" Markus asked
"Mom wouldn't allow me to tell you, you were little so she didn't want to traumatize you." Jean explained
"Ah I see... Not like I'm traumatized already but that's ok." Markus said before he left and thought to himself how he WASN'T traumatized already
An hour later...
"X-Men, we have an emergency. Head to the Blackbird immediately. Unfortunately Logan, Ororo and I cannot join you." Xavier said over the speaker's as his voice cut across the Mansion, alerting the team
"Duty calls." Markus said as he got on his uniform. After he was fully equipped he met up with the team inside the Blackbird in which Rachel and Hope were also in with X-Men uniforms
"Scott...why is he here?" Rachel asked
"I'm sorry, but can't I help my team? So what's the situation?" Markus retorted before asking Scott
"We are heading to the Richards Retreat house near Miami, supposedly Franklin Richards is Rachel's boyfriend and we are here to help him." Scott explained
"Why, like, are we going there, if I may ask?" Kitty asked
"There was an alarm raised at the Retreat and a security camera picked up our old friends: The Brotherhood, why they are over there I don't know but it can't be good." Jean explained
"Alright here's the plan: there's the house where Franklin is holed up and right outside in the north is the Brotherhood, it looks like Quicksilver is building a perimeter so if the authorities arrive, they cannot help, Lance and Blob are trying to make earthquakes to get Franklin out into the open and Toad serves as the watchdog to see if anyone's coming." Scott said as he explained the current situation
"Just let me have them Scott, I'll make them PAY for hurting my boyfriend." Rachel said angrily and crushing a soda can at the same time
"Easy there Rachel, we only stop them from causing anymore harm to others, not bring them to justice." Scott said
"Anyways, here's the assignments: Scott and I will disable the power generators outside the complex it should shut down the alarm and we can send an all clear signal so the authorities won't arrive but if they do we'll distract them, Kurt and Rogue will keep Toad, Blob and Avalanche distracted, Kitty can phase through Quicksilver that'll incapacitate him and meet up with Markus, Rachel and Hope where they will extract Franklin and drop him off at the Baxter Building with everyone else." Jean said as she explained the plan to the others
"Just don't screw it up, or I'll rip you apart and make you my personal mannequin." Rachel said to Markus who got to his face and poked him in the chest before flying off
"Sounds like a plan, hold on tight Hope." Markus said sarcastically as he held onto Hope and used his telekinesis to safely land on the ground after jumping out
"We are on it." Kurt said as he grabbed Kitty and Rogue before teleported near Toads location
"What a charming team we have." Jean said as the Blackbird landed near some palm trees just 15 miles north of the complex near the power generators
Meanwhile with Kitty and the others...
Kurt, Rogue and Kitty teleported to outside of the perimeter
"So where, like, can I find Quicksilver?" Kitty asked before the saw a streak of silver rushing past them
Kitty would then walk about half a mile away from the perimeter as the silver streak ran towards her, she phases through Quicksilver knocking him unconscious as the phasing process messed his brain
"Quicksilver is, like, out." Kitty said in her wallow talkie that it connected to the team's own communications.
Meanwhile with the strike team...
Kurt and Rogue teleported inside the perimeter where they see Lance and Blob make semi-earthquakes to get Franklin out of hiding while Toad watches out for anyone
"GET OUT HERE RICHARDS! YOU OWE ME!" Alvers shouted as he made the ground shake
"How long do we gotta do this?"' Blob asked as he was getting tired of stomping on the ground
"UNTIL THIS COWARD SHOWS HIS FACE!" Lance said as he continued to make the ground shake
"Uh, Lance." Toad said who jumped his way towards him
"Not now Toadlansky can't you see I'm busy?" Lance said
"But it's the X-Men! They are here!" Toad said while pulling Lance's shirt to get his attention which worked
"Which ones?" Lance asked
"Only Wagner and Rogue." Toad replied
"Hmm, we can take them, right guys?" Lance asked
"I- I don't know man... I'm tired." Blob said while panting heavily
"Come one we can take these punks." Lance said as Kurt and Rogue arrived
"Let's go!" Rogue shouted as everyone started to fight and the X-Men had an advantage with the Brotherhood mostly exhausted and the fight was pretty quick as the Brotherhood were knocked out.
"Jean, we've taken care of Blob, Avalanche and Toad, we are heading towards you." Rogue said through her walkie talkie
"Copy that, we took care of the generator and sent the all clear signal, Kitty is with us in the Blackbird warming it up for Rachel, Hope and Markus once they find Franklin... Meet us at the Blackbird, Jean out." Jean said through the walkie talkie
"I can take us there, hold tight." Kurt said as Rogue held onto Kurt as they teleported to the Blackbird
Meanwhile with Rachel, Markus and Hope...
Rachel, Markus and Hope landed inside the perimeter before they entered the house quietly with Markus and Rachel ready to use their telekinetic powers
"Is there anything I would need to know about your boyfriend before you suck face?" Markus said, smirking as he teased his cousin
"Other than he can create just about ANYTHING out of thin air... No, no there isn't." Rachel said annoyed at the joke just before they entered the room with Franklin sitting down, leaning against the wall with some cuts on his face and bruises on his body
"FRANKIE! Babe... you ok?" Rachel said, shocked that her boyfriend was harmed before kissing him
"I'm fine Rach... Who are they?" Franklin asked about Hope and Markus
"This is Hope Grey, she's my adopted sister and this is... my VERY distant cousin Markus." Rachel said introducing Franklin to her sister and cousin
"Nice to meet you Franklin.." Markus said extending his hand for a handshake in which it was received by Franklin
During the same night, the X-Men were successful in their mission in returning Franklin to the Baxter Building in which the Fantastic Four returned from space at the same time as the Blackbird dropped off Franklin. They were thanked by Franklin's little sister Valriea and the Fantastic Four and showed gratitude to the X-Men for helping Franklin. Then they came back to the Mansion and went to bed for the night.
The next day...
"That's the best you got?!" Rachel said as she and the rest of the X-Men were in the Danger Room, fighting the simulations of The Brotherhood, Mystique and Juggernaut all at the same time
"Workin up a sweat?" Markus asked to Rachel
"Don't you see I'm busy taking care of an immovable object? How is it going, Hope?" Rachel hissed before asking Hope
"You're doing good Rach, but please be nice to Markie, he's a nice guy and don't hurt him." Hope said before pleading her sister not to hurt Markus
"I'll try not to Hope... If he EVER uses his common sense to not disturb me!" Rachel said as she was ragdolling Juggernaut, but the comment made Markus a bit mad on the inside before Jean tried to warn him
"Don't listen to her Markie, she's just trying to get under your skin." Jean stated
"Yeah well... So far it's working!" Markus said as he swung his psionic-made bat to ward off Toad, but he accidentally hits Rachel in the face
"STOP! STOP! STOP THE SIMULATION! WOMAN DOWN!" Markus shouted as the simulation abruptly halted which prompted the Professor, Ororo and Wolverine to head into the Room as the others attended to Rachel
"What happened this time?" Logan asked
"I accidentally hit Rachel with my construct, I guess she got a little too close to me." Markus explained before he went to Rachel's side
"You ok Rachel?"
"My-... My nose... YOU!" Rachel whimpered for a second before she glowed with rage at Markus
"Oh, sh-" Markus said before he was telekinetically blasted out of the Danger Room into the living room.
"Holy crap that's gonna hurt in the morning." He groaned as he got up
"You know I've told myself I'd get you this time and it looks like... I'm gonna get my chance." Rachel said as she got angrier and her fist was glowing
"THEN TAKE IT PRINCESS!" Markus shouted, as he has had enough of Rachel's verbal abuse for years and suggested that she would rethink what she was gonna do
"I'LL KILL YOU!" Rachel shouted as she threw more telekinetic blasts at Markus but dodged them and caused damage to the Mansion
"RACHEL, MARKUS STOP THIS NOW!" The Professor yelled, wanting to restore order
"Hey I didn't start this fight!" Markus replied as Rachel tried to strangle him but pushed her off
"YOU BROKE MY NOSE! NOW I WON'T LOOK PERFECT ANYMORE!" Rachel shouted as she threw telekinetic knifes at Markus but with his armor, none hit him
"Well news flash Rach... There hasn't been a perfect person on this planet in over 2,000 years!" Markus said as he took cover but Rachel found him and punched him hard in the face
"I DARE you to move! Do it, and I'll mess up your mind." Rachel shouted as she got Markus in chokehold, threatening to enter his mind
"Rachel, stop! He didn't mean to hit you!" Hope said as she tried to no avail to get Rachel off of Markus
"Stay out of this Hope! He's mine and I've waited five years for this." Rachel replied as she tried to enter his mind but Markus only jerked his head back into Rachel's face, stunning her for a moment before Markus let out a huge telekinetic blast that sent Rachel back a couple of feet unto a wall, knocking her unconscious
"Markie! Are you ok?" Ella said as she rushed to her friends side and helped him up
"I'm fine… I hope Rachel is though." Markus said as he was more concerned about the state that Rachel was possibly in as Jean came over to check on her
"She's unconscious but ok, you probably blasted her onto the wall so hard, she might forget the entire situation." Jean said, much to Markus's relief
"Thank God… I just hope that we can maybe reach a resolution that doesn't result in BOTH of us being killed." Markus commented as Ella helped him walk towards the couch and Hope sat next to him to accompany him as the others started to clean the mess the fight made