Note: know that a certain codename is already being used with another superhero entity. But couldn't think of one for a character; and even though wound up taking the same moniker, the female has completely different powers here.
Barely putting the invitation behind her, "what does thou have there, fair Crystal?" Looking to Phoenix Wagner, who nods her head. "It's a wedding invitation." Curious, the others gather. "For who, cherie?!" "Crystal?" Dane asks. 'Oh boy, telling her exes and former flame isn't going to be easy. Especially when two of them had been mine as well. Not that Kathleen would bother with them.
The sting of losing Rachel is still there. And I get why The Phoenix made this choice. But still this is going to hurt even more. Pietro, Thor, Johnny, Frank, Remy, and even Dane really cared about her. Knowing that it has come to this isn't going to be easy; and what of the Summers, Billy and Tommy. It's like her honoring Rachel meant turning her back on all of us.'
"Well, Crystal?!" Turning, "I'm sorry, Steve. I got lost in my thoughts. "It's Kathleen's." "Kat?!" "Yeah, Remy. She is going to marry Ikaris." "You knew and didn't say anything?" "What makes you say that?" "Because you don't seem surprised at this." "Crystal, is this true?" Alex asks. Lorna and Dane Alexander by his side.
The other red heads remain quiet. "All of you are suspiciously silent. Not that you are normally chatterboxes, yet your silence is speaking more than it should." Frank tells them. Jean, Rachel Grey, Hope and Wanda remain mute. "Clearly, more of us knew than thought, granted that a few of us did finally get why she abandoned us. But to know that the contact was still there." "Castle, that's enough. She asked for us to not say anything after she finally reached out to us again." Rachel Grey tells him.
"Listen here, girl. It stayed because it wanted to honor your aunt, yet when given the chance it ran. I'll give that we hadn't made it easy on it. But if The Phoenix had really meant to honor Rachel Summers, running away wasn't it. Rachel never did, she always toughed it out. So, Kathleen Pryce making her choice to join The Eternals then hiding that she still talks to some of you makes her unworthy of what your aunt had stood for."
"Frank Castle, that is enough of talking to my daughter like that." "He makes a valid point, Jean Grey." "Dane Whitman, you are the last to say such a thing. You barely knew Rachel. Just like you barely know Kathleen. So, your feelings are rather peculiar." "I know enough, to know how I feel about her."
"That is enough, Jean and Rachel Grey are correct. And I don't fault Castle or Whitman for their truth. I did run. And while I do wish to honor Rachel, she wouldn't ever begrudge me for making my own decisions. Nor for wanting and finding happiness, I know it hasn't been easy. And I greatly appreciate those who have tried to move past their grief and see me for who I am."
Wanda approaches her. Jericho by her side. "Wanda, I hope you and the others are ready to go shopping. I would like this to be as perfect as possible for Ikaris, so finding the right dress is paramount." "You do know that you could be the worst dressed and he could care less, just as long as you are there." Prestige adds. "Thank you, Rachel Grey. Which is all the more reason, I need to find this."
The group of Rachel's female family members and friends gather around Kathleen. "Let us be off then." "Wait!" She stops at the command. "What do you want, Dane Whitman?" "A moment of your time." Indicating a secluded area, "please don't make me regret this like last time. And just be lucky Ikaris isn't here this time. Sure, he knows that I am more capable of handling myself. But if he saw a repeat of your behavior, holding him off this time might be harder to accomplish."
"Just focus. I know that it isn't easy. But you will get there, Anabel. And while your abilities are definitely different, mastering them should be easy once you get the hang of it. I know there had been a lot that had been going on and Rachel never got a chance to focus enough of it and teaching you. But I am here now; and this may be a crash course, but it will be worth it. In fact, to hopefully make this easier, I brought someone who can help tremendously."
"You can come in now." Crystal enters with Dane Whitman behind her. "Anabel Worthington, Crystalia of the Inhumans and Dane Whitman. Crystal, Whitman; Anabel." The training session is brutal. Laying against the mat, "have you thought of codenames?" "Is one really necessary?" "No. But it would help. And no, Storm is already taken in more than one way."
"Her abilities are more offensive, how about Stormfront?!" At her expression, he continues, "she can control the elements after all, and Storm is taken, so?!" "You do have a point, Whitman. I guess for the time being." The ground underneath them quakes. "Now what?!" The screaming heard in the background. "Great, the kids are panicking."
The sword gripped uselessly as his arm hangs limply, his other hand holding it from jarring with the movements he is forced to make. His breath labored. Bracing for the impact coming his way, closing his eyes. "DANE!" Concentrating her energy, she has it released from her hands, just as a wall of concrete rises, creating a barrier in front of him.
Landing, "good job, Stormfront. Whitman, are you okay?" Taking in the sun embracing her silhouette reminds him of an angel. Noticing her for the first time, having long ago let other women occupy his thoughts. "Keep those thoughts to yourself, Black Knight. You had no chance with Crystal. And you definitely don't have a chance with me."
"Is that a challenge, for I am telling you now that how I hadn't given up on Crystal easily. You must know that I will have no problem pursuing you as well." "Such presumption and arrogance, Crystal, Rachel and I may have found this attractive to an extent. Especially Crystal since she fell for you as well. But that is where this similarity between us ends, you take this trait to another level.
Rachel and I don't take kindly to this, you couldn't have appealed to us more if you were made of pond scum. But by all means, if this doesn't deter you. I am not above finding you crashing and burning, amusing. So, you better quit now, Rachel despite her toughness was capable of kindness and compassion that I would never grant nor allow."
The shield comes down just as the debris is about to hit her. Looking, "Whitman?! You know I could have handled it myself!" "You're welcome." Fuming she is about to retort when the cry diverts their attention, turning she sees the chaos around them. As Arcade begins walking their way among the pandemonium, the long blonde-haired man touches the ground in front of them. Picking up on his thoughts, "Adam, Extreme?!"
"Hello, Phoenix." "You know?!" "Of course, you may look like Rachel. And even though, meeting my sister may have been brief. I can see you are nothing like her, despite resembling her." "Thank you for helping." "Now you and I should be able to take Arcade on, and let the others handle the destruction and mayhem around us." "Very well, with pleasure." Her eyes and hands begin glowing with energy. "Are you ready and I have only done this once as Rachel, and If I didn't know you could handle it, I wouldn't even bother trying." "What is it? Get to the point!"
The fire bird emblem consumes the background as she picks him up. He stands on air before Kathleen flings him, allowing him to be propelled in the air. Just as he is about to make contact with Arcade, the short man moves just in time. But not enough, as Kathleen having followed Adam, concentrates all her energy in her fist, knocking the man a new one.
"Well, that is something, I know all about Rachel helping the Fury in that other world. And briefly here, but see where in your own right, why the codename Powerhouse was given. For you sure are one, Phoenix, that other heroes really aren't needed." "That is not why I exist, Fury. And every species needs a figure to guide them." "What I am really trying to say is that I could use someone like you?" "SHIELD exists as a unit. And that is how it should remain; I may be considered a deity. But I am not godlike, everything has the right to make their own choices."
Laying the mat by them, "what is this?!" "I may very much loath you, Dane Whitman. However, as a guardian of life, I couldn't in good conscience, stand by and not try to help. Like I have tried to with others, I know what it is like to not have control and spiral mentally and emotionally. And that no one has really tried to help you cope with the Ebony blade's effects."
Sitting down, lotus style. Patting the area in front of her, "now come, the first key is meditation. And then once that is mastered, we will go from there." "And you sure this will work?!" "It would have with a Bucky Barnes from another reality if his mind hadn't been so fractured. Rachel feared pushing too hard would have simply been detrimental. You however, with how long you have had that sword even if sporadically, your sanity for the most part is still intact. So, yes, I think there is a good chance."
The conversation interrupts the nostalgia. Seeing that Kathleen has left his side, Dane watches on in silence. "So, tell us, what it is like? We don't really know Ikaris that well. And you haven't even been gone for two years." Kathleen smiles. "This girl talk will have to wait momentarily, at least until we are in a more private setting. And that is what I am here for like I had said earlier, to look for a dress. Not that I couldn't have found it on Olympia. But despite my reason for leaving, I couldn't in good conscience leave any of you out. Even if.
Rachel Grey places her hand her shoulder, "we are always going to regret keeping the rose-tinted glasses on enough. But if anyone gets not being accepted for who you are, you know I get it!" "Thank you, Rachel. Now who is ready for this outing.?!" Crystal, Mariah, Wanda, Katya, Clarice, Rachel, Lorna and Scarlet make a beeline for the door. Kathleen smiles at the shenanigan. "If anyone else, would like to join?!" "I would. My wedding wasn't this much fuss, it will definitely be curious to see why it is so?!" Jean says. "It isn't so much that, they are just happy for me. But some of it is just their guilt talking. Simply having chosen to deal with the elephant in the room."
Sighing after taking a seat, the booth secluded enough to accommodate some semblance of privacy. "That was grueling and quite an ordeal. Trying to find a dress has never been so daunting." "Stressing about it, only makes it worse." "Jean, I just want it to be perfect. Ikaris deserves it." "And you don't?!" Tossing a napkin at her, "oh you, not all of us have reservations about getting married, Katya."
"Know that it was mentioned earlier, but that man could care less what you decide to wear as long as you show up." "Rachel's right. Ikaris loves you. What you wear is of no consequence." Jean adds. "Spill already, since you have barely been dating a year, what lead to this question?!" "What, Scarlet means is why the rush?!" Clarice finishes for her.
"I know that Rachel's ghost is always going to cast a shadow over our relationship. But I am glad that all of you are trying your best. I missed all of you. Moving to Olympia wasn't exactly easy but not as hard as I had thought it would be. Ikaris definitely made it easier. And it just evolved there; and it wasn't long before we were dating."
