The people in the jet remained quiet for a long time, each having different thoughts and ways of occupying the time. Wolverine toyed with his seat belt, out of boredom almost shredding the thing with his claws. Jean gave him a hard look and he decided to simply wear it. Professor Xavier said very little, concentrating hard on what was beyond the cockpit's windshield. The ground flew by as the soft vibrations of the X-Jet filled the cabin. Gambit held a card in his hand, charging it slowly at first and then all at once, ebbing the pink glow or having it race around the edges first. Cyclops had a book of some sort and was trying to read it. Even he looked distracted. As for Quicksilver, he was investigating the back of the X-Jet, opening drawers and cabinets like he'd never seen such a thing before. After so much opening and closing of the hydraulic compartments, Wolverine leaned over to Gambit.
"I've a mind to stuff him in one of those things if he doesn't stop here real soon."
"Ah'll help you," Gambit replied, nonchalantly pulling another ace of spades from his coat pocket.
Beast was hardly comfortable in the jet's chairs. He never was, and tried to avoid employing them at any cost. Nevertheless, he stayed near Xavier, knowing that his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of his friend, Eric Lensherr. It amazed him to that day how these two men were friends and mortal enemies at the same time. He thought about this for a while, but the constant hissing of the rear compartments opening and closing resounded acutely in his ears. After so much, he decided to do something about it.
Wolverine and Gambit looked up as he passed resolutely by, the Cajun smirking a little before returning to his cards.
Beast approached Quicksilver quietly and cleared his throat unobtrusively. For a quick second the mutant blurred, rematerializing facing Beast.
"You frightened me," he said, somewhat abashed.
"I do apologize. I can have that effect on people."
Forward, the two mutants leaned around the edge of their chairs to watch.
"This is a nice craft." Quicksilver looked around the vaulted space. "What do you call it?"
Beast rocked on his heels a little before he replied, "The...X-Jet."
The Brotherhood mutant looked disappointed. "It's not very original."
"No, I suppose not. But it'll have to do for now."
Quicksilver paced a little. "My father was planning to build a ship of his own. But he has many ships at his command. Hundreds."
From the forward part of the jet, Wolverine put in, "Ours is better."
"I'm sure that you cannot compare the craftsmanship of a ship completely built by the will of one man to your one creation."
"It sure isn't Frankenstein's monster, if that's what you mean."
Beast stopped it before it got any worse. "That's enough, Logan." He turned to Quicksilver. "What I've been trying to say is that we're about to land on your island. Jean would like to know the location of where we might set down."
The Brotherhood mutant made his way to the front to give his advice. Within minutes, they set down in the jungle clearing that Quicksilver pointed out. The team stepped out of the X-Jet and into the steaming island rain forest. Wolverine glared into the underbrush as the cliché jungle sounds met his ears. They decided to have two parties that would remain together until absolutely necessary. Quicksilver assured them that approaching Magneto in full force would not be the safest way. The professor agreed.
Wolverine, Gambit, and Cyclops took point. Jean, Beast, Quicksilver, and Professor Xavier followed along behind carefully. After so much forging ahead, the Brotherhood mutant stopped them.
"I'm afraid that the going will not get easier from here, Professor Xavier. I believe you should remain behind."
"Behind?" Jean queried. "We'll need all the help we can get."
The professor waved them off. "I understand. Some of you can go ahead and see if the way is clear. I'll go back to the jet and follow when I can."
"I'll stay with you," said Jean.
"No. If you find Eric I want someone to be able to show him reason through his madness if he won't listen. Do you understand?"
She nodded.
"Scott. I want you to stay behind."
He replied, "Can do, professor," in a calm manner as he moved back towards Professor Xavier.
As they turned to go back the way they had come, the professor added, "Quicksilver, I'm trusting you to bring my friends back to me. Can you do that?"
The Brotherhood mutant performed a stiff bow, lowering his liquid eyes to the jungle floor. "I will not fail you."
Wolverine, a smirk on his face, jabbed Gambit with his elbow before gesturing towards the scene. The Cajun didn't seem to share his joke, appreciating the scene with an understanding look, his arms crossed.
The team moved off quietly, each not wanting to disturb the silence that wafted around them in the heavy mist. After long last, Wolverine decided that it bothered him enough that he had the right to break it.
"What kinda place is this, anyway?" he asked. "Doesn't seem natural."
"This must be one of those fake islands everyone's talking about," Jean inserted pointedly. Logan looked away to avoid her glance, stomping more deliberately on the underbrush they were fighting through.
Falling behind, Beast slowed his pace to look up at the jungle canopy. The leaves gave way to a clearing in the thick foliage, the rays illuminating the strong humidity in the air along with the flying insects that crossed their path. In sharp comparison, the rest of the forest was dark, the sunlight unable to penetrate the dense growth. How this solitary patch survived was certainly a mystery. As he watched, he thought he saw something move up there among the branches. It continued to stir, gaining momentum, and not long after Beast felt an odd sensation run a marathon down and down his spine.
"Wait..." he said slowly, the others turning to face him. "He's right. This isn't natural."
Wolverine glanced towards the place where he was watching, the misgiving he had earlier gaining strength. He said nothing, trying to comprehend what was happening.
Jean, however, was the first to speak. "The leaves...They're growing back."
His instinct kicking into high gear, Beast shouted, "Everyone, get down!" He hit the jungle floor seconds before Wolverine followed. Some of the others weren't that fast. A loud rushing of wind blew by as a long green wine whipped across the clearing, catching Gambit and Jean off guard and knocking them to the ground. For the brief moment he lay on his back, the Cajun looked up at the patch of sky that was quickly being eaten by the dark leaves massing at its edges. By the time, he'd regained his feet, all traces of the sun where gone.
Beast sprang up, trying to listen for the next attack, but the forest was now alive with calls and shouts, the shadows hiding their origins. Another vine snapped, Quicksilver phasing out just in time to avoid it. Standing the center of their battleground, Jean focused her energy to hold back more that came their way. The force propelling them was strong and she couldn't hold more than three back at a time. Wolverine slashed at the vines, plunging his claws into their thick stems. But the plant was just a plant and not vulnerable to pain. The severed plants merely extended their length to continue the fight.
"Here!" Beast was shouting, his hands gripping one of the vines with intense pressure. Struggling, he bent it around a tree with help from Gambit, managing to tie the thing around the trunk. The vine jerked at its hindrance and then fell limp like any ordinary plant. "That's the way," the professor called. "Wolverine, your assistance here would be greatly appreciated!"
Somewhat reluctantly, the mutant left his work on one particular vine and joined in the effort to restrain the whipping vines. They'd gotten four of the plants around trees when Jean's stamina began to flag under the intense power opposing her telekinesis. She was distracted for a second and before she could recover, a vine collapsed onto her. She fought the plant like one would a boa constrictor, its length coiling and crushing around her in a serpentine fashion.
Beast rushed to her aid, directing the others to go on in his absence as he tore at the leafy assailant. Grinding his teeth, Wolverine turned his full attention to the task. Gambit pulled with him and they successfully wound another vine around the closest tree. The team began to select their next vine when Gambit suddenly started. A smaller vine had snaked up his ankle, gripping it hard.
"Hold on there," Gambit said, trying to tear it off. It merely twisted more of its length around its target and began to pull towards the edge of the clearing. Seeing this, Wolverine grabbed hold of him and attempted to pull him the other direction. The tension was incredible for such a small plant.
"Hey now," the Cajun said quickly. "Yer pullin' me in two!"
"Got any suggestions?" Wolverine spat back, tugging alternately. A second later, the vine gave a mighty pull and Gambit jerked out of his grasp, tumbling into the grass. A myriad of small vines appeared and attacked, twisting around anything they touched. Within moments, Wolverine and Gambit were tied securely with a garden variety of vines.
One of them tried his claws again with no success. The vines simply wrapped around them as well. He grimaced at them. Gambit gripped one the best he could and charged it. In under a second, the plant withered and burned away. But the vines seemed to learn better and avoided his grasp after that. Now, both of them were effectively out of commission.
"Great," Wolverine griped, frowning at their predicament.
"Got any suggestions?" asked the other, half-heartedly smirking as he struggled with the vines.
Beast had no luck with the stubborn vine around Jean. She had little energy left to fight it and could do little to help him. The Brotherhood mutant came from nowhere to help. Instantly, a vine thrashed out and caught him before he could react. It threw him violently backwards into a tree. He fell, dazed, and could do nothing to ward off the twining plants.
Realizing he was the last, Beast renewed his efforts to free Jean. Something in the forest cracked. Footsteps. He stopped and stood quickly to face his opponent, standing there on guard and so fiercely that Jean was convinced that their old doctor had truly become his namesake.
Three people emerged from the edge of the forest, the shadows hiding their faces. The vines ceased their attacks and came to something of attention, ready for use again.
"What do you want with us?" Beast demanded, a growl echoing in his deep voice.
"We want nothing with you," was a sharp reply. "Your presence is extremely unwelcome here and we will do everything in our power to see that you do not leave this island."
Author's Note: Huzzah for chapter 3 after so much time! I do apologize. Well, here it is after long last. Enjoy!