Note: Some parts of this chapter refer back to Unexpected Visitor and Arrival. It may be a bit confusing if you haven't read those two, but it might not. Hope you enjoy the chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men or anything like that.
Apocalypse's Tower
"How foolish. They are actually searching for Jean." Phoenix said as she watched the jet on Apocalypse's large screen monitor.
"Death was supposed to get rid of them all. I see that some escaped before he entered their home." Apocalypse growled as he looked at the screen as well. "I will send either Famine or Plague to get rid of them."
"No need." Phoenix told him and turned away from the monitor and began walking out of the large chamber. "They are coming to try and get Jean back. I can't let that happen. I will destroy them all." An evil smirk appeared on her face as her eyes glowed dark orange and walked out of the room.
"Plague." Apocalypse called, while still watching the screen. The woman with short blackish-red hair walked forward and stood beside her master. "I want you to go to the X-Men's home as well. Death is to kill all of them, but I want the entire place gone." He ordered.
Plague didn't say anything, only turning her head and walking out of the chamber. She passed the cell area where Dani Moonstar was chained to the wall. However, chains laid broken next to her where Beast had been chained up.
"Hey, you!" Dani shouted at the other woman. "Why the hell are you working for him?" She yelled, but when the ex-X-Men turned to face her and stared at her with those cold black eyes she kept quiet. 'What has that guy done to these people?' She thought to herself and watched as a portal formed and Plague disappeared.
X-Mansion- Sub-basement
Sarah walked down the hallways looking for Dirge. The last time she saw the cat was on her bed. When she went to get something to eat and came back the cat was gone. She already checked the new upper levels of the mansion and didn't find him.
"Dirge! Here kitty." Sarah called and looked into each of the rooms. 'Where is he? It's not like him to leave.' She thought to herself sadly.
She continued walking until she reached the War Room. She gazed inside and saw that strange man she had met the other night. Sitting on the table before him, Dirge was laying on the table in front of him purring.
"Dirge." Sarah called and ran into the room. Sinister looked down at the little girl in disgust.
'I thought all these worthless Morlocks were slaughter.' He thought to himself and glared at the little girl.
"Excuse me. I want to take my kitty." Sarah told Sinister and quietly took Dirge into her arms.
"Sarah, what are ya doin' in here?" Rogue's voice came from the door way. The little girl spun around and looked at the older girl.
"I was looking for Dirge." Sarah replied.
"Sugah." Rogue said and walked in. She kept an eye on Sinister. She knew that Sarah had once been a Morlock and Sinister had her family killed. There was no way she wanted the little girl near the mad scientist or give him a chance to have the last Morlock killed. "Why don'tcha find some of the others?" She suggested.
"Alright." Sarah whispered. She felt like she was in trouble, and didn't want to stick around for the punishment she was going to get.
Rogue watched as the little girl exited the room and then turned her attention back to Sinister. "Ya better stay away from her." Rogue growled.
"I have no interest in mutant trash like her." Sinister sneered at her.
"That's why ya had her family and friends killed?" Rogue asked in an angry voice.
"They were nothing and would be nothing. All they did was live in sewers and would never have a chance at a life. They are better off where they are now." Sinister told her.
"Why you sick son of a. . . . " Rogue began to say and approached him with her fists at her side, ready to punch him in the face.
"No manners at all. I guess your mother really didn't teach you anything, did she?" Sinister grinned at the angry woman before him.
Rogue's eyes narrowed. "Don't ya bring her inta this. That woman means nothin' ta me." She stated and pointed at him. "Now since we are alone, Ah'm gonna do what Ah should have done months ago: kick your ass." She yelled.
"Like you could really harm me, child." Sinister said in confidence.
"Really? Well let's find out." Rogue demanded. "Ah'm sure Remy would have loved ta beat the shit outta ya, Ah'll have ta tell him the story about this when he comes back."
Sinister started laughing at her, which only caused the southern girl to become even more angrier. "What's so funny?" She growled at him.
"You acting as if you care about him." Sinister replied as he continued to laugh.
"Cause Ah do, and because of ya Ah lost more time with him." Rogue shouted at him.
"Really? If you had loved him so much, then why did you end up stabbing him?" Sinister's hands went behind his back as he waited for an answer.
"Ah . . . " Rogue was lost for words. At first she didn't remember what he was talking about, then she remembered being possessed by Malice who forced her to stab Remy on their date. "That wasn't me." She whispered silently.
"You could have fought Malice, but instead you chose to stand aside and let him bleed in the cold. Not to mention, you then ran off and absorbed an innocent woman's powers." Sinister smirked, seeing the guilt wash over the young woman.
"Ah don't care what ya claim. Ah tried ta break free of Malice." Rogue glared up at him. "Ah love Remy, and he loves meh. Ah at least didn't destroy his life by havin' him go inta those tunnels where those people got killed. Because of ya, he had nightmares and blamed himself for the whole thing."
"If things had gone the way they were planned, he wouldn't have known." Sinister said quietly. The Morlock Massacre hadn't gone as well as he planned. The main purpose was to have the Morlocks killed. And true, he wanted Remy to feel guilty so he could use something against him, but Sabertooth almost killed Remy in the tunnels.
"Ah can't hear ya, speak a little louder." Rogue said sarcastically to the red-eyed mutant. Sinister's red eyes glowed dangerously, but she refused to back down. "Why the hell are ya so interested in ruinin' his life anyways?" She growled.
Sinister smirked at her and walked past her. She was about to open her mouth and shout at him when he finally answered. "You should know that answer. But to ease your mind I will leave it at this: he is to me as you are to Mystique, only a little difference." He answered and walked out of the room, leaving a stunned Rogue.
Front Door of the Mansion
Jono and Jubilee started backing up as Death walked into the mansion with his claws extended. "Why does this always happen to me?" Jubilee mumbled as Jono stood in front of her.
We're goin' ter have ter fight him. Jono told her, knowing the last person she ever wanted to fight was Logan.
"Maybe we can get through to him." Jubilee whispered as Death kept approaching them. "Wolvie, listen to me. We are your friends." She said to the horsemen.
Death growled and lunged at them. Jono had no choice, but to pull off his scarf and send a psionic blast at him.
Death hit the wall and slid down to the floor. A cut ran along the side of his face, but healed in an instant. "Okay, I don't remember his healing factor working that quickly." Jubilee whispered as he got to his feet and raced at them.
Jubilee dodged out of the way as the Death swiped his claws at her. Jono sent another blast at him, but this time it did not effect him. The brown haired young man tried to pull his scarf up and get out of the way, but one of the claws struck him on the side.
Aye. Jono cried and fell to his knees while holding his side. Jono glanced down and saw through his torn shirt a long cut that was bleeding.
"JONO!" Jubilee screamed as Death tried to finish him off, but Jubilee ran to help her boyfriend.
"Okay, Wolvie I love you, but NO ONE hurts my boyfriend!" Jubilee shouted and sent thousands of little fireworks at him, blinding him for a moment. Jubilee took that time to bend down to check on Jono. "Are you alright?" She asked him.
I'll be fine. Get out now! He shouted as Death advanced on them.
"Oh crud." Jubilee whispered, hugging Jono close to her and closing her eyes. She heard Death growl furiously, but was never attacked. When she opened her eyes she found the horsemen suspended in the air and slashing at them.
They looked over to see Cable standing in the doorway and using his telekinesis to hold Death in the air. "Get out now." The white-haired man demanded. The two teens didn't argue and got to their feet.
"What are we going to do with him?" Psylocke asked as she entered behind Cable.
"Lock him up in one of the cells." Cable answered as he floated Death out of the mansion. "Clear the way." He commanded.
Betsy nodded and ran off ahead of him. She needed to make sure no one was in the way when Cable brought Death to the cell. Alex Summers stood outside the watching. He had come back to warn them, but saw that they already got the message.
The jet landed and the X-Men exited. They used the tracks to detect the Phoenix's location. It had said she was in the area, but so far they hadn't seen her.
"She is here." Rachael told them and her eyes turned yellow. "I can sense her." .
"So then where is the bird at?" Domino asked and looked around in the sky. No one answered her.
"Is it just me, or does it seem a little strange that this woman got possessed by a bird spirit?" Pete whispered.
"You're not the only one." Domino replied.
"We must be careful. We've seen what the Phoenix has done to parts of the world already. If she wanted to, she could destroy us." Storm warned the others.
"But Jean is still inside her and still has partially control." Rachael told the white haired woman.
"Here she comes." Cyclops yelled to the ground as they saw in the distance a large bird outlined in flames.
"Here bird, birdie, birdie." Domino said in a taunting voice as she pulled out her gun and aimed it at the Phoenix. "Polly want a cracker?"
"I should have gone over the 'no taunting the villains' rule with her." Ororo sighed to herself.
"You fools dare challenge me?" The Phoenix appeared before them and laughed. "None of you stand a chance." She sneered and looked down to see Cyclops.
'Scott.' Jean whispered in her mind as she looked down at the man she loves.
"Let Jean go now!" Cyclops shouted.
"I don't think so." The Phoenix sent a yellow blast at him, almost hitting him if he hadn't gotten out of the way.
"Twelve points if you hit her. One hundred if you bring her down." Pete told Domino as he aimed his own gun at her.
"I like the sound of that." Domino smirked and they started firing at the Phoenix. The bullets were stopped by a force field that surrounded the Phoenix. She turned around and glared at them.
"You will pay for going against me." She shouted and melted their guns. Both of the young mutants dropped their weapons.
"That was my favorite gun you bird bitch!" Domino shouted as she glared up at the Phoenix.
"Looks like your out of the game." Pete smirked and held his hand in front of him. His fingers began to glow red and became sharper. "I however, am not." He stated and threw the heated knifes at the Phoenix. Like the bullets, they were unable to get past her field. The Phoenix sent a yellow bolt at the black haired young man and knocked him off his feet.
"Jean." Storm called as she floated into the air a few feet away. "I know you are still in there. Fight her!" Ororo plead, but the Phoenix only laughed and sent a blast at her.
"I don't think so." The Phoenix shouted as Storm fell to the ground, but Colossus caught her. "You are all pathetic." She shouted and noticed Cyclops stepping up close to her.
"Jean please. I know you are in there and can stop this. I love you, and if I have to I'll do whatever it takes to stop this. I know you don't want to hurt anyone." He told her.
"Scott." The orange eyes disappeared and were replaced by green on Jean's face. She started to lower herself down to the ground and stared at her husband. "You don't have to kill me." Jean gave a weak smile and ran a hand across his face.
"I don't want to kill you either." Scott whispered and rested his hand across hers.
"You don't have to, she's gone." She whispered to him and hugged him.
"Wow, that was easier than I thought." Rachael murmured to herself.
A evil grinned spread across Jean's face as she sent a blast into Scott's chest and through him back. "Fools!" She shouted and flew into the air.
"That blood bitch tricked us." Pete growled and helped Scott up.
"I am sorry, Mrs. Summers." Colossus apologized as he threw a tree at her. The tree burned up before it struck the Phoenix.
"You can not defeat me!" The Phoenix laughed at them and sent a bolt at Colossus, who almost got out of the way, but it struck him below his knee.
Flames surrounded Rachel's body as she lifted off into the air. "Stop this now!" Rachel shouted as a bird surrounded her that looked similar to the Phoenix.
"Don't play mind games with me!" The Phoenix glared at Rachel and sent a blast at her, but it was destroyed.
"I am not playing games. I am trying to stop you before you make a mistake!" Rachel told her. "You were born to protect people, not destroy them. Look at what you've done. Killed thousands already because they won't worship you. Not to mention, you are using a innocent woman against her will." Rachel said.
"I. . ."The Phoenix clutched her head as she felt Jean pounding to get out. Doubt filled the Phoenix's mind. She knew she was supposed to protect, but she loved how it felt to be worshiped. The Phoenix shook her head and glared down at Scott, who had gotten to his feet. Parts of his shirt were gone thanks to the blast he received earlier. "I'll kill you."The Phoenix growled and watched as Scott began to glow yellow.
'Scott, no!' Jean yelled from inside her head. The Phoenix once against felt her sadness. The entire time she had been blocking out Jean's emotions, but now they were invading her.
"No." Phoenix whispered and fell out of the air and to the ground. Rachel lowered herself and walked cautiously to the fallen woman. The glow that surrounded Scott died and he ran over to Jean.
Tears poured from the Phoenix's yellow eyes which began to flicker. "I am sorry." She whispered as she began to feel Jean's feelings even more. Images of those she had killed entered her mind and made her feel sick. "What have I done?" She whispered.
"Jean?" Scott whispered.
The Phoenix looked up and finally stood up. "I am sorry for all the anguish I have caused you all. I know I can not make up for what I have done, but I will leave Jean Grey's body now. " Phoenix told them as Jean's body went limp.
Scott ran over and held her in his arm. "Jean? Wake up!" He cried and brushed the red hair out of her face. Slowly, her eyes began to open and look at him.
"Scott?" She smiled at him and hugged him. "I love you so much." She whispered in his ear.
"I promise. I'll never let this ever happen again to you." He swore to her.
"Aw, looks like it is happy ever after." Domino said as she watched the couple.
X-Mansion
Rogue was lying on her bed with her face buried in the pillow. She didn't answer her door when someone had knocked. She was too lost in her own thoughts.
"Hey Rogue, we're coming in." Bobby's voice said from behind the door and entered. Rogue looked over to see Bobby, John, Pietro, and X-23 standing in her room. She wiped away the tears in her eyes.
"What do ya guys want?" She asked, her voice cracking on the second word.
"We're going to go kick Apocalypse's ass." X-23 stated. "It is taking forever for the others to go, so we are going." She told the southern girl.
"You wanna come?" John asked her.
"Ah don't know." Rogue whispered as she thought about it.
"We are not bringing everyone with. Out of everyone in the mansion, we want them back. I mean: Wanda is Pietro sister and John's boyfriend. Lorna is my girlfriend and apparently Pietro's other sister, you are Remy's girlfriend, and Logan is the closes thing X-23 has to family. What do you say?" Bobby asked her.
Rogue looked down for a moment and thought about it. She closed her eyes and nodded. "Ah'm comin'." She looked up with determination in her eyes. "We'll get them back." She declared and got to her feet.
"We'll be leaving on smaller jet. Be there in five minutes." Pietro told her as the group left her room.
Rogue nodded and went to her drawer. She had recently moved in the few things she had been able to get since everything had been destroyed. She pulled out a pack of cards she had found on Remy's bed the day after she got back from losing him. "Ah swear Ah'll get ya back swamp rat." She whispered to herself before shutting the drawer and left the room.
End of Chapter 15
yeah, I know the Phoenix fight was bad and how she disappeared thingy. I promise the fight against Poccy won't be that bad.
Special thanks to: gatermage, Chica De Los Ojos Café, Loneraven, firestorm13, and CW. Thank you guys so very much for reviewing the last chapter.
Next Chapter: the group goes to Poccy's tower, Alex talks to them, Hodge finds something wrong in his little weapon, and some more stuff.