A/N: Here we are! Final chapter for this story! But never fear, this storyline WILL be continued in my next story! Just saying ahead of time that nothing and no one in the ENTIRETY of this story is my property (except Gilaad, Amira, and Naomi). EVERYONE else belongs to Marvel, DC, Nickelodeon, DiC, Warner Brothers, or god knows who else. They are not mine! Got it?
Oh and by the way. If anyone reading this happens to own 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest,' put it on and go to the very end; right were Tia Dalma is explaining about having to go to World's End in order to bring back Jack Sparrow…and needing a guide who knows those waters. Pause it there. When I say, un-pause it. You don't have to of course; it's just that the ending of my story was inspired by the music playing at the very end of that movie. It'll add to effect.
It's been a long, crazy road and I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have! I'll be seeing you all again…real soon. Until then, enjoy!
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Batman had a javelin waiting to take off. He didn't want them taking the Mass Device, not the least because he wanted to give them a chance to go over some of the situation reports J'onn J'onzz the Martian Manhunter and Mr. Terrific had provided. It didn't make for great reading.
Althea forced herself to read through it while the rest of her team either caught some much needed shut-eye or tried to keep their spirits up with their usual brand of insanity. She groaned at each new piece of news, it was happening so fast: Protests-cum-riots had marked the Stamford Massacre which had generally been co-opted by the Friends of Humanity—or for the more religious bigot, Purity—into anti-mutant riots. One of them was daring enough—or stupid enough—to stage a provocative march through the heart of Mutant Town, USA in New York.
The mutants were already angry and incensed over the loss of Charles Xavier—they had heard enough about the attack to assume that he was dead at the hands of humans and were not inclined to hear otherwise—went out and met the FOH-led rioters with the same force the human bigots used against them.
It was race riot. It, in turn, went and touched off another dozen across the continental USA and another two or three dozen internationally in mutant populated ghettos, slums, and banlieues. Hundreds of angry mutant-led protests mourned the loss of Charles Xavier, regarding the news that he was merely in a telepathic coma as merely dressing up the bad news. The Justice League had to step in and separate the rioters, lest the governments send in the army against the mutants…which would lead to a global Human-Mutant War. The League managed to keep a lid on things, but only just barely.
Magneto, furious at the slaughter at the Institute and Xavier's condition abandoned his previously held neutrality in the Upstart vs. Inner Circle warfare in the Hellfire Club and promised to hunt down anyone and everyone involved in the attack. When he learned that the late, unlamented Trevor Fitzroy was an associate of Mr. Sinister, it wasn't long before Magneto's Acolytes and Sinister's Marauders were carrying on their own smaller imitation of the Luthor vs. Grodd faction fight in the Supervillain Secret Society. They would even ally with one faction or the other, and then switch when they thought the other side was about to.
Certain governments and institutions seized upon the Stamford massacre—even those hostile to Americans as a rule—as an excuse to organize racist assaults on mutants or anyone suspected of being anything other than a 'pure' or 'normal' human being. People with genetic or congenital defects were slaughtered on the streets; hospitals, schools, even orphanages dealing with people with autism or DOWN syndrome were razed.
Everywhere religious extremists of all stripes—Christian and Jewish, Protestant and Catholic, Islamic and Hindu, Sunni and Shiite—pilloried as 'unholy, 'demons', 'the spawn of Satan,' and called the destruction of Stamford divine retribution for human 'tolerance!' of mutants, metahumans, magic-users, aliens or anyone else who wasn't a perfectly ordinary human being.
It was a mess.
To make things worse, many governments were preparing their own versions of the Superhuman Registration Act waiting only to see how the USA would react to Stamford. If America passed the act, then the entire world could. However, if the US didn't and the rest of the world did…then the US could become a veritable haven for mutants, metahumans, magical-types and the rest even as the rest of the world became depleted of them. That would give America a hideous edge in the Super Human Arms Race and make it stoppable. It was no small secret that there were agencies within the USA trying to counter the Justice League with a less neutral, more pro-American force of superheroes. The Registration Act was their attempt to do just that.
Althea stole a glance towards the cockpit of the Javelin. Batman sat silently as he navigated the vessel to its destination, which he still has neglected to mention. General Hawk wasn't attempting to press him for details so Althea figured she shouldn't either.
It wasn't too much longer before the javelin reached its destination: the Xavier Institute. Althea felt her stomach lurch and it wasn't just because Trinity was buzzing around the cockpit as Batman landed the ship. It was the sight of gaping holes in the walls and charred marks on the ground that did that; to say nothing of the spilled blood still staining the grass…
As the Misfits climbed out of the Javelin they noticed that the Institute was being guarded by a number of Justice Leaguers: Black Canary, Green Arrow, Ice, Fire (cousin to the late Roberto DaCosta), Stargirl, Captain Marvel, Spiderman, Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Cloak and Dagger, and J'onn J'onzz.
"Someone's not taking any chances here." Althea murmured to herself as they were ushered inside. The Justice League's support staff was already repairing and cleaning the Institute. The X-Men—or what was left of them—were waiting for them upstairs in Xavier's study.
There was an awkward pause for a moment. No one seemed to know what to say. Finally Althea broke the silence. "I'm so sorry."
"Not your fault mermaid." Logan grunted.
"How are you guys holding up?" Lance asked. "What's going to happen without—" His next words died on his lips. COULD there be an Xavier Institute without Charles Xavier, let alone the X-Men?
Scott frowned, though for a change his annoyance wasn't directed at Lance himself. "We're staying open. The League has offered extra security. And—" He couldn't even finish. His mouth twisted from a frown to something not that far from an open snarl Logan would've been proud to claim.
"Scott, we've been over this. There really isn't any other choice." Jean sighed.
"What is it?" Todd asked, scratching his head. "What's got you guys so up in arms? I mean, I'm sure Storm or Beast will be able to handle whatever's going on, right?"
Althea explained "We knew you guys would stay open," She lied, "And decided to have a betting pool on who would take over. Storm was the favorite, but Beast was a close second…I mean with the Professor in a coma and Angel at Muir Island and Wolverine, well, being Wolverine certainly wouldn't be the best headmaster ever—No offense." Althea added parenthetically to Logan.
"None taken." He snorted.
"I mean, it's not like even you guys are crazy enough to make the Badger your new headmaster." Pietro said with a laugh…that died painfully when he saw the expressions on the X-Men's face. "You didn't make Wolverine in charge did you? Please tell me you didn't!"
"I wish." Scott spat. "It's—" (&NOW!&)
They were interrupted when the door to the Professor's study opened behind them. Everyone in the room: Justice Leaguer, GI Joe, X-Man, or Misfit turned around. Standing in the doorway in a new white uniform complete with the ubiquitous 'X' of the X-Men was none other than Emma Frost…the new headmistress of the Xavier Institute.
"Good day students…" She smiled. "School is back in session."
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THE END!!!