A/N: This chapter contains pretty extreme gore (violence). Reader's discretion advised. You can skip to the next chapter if you wish and not miss anything.
Monica felt her stomach drop as she saw the threatening women looming over her. The three mutants stood menacingly like a triad of witches hell bent on some form of archaic vengeance. Standing at center was Jean and to her left was Rogue, a younger Southern mutant with flowing brunette hair that had a sole streak of pearl white running through, and to the right was Mystique, feared shapeshifting mutant-supremacist who was shockingly entirely naked.
Jean, for her part, was no longer in control. Though conscious of what was happening, she was sealed away deep inside and a dark twisted being she'd long struggled with now held dominion over her body.
Monica went to get up and move out of the way but the chains on her ankles pulled taut and she had to try very hard to not fall over back onto her butt.
Jean's eyes burned afire like the flickering embers of a reborn Phoenix, pupils bright with shifting shades of molten gold and flame. Her voice dropped an octave from its formerly-natural state as she spoke:
"You really shouldn't be taking unauthorised breaks like this. The guards are strict on lazy inmates" The Phoenix remarked
"Jean." Carol said, smiling sadly, also getting up. "I already expected you weren't really that forgiving. But c'mon, this is low. At least make it a fair fight." She felt panic rise in her chest, but hid it really well. Her hands were raised defensively. Though she did not have her full powers, her hands were still really strong and as she had proved earlier that week, could definitely knock someone unconscious. They sparkled weakly now.
"Jean is in here…somewhere, but no I am in control now and I will be far less forgiving of your transgressions" The Phoenix replied, unable to stand being confused with the woman she was forced to share a body with.
Monica stepped in front of Carol, careful to not fall. "Leave Carol out of this. She was just defending me."
Carol was surprised by her friend's confidence and loyalty. Her mom and her really did a hell of a job raising her.
The Phoenix chuckled dryly, the joy not reaching her eyes in the slightest. "I am defending what's mine too."
She motioned to Rogue and Mystique to move and both women immediately complied. Monica let put a grueled pathetic cry, screaming: "What the fuck?!" as Rogue grabbed her by her neck.
Rogue's touch felt like a dozen little needles being pushed just deep enough into Monica's throat to prick against each and every little nerve.
The Phoenix smirked wickedly, testing out the swing on the pickaxe she brought with her. "The guards really don't give a shit that some of us still can use our powers, do they? For example, I could make you see things that would make any pain in the physical realm seem a sweet relief, your mind engulfed in flame. But I won't…"
Monica breathed out in relief. Carol got even more scared. Mystique had approached her and Carol had swung at her, but the trained shapeshifting assassin easily deflected the blow and gripped Carol tight, pressing the tip of a blade against her throat to keep her from moving.
The Phoenix continued talking "...I won't because I'd prefer to leave you with something to reflect upon when you think of touching what belongs to me. Consider it my mercy" She enjoyed seeing the two women that had hurt Wanda so powerless.
"You sound like a classic movie super villain, you know that?" Carol said, getting fed up with this unfair attack on her and Monica. She should have not let her guard down, and not believed Jean, or whatever was currently possessing her, was suddenly the forgiving sort. "Does Wanda know you're doing this?" She tried hopelessly. "We all know she's not above hurting people, but I don't think she would approve."
"Wanda doesn't know anything. That's her problem. She has allowed people to walk all over her since she came to this place." The Phoenix rolled her eyes. "She needs me to protect her. That's all I'm trying to do.." She looked at Monica. "Because of you, Carol hurt her face. Her beautiful, innocent face." The Phoenix's molten eyes looked crazed now, flaring at Monica intimidatingly. "For that, you must be punished."
Monica stiffened. "I really didn't mean to upset her. I tried to be friends with her in the past." She rambled.
"I don't care about your intentions. You should have stayed out of our business. And I have thought of a perfect punishment for you."
Monica struggled to not think of the most horrible things that could happen next. She tried not to flinch when Jean moved her hand up, but did so involuntarily. Her skin still burned where Rogue touched her, holding her back. Carol let out a growl as she expected Jean to hit her friend.
"Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you. Not you. I'm going to hurt your friend." The Phoenix smiled sweetly. "Rogue, honey, please move her to the wall a bit. I don't want her to get too close and get any ideas."
Rogue complied and pulled Monica along, until the chains around her ankles were stretched and couldn't go any further. "If you move, I'll cut your ears and lips off."
Monica swallowed heavily and nodded.
Jean's sparkling, angry eyes focused on Carol, who had her eyes trained on Monica and Rogue since they moved. "Carol." She hissed. "Look at me."
Carol's eyes lazily moved towards her and she challenged her with her stare. "What are you gonna do?"
"Well, since you hurt what I love and need, I thought I'd return the favor. And I don't mean this pathetic friend of yours. No, I want to hurt you. Because the thing you love the most is yourself. You act like you're on top of the world. It's sickening." The Phoenix prodded the tip of her finger with the pickaxe, testing out the sharpness. "You think no one can hurt you. That you're too strong."
"That's not true." Carol said, shrugging. "I think you're reflecting your own insecurities a bit there."
She knew she was not helping her case at all by insulting Jean, but she was not a coward. She would never plead for her life. She'd rather go out with a bang.
"You're mistaken." The Phoenix whispered. "I'm gonna prove I can hurt you. Since you hurt my Wanda…I hope you can understand. What's the expression? An eye for an eye…"
Jean softly set her pickaxe against the wall and then pulled a crude weapon out from her jumpsuit. A makeshift shiv made from a lovingly sharpened plastic fork with a handle of stolen bandages to avoid the wielder cutting herself.
The Phoenix got close enough that Carol could feel her hot breath against her skin and stare deep into her hollowed eyes of pure madness. They continued this direct eye contact as Jean raised the shiv into view and slid it's sharpened tip against the rim of Carol's iris and slowly slid it downwards in an agonising trajectory. Blood and tears mixed as her eye was carved from its place and hewn in half by Jean's steady hand. Carol cried out and attempted with all her might to break free, but to no avail. By the time Jean had finished, Carol was a sobbing mess of agony. Half of her fair face ran red with the opened wound.
The Phoenix stepped back with a satisfied smile. She wiped a bit of blood off her fresh orange jumpsuit, which just spread the stain further.
Tears were streaming down Monica's face and her mouth was opened in a silent scream of horror. "What is wrong with you?!" She shouted, pulling against her restraints, trying to get to Carol.
Rogue let out a chuckle. "So much." She said softly so only Monica could hear. "Now hold tight, Sugah" Rogue teased as she held Monica against the ground, her arms out.
"So what will you girls not do again? Say it and we can be done" Jean asked, her voice as condescending as possible.
Monica felt anger, fear and sadness pool together.
"Fuck you." She spat.
"That's too bad." The Phoenix said, grabbing the pickaxe from the wall. She twirled it in her hand before bringing it down with all her might into Monica's fingers. There was an agonising cry and sickening snap. Where two of her fingers had been there were now only gory stumps.
"Look at that! A clean cut right there. I did it first try" The Phoenix laughed as blood gushed out on the stone floors of the mine. She raised the pickaxe and looked at the crimson that now dripped from her wretched tool, the gentle sound of droplets falling to the ground drowned by Monica's unceasing pained howls of unbearable pain.
Jean looked annoyed as the unmonitored time she'd bribed the guards for was coming to an end. "This has been fun, but unfortunately we have to go." she said with a snap of her fingers and her two enforcers let go of Monica and Carol.
"I hope you learned your lesson." The Phoenix said strongly, looking at both women laying bleeding on the floor of the cave before turning away, Mystique and Rogue following her. The sobs of both Carol and Monica were the only sounds reverberating off the wall.