Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom or X-Men: Evolution. They solely belong to Butch Hartman and Marvel Studios, respectively.
Mesmero
In the realm, the main author and his now-frequent guest arrive, only to find it empty, yet everything was organized neatly.
"That's odd." danifan3000 comments. "Where are the Warners?"
The host goes to a control panel as he said.
"They're almost here, but they have their hands full right now."
A screen shows the Warners were indeed on their way as well as being pursued by none other than Ralph T Guard, who had a comically large dog catching net in his hand.
"So, I see." danifan3000 remarked.
"Not to worry. I got something to help them." guardian1989 said as he pressed a few buttons.
Outside, the Warners were approaching fast before they saw a big trampoline rise up from the ground.
Once the trio made it, they jumped on before bouncing as they said in unison.
"Boinky. Boinky. Boinky!"
The Warners jump all the way to the rooftop safely. From below, Ralph sees his quarry before he tries to continue his pursuit as he jumps onto the trampoline and bounced on it.
"Boinky! Boinky! Boinky!"
However, due to his size and weight, the trampoline breaks before it slams onto him like a bear trap, leaving his head exposed. The Warners look to see what has happened to their pursuer.
"Wow. You'd think he'd learn after all these years." Yakko states.
Wakko and Dot shrug with Yakko in confusion before they open the hatch of the rooftop, dive in, and Wakko closed it before locking it.
"Wow. You got to love the irony." danifan3000 comments.
"Tell me about it." guardian1989 said.
Then, the elevator opens to reveal the Warners, safe and sound as they enter the realm.
"Hey, guardian. Thanks for the save back there." Wakko said in gratitude.
"No worries." the host said.
"So, what will this chapter be about?" Yakko asks in curiosity.
"This one will be based on the episode, Mindbender from X-Men: Evolution." guardian1989 said in response. "Apparently, a guest reviewer thought I was going to bring back Pariah Dark or Dark Danny in this crossover."
"In my honest opinion, I don't know who is the worst kind of evil in these two franchises Dark Danny or... the final villain of X-Men: Evolution." danifan3000 said undecisively.
"That, my friend, is a good question." guardian1989 comments.
Suddenly, the frequent invader arrives in the realm, much to the annoyance of everyone.
"Sorry, I'm late." Deadpool said. "I was making sure that..."
The merc with a mouth saw the Warners in the realm as he gasped.
"What the hell?! I thought I paid that bumbling cop to catch you three?!"
Yakko steps up to Wade as he said.
"Come on, now. You should know that we can't be caught that easily."
Deadpool sighed as he droned in annoyance.
"After all of these years, that buffoon still can't catch you guys? Great! Now, I got to get my money back since he did a very bad service!"
As Deadpool began to walk away, Wakko aimed the tranq rifle.
"I can not believe that bumbling Ralph didn't update his skills or even did some exercise to lose weight in order..." Deadpool tensed up as a dart pierced him. "D'oh!"
With a groan, Deadpool drops to the ground unconscious before Yakko pulls the lever to drop him into the moat. After the trapdoor slams shut, guardian1989 comments to Wakko.
"Nice shot."
"Thanks." Wakko said in gratitude as he put the weapon down.
As they all took a seat in different areas, the host asked his guest.
"Care to do the honors?"
"Sure." danifan3000 said as he flicked the light switch.
It was nighttime in Bayville. Everyone was sound asleep in the city and practically the entire state of New York.
Or... so it seemed.
In the Xavier Institute, Jean was groaning as she tossed and turned in her bed while unintentionally making herself levitate with her telekinesis as she was having a nightmare of sorts. Suddenly, with a hypnic jerk, the mutant redhead gasped awake in shock as she breathed heavily before he fell onto the mattress. She wasn't the only one who woke up.
Her roommate, Jazz, woke up before she turned on her lamp and saw Jean awakened as well as seeing her sit in a fetal position
"Jean, are you okay?" Jazz asks.
"Yeah." Jean said. "Just a nightmare."
"Must've been pretty bad." Jazz comments.
Suddenly, on Jean's nightstand, the two girls see the jack in the box rotating the handle on its own accord, creeping them out.
"Okay. That is too weird!" Jazz comments.
"You don't suppose a ghost is doing this, do you?" Jean asks as she grabs the toy.
"No. The ghost shield is on, and the shutters of the portal are closed." Jazz replied.
Suddenly, it popped open, revealing a face that had green tattoos and a creepy smile as it startles both girls, causing them to shriek. Jazz quickly grabs a nearby hardcover book before smacking the toy away from Jean's lap. The inanimate object lands on the floor before it remains there.
After taking a deep breath to calm down, Jazz glanced at her roommate.
"I think we should just get back to sleep."
"I think that's a good idea." Jean said in agreement
Soon, both of the redheaded girls went back to sleep during the rest of the night.
The next morning, the entire Institute was on a fritz. Apparently, Jazz woke up to find her roommate gone. With that, everyone frantically searched for Jean inside and outside the Institute. Near the garage, Rogue saw Kitty through the closed shutters before the brunette said.
"The cars are all still in the garage."
Meanwhile, Professor Xavier, Scott, and Jazz were inside the latter's room that she shared with the missing mutant redhead. The bald telepath sees a certain toy on the floor, inert
"I wonder..." Professor Xavier picks up the toy. "If this jack in the box has any significance."
"Oh, that? That's just a toy that Jean won at a carnival last week when she went with Jazz." Scott notes.
"Yeah, and I wouldn't turn the handle." Jazz warns before she shudders. "The face gives me the creeps."
Suddenly, Hank approached the entrance of the room as he said.
"We've combed the mansion." he looks down in regret. "I'm afraid there's no sign of her."
"Then, sometime during the night, Jean simply vanished." Professor Xavier said solemnly.
Down in the lab, Hank was typing on the computer as Jack and Maddie helped him skim through various news articles before Professor Xavier came in as he asked.
"How is your progress?"
"Nothing, yet." Hank responds.
"We're currently scanning news and police reports of the east coast." Maddie informs. "Hopefully, we'll find something."
"What about the Cerebro?" Jack asks. "Anything?"
"No." Professor Xavier said in response. "It won't detect her until she uses her powers."
"Well, if she does use them, it's not because she's in danger." Hank comments with worry.
In the city, everyone continued their search to find a clue to Jean's whereabouts as they spread out. They searched every possible location in the city. Even the Brotherhood of Bayville Boarding House as the area rumbled a bit before Kitty phased out the door while ranting.
"I never said you guys kidnapped her! Sheesh!"
As she walked away, the petite brunette comments.
"As if one of you tried it before."
In another part of the city, Danny, Sam, and Tucker had also been searching for Jean as well. The ghost boy was currently invisible as he was flying high in the sky while on a three-way call with his friends.
"Guys, any sign of her?" Danny asks.
"No, not here in my area." Sam said through another line.
"Not a clue." Tucker said as well.
"Hm..." Danny glanced in a different direction. "I think I know who might be behind this."
Meanwhile, at a bus stop, Logan was at a bus station as he asked a teller of Jean's whereabouts as well as showed him a photo of what the redhead looked like.
"Yeah, she was in here."
"When?" Logan asks.
"About four this morning." the teller said in response. "Bought a ticket to Newark, New Jersey."
Logan mulled it over in confusion as to why Jean would travel to New Jersey to begin with.
"Just a minute, dude." danifan3000 said
"What's up?" guardian1989 asked.
"Are you adding in? Who I think it is?" danifan3000 asked, a little excitedly.
"Yeah. But I won't spoil who it is until the readers get to the part." the host said in response.
"Nice."
Back at the Institute, Professor Xavier was using the Cerebro as Logan and Scott watched.
"It's confirmed. She's in Newark." The bald telepath verified.
"So, she's using her powers?" Scott asked.
"Most decidedly."
Suddenly, Professor Xavier hears Danny's mind calling to him as he gently places his fingers on his forehead.
"Professor, can you meet me in the office? I got a hunch on who's behind this."
Moments later, Professor Xavier enters the office to see Danny waiting for him, along with Jazz and Rogue, before he asks.
"Daniel? What do you know?"
"As I said, it's a hunch, but I may could be wrong."
"Go on." Professor Xavier beckons.
"Do the names Frederich Isak Showenhower or Freakshow ring any bells?" Dannh asks.
Professor Xavier mulls it over for a minute before he says.
"No. None of them do."
"Well, the two names belong to the same guy." Danny begins. "He used to run a circus called Circus Gothica as the ringmaster, but he controlled ghosts with a crystal ball to commit robberies on his behalf." he lets out an ashamed sigh. "Me, included."
"I see." Professor Xavier cupped his chin. "But does he have any knowledge on mutants?"
"Not that I know of, no." Danny said before he continued. "Also, before the summer, he almost took over the world with an artifact called the Reality Gauntlet, but thankfully, I stopped him and destroyed the gauntlet after restoring everything back to normal."
"Furthermore, he has serious ghost envy." Jazz adds. "When he turned himself into a ghost using the gauntlet, that's how my little brother beat him."
"Where do ya suppose he is now?" Rogue asks in curiosity.
"Right now, he's still in the Guys in White Headquarters." Danny answered. "He might be operating a new agenda despite being imprisoned, but I could be wrong. Either way, he may know something that we don't."
Professor Xavier mulled it over before he said.
"I suppose we can visit this Freakshow and find out any intel he may have." he looks to Jazz. "Jazz, you'll be in charge with the adults until I return." he turns to Danny and Rogue. "Daniel, Rogue, I'll accompany you two when we pay Freakshow a visit."
"Just a warning, Freakshow still knows of my secret." Danny warns.
"I'll see to it that he no longer does." Professor Xavier said after nodding.
Using the Specter Speeder, Danny pilots the aircraft all the way to the Guys in White Headquarters before landing it. Once they got inside the facility, Professor Xavier was speaking to the commissioner, Agent Alpha, as the latter said to the telepath.
"He's here. Mind if I ask why you want to see him?"
"Please." Professor Xavier said calmly. "I would like to visit Mr. Showenhower for a few minutes alone with my students."
Agent Alpha glanced at the group for a minute before he said.
"All right. I'll give you three visitor's passes."
"Thank you." Professor Xavier thanked.
Once they received the pass they required, Agent Alpha led the telepath and the teen couple to the holding cell where Freakshow was located. Once the steel shutter rose up to open, Agent Alpha looked to them as he said.
"The walls are soundproof, just so he could shut up. If anything happens," he points to a red button on the wall. "Hit that button, and we'll come running."
"I do not believe it'll be necessary." Professor Xavier assured. "We'll be fine."
The GIW leader nodded before he allowed them to enter. After the shutter door sealed, Freakshow noticed a familiar face as well as two new ones before taking a seat on a chair near a table.
"Well, well, well. Look who's here in my lowly prison cell, Danny Phantom."
"Yeah, nice to see you, too." Danny sarcastically snarked with an eyeroll.
"So, why are you here? Freakshow asks bitterly.
"Basically, since you have knowledge on ghosts, right?" Danny sees Freakshow nod. "What do you know about mutants?"
"Mutants?" Freakshow asked with a raised eyebrow. "Sorry, you lost me."
"Basically, a friend of ours has gone missing since this morning." Danny explained. "And I got a hunch you might know something."
It was then that Freakshow unexpectedly said.
"So, he's carrying out his vendetta."
Freakshow's eyes widened in an oops manner, as he realized what he just did. Professor Xavier, Danny, and Rogue were surprised that Freakshow did know something, as the anemic prisoner said, in an attempt to throw them off.
"I mean, I don't know what you're talking about."
Then, Rogue stepped up to Freakshow before she growled in anger. In an instant, she slammed her fist on the table, nearly breaking it in two. Freakshow yelped in terror before the goth girl grabbed the man by the shirt, as she said in a threatening manner.
"Ya bettah listen ta meh. Ah know ya know somethin' about this." Rogue lifts her fist, ready to throw a punch. "So, unless ya want your jaw broken, Ah suggest ya start talkin' rahght now!"
Danny's widened as he thought in his head.
"Okay, I'll say it again, WHAT A WOMAN!"
Freakshow had no other option, especially since he saw the wheelchair-bound man do nothing to intervene before he said.
"Okay, okay! I'll talk!"
Rogue lowered her fist and released her hold before she asked.
"So, what do ya know?"
"Yes, I am aware of mutants, but only in a slight knowledge." Freakshow explains. "During my travels, I happened upon a certain man."
"Who?" Danny asks.
"A man who answers to the name, Mesmero." Freakshow answers. "He did not tell me his real name per say. Mesmero would pass himself as a circus performer, just as I a ringmaster."
Danny and Rogue glance at one another as Freakshow continues.
"I, once, requested to collaborate with him. However, he, somehow, knew of my past thefts and how I accomplished them, but he told me he had a far more... grand ambition." Freakshow frowns. "Even said that a ghost would be a better ringmaster than I."
Freakshow looks at Danny and Rogue as he said.
"So, if anyone is the prime suspect, it's him. There's no doubt that he's using this friend of yours to start his agenda."
As they begin to leave, Freakshow stops them as he said.
"One more thing." Freakshow sees them face him. "When it comes to Mesmero, things aren't always what they seem."
As the shutter doors open, Professor Xavier glances at Freakshow. He always considered the mind sacred, but to protect his students and keep the secret of mutants under wraps, the man would have no choice but to cross that line. And so, the telepath used his power to wipe Freakshow's mind clean of Danny's secret, but also the knowledge of mutants, as well as witnessing Rogue's strength.
Eventually, they leave the headquarters to return to Bayville. Meanwhile, Agents O and K see Freakshow with a blank expression before glancing at one another.
"What happened to him?"
His cohort just shrugs with an "I don't know" look as he rose an eyebrow.
Meanwhile, in Newark, Jean, in her X-Men uniform, used her telekinetic powers to bend a gate open before levitating towards a lavish mansion. After going up to a window of the second floor, she broke it open before entering the house. Once the redhead enters a room with jewelry in glass cases, she sees a ring that has a sort of dark red crystal on it. After using her powers to nab it, which broke the glass in a process, she placed it in a bag before leaving as police sirens were approaching.
However, before the police could intercept and apprehend her, Jean caused the police cars to be upside-down on a tree and on the water fountain as she casually walked off the property with a blank expression.
It was as if someone was using mind control on her.
During the night, a mysterious figure approached the gates of the Institute. The individual scans the thumbprint as the analyzer recognizes it before granting her passage.
Inside, Scott was unable to sleep. Ever since Professor Xavier and Hank tracked Jean through the Cerebro leaving Boston, he was unable to figure out where she would go next. For now, he would have to remain at the mansion until Jean was located once again. It was one in the morning. When Scott was about to finally fall asleep, he saw movement in the hallway through the open door of his room.
"Jean!" he shouts.
He ran through the hallways to catch up to her as Scott asked in worry, not noticing the blank facial expression.
"Jean?! What are you...?!"
Suddenly, the boy grunts in pain as he grabs his head and gets on his knees before blacking out.
"Damn! That was really cold of her to do that to her boyfriend." danifan3000 comments. "Furthermore, I didn't expect you to bring in Freakshow."
"Yeah. Just to give him a cameo appearance in this crossover." guardian1989 said. "Also, to have him give a subtle clue."
"Well, it was hinted at the end of Reality Trip that Freakshow still knew Danny's secret." danifan3000 adds.
"Yeah, especially with the lack of a blank expression." guardian1989 said.
Once Jean used her telekinesis to tuck Scott back into his bedroom, she levitates towards Kurt's room before opening the door. The light in the hallway awakened the fuzzy teleporter before he looked into her eyes. Suddenly, his expression becomes blank, just as Jean's is as he feels like his mind is being taken over. However, it didn't go unnoticed. In a corner of the hallway, Dani was going for a glass of water when she saw Jean and turned invisible to see what she was up to. What she saw was enough to tell her that something was wrong. After silently waking up her family, her brother woke up Scott before they both woke up the professor.
Down in the lab, the remaining members of the X-Men were trying to locate Kurt and Jean as Shadowcat was with Hank, Jack, and Maddie at the computers.
"Anything?" Scott asks.
"We got a match for facial recognition." Shadowcat said.
"Where?" Professor Xavier asks.
"Airport surveillance."
"Where are they headin'?" Rogue asks.
After cross referencing the ticket sale, Jack turns to them.
"They're heading south towards Pennsylvania."
Danny was silent at first before he said.
"It has to be Mesmero's doing."
"Just as Freakshow had said, but..." Rogue cups her chin. "Why use our friends?"
As Danny shrugged, Professor Xavier turned to Scott and said.
"Scott, take the team."
Suddenly, Danielle appears and said.
"Wait! I'm coming, too!"
"No, you ain't, Shorty." Logan said. "You're gonna stay put and leave it to us."
"But, Mr. Logan, let me help." Danielle pleaded. "You can use another half-ghost in case my big brother gets outnumbered."
Still, Logan remained unconvinced as he stepped forward and said.
"Good point, but bottom line: you ain't going."
Then, Danielle gives the burly Canadian her puppy dog pout as Logan growled in frustration as he palmed his face.
"I hate it when she does that." he grumbled.
The adults found it amusing that Danielle was draining Logan's will by one simple look. Soon, the Canadian gave in as he said.
"Okay, fine!" Logan points at Danielle with a stern look. "But you do what we say, got it?"
"Yes, sir!" Danielle said with a salute.
Eventually, the remaining members got onboard the Blackbird before it took off.
In Pennsylvania, Jean and Nightcrawler were levitating towards PNC Bank before the latter teleported them both inside the building. They float right above the surveillance cameras before the two teleport inside the vault.
Outside of the building, the team and Danielle approached the outside of the building after the professor informed of their lication when using the Cerebro. Once Wolverine extended his adamantium claws, Danielle had stopped them as she said.
"No need for that." she sees Wolverine glance at her. "Ghost powers, remember?"
Danny and Dani both turned Cyclops, Wolverine, and Rogue intangible before they phased through the door as they, too, stayed above the surveillance cameras to get to the vault
Inside, Jean used her telekinesis to break open a security deposit box to reveal a second ring. However, unlike the first one, the second one had a blue gemstone as the redhead placed it in the small bag. Outside, Cyclops blasts it open as the quintet see their hypnotized friends.
"Jean!" Scott holds up his hands. "It's us! Take it easy!"
In response, Jean used her telekinetic powers to push them back. Luckily, no one smashed through any walls or glass, thanks to the two half-ghosts using their intangibility to phase them through. Despite landing on to the pavement outside of the bank, the group didn't suffer any real harm as they got up.
Suddenly, they hear the engines of the Blackbird revving up before the aircraft that was prone on the rooftop of a nearby skyscraper take off, leaving them stranded in Pennsylvania.
"This is starting to get me seriously upset!" Wolverine grumbled.
However, Danny got his cell phone and speed dialed a number before the individual he called had answered.
"Hey, mom. We're going to need a little help."
Thanks to Jack and Maddie retrieving them with the Specter Speeder, the group made it back to the Institute before the Blackbird as they were once again in the lower levels. The computer monitor had images of three rings and some sort of metal rod made of pure gold while Professor Xavier, Hank, Jack, and Maddie were analyzing them.
"There are three of them." Jack deduced. "Tibetan artifacts."
"Hm..." Hank mulled in thought. "Early Han Dynasty, if I'm not mistaken."
"The second ring was in a safety deposit box at PNC Bank in Pennsylvania." Maddie comments.
Meanwhile, the Blackbird reached the Institute as it vertically lands on the grounds of the mansion. From inside the aircraft, Jean used her telepathy to awaken Evan and Kitty as they both had a blank expression and began to don their uniforms. It was only a minute for the bald telepath to realize that Jean was here. However, an image of a bald man with red eyes and green tattoos on his face appeared in Xavier's mind as he palmed his forehead in pain.
"We're sealed in!"
"Not for long." Danny said in response.
Thanks to the two half-ghosts, the group were able to get out of the lan as they tried to intercept Jean and the others. However, the Blackbird takes off as there were four hypnotized X-Men now.
"The second ring was in a safety deposit box at PNC Bank in Pennsylvania." Maddie comments.
"The second ring was in a safety deposit box at PNC Bank in Pennsylvania." Maddie comments.
It was then that Jazz walked in as she saw the face on the screen of Cerebro as she said.
"That's him. He's the guy Jean and I saw at the Circus of Mystery at the carnival last week when we went out by ourselves."
Danny was silent as he thought on Freakshow's words back in the GIW headquarters.
When it comes to Mesmero, things aren't always what they seem.
The ghost boy finally realized what the former ringmaster meant before he said.
"Professor. I think this Mesmero is a telepath like you."
"How are ya certain?" Rogue asks in curiosity.
"Remember what Freakshow said as we were leaving?" Danny sees Rogue nodding. "It's only logical that he's controlling Jean and Kurt; now Kitty and Evan."
Professor Xavier mulled it over before he, too, realized that it was the only logical explanation of the thefts and the fact that his students were committing them on his behalf.
"Yes." Professor Xavier cupped his chin. "This is all beginning to make sense, now."
Suddenly, Hank enters the Cerebro room as he said.
"Professor? The last ring resides in Washington DC at the Museum of Eastern Antiquities!"
At the museum, a guard was leaving for a shift change. He hears the roar of jet engines before he radios to his fellow security guards as an alert sounded throughout the building. Despite that the guards had them outnumbered, Jean, Nightcrawler, Spyke, and Shadowcat were able to knock out security cameras, seal off entrances so the guards wouldn't intervene and then steal the remaining ring. Once their task was done, the group took off in the Blackbird as they headed towards their final destination.
However, they did not realize that they were being followed by the X-Velocity, unseen thanks to two halfas who were onboard the helicopter.
At the Circus of Mystery, the grounds appeared to be abandoned. There was quite a storm, despite the lack of rain, but there was wind and lightning. The Blackbird vertically lands near a large circus tent before the quartet gets off the aircraft. However, the sounds of the X-Velocity approaching made them alert.
In the chopper, Cyclops locates them before Professor Xavier gave an order to the rest of the group.
"Try to keep them occupied. I've got an appointment with Mesmero."
As the X-Velocity was landing, everyone onboard was getting ready, even Hank, whose uniform consits of trunks with an "X" mark on the front, Rogue comments with regret.
"Ah don't lahke this. They're our friends."
"Neither do I, Rogue." Danny said in the same tone. "But we have no choice."
Once the chopper lands, Wolverine informed the group.
"We just got to sibdue them. No one has to get hurt."
"Tell that to them." Cyclops comments.
As it began to rain, Hank was the first to charge in as Nightcrawler made a jump onto a post, but Beast did the same and quickly climbed to get to the teleporter. However, during the struggle, Hank tried to reason with him as they both kept teleporting all over the place.
Spkye stepped forward as bone spikes emerged from his back and his arms before launching several of them with a swing of his arm as Cyclops, Rogue, Phantom-X, and Dani Phantom dodged them.
"Would ya knock that off?!" Rogue demands in annoyance as she dodged more of them.
Right when two more were coming her way, Phantom-X intervened by turning her intangible as the sharp prohectiles pass through her harmlessly before they pierce the truck trailer behind the goth girl.
"Thanks." Rogue said in gratitude.
"My pleasure." Phantom-X said in response.
Before Spyke could launch another barrage, Cyclops and Dani Phantom hit him with a ghost ray and optic blast, respectively, knocking him back. However, Jean caught him and landed him safely with her telekinesis before she attacked by manipulating the mud to fling it as a projectile towards them. However, Dani quickly grabs her brother's friend and flew up to keep him out of harm's way.
With Wolverine, he pops his adamantium claws before Shadowcat phases up from the ground behind him. The burly Canadian retracts them as he said.
"Twerp, you know I could never hurt ya."
While Wolverine was distracted, Shadowcat kicked him in the shin, on the fleshy part so she could avoid kicking his adamantium-laced bone as the burly Canadian grunted in pain and cradled his shin.
"This is why I don't like to play nice." he grumbled.
As Jean was about to enter the tent, Professor Xavier stopped the redhead as he said.
"Jean, stop!" he sees her look at him. "Fight it! I'll deal with Mesmero. Just don't give him what he wants."
In response, Jean telekinetically lifts Professor Xavier's as he struggles to try to keep it on the ground. Rogue and the two half-ghosts run to the area to intervene. However, the ghost sense of both Dani and Danny goes off.
"Oh, great!" Danny bemoaned. "As if this was hard enough."
Suddenly, a female ghost with a red cloak, black outfit, and tattoos all over her body appears. The tattoos come to life as they emerge from her body as ghostly animals of all kinds. The X-Men's ghost boy teammate gasped in shock as Rogue noticed.
"Ya know her?"
"Yeah. That's Lydia. She used to work with Freakshow before." Danny said in response.
"Looks lahke she's workin' for Mesmero now!" Rogue comments.
Dani comes with an idea as she says to her older brother.
"You take Lydia. Rogue and I will help the professor!" she pounds her fist into her hand. "More importantly, I want first crack at that punk!"
Phantom-X nodded before he took off to deal with Lydia while Dani and Rogue help Professor Xavier. As the ghost girl grabs a hold of the telepath's wheelchair to keep it stable, Rogue gets to Jean's left side.
"This is gonna hurt ya more than meh." Rogue comments with regret.
In an instant, Rogue threw a sucker punch to Jean's belly. The impact knocks the wind out of her as she grunts in pain, getting on her knees. Before blacking out, she tossed the bag that had the rings to the mutant, Mesmero; the very same mutant that everyone had sought out. After Dani safely placed Professor Xavier on the ground, she and everyone else saw him emerge from the tent with a dark chuckle before the little ghost girl silently charged in as she shouts.
"Hey! Creepy the Clown!"
Right when Mesmero turned to the source of the voice he heard, Dani threw a punch directly in the face as she knocked a tooth and the mutant to the ground. A chain reaction occurred as Mesmero lost concentration. Those he enslaved were finally coming to their senses as they looked around in confusion.
"Whoa! What's going on? How did we get here?" Shadowcat asks.
Wolverine, seeing them snap out of it, snarked.
"Yeah, sure. Now you're all better."
With Jean, Cyclops was near her as she groaned in pain while having her hand on her belly as the older boy asked in worry.
"Jean? Are you okay?"
"I should be." Jean managed to say. "But my stomach feels like I got sucker punched."
Rogue had an unnerved look as she said hesitantly.
"Yeah. Sorry about that. Ah had ta snap ya out of it."
As Phantom-X sealed Lydia into the Fenton Thermos, Professor Xavier glared at Mesmero as he said.
"Mesmero, you may have been able to control their minds, but can you handle mine?"
Professor Xavier unleashed his psychic attack as Mesmero screamed in pain while clutching his head. Suddenly, Mesmero's expression goes blank as he droned.
"You have no idea who you're messing with, Xavier."
Professor Xavier grunted in pain before he was suddenly pushed back an invisible force. Dani was able to keep his wheelchair upright so the man wouldn't fall over. As Mesmero disappeared into the tent, Rogue and Phantom-X grab the cloth and, with a tight pull, ripped it off completely.
Only to find it empty.
"He's gone!" Rogue comments.
Phantom-X looks around before he sees footprints that had a small trail before stopping. Again, he remembers what Freakshow had said before firing a ghost ray at the ground near the footprints, only for the couple to find a trapdoor that had a tunnel underground. Clenching his fists, the ghost boy grimaced.
"He got away."
Nearby, Wolverine approached Dani before he said.
"Shorty." he sees Dani face him. "Come here. I want to talk to ya."
Dani follows Logan to another area before she sees the burly Canadian stop to face her. Then, she sees him give a small smile.
"Ya did good, kid." he compliments. "And the way ya clocked him one, that was impressive."
"Really?" Dani asked in a hopeful tone.
"Yeah." Logan said with a nod while crossing his arms. "Keep it up, and you'll be placed with the X-Men when you're older."
Dani was beaming at this point. Pretty soon, the group gathered around, giving her praise. Even Rogue messed with her hair as she said in a teasing manner.
"Look at ya, a big gal now, eh?"
It was then that Professor Xavier said in interruption.
"I'm afraid our celebrations are premature."
"What do you mean, professor?" Hank asks. "Did Mesmero hurt you?"
"No, not Mesmero, Hank." Professor Xavier replied. "Mesmero was just another puppet, like Jean." he cupped his chin. "There was someone else pulling the strings; a mind, more powerful than anything that I've ever encountered."
"What could he possibly want with those rings?" Logan asks.
"I really don't know." Professor Xavier faced the group. "But, I doubt we'll like the answer."
In Tibet, on the mountain range specifically, Mesmero silently went inside a cave after seeing no one saw him. But inside, it was no ordinary cave. There was some sort of temple that was Egyptian in origin inside with what appears to be a door of stone. Mesmero took out a golden rod from a stone pillar before placing the stolen rings, the one with the red stone first, then the green stoned one, finally the blue.
They form a key of some type as Mesmero inserts it into a hole and gives it a twist. Suddenly, the key hole glows as the mutant backs away before the door breaks in half and then separates, revealing another door behind it. This new door had a sort of spider symbol as Mesmero stared at it.
"I've done as commanded." he said, appearing to be speaking to the door. "The first door has been opened."
With a bow of his head, Mesmero spoke further.
"I await the instruction on the other two keys."
Suddenly, he grunted lightly and inhaled slightly, as if his mind was being in contact with something... or rather someone else.
"Understood." Mesmero said. "I will find them." he takes a bow. "And the world will once again tremble at the presence of...Apocalypse."
In the Ghost Zone, mainly in the Clock Tower, Clockwork was viewing the time window as he saw everything that transpired at Mesmero's hand with someone guiding him.
"So, he's already begun to orchestrate his own release."
The time master was no one's fool. He knew that Mesmero was a willing servant to the one he was working to let loose upon the world. Once it happens, he can only hope that Danny and the others would be ready to face this challenge and get out alive.
And done. Stay tuned for the next chapter where the Bayville Sirens make their debut, and the identity of the sixth member will be revealed.
"Well, that was a good chapter." danifan3000 comments. "Plus, I didn't expect for you to bring in Lydia. That caught me off-guard."
"Yeah. I figured that since Freakshow made a cameo appearance, why leave out Lydia?" guardian1989 asked. "After all, she did serve Frwakshow, willingly."
"That, she did." danifan3000 said in agreement.
Suddenly, Deadpool shows up as he barged into the realm, dripping wet after a plunge in the moat.
"Seriously, guys! I don't make any other cameo appearances, but in the beginning and the end?!" he demands. "Yet, those three." he points at the Warners. "They get a free pass to be in here."
"Well, we don't make any interruptions." Yakko points out.
"Plus, we like to watch him get flattened by anvils." Wakko states while pointing at the TV screen.
The merc with a mouth sees the TV showing Baloney once again being flattened by anvils whenever he makes three steps. Wade narrows in eyes through his mask in annoyance as he said.
"Wow. My guest is still being tortured in that realm of elsewhere while the three here are..."
Dot interrupted Wade by pulling the lever, opening the trapdoor as the merc caught himself in time. However, he was hanging on for dear life as he saw that an even larger thicket of thorns was hundreds of feet below.
Sonn, the three Warners casually walk up to him before Yakko pulls out a comically large mallet from his pocket. After his siblings grabbed it by the handle, all three of them slammed it onto Deadpool's fingers.
"OW!"
Deadpool falls upon releasing his hold on the ledge before the trapdoor shuts. The next thing everyone knew, the merc screamed in pain, indicating that he landed into the large, thorny thicket.
"Well, that takes care of that." Yakko said.
"Yeah, thanks." guardian1989 said in gratitude.
"Come on, sibs." Yakoo said as he walked to the entrance. "Let's get going."
The Warners leave the realm as danifan3000 prepped for his departure as well.
"Well, I'll be back next chapter." he says.
"Looking forward to it." guardian1989 said.
As the guest leaves the realm, the host flicked the lights off.
Meanwhile, down below, Deadpool was once again plucking the large thorns from his body, painfully as he whimpered.
"Ow...!"
Khy Dragon: Here you go.
DJ Rodriguez: With the ghosts existing for eons, they are aware of mutants. Furthermore, it gives a reader some anxious anticipation of what is to come.
Robotwalker7186: This chapter should give you a hint on who is really coming. Also, it's more of a one-sided rivalry on behalf of Vortex since the Observants are punishing him for going rampant on his weather powers while Storm maintains discipline and control over her own.
Dragonrule: I hope this chapter satisfies you.
NiteOwl18: No, Dark Danny isn't making a comeback. Instead, it is foreshadowed on who is going to be released.
Jebest4781: Thank you.
SonicMax: Don't worry, Danny will get his turn to take the backseat.
KevinAguirre8481: You'll get your wish in the next chapter.
danifan3000: I'm glad you liked it.
Fiction Realm: We'll have to wait and see on what Vlad will do after joining forces with Magneto. I'm surprised you guessed it right on who is coming soon.
Don't forget to read and review