X-Men: Come the Apocalypse (Epilouge) Author: Nathan Summers Date: 1998/03/12 Forum: alt.comics.fan-fiction Setting: 1407 Graymalkin Lane, Salem Center, Westchester County, New York. Earth 616... Jean Summers turns the burner off and removes the kettle from the stove. She sits down and re-fills her mug. Just then, her husband, Scott, enters the room. {Scott}: Gotta tell ya, I feel like a million bucks! {Jean}: I would imagine since you volunteered to shower last. {Scott}: Always the boy scout... {Jean}: Tea? Before he says anything, she fills up a mug sitting across from her. Her husband sits down and continues scrubbing his head. {Scott}: Thanks. Say, where'd everybody go? {Jean}: They returned to reality while you were washing up. {Scott}: I never imagined this turtle neck would ever be so comfortable. {Jean}: I'm sure anything would after wearing that old X-Factor costume for a few days. {Scott}: So... what now? We now bring our attention to Rogue's bedroom just upstairs... {Remy}: You serious about reconciliation, chere? {Rogue}: Ah can forgive you, Remy. And don't give me any of that, "Ah can't forgive myself" nonsense either! {Remy}: Okay, okay! {Rogue}: Sorry. Ever since ya'll came back, Ah been doin' a lot of thinkin.' {Remy}: 'Bout what? {Rogue}: About how much of a hypocrite Ah am. {Remy}: Everybody's guilty o' that little sin at least once in dere life. {Rogue}: Not like me. Ah got a shady past too. Ah nearly killed a woman. Either way, I ruined her career and made her personality do a total 180. {Remy}: I was responsible for de deaths o' some innocent people I didn't even know. Dat's bad. Worse den what you done. {Rogue}: Still, it's the principal. And what you said wasn't entirely true! You came to your senses an' tried tah stop what was about to happen. {Remy}: Lotta good it did. All I did was save one girl. {Rogue}: So yer sayin' ya shoulda' killed her instead? {Remy}: Not hardly! You twistin' things around-- {Rogue}: Am I? {Remy}: No, you right, chere. But it wouldn'ta happened if I hadn't made a deal with that psycho-freak, Essex. {Rogue}: Is there anything that can be done about that now? {Remy}: Nope. {Rogue}: If ya'll hadn't led the Morlocks to the tunnels, somebody else would've. {Remy}: Dat don' make me feel much better about it. {Rogue}: Just remember. But now Ah feel guilty about what Ah did to you. Ah had no right. None at all. {Remy}: You not a hypocrite, chere. Not at all. I deserved what happened to me. You not de guilty one. In fact, I probably wouldn'ta come back anyway. {Rogue}: That still don't change what Ah did. {Remy}: But it does! Dat Eric the Red, he made us kiss. You absorbed my psyche. So really, I dumped myself in the snow. {Rogue}: Ah guess it's possible. But if Ah wasn't responsible in any way, then something deep down shoulda tried tah fight what was goin' on in my head. But Ah didn't care at all. Not until long after Ah was back here. {Remy}: Dis is goin' no where. Let's jus' forgive each other, and not focus on de past. We gotta look at de big picture. {Rogue}: What if the others don't feel the same way? {Remy}: Give 'em time. If de still hate me, screw 'em. {Rogue}: Humph. Thanks. Ah havn't smiled in so long... It still hasn't hit me yet. {Remy}: What's dat? {Rogue}: Joseph's death. Even if he was Magneto, he was a changed man. He had hope. Now, Ah'll never see him again. {Remy}: He's at peace now. An' he did what he wanted to do. He didn't become de maniac he once was. Praise him for dat. Light tears begin to run down Rogue's face. Remy grabs her and hold her close. She wasn't terribly upset now, nor would she be for some time. This was her way of blocking out what happened to Joseph. {Remy}: Let it out now, chere. It only be worse later. It'll come, either way you go. Scene Shift: SoHo... {Betsy}: Well, at least THAT'S over with. {Warren}: Pardon? {Betsy}: That mess with Apocalypse. I just want to live life normally again. {Warren}: Betsy, how can you be so... morbid?!? This is anything but over. {Betsy}: Spend some time with your lover and you'll feel better. {Warren}: If anything, I need time with a therapist! I just learned that I can't destroy my arch-enemy without killing myself as well because of a physiological link. That happends to come as a bit of a shock to me. {Betsy}: But Warren-- {Angel}: I'm sorry, Betsy, I just can't handle this now. {Betsy}: So you're leaving?!? {Warren}: Look, not only do I need to be with my friends right now, but I feel I have a responsibility to the world. The lush life never worked for me, so it's back to the super hero agenda. {Betsy}: Don't be ridiculous! You can't just go off adventuring with the X-Men again. We have responsibilities here now. We have to pay taxes, rent, utilities, we have BILLS! We have an apartment. We have appliances. What is wrong with you? {Warren}: If you won't come with me, sent me the bills and I'll pay them. You can still lead the life you're leading now, but not me. {Betsy}: I can't guarantee I'll come with you. {Warren}: If you do, we can get our priorities straight together. {Betsy}: Look, I need some time to think about this. {Warren}: That's totally understandable. But I've made my decision. And I'm leaving-- now. {Betsy}: But all your stuff-- {Warren}: Already packed and ready to go. I've been thinking about this for a while. Now I know what I'm doing. {Betsy}: If I call within the month, help me tie up any loose ends here and I'll join you. If not, you won't hear from me again. {Warren}: Agreed. Betsy Braddock watches Warren Worthington pick up his bags and walk out. The door slams and she collapses on an arm chair. Her chin falls into her hand and for the first time in months, she is actually worried. {Betsy}: Just like that... Scene Shift: Back to Westchester. Specifically, the med center... {Dr. Reyes}: Well, your check-up is complete. {Xavier}: Prognosis? {Dr. Reyes}: You have a clean bill of health. {Xavier}: Well, there's some good news. Tell me, how is it that one of my students-- the class clown, if you will-- managed to recruit you when I couldn't? {Dr. Reyes}: I didn't have much of a choice at the time. You didn't give me the ultimatum, "Join or get hunted down by killer robots." That and Bobby was... how should I say it? Um... slightly more attractive than you. {Xavier}: Ha ha, guess I no longer have his good looks. Seriously though, I never imagined my dream could go this far. It started with five single mutants. They grew and number and more teams followed. First I founded the New Mutanst when I feared my original students had perished. They've evolved into X-Force and taken the dream to a whoile new level. Then my founding students became X-Factor which eventually became a government agency. As a few members left the X-Men, Excaliber was founded. I can't believe how far we've come! {Dr. Reyes}: It is... incredible. {Xavier}: I'm sorry to say that my dream has not progressed as much, but things are shaping up. {Dr. Reyes}: They are indeed. {Xavier}: Oh, and Cecilia... allow me to officially welcome you to the X-Men. I hope you'll enjoy your stay. {Dr. Reyes}: It's an honor, Sir. Around back... {Ororo}: The lake looks lovely today. {Hank}: Hope it feels the same. You know how easily I burn. {Ororo}: I can only imagine. Honestly Henry, don't you think it is a splendid day for outdoor activities. {Hank}: I suppose. Shouldn't we be doing something? {Ororo}: You mean inside? {Hank}: I was hinting at it. Maybe we could, I dunno, help Bishop survey the damage? {Ororo}: Knowing Bishop, we would only be in his way. I assure you, he has everything under control. {Hank}: There has to be _something_ we should be doing. {Ororo}: Indeed, there are many things that we should be doing now, but we aren't. We are having a little leisure time. Everyone needs it. Look! I believe that is Maggott over there with his... "pets." {Hank}: Yes, they appear to be devouring someone's field. Honestly, Ororo, you amaze me. {Ororo}: I would assume I amaze many people. {Hank}: You are completely unaffected by the burdens of life. I have never seen you stressed out or depressed. You exhibit only healthy emotions. If only the rest of us could be so collective. {Ororo}: The world would be a more peaceful place... Perhaps I could talk the others into an evening swim? The weather isn't even a question-- {Hank}: Good luck. And thanks. I think this experience has really done a nice job on my attitude. {Ororo}: Your gratitude is appreciated, Henry. Back inside the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning... {Cable}: NNNGGGHHH... this... sucks... Cable is hunched over cringing as he tries to repair what's left of his techno organic left arm. The slag that reached almost to where the elbow should be was beginning to get longer. Tendrils emerged from it and stretched out into the full length of the arm. They shaped into fingers and became thicker. Before long, the slag pretty much resembled an arm again. Blood flowed from every opening on Cable's face. {Cable}: I really don't wanna try that again. {Domino}: Are we getting out of here or what? {Cable}: Give me a minute to come to my senses. Just then, Havok and Aurora rush by. {Domino}: Whoa, what's the hurry, 'Lex? {Havok}: We've gotta get to Falls Edge. {Cable}: ERRGH... Virginia? {Alex}: Yeah. {Cable}: What's going on? {Alex}: I've been keeping the place monitored ever since I left. The electro-static dome around just disentegrated. I need to know what's going on. {Domino}: Wait, you don't get off that easy. What about the Brotherhood? {Alex}: To hell with the Brotherhood, it was all a set-up anyway. {Aurora}: A set-up? I thought they cared about me! I thought _you_ cared about me! {Alex}: I care about all good souls like yourself. I'm one of the good guys. That's why your train was intercepted. Sorry you had to deal with McCoy. And I apologize for deceiving you. {Aurora}: I... get the idea. {Alex}: We're losing time, so let's discuss it on the way. {Aurora}: Bye you two! Cable and and Domino can read each other's expression perfectly. {Cable/Domino}: Let's go! {Caliban}: Wait! Do not forget about Caliban! {Domino}: Cal! Where have you been? We nearly did. {Caliban}: Caliban was reading this. {Cable}: Huh? Webster's Dictionary? Whatever. You wanna tell everyone we're leaving. {Caliban}: No, we can go now. {Cable}: Okay... Caliban's being noticeably different today. Cable can't help but wonder what's going on in that mind of his. Only time will tell what becomes of Caliban and Cable fears the worst. The Danger Room... {Bishop}: I simply can't tell what's wrong with this thing. Beast said it malfunctioned and a hologram of Apocalypse appeared in the War Room. Systems check shows that everything's fine. What about me? So much has happened, I don't know how to sort this out. What about Deathbird? She's the only one who's fate is as of yet unknown. Did she make it out? Did Apocalypse get to her? I'm at a loss. Bishop is a very confused man right now. He thought that he and Deathbird may have actually shared something... but was it love? What is he to do now? Only one thing is certain. The only family he knows is the X-Men, and the first decision he's made since returning to earth is that he will remain with them. He may not have a purpose with them at the moment, but he hopes that situation will soon change. A few acres away from the Xavier Institute... {Logan}: What's up? {Maggott}: Jeez! Scare the living daylights out of me, huh? {Logan}: Sorry. It tends to happen. {Maggott}: The girls are a little hungry. {Logan}: Farmer Joe or whoever the hell lives out here might not be too happy about that. {Maggott}: We won't be seen from here. You, uh, want anything? {Logan}: Joseph's dead. {Maggott}: Ag, it's a real shame. {Logan}: You knew him. {Maggott}: Long time ago. {Logan}: Care to share that little past connection with me? {Maggott}: Nope. {Logan}: Good answer. {Maggott}: Eh? {Logan}: Your tone. You didn't hesitate at all. You don't want me to know something and you make sure I know it. I like that. I've got a weird past too. Hell, I don't know about half of it myself. I won't force my way into your life. {Maggott}: Thanks. {Logan}: I wondered about you at first. I wanted to keep a close eye on you. Now I think you'll do just fine. Welcome to the team, Maggott. See ya 'round. {Maggott}: Uh... Logan. {Logan}: Yeah? {Maggott}: Call me Japheth. Back in the kitchen... {Scott}: Nate! I didn't see you standing there. {Nate Grey}: Just on my way out. {Scott}: Don't let us hold-- {Jean}: Wait! {Nate}: Sorry, I won't be staying. {Jean}: I'm not insisting you do, we just have to talk to you about something. {Scott}: We do? {Jean}: You've seen it too, Scott. {Scott}: Oh. Yeah. Phoenix. {Jean}: Nathan, we have reason to believe that you've been possessed by the Phoenix Force. {Nate}: But... from what I've seen in your mind, it's gone now. {Jean}: Not necessarily. Madelyne possessed it for some time. When I reached into her mind, I absorbed it from her along with her memories. But they couldn't be assimilated properly. The personalities of Madelyne and the Phoenix kept trying to take over my body. In the end, I expelled all of what I had absorbed to save a doomed planet from the Celestials. {Nate}: Yeah, and that was the end of it. {Jean}: I'm afraid not. The Phoenix/Madelyne entity returned to the solar system shortly after you landed on earth. You sent out a psychic distress signal for a mother. That psychic cry reached every telepath on the planet... and beyond. The entity was drawn back to earth. After all, it answered my cry when I was piloting that shuttle caught in a radiation storm. It possessed you and took over. Instinctively, the Madelyne part of the Phoenix was separated and given a psiplasmic body. {Nate}: I guess her resurrection makes a little more sense now. {Jean}: Yes, but the Phoenix didn't leave. At last, it had found comfort. It lay dormant while you began getting weaker. Finally, it fully manifested itself. For a while I feared that I was possessed by the Phoenix. But now I think that being in close proximity with it as it became stronger made my powers go a little hay wire. Now that I think I understand what's happening, I should return to normal. {Nate}: Good news for you. Hey, what's with Scott? You're tuning him out, aren't you? {Jean}: I-- {Nate}: Jean, you have to tell him eventually! Madelyne is back... and she isn't going anywhere any time soon. {Jean}: Nate, please, this is important. {Nate}: I'm sorry. You were saying-- {Jean}: I just want to you to know what's going on. Please be careful. {Nate}: This is just a theroy. {Jean}: A highly credible theory. {Nate}: A theory, nonetheless. {Jean}: ... {Nate}: Look, let's assume what you're saying is true. Would I possibly live a full life if this thing wasn't possessing me? {Jean}: From what I understand about you, you'll die before age twenty-one either way. {Nate}: But I'll die a lot sooner with this thing. {Jean}: I really don't know. Talk to someone, a doctor, anyone that's familiar with this field. {Nate}: If anyone asks, I'm headed to Muir Island. Bye Scott! {Scott}: Wha? Huh? Oh, umm, bye! {Jean}: Good call, Nate. {Scott}: Sorry? {Jean}: Not important. {Scott}: I must've dozed off. {Jean}: It's okay. We've had a rough week. {Scott}: Wow! Seven already! Just then, two other members of the team walk down the stairs. {Sam}: He broke the computer! {Bobby}: No! You told me to unplug the cord. {Sam}: You should've been more careful! {Bobby}: Well... that thing was a hunk of ass anyway! {Scott}: I'm sure Hank can fix it. {Hank}: You probably just got some wires crossed. {Sam}: Well, no. See... {Bobby}: We got the modem and everything hooked back up, but a plug was in the wrong spot. HE told he to pull it out. Turns out, the thing was attached to the monitor. I yanked and it finally gave. And so did the monitor. {Sam}: Yeah, right into the floor! {Ororo}: I thought we might all enjoy an evening swim. {Dr. Reyes}: It would do my muscles some good. Charles and I have been discussing the history of the X-Men. {Hank}: Interesting topic. {Dr. Reyes}: Tell me about it! {Bishop}: Beast, do you hallucinate? There was nothing wrong with the hologram program at all. {Hank}: If I was, so was Gambit, Domino, and Warren. {Bishop}: Now, I wish to relax. {Wolverine}: This is a first. {Maggott}: The girls have eaten and we're about ready for that swim. {Rogue}: Remy and Ah talked. A lot. If anyone odjects to his returning to this team, then we have a problem. {Scott}: Roght now, we all want to mellow out. This Gambit issue can be disussed later. {Hank}: Well, now that everyone's social again, how about that dip? While the X-Men enjoy a little "moonlight recreation," Apocalypse's pyramid stronghold gets a late visitor... {Voice}: So dark in here. No! It- it's all gone. The entire complex destroyed! All that work... But it couldn't be lost. Apocalypse is more resourceful than that. But those that denied me my right by my master's side will face my wrath. So swears... Mainframe! The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. The next day... {Dr. Reyes}: Nice room. Guess it's officially mine. Wow, my muscles do feel better. Let's see who else is an early bird. She heads to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for herself. {Dr. Reyes}: Hey... who's that on the couch? {Warren}: You asking me... or yourself? {Cecilia}: Oh, hey Warren. We were wondering where you went. {Warren}: I'm back for good now. I don't know if I can say the same for Betsy. {Scott}: Too bad. I've already put her on the roster. {Cecilia}: How long have you been standing there? {Scott}: I was right behind you. {Jean}: Who wants eggs? Jean yells to Scott, Warren, and Cecilia in the living room. {Logan}: Keep it down to a dull roar! Logan definitely wasn't an early riser. But he was awake now and knew there was no point in going back to sleep. {Logan}: Guess everybody else will just have to miss breakfast. Suddenly, the door flies open. {Alex}: Don't count us out! {Scott}: You're back. I must admit... I didn't even know you were gone. {Alex}: Well, seeing as you want to do the... "paperwork" today, I'll tell all about my little trip once everyone is awake. During the middle of breakfast, most of the others were awake. It didn't take long for everyone else to arrive downstairs for Scott's meeting. {Scott}: I figured Cable, Domino, and Caliban had left by now. Just so you know, Nate Grey left last night. Right after we arrived back here, Magneto went off about our goals being totally different and that our paths would cross again. But I didn't think he'd stick around anyway. I've called this meeting to discuss the future of the X-Men as a team. First, Alex has something to tell us. {Alex}: When I cut all ties with X-Factor and formed the Brotherhood, I kept Fall's Edge under surveillance. An electro-static dome was erected around it, making it nearly impossible to monitor. Yesterday, that dome disentegrated. Aurora and I immediately went to investigate. I discovered that Shard had met up with refugees from the future and they were trying to change the past for the better. Forge and Polaris have since met up with them and returned to Fall's Edge. What I'm saying is, X-Factor's alive and well. They were glad to learn that the Brotherhood was only a ruse and our friendship has been preserved. But I'm not ready to return to the team just yet. They're still trying to rebuild and I need some time somewhere else. If you don't mind, I'd like to remain with the X-Men. {Scott}: Mind? We need all the help we can get. {Alex}: Thanks, bro. Aurora'a staying too. {Scott}: Even better. Now, there are so many of us, that it's necessary for the X-Men to be divided into two teams again. Communication was a big problem last time. That's why it didn't work. This time, both teams will commute regularly and give a full report of their mission. That said, the gold team will consist of: Wolverine, Phoenix, Gambit, Rogue, Cecilia, myself, Iceman, and Bishop. The blue team will consist of: Storm, Psylocke, Angel, Maggott, Beast, Havok, Aurora, and Cannonball. By the way, this is my last decision as leader of this team. Wolverine, Storm, we're all yours. {Logan}: I'm-- {Ororo}: Honored. {Scott}: I came to this final line-up based on your individual strengths and weaknessed. Both teams have a well-trained and accomplised leader, a psychic, someone specializing in stealth, someone specializing in strength/endurance, a trained physician in case of serious injury, a major energy weilder, and two miscellaneous. I think you'll both work well togther. Consult me if you have any problems. Oh, and Charles, you're in charge of everybody. {Cecilia}: Well... I guess that's that. Wonder what the future for us will be like. {Xavier}: Let us hope it leads to triumph and hope. {Bobby}: A code name for Cecilia would be nice too! Hey! Well, after twenty-five installments, Come the Apocalypse comes to a close. It's been a blast, everybody!!!!! This story has been dedicated to the memory of Harry O. McQuary --Nate!