Chapter 9

  Arc 1 - Ch 9: sequences

  Date: Friday, June 4, 2010.

  Location: Xavier Institute, Scarsdale, New York

  The gently swayed in the breeze as Tyson's feet met the familiar asphalt of the basketball court. He watched Illyana step into one of her portals on the far side of the court. Thinking he was halluating, he looked over to see she was still standing at his side.

  For a moment, it was as if they were caught in some ic time loop, fragments of the past blurring into the present.

  Or perhaps it was his first glimpse of how time flowed differently in Limbo.

  Before he could sider further, a vision appeared that sent chills rag down his spine. Floating above the court was Jeahough not as he remembered her. Gone was the gentle warmth in her eyes, repced by a bzing crimson that seemed lit from within by fire. Her long red hair, usually so soft and free, now whipped around her head like wild fiery tendrils. She was wreathed in an aura of sheer power, almost visible like shimmeri waves rising from the sun-scorched pavement.

  Both captivating and deeply uling, she was dangerous beauty personified.

  Tyson stared, transfixed. How much had he missed since his time in Limbo? Illyana took a cautious step back, her body nguage revealing her unease. But Tyson barely noticed, uo tear his gaze away from the raw power Jean radiated. The air was deh a palpable tension that pressed down on Illyana, makiremble.

  "Jean?" Tyson called out cautiously.

  For a long moment, nothing ged. But as his voice echoed across the court, reition seemed to stir deep within her fiery eyes. Gradually the intense glow faded, and the bzing crimson of her eyes softehe winds whipping her hair into a frenzy slowed to a gentle breeze. And the eerie fiery silhouette dang around her dispersed with the intangible wind.

  It was as if reality exhaled in relief, the fabric of the world rexing as the tension receded. Jean drifted downwards, her feet settling onto the court. The final traces of power vanished and her posture softened as the hardness left her face. She seemed almost fragile now, disoriented like a sleepwalker guided back to wakefulness by Tyson's voice.

  Before he could fully process this transformation, Jean's eyes regained crity. She closed the distaween them and pulled him into a tight embrace. "You're okay!" she excimed in relief. The warmth of her hug trasted sharply with the cold, distant being she had been mere moments before.

  Illyana watched the reunion warily with her fingers ed around the hilt of her Soulsword. Tysourned Jean's hug, careful not to touch her skie the growing number of questions in his mind, he tried to fort her.

  — Rogue Rept —

  Tyson, Jean, and Illyana sat opposite Professor Xavier's desk. Their body nguage veyed a mix of emotions. Tyson sat rexed, though his shoulders were slumped, Jean's hands fidgeted nervously in her p, while Illyana wore a defiant scowl, though her darting eyes betrayed her apprehension.

  Professor Xavier gazed at each of them in turn. Steepling his fingers ptively, he began in his calm, authoritative tone, "It is only natural for teeo quarrel and butt heads. Youthful passion and the quest for identity has frequently led to heated disputes, even ht brawls." He paused, ensuring he had their full attention before tinuing. "However, when those involved possess uny abilities, such frontations bee far more dangerous. They have the potential to escate into full-blown catastrophes."

  Jean visibly winced uhe weight of his words.

  "I fouhis school to provide young mutants a safe haven. A pce to be educated, grow into their powers, and hopefully learn to wield those abilities for the greater good of all humanity."

  Illyana bristled, her temper fring. "But Professor…"

  Xavier raised a hand, cutting her off. "I'm not assigning bme to any one of you exclusively. However, you must all grasp the gravity of your powers, and the devastation they sow if misused."

  "We never meant for things to spiral like they did. It just... got out of trol." said Tyson.

  "Indeed," Xavier nodded sagely. "But that is precisely why you are here. To learn disciplio uand your abilities, and to ehey are applied wisely."

  "We're so sorry, Professor," Jean said softly, eyes downcast.

  Xavier surveyed them somberly. "I know. I believe in each of you and your potential to do good in this world." The room fell silent as the professor's words sank in. After a weighty pause, he tinued, "All I ask is that you learn from this experiend strive to do ater. I don't ask this to shame you, but so that you learn from this experience. Each of you pyed a role in the unfortunate i on the basketball court."

  His eyes settled on Tyson. "Had you been more open with your peers about the instability of your abilities, the entire flict may have been avoided."

  Tyson protested, "I was trying..." but he stopped speaking. The professor's words struck a chord of truth within him. Suddenly he felt an overwhelming sadness and guilt over what his power had caused. He knew his power was a dao all. "You're right," he said heavily. "I should have warhem. If I 't trol it, I o be more aware of the risk." Regret weighed down his broad shoulders. But even as he slumped, he turned his head and narrowed his eyes.

  Where did that e from?

  Why was he suddenly overwhelmed with regret. That wasn't like Sabertooth…

  Turnio Illyana, Xavier's expressioerner. "And you, Illyana. Since arriving here, few have challenged you directly. Yet at the first sign of frontation, you saw fit to banish a cssmate to Limbo."

  Illya his gaze unflingly, her at lending a sharp edge to her words. "No one hurts me without sequences, Professor. But Tyson and I have settled our differences. It won't happen again." Her jaw was set stubbornly despite the promise.

  Xavier sighed, shaking his head almost imperceptibly before his eyes softened on Jean. "And Jean," he said gently. "We've been taking small steps towards trol for years now, and though we've made great strides, those barriers I erected are weakening. In the ing weeks, we'll o reinforce them."

  "I'm trying, Professor," Jean whispered, "Every day I try. But sometimes, it feels like there's too much power to trol."

  Xavier nodded sagely, his expressiole. "The power is yours, a part of you. With time and training, you will learn to master it."

  Jean bit her lip, wishing she shared his faith. For now, all she could do was keep trying, pushing back against the frightening torrent within.

  Believing his students suffitly chastised, Xavier ged topics. "Now, let's discuss your enter in Limbo. I uand you had a run-in with Azazel."

  At the mention of the name, Illyana's back straightened. "You know of him?" she questioned, her voice carrying an uone ency.

  The professor leaned ba his motorized wheelchair, steepling his fingers pensively. "I'm familiar with him from past events," he began, his expression darkening at the memory. "During the early days, a rogue group of mutants inteo start World War III, believing it would lead to mutant asdancy. Azazel was one of them."

  Professor X's eyes refocused on Illyana as he tinued. "I’m going to reach out to a taine who is more familiar with the sort of mystical threat Azazel poses, especially sidering that Limbo is involved."

  Illyana’s eyes darted between Professor X and Tyson, ay evident in the way she bit her bottom lip betweeeeth. She pushed a strand of golden hair behind her ear, unsciously. "So, what do we do in the meantime? Limbo is filled with demons, and if Azazel returns, I 't fight him off alone."

  "Sometimes, discretion is the better part of valor," Professor Xavier replied gently, “If you find yourself face-to-face with Azazel agaireat may be the wisest course of a. You're safe here in the institute. Even if Azazel possesses the capability to reach us, he would be ill-advised to attempt it. There are many powerful mutants within these walls, myself included."

  "But the demons. Limbo..." she protested weakly.

  "We'll find a way," Tyson said reassuringly.

  A hint of a smile tugged at Illyana’s lips as she questioned in a lighter tone, "We?"

  — Rogue Rept —

  Tyson awoke feeling strangely refreshed despite it being the sed day in a row he before dawn. As he showered, he sifted through memories ied from Sabertooth, realizing that he required little rest to sustain his body.

  When Tysoered the dining hall, the first signs of activity stirred. He filled a pte aled at one of the long tables. Moments ter, Jean joined him. They ate in panionable silehe only sound the gentle k of cutlery on dishes.

  Jean seemed to bask in the calm stillness of the early hour. "I enjoy the quiet," she expined softly. "When most of the institute is asleep, the mental noise is much less."

  Their tranquility was interrupted by Jubilee's vibrant arrival, sparks dang at her fiips as she bounded into the hall. "Good m!" she sang out cheerily plopping down across from them. Their breakfast became livelier with Jubilee's chatter filling the space.

  As the dining hall began to fill, Professor Ororo approached their table, the st of nature preg her. Tysoed an almost syic edge like it cked the earthy riess it had previously when they first met in the adian wilderness.

  "Professor, did you ge your perfume?" he asked.

  "I did, how sweet of you to notice," Ororo replied. Her expression grew more serious as she tinued, "I heard about what happened in PE yesterday."

  Tyson tensed, hoping the i would be fotten. To his surprise, Ororo's question was, "Outside of that mishap, do you like basketball?"

  "Uh, sure," Tyson answered cautiously, unsure of her i.

  "Would you like to see a game?" she proposed. "After yesterday's events, maybe it's best you get a night away from the institute." Her eyes shifted between Tyson and Jean as she spoke.

  Tyson furrowed his brow in fusion. "Like an actual basketball game?"

  In response, Ororo produced three tickets with a secretive smile. Tyson took in the embossed writing.

  Lakers vs. Knicks.

  He g the date. Tonight. But it was June. Basketball should be te into the post-season. A quispe of the tickets firmed these thoughts, "Finals tickets?" he asked incredulously, "How?"

  Jean's eyes narrowed with suspi as she studied the tickets. "Is this a good idea, Professor?" she questioned carefully. "Tyson hasn't been here very long. He's still adjusting. After losing trol yesterday, I'll o spend time with Professor Xavier to repair my mental barriers. A basketball game will have thousands of people in range of my telepathy."

  Ororo met their uainty steadily. "What better way to adjust than bonding with friends outside these walls?" she tered. "Being together, away from this pce, might help take your minds off yesterday's troubles, even if only for a night."

  Jean's eyes narrowed, her emerald irises darkening with unease as suspi tio gnaw at her. Though Professor Monroe's words held logic, Jean's instincts screamed in warning. Before she could raise her doubts, Jubilee's enthusiastic voice pierced the tense silence.

  "We'd love to go!" she excimed, her voice bubbling with excitement at the prospect of a night out.

  Tyson g Jean, noting her furrowed brows and the tightness in her jaw. But the temptation of experieng something normal, something thrilli mundane, was too alluring to resist. With a genuine, lopsided smile, Tyson turo Ororo. "Thank you, Professor," he said, gratitude and disbelief blending in his deep voice.

  Jean and Jubilee echoed the se, their voices ringing with surprise and anticipation. Ororo ined her head in aowledgment. "I have some papers to grade and errands to run. I'll catch up with you orain."

  Tyson watched the professor depart, his rugged features peurning back to his friends, he asked in bewilderment, "You guys normally go to games like this?"

  "Nope!" Jubilee replied, popping the 'p' with an exuberant grin. "But this is awesome! I'm so gon Kobe and LeBron's autographs." Her enthusiasm was iious, causing the ers of Tyson's lips to quirk upwards despite himself.

  Tyson stared at her incredulously. "Lebron?" he asked in fusion.

  Jubilee's mouth dropped open in dramatic e. "How do you remember videogames but not know who LeBron James is?" she excimed. "Did you seriously fet about NBA 2K?"

  "Lebron is, like, the king of New York!" She shook her head in exaggerated disappoi before adding thoughtfully, "Or maybe that title belongs to Diddy..."

  Jean remained silent, her emerald eyes distant and hands csped around her ceramic mug as if drawing warmth from its heat. Tyson leaned across the table. "Hey, Jean? You okay over there?"

  Her lips twitched into a slight frown, the motion barely visible. "Professor Munroe has always been difficult for me to read telepathically, but just now it was far more difficult," she admitted after a moment.

  Jubilee waved a hand, brushing aside Jean's trepidation. "Oh , I'm sure it's nothing to worry about!" she excimed, boung a little in her seat. "The Professor's probably been practig." Her brown eyes danced with anticipation as she leaned forward eagerly. "So are we doing this or what? I'm not missing the ce to get Kobe and LeBron's autographs!"

  Tyson attempted to lighten the mood. "Well, you heard her. Jubilee's heart is set, so no bag out now." He shrugged his broad shoulders. "I'm game if you both are."

  Jeaated, uainty flickering across her face. "Professor X said we shouldn't leave the school without a teacher. But with Professor oing with us..." But she nodded after a moment, resolve settling on her delicate features. "Yes, let's do this." Her earlier s set aside for the time being.

  It was te afternoon as the trio of young mutants reached the front gates, anticipation building for the night ahead.

  "Man, I 't believe we're going to see the Lakers tonight!" Jubilee gushed, turning to Tyson with an enormous grin. "Courtside seats, baby!" Jubilee whooped loudly, ung a spray of colorful fireworks from her palms. She grabbed Jean's arm eagerly. ", let's hustle before we miss the train!"

  Jean cast o uain look back at the Institute but Jubilee's enthusiasm proved iious. Tyson gave an encing nod. Together, the three young mutants set off.

  — Rogue Rept —

  As the Metro-North zipped dowracks, the view outside transitioned from suburbs to tightly packed buildings and graffitied walls. Jubilee bounced excitedly in her seat, chattering away about the Big Apple.

  "Alright, so we're taking the Metro-North," Jubilee began, her firag the route on the map, outlining their route. “The Metro-North will zip us straight into Graral station," she annourag a path with her finger. "From there, we've got options. The subway is fast but crowded. Cabs get stu traffic. Or we hoof it. Madison Square Garden is just over a mile down 7th Ave." She looked at them expetly. "So what'll it be?"

  Tyson jokingly flexed his massive bicep. "I could just scoop you both up and run there in a few minutes."

  "Tempting," Jean ughed. "But I think we'll survive the walk. Plus we might find a hot dog stand or two on the way. You'll need your hands free for that."

  Tyson groaned, amused by the friendly teasing about his enhanced appetite.

  Jubilee narrated as they passed each station. "Crestwood, Tuckahoe, Bronxville, Fordham. We're in the Bronx now. Wele to New York City!"

  Their versation meandered on as the train groaned ever closer to its destination, each stop ratcheting up the buzz of excitement shared betweehree friends. Despite yesterday's frontation with Illyana and Azazel, for now, they were just teenagers on an ued urban adventure.

  Looking out the window, they saw a man shuffling down a crowded street, heaving a casket behind him. He attracted gnces from passersby, but Tyson's mouth fell open in astonishment. "Is that... a casket?" he excimed, pointing out the window. "Who just drags a casket around in broad daylight?"

  Jubilee dissolved into giggles at his rea. "Wele to the city," she said, giving his arm a pyful punch. "It's not all towers and Broadway shows. We've got our fair share of weirdos too. Folks accept it and go about their business."

  Jean smiled, shaking her head. "I'm not sure this is exactly the cultural and learning experience Professor Xavier wanted his students to have."

  Tyson was about to point out another eye-catg sight wherain's sliding doors opened, and someoered their increasingly crowded partment. As he turned, he saw a familiar face.

  "Professor Ororo," Tysoed.

  Ororo offered a smile in response. In a fsh, her hand shot out from the folds of her long coat, a hypodermieedle glinting in her grip. With viper-like speed, she pluhe needle towards Jean's exposed neck.

  Tyson's eyes went wide with arm, but his reflexes weren't fast enough to stop the needle. He could only watch helplessly as it pierced Jean's pale skin, elig a shocked gasp from the redhead's lips.

  Just as quickly as it struck, Ororo withdrew the needle, leaving Tyson and Jubilee frozen in stunned silence. Jean blinked rapidly, her emerald eyes clouding in fusion. A soft gasp escaped her parted lips and she swayed unsteadily for a moment before colpsing sideways into Tyson's broad shoulder, unscious.

  Behind the Ses

  - This se was inspired in part by X-Men (2000), X-3, Dark Phoenix, X-Men: Evolution, and X-Men First Css.

  - Xavier’s chastisement might seem light but in Episode 1 of X-Men: Evolution, Cyclops causes major damage to the school. Xavier uses his power to cover it up, and Cyclops only gets a short two-line hinting that he fucked up.

  - Cssic X-Men #42 was the earliest sign of Jean’s e to the Phoenix force. When they were children, she ected with a atose Scott Summers oral phis id the foundation for the e between her and Cyclops. In this story, that event never occurred and this was Jean’s first taste of the Phoenix, caused by Tyson and Illyana.

  - In the X-Men movies Xavier believes the Phoenix is the maion of Jean’s repressed powers, like a sed personality.

  - The guy dragging the casket dowreet in broad daylight in the Bronx was a real event.

  - In 2010 the Knicks weren’t very good. In this universe, the Knicks got Lebron making it pusible that the NBA finals would be happening in NYC at this time of year.

  Support Plug

  For those of you ied in supp my writing.

  patreon./Steatoda

  For Arc 5, every chapter had its own cover image.

  One buck membership gets you access to the galleries (Chapters 15, 28, 42, 44, 47, 50, and 53)

  Five bucks membership gets one chapter ahead and access to NSFW galleries (Ily, Felicia, Nat)

  Ten bucks membership gets the same as above, but two chapters ahead, an exclusive what if, and a preview of the Arc 7 cover ( love i)