Extremes Chapter 12: Revelations The majestical sun shines above a small island, called Muir, off the coast of Scotland. Upon the island, lays the Muir Island Research Facility, a place where its owner, Dr. Moira MacTaggert, studies the genetics of those called mutants, humans gifted at birth with mighty, yet frightening, powers, and on occasion, the genetics of "regular" human beings. Also, the British team of mutants labeled Excalibur stays keep at this island as its headquarters, along with their newly founded ‘junior' league of mutant teenagers yet named. One of the younger group's members, Andrew Blake Ebon, awakes to the morning light, emitting through the bay window. The neophyte yawns, sitting up, his arms crossed over his head and his hands grasping one another. With a simple movement of the fingers, the sheets covering him yields the telekinetic command to move toward the opposite end of the bed. Getting up from the bed, Drew walks over to the bayed window-seat and sits. He opens the window, letting the cool breezes wash over his face and hair as he gazes upon the beautiful sky hue. ‘You are Darrius, Prince of Palsa, the capital of the planet Terran!' the calling permeates the very depth of his soul. Gotta stop thinking about it, Drew says to himself, now looking down at his fist, surprisingly holding something in its grip. "Huh? What's this?" he opens the fist to reveal an elegantly crafted locket with a chain. Drew turns the locket over to see an inscription: ‘DARRIUS & CAITLAN-JANA.' "What?!" he screams dropping the locket on the floor. Drew stoops down to reach it, noticing that it was now open, containing the pictures of the girl he had rescued the day before and himself, with minor physical differences, such as the skin and hair color (Note: Drew: pale complected and brown hair; picture: darker, although not much, complected and whitish looking hair.) Drew sets the locket on his dresser, and returns to the window seat. As the sun's rays caresses his skin, he ponders on his past, "It's like I've always known her, but how can that be? We only just met, or did we? Could . . . she be right about me? If so, that means all my life is a lie!" * At the Massachusetts Academy, in the early afternoon, Emma Frost sits in her private study, sipping tea and looking at documents concerning Drew Ebon that she herself has written. ~Hmm,~ she thinks, ~I still do not understand what happened that day, the day when I introduced Drew to Cerebro, and his ‘other self' showed up. There was something very familiar about him, something I quite can't put my finger on. -gasps- That was it! Why didn't I think of it sooner? Drew's first session in the Danger Grotto proved excellent, battling the Phoenix. Before he and the others had their training session, I acidently switched the power level on the power of Phoenix, and then later, I found out what I did . . .The only way he could have destroyed the Phoenix is if he is . . . but how could that be? The Phoenix force lies dormant within Jean Grey-Summers, so Drew can't possibly be, or can he?" * Back on Muir . . . "Wake up, Darrius!" "Wha? Who said that?" inquires Drew, looking around his room. *Simple mind scan proves no one's here. Gosh, this sure is getting to me! Now I'm hearing voices. * KNOCK! KNOCK! "Come in . . ." says Drew, as the door opens, "What do you want . . .Alex?" Drew turns to his friend and teammate, Alex Davidson, or known to some as Syntex. "Well, the truth is, Gareth, a few members of Excalibur, including Dr. MacTaggert, and I went to the Medical Lab to see how our guest was doing." "Go on," Drew says entering his closet, and closing the door, to get changed. "Anyway, when we walked in, she was already awake, and tears just covered her face!" "She was crying?" Drew pokes his head out and then back in. *Poor girl.* Sitting on a chair near Drew's desk, Alex replies, "Well, not really since she didn't make a sound. It was kinda like crying silently, or inwardly." Drew comes out of the closet, saying, "Alright, is there anything else she did?" Turning toward his dresser, Drew notices that the locket is gone. *Odd.* "Well, she did repeat over and over the name Darrius." Drew gasps, turning to face Alex, now hovering above the chair. "Does it mean anything to you? We thought you might know something since you are the one she talked to. So Mr. Waggner told me to come up and get you." "Let's go to the medical lab," Drew stampers off. "Yes, sir. I wonder who got on the wrong side of bed this morning. Wait for me!" ~~~ Walking through the hall, Drew wonders, *What's going to happen? I can . . . feel it. Something bad's going to happen today, or is it only ‘bad' because I'm afraid of it? I haven't a clue, but I think this girl somehow involved.* Drew approaches the door to the Medical Lab, as he did the night before. ~Is Excalibur in the room with her, Alex?~ Drew asks telepathically. ~No, they thought that it would be a good idea to just let you talk to her alone.~ Drew opens the door and enters, leaving his friend behind the door. He stares upon the girl's teary face. Looking up at him with sympathy, she wails, closing her eyes, "You deny who you are, Darrius!" Drew, taken aback in astonishment, remarks, "Why do you call me that?" "You forgot too soon." "Forgot what, and too soon for what?!" The girl sobs, clenching her hand, being held to her heart. Her hand drops to her lap as she opens it to see a beautiful shimmering object, concealed from Drew's view. Holding the object up so Drew can see it, he gasps. "This was our engagement locket, the very locket you gave me when you proposed to me. It's a symbol of what we've shared, Darrius. Please, remember . . ." "I . . ." Drew starts, teary eyed, as images of a past forgotten in the very deepest corridors of his mind return, ". . . remember." "Oh . . . all you have to do is touch it." Drew Ebon reaches out and touches the exquisitely adorned ornament. A burst of light emits from the locket. As the light then encases his outlining, he grunts and gasps. Soon, his entire body is encased within a sphere of pure light. Outside the room . . . "Ms. Frost, what's happening? Why are you here?" Alex mutters in a confused state to his former teacher as she storms through the hall, heading to the Medical Lab. *I since its presence. Drew is in the coming room,* she thinks, as those who live at Muir rush behind her, afraid of what she senses. She barges in the room to see different spectrums of light fading away. In the center of the room she sees the young girl holding her love . . . "Dear, Darrius, what have I done?" she cries, Drew's head laying upon her lap. "What's going on here?!" Emma screams at the girl. The girl looks up, but before she can say anything, she feels the movement of her ‘love.' "Darrius! Are . . .all right?!" Drew lays his hand upon her cheek as she cries even more, and says, "Yes, my love, my . . . Jana." "Yes, do you finally remember? About our life . . ." "Yes, my darling, I remember everything. I am Darrius, crowned Prince of Palsa, capital of the planet Terran." "Drew? What are you talking about?" Alex mumbles, coming closer to the couple. ~My friends, I am not who you think me to be. This might seem unbelievable to you, but I am from another planet, in another Solar System.~ Everyone looks shocked except for Alex, who looks worried, saying, "Drew, how come . . . how come you never told me about this? I told you about my past. I thought we had a trust within our friendship." "There is trust within it, Alex, but the reason I never told you was because I forgot who I really was, until now," Drew says, leaving Jana's lap and goes to his friend. "Neither Jana nor I remember, however, everything about our past. For some reason, we were made to forget.." "Jana?" Drew calls, turning around to see her. "Yes, m'love?" "WHAT are you talking about? You two only met yesterday and now you're suddenly calling each other ‘darling' and ‘love?' No, way, Drew, I don't buy any of what you're saying!" "Well, my friend, the only other alternative is for me to show you!" Drew places a telepathic link throughout everyone's mind. Within this link, images, Drew has been seeing as of late and those he recently has seen, through the mind of Jana, enter the minds of his comrades. At this revelation of Drew Ebon, everyone in the room is stunned, as the link is disengaged, therefore the images depart from their minds. "You lived . . . on another planet, in another solar system?" Alex whispers. "Yes, just like I told you!" Drew snaps. "And to think, I thought that I was weird because I was from the future. Your story sure beats mine." "We will discuss this later, Alex, but right now, Jana and I need to do some . . .Alex?" Alex's eyes go blank, as all the others' do as well. Mindless expressions stare at Drew, giving him a high sense of paranoia. He then hears laughter behind him . . . Jana's laughter. Turning around, Drew sees her holding her hand in front of her mouth, still laughing. "J. . . Jana . . .?" "Ahh, did Drew's memories shock his friends?" *She called me Drew . . .* "Well, they should be shocked considering that none of it was true!" she laughs again. *-gasps- That laugh . . .that voice, it's not Jana's anymore, but I've heard it before, but from where?* Swirling energies appear all around ‘Jana.' The energies soar above her, leaving her unconsciousness, and forming into the shape of an older, yet youthful, woman. "Who?" The energies die down to reveal the true appearance of the person who has been apparently inhibiting the body of this young girl, lying before them. "You!" "Are you surprised?" "Not really . . . MADELYNE PRIOR . . . considering you of all people would stoop this low." "And what in particular is the ‘low?'" "Messing with someone's mind, that's what!" he gets ready for battle with both hands holding a psionic dagger. "Oh my, is Drew getting testy? Huh?" She stares at the fifteen year old boy's eyes, suddenly emitting tears of woe. He whispers, "It was all I lie then, just like Alex said. How could I have been so stupid to fall into another trap? Madelyne! Who are you working for? The Inner Circle still?" "No, Drew, they got too boring for my tastes. I've joined the Brotherhood." Drew gasps, covering his mouth. "So you remember, eh? Orion, the one who attacked you and Alex; Havok, who kidnaped Alex, thinking it was really you . . ." "How'd you learn all of this?" "You linked with my mind remember? They also told me." "So, are you hear to destroy the facility or get revenge of those who beat you?!" "Neither actually. Well, if I had to choose between the two, I'd choose the revenge choice, BUT that's not why I'm here. The Brotherhood needs strong mutants like yourself and Alex. Why don't you join us?" "This is what's all been about then? Why didn't you just come and ask me instead of using an innocent girl to fuel your own vengeful needs?" "It was much fun watching you go crazy, though. Well, Havok won't be too pleased, but he is the one who told me to do anything to get you to come with me." "And what if I refuse?" "I'll call backup." "What a lousy reply. I REFUSE your offer." "Fine then. |~Fatale, come on.~|" A portal appears in front of them. Coming from out it is Havok, leader of the group; Orion, molecular manipulator; Fatale, teleporter as well as shape-shifter; Andrea and Andreas Strucker, also know as Fenris, who together are mighty in power. "Hello, boy," Orion says calmly. "Wha?" Drew trips backwards. "If you won't come with us, stripling," Orion starts, "we'll have to get a little rough with ya." Havok blocks Orion, saying, "Hold it, ‘rion, we came here to recruit him, not hurt him." "Fine," he grumbles. "There's no way I'm going to join up with villains like you." "Harsh words, Ebon," Andrea says, "but why do you call is that?" "Well, let me think . . .I know! Number One: Orion attacked me and my best friend; Number Two: Havok kidnaped the same friend; Number Three: Madelyne just has a bad reputation; Number Four: there's been attacks around the world made by your leader, Havok. How's that?" "We only want the best for our kind, Drew. Since the Onslaught episode, mutant hysteria has boomed. Humans used to be afraid of us, but now, mutants are afraid of humans. It would be a disgrace to not only you, but to the whole mutant population, if you do not join and help us." "Well, I've encountered disgrace before and I got over it!" "Fine then. I tried to reason with you, but they've got your mind contaminated with false ideas, ideas about mutants and humans having peace between them. You were right, Orion, we'll take him by force. Will you do the honors?" "How can you say that? You were one who had the dream of Professor Xavier within your soul. How can you just through all the goodness he inlayed in you?!" "Orion, proceed." "My pleasure, boss. This is going to be fun." ~I've changed since we last met, Orion, just ask Maddy there.~ ~I've changed as well, Drew. No longer will I be beaten by a mere child!~ Orion moves toward Drew with an evil grin. ~Gosh, I hate the feeling of going to pieces, literally!~ Orion raises his hands and then strikes Drew with his mighty power. Drew's entire reality goes upside down as Orion manipulates Drew's molecules as well as those around him. "Ahhhhhhh!!!!" "You're hurting him!" yells Andrea. Orion looks back, angered, yelling back, "Stay quiet, Andrea!" Orion shifts the molecules of Andrea for one second, as she falls unconsciousness. "Sister!" Andreas screams, touching her hand. *With being unconscious, I can't use my powers. Orion, you idiot, you will pay for what you've done!* As Drew screams more and more from the agonizing pain forced upon by Orion, Havok calls for Madelyne for a whisper, "Now." "Yes," she says, jumping into the air, as a dark psionic sphere appears in her hands; then throwing it into the reality distorted Drew Ebon. Forces of surprising strength come forth from the vortex created by the reality disturbance, knocking down Orion, therefore, unlocking Drew of his hold. Drew rises, completely back to his normal self, or is he . . .? He looks the same, but his facial expression seems different, almost in a maniacal sort of way. He looks up and says, "Thank you, Madelyne." "What?!?" she says confused. "How, pray tell, did you even get the creativity for making up such a story as prince and princess from another galaxy? Hmm?" "How should I know?!" "Well, to tell you the truth, Maddy, you saw my past, when so many times we mind-linked, your subconscious knew me inside and out, past and present, including the time when I WAS a prince, of a planet in another galaxy." "Huh?" everyone gasps. "And I nice try to ‘convert' me to the ‘side of evil,' Havok, but I can't say it really worked, although it did reveal to me what was real and what was fantasy. In my world, we all live off of one source, the Power of Life as it is so called, a psionic power of immense power, as its name points out. My people's inner strength and mighty power have always depended upon this great and magnificent power. "I only know one thing that could even possible do that and it being psionic," says Madelyne, "and that's the Phoenix force!" "Yes, I do believe you call it that on this planet. An idiot in another realm, called Feron, summoned it from my people, thinking that is was power he must have, but through him, it developed a consciousness and eventually found Jean Grey, and well, you know the rest of the story -gasps- |*That must be why I felt so strange about Rachel Summers, the daughter of a Jean Grey from another reality. It all makes since now*|" *I don't have time for this!* yells Madelyne inwardly. *I joined the Brotherhood so I could get my revenge on Drew, and I'll have what I want, no matter what it costs!* With a maddened look, Madelyne drives a psionic dagger within Drew's forehead. As before, a blast, composed of telekinetic energy, is emitted from Drew, hurling Madelyne to her back with a grunt. A pillar of psionic flame surrounds Drew. Because of the high psionic energy filling the room, the members of Excalibur awaken to see the awesome sight. "Drew?" mumbles Alex, astonished by this unplanned incident. The pillar disperses, revealing an altered costumed Drew, with a Phoenix looking symbol across the chest. Also, his telekinetic ‘exo-skeleton' is in the same form as the symbol. He says, in a crazed manner, "NO LONGER AM I THE PERSON YOU KNEW! I AM FIRE, LIFE INCARNATE. NOW AND FOREVER, I AM PHOENIX!" "Drew?" Gareth finally speaks. Fiery eyes stare toward Gareth, as the mouth of the same group says, "I have already said this, Gareth Williams, I am no long Drew Ebon, but the crown prince of Palsa, capital of the planet Terran! And with this power under my control, I am unstoppable!" *Sounds like the Dark Phoenix's maniacal talk,* Nightcrawler says to himself. *If this is so, that the entity of the Dark Phoenix has embedded itself within this young man, the Lord in Heaven only knows what will happen.* "I hunger for more energies!" Drew cries. "Two others in this universe have part of the Phoenix power, therefore, I must take it from them for it is rightfully mine!" The Phonix shrieks as its psionic energies engulf Drew once more, dispersing in a flash of btilliant light. "Drew, no!" many of them screams, uncluding Emma, down to her knees, reaching our to the haxe of psionic smoke. A distressed Alex whispers, no one listening, "My friend . . ." he clenchs his fist, ". . .I will make them pay for what they've done to you, twisting all your memories, back and forth," and then with a raised voice, "I have had enough!" This will stop!" A magnetic pulse rages from Alex Davidson's body, throughtout the entire Muir Island facility, causing all electrical flow to cease. *Ach, these young ones are gonna be the death o'me,* Moira says to herself. The only light within the room is the scarlet glow of Alex, the glow to match his anger. "Well, well, well," startes Havok, lightening the room more with his plasma bursts at his fingertips, "you finally speak." Emma, alone in her thoughts, thinks, *If I remember correctly, from the continuoys reports fiven to the M.A. from the X-Men, the only one person the Phoenix force . . . Jean Grey , but who else?* "Haven't you done enough, Havok? Your dear Maddy here just releashed probably the most powerful psI on the earth!" "That's right, so this is a time for enemies to become allies!" Nighcrawler speaks up. "Yes, I aggree," says Andrea, finally awake. "Traitor," Orion whispers, looking at her hatefully. Shadowcat, also known as Jathrine Pryde, steps toward Fatale, saying, "Well, Fatale, looks like you've got a job to do. . ." Meanwhild, at a hotel in Hong Kong, two of the finest X-Men rest from a current battle, as the rest of the team leaft for Salem Center, New York. These two particular X-Men are Scott Summers, or Cyclops in battle, and Jean Grey-Summers, his wife. Jean stirs in the bed, shared by her snoring husband. Asleep, she dreams of memories not her own, but of those eho stole her life: the Phoenix force who took over her life & Madelyne Prior, Jean's clone, who took the man she loved. And then, the giant Phoenix flashes in her mind, which causes Jean to wake up, sweating and gasping for air. She sits up, holdering her head in her hands. *Everytime I see it, I feel as if it was I that killed all those inocent people,* she looks over at Scott, still sleeping. *oh, Scott, what am I going to do? Those ‘memories' got so much worse when Rachel gave me the rest of her Phoenic force when she summoned Scott and me to the future. It also doesn't do anygood to find that Madelyne is alive. Will the ‘emons' of out past ever leave us alone?* ~Don't count on it!~ screams a psionic voice, projected into the mind of Jean. ~Who's there?~ she quickly reacts, standing up while putting Scott within a psionic cocoon to keep him safe. "Like that's going to protect him from the mighty power of Phoenix!" Drew yells as the walls deteriorate from the telekinetic flame. "You are mine!: he reaches our with a telekinetic claw of the Phoenix. A burst of lights comes between them, and a great barrier forms, protecting Jean from Drew's insane wrath. The lights gone, Jean's ‘savior' is visible: Emma Frost and to bother her sides are the select few of Excalibur: Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Wisdom, Wolfsbane, and Colossus; with Alex, and the Brotherhood. Because of Jean's lost concentration, the telekinetic seal on Scott vanishes. His gaze turns upward to see the fire bird battling Emma. "What's going on here?!" he asks panicky. "Oh, Scott!" Jean shrieks, running in to the arms of her husband. Holding her chin with his thumb and index finger, he says in a calm voice, "Jean, what's this all about?" "Oh, Scott,' she starts, but Emma's cry of pain at the hands of Phoenix interrupt them "No one can stand up to awesome power of Phoenix!" Drew laughs manically. Back at this Muir Island Research Facility, Brian and Douglock work on their electric problems, Meggan watches over the okaying children: Franklin, Leech, and Artie, as Moira and Gareth look over the girl of mystery in the Medical Lab. "How is she, Dr. MacTaggert? Is she going to pull through?" "I believe so, Gareth, but these readings are to an unhuman status . . ." "What?! You mean she really is a . . ." Moira turns to him, holding her glasses, saying, "Personally, I donna know what t' think. Since our computer systems are made of Shi'ar technology, we also have much information on other planets' species' anatomy." "SO, she might be an alien who was just here on Earth and was mind controlled by Madelyne, also giving her false memories?" "Makes since t' me. We'll only know the truth when she wakes up. Right now I can't do anything for her, so let's go help Meggan with the lill'l ones." "Yeah, her energy has probably already sucked dry," Gareth says as he along with Moira exit the room. ON the medical bed, the young girl supposedly named Caitlan- Jana lats without her past known to her rescuers. Surprisingly, her fingers twitch, still in a state of sleep, whispers, "Dar . . . I . . . us." Hong Kong . . . Jean flies toward Drew, leaving her husband momentarily, saying, "Drew, you're being unreasonable!" As their fight continues, Scott notices his ‘dead' wife. *Madelyne?* his eyes flair up with optic energy. "After all these years, she'll pay for what she has done!" an optic blast shoots our but is blocked by Alex's magnetic shield. "Mr. Summers, please, this is not time for gaining revenge." "I . . . you're right of course . . ." "A moment ago, you called me unreasonable. Well, I'll show you what unreasonable can do!" Drew charges after Jean with fury radiating from his eyes. Seeing his wife in immediate danger, Scott yells out, "Jean, get our of the way!" "You're not going anywhere, except oblivion!" *I hate them both. Very well, this way it'll be easier to get rid of them both!* Madelyne screams inwardly as she hurls a red psionic dagger, striking both Jean and Drew. "Madelyne, you witch! You better pray you haven't hurt them!" he runs toward her. ‘Oh, Slim, I didn't realize you were here. Begone!" she blasts him with shards of telekinetic energy. "Cyclops!" everyone shrieks, coming over to him. "Are you alright?" ‘I'll be fine . . .just go after Madelyne . . ." he grunts. "It's too late for that," Alex points toward the telekinetic bubble surrounding the psionics . . . "Well, well, well, did little Jeanie get an owie?" Madelyne taunts as Jean looks hatefully at her ‘twin' and Drew lays unconscious. "Madelyne, you twisted . . . -coughs-. . .how much darkness is really in your soul?!" "I would be wise, Jean, to never speak our against me." "And what if . . .ahhh!" Madelyne hurls another psionic blast, as she now mumbles. "What's going on? Drew whispers, raising up from his catatonic state. He sees the two women arguing and fighting and finally, he has had enough. "This is will stop!" his eyes illuminate with psionic power. "This battle will not be fought this day, but of the day of revelations will this fight be truly over!" The t.k. bubble disperses and everyone is engulfed in luminous light . . . Muir Island, Medical Lab. . . The members of Excalibur appear in various places in the room, as Drew materializes, once again unconscious and falls to the floor. ‘What happened to Drew?!" Moira asks as she rushes into the room, hearing the commotion. Colossus picks him up and sets him onto the bed beside Jana's. "He must be exhausted transporting us all hear from Hong Kong," Kitty says. "Lets give them both time to rest," Moira commands, directing everyone out. Epilogue: That night, Drew and Jana sleep peacefully until Drew finally awakens with pains in his shoulders and various other places as well. He looks over to the beautiful girl, seeing her angelic features radiate as the crystal gleam of the moon shines on her face. *My head sure hurts. I wonder what happened anyway. Og well. Gosh, she sure is pretty. I wonder who she really is," he thinks, reaching over to touch her mind. He gasps realizing, "She's the girl I saw in the Astral Plane. Maybe . . . we are soul mates, like Alex said." He lays back down, closes his eyes, and lets his soul wander from his body, into the mind of Jana. *Magnificent, this entire astral landscape is felled with so much purity and its atmosphere is of serenity. This girl must be really something to have a mind like this.* he gazes upon the mountains and the beautiful castle on a small hill. *Thank you, Darrius," ‘her' voice comes from behind. He turns around quickly to see the young girl dressed in elegant roves, sitting on a wonderfully tamed mare, as the gentle psionic wind brushes through her hair. "Hello." She gets of the mare and takes his hands into hers. "D you remember what happened?" ‘Yes, and I am very sorry to have caused you so much pain,"" the girl says. "Wh . . .what? Please don't be. You've done nothing wrong. TO tell you the truth, I'm not sure what's happening but deep down, I know we were meant for each other . . .it feels so right to be near you," he says as they embrace. "Oh, Jana, we can finally . . ." She puts two of her fingers on his mouth, sating "Darrius called me that and I now realize you are not him. Call me Caty." "Alright." They kiss and then Drew returns to his body, and as they sleep, expressions of tranquility is only shown.