French Quarter

Jean

-She stood in the Heli-carrier that was protected obviously by her, but the issue was they changed consciousness. Meaning that the Jean of this world took the Phoenix with her.  That worried her. Now granted she always had a card or two up her sleeve but it wasn’t one she actually to play. For now though, nobody here knew the difference of their Jean and her. Their Heli-carrier was taking fire, but so far nothing could get through. Chamber had darted off. Jean had moved towards the edge of the carrier more so she could see what was happening below. It was fire, it was blood, it was everything she feared the Phoenix could be and would be if allowed. Jean also knew that the Phoenix was an extension of the person who’s body it lived in. The Phoenix would always protect the host, take on their traits if they could work together. The fear that boiled up inside of her was not all about what she was seeing. Instead, it was what she might have to do.

She recognized the Savage Land below her. She recognized the Chitauri ships. They seemed to be working together with the enemy. Except Jean knew the truth now. She had created this. She heard a voice behind her sounding frantic. He spoke with an Irish accent.-

“Yer Highness. Havok and Winter Soldier are advancing on Gondora with the Chitauri. They have full forces.” -he said to her, and Jean turned to look at him. She did a quick scan of his mind to see what he would expect of her to do. Honestly, she normally could handle this, but the realization of her situation still had her in shock. Also Havok was someone she cared about. How could she make a call that would result in his death? Or Bucky’s? Except she knew if she was going to survive this, she was going to have make moves. The only way to truly stop this madness was to embrace the very madness that she kept deep down.-

“Send in the Black Court along with Scarlet Witch.  If Blackheart wants to keep his Kingship, he will have to work for it. Send in any ancillary forces as needed. But remember this, we will not lose this fight.” -she really had no idea where that had come from, but it was satisfactory to Black Tom Cassidy as he bowed to her and started to make the calls.- “And Tom, have Siryn assist you.” -she then turned away from him dramatically and just closed her eyes tight. She could feel her carrier rocking with the weight of the attack.

Lucky for Logan Jean had her mind mostly open to listen and see what was happening. She was putting together the memories of this Jean as well but it was hard to concentrate, it came in soft waves. But hearing Logan’s voice.- “Logan?” -she said outloud and Black Tom had not left yet. He just assumed she was inquiring about him.-

“He’s fine yer Highness. He’s with his Daughters.” -he said before he exited the carrier. Daughters? She questioned to herself, but she scanned it. Hisako, Jubilee, and Laura. Her heart broke into so many pieces. Jean then reached out to Logan. Allowing him to feel that calming presence. Again she didn’t have but she knew he was just as confused and probably as scared as she was.-

*Logan? How are you here? We’re in the Savage Lands…and we’re the villians.* -there was a pause in her voice- *Forgive me for what I have to do.*

The Phoenix

*You will do right by this coward. That is a question for the ages, My Love.* -she said back into his mind with a playful tone. Because it would be hard to do. Logan was air to her. He was everything to her. Even back home the enemies knew that the only way to truly cut her off was to take out Logan. Take out her heart.  Except if they did that they knew what they would be truly facing. The full might of the Phoenix. The only thing that truly kept her back was the Shi’Ar.  But soon their forces would dwindle as well.

As he moved away from her, she felt cold. It was that blackness seeping in. Without him by herself she felt vulnerable. He was truly her only weakness. He not only had the love of Jean Grey, but he held the love of a powerful cosmic being. The Phoenix.  Jean placed a hand to her head, pretending to be confused or in slight pain. Because she still needed them to figure out what that device was and how to use it. She wanted to bring her army here once they took over their world completely. She could start anew as well. This world was weaker then hers. It would be so easy because they would never see it coming before it was to late. –

“I don’t know. I was drifting off, and I just got a pain.” -she said while still rubbing her temples. If there was anything she was good at it was acting the party. She even wrapped her arms around herself as if to comfort herself. She stole a glance to Logan as Jean would. She was going to ask if he was ok but that would be redundant.-

“We need to find out what’s going on. Any report from the others? Have they checked in yet? Any report on the device?” -she asked in a concerned and slightly scared tone. Truly embracing the empathetic side of herself that she had long forgotten. But they had to play this right.- “I know I’m supposed to be in quarantine, but Hank, in light of what just happened. I might be a danger to the school.” -she said looking at him with those large green doe eyes, filled with concern that she might harm someone. She was doing a good enough job that might even trick Logan.- “I’m just worried about how this might affect me…us.” -she said as she looked to Logan and held up her hand. On her hand was those black spots. The same black spots that Jean and Logan now had in her world.- “We don’t know what this is capable of, but we all know what I am capable of.” -she reminded them mournfully. Hank and Logan would of course understand. Jean was powerful, the only thing that kept her from unleashing that power was her soul. Except this Jean, had no soul left.-

-At that moment Laura walked into the lab looking irritated with Sam behind her. She had walked fast for someone a little shorter then him, but lucky he had long legs to keep up with her pace. She looked in the room, a slight look of confusion. She thought Logan and Jean were supposed to be quarantined. Her eyes sharp and caught some of the broken glass tracked in by the two them on the floor. Most forgot how good her eyesight was. It could even see sentinites. Even Sam would see how quickly she sized up every single person in the room in less then seconds.-

"Thank Scott for that waste of time." -she said as she then looked back towards Sam.- "He's got samples." -however before she glanced at Sam, she had noticed a quick uptick in Jean. Just a very slight change that Logan might not have noticed at the name Scott. Laura also caught the woman tensing that perhaps no one else could see. Again while Logan was the greatest tracker, Laura was the greatest hunter. Some of her senses were stronger then his. Even though she moved along like she noticed nothing because maybe, it had something to do with Scott leaving with Emma. Something felt off.-

"Farm boy promised me ice cream." -it was hard to tell whether he did or not, and it might be a random thing to say. Or might have been for another reason. She looked around and everyone to see if anyone objected, then she glanced to Sam expectantly.- "It's not a date." -she said pushing past him, but throwing a look over at her shoulder towards Jean and Logan, where she caught Jean sliding her eyes to him quickly as if they were sharing something. Still odd- 

Jean

-Jean found herself on a Helli-Carrier out of nowhere. At least it wasn’t as bad as Logan, but she didn’t even know he had gotten here. All she knew was terror as she was trying to sort out what the fuck was going on. Also…what was she wearing? She was pretty sure she was in a thong bottom. Her hands reached to try to hide her ass that seemed to be exposed to the world. This wasn’t something she would ever wear. Not even to the pool. She would at least wear a full bottom. That wasn’t the worst of it though. She glanced around at those standing on the Heli-carrier with her. She recognized them. Warren was there standing next to her, he was looking at her expectantly and she had no idea. He was wearing a crest on his chest her eyes immediately recognized the symbol. It was the Phoenix symbol. In fact as she looked around, every one was wearing her symbol. Her eyes then caught sight of Chamber with Exlir with him. She also recognized those that was supposed to be her enemy. The confusion was evident.-

“Your Highness?” -she heard Warren ask her, and she couldn’t help but blink at him a few times, because was he talking to her. He was looking at her and in fact everyone was looking at her expectantly. What the fuck was she supposed to do. She quickly looked out of the Heli-carrier and noticed the war going on. She scanned everyone’s mind briefly to see what they were wanting from her. They were waiting for her order, in fact Warren was wondering if she was ok. But it was concern it wasn’t doubting her. She scanned Chamber’s mind and a few others. She felt bad for what she was about to do but until she could sort this out, she had to do it.

Jean gave a nod of her head and watched Warren take off out of the Heli-carrier, she did the same to Chamber and Exlir. The were supposed to be her guards. The fear she felt was real. She extended her mind to find anyone she could. She scanned all their minds, or at least the ones not wearing protection from her powers. She was gathering their memories along with her own. That was when she saw the picture painted in front of her. Jean Grey. The Phoenix. Took over this world. Her blood ran cold in her veins. She had become the very thing she fought against. She had become the Destroyer of Worlds. And that now that Jean was in her body and she had no idea how to get home.-

The Phoenix

She easily melted into his body as she had done every night since he took a knee to her. She had no other lovers but him. She didn’t want anyone else. They couldn’t give her what he would. His undying loyalty and most importantly his love.  Her arms so easily tangled around his neck. A devilish giggle left her lips at the nips and bites. A soft gasp escaped her lips when he grapped her thighs, wrapping them around his waist allowing him a modicum of control. Her breath left her body as her back hit the wall. Her hips met his, circling and pushing against his hardness. She wanted nothing more then to take him right here right now. While Logan One might have been afraid she would only see him as a rutting beast, this Jean wanted him that way.  Her lips touched his, her tongue dancing with his, till he spoke breaking the kiss. A little whine escaped her, because she wasn’t done. Her heels clicked on the ground and she still arched her body forward into him, with her back against the wall even with her arms untangling from around his neck.-

*He’s good here. The other is Reed Richards. He’s married to Sue Storm here. We’ll have to fix this mess.*

-she said inside of his mind so effortlessly as if she was speaking words to him. She smiled towards him and a finger up and touched his lips.- “They will always kneel for us. But first..” -she said as she gently pushed him off of her. She then put back on the outfit the other Jean was wearing. The black tee shirt and jeans and sneakers. Nothing fancy. She fluffed up her hair for a moment and made a face. Tugging at the shirt.- “So restricting.” -she commented but then walked up to the frozen men, her head titled for a moment.

Hank and Reed started to move but not on their own. First she needed to delete the recording of the event. She would leave the glass broken, this Jean seemed a little broke so it worked. Her power just got out of control, she was instructing them on what to say. They were analyzing the bracelet, Jean had a meltdown and somehow the cameras were affected. Once she was done altering their memories for a moment. They were still frozen. She took Logan’s hand and pulled him back towards the room they had left.-

“For now, we will be this Jean and Logan. We have one thing we didn’t have last time. Advantage and element of surprise. It seems that little device they are working on is what brought us here. They have teams out looking for it. Remember who our allies are back home are not our allies here. But since we’ve done this before, we can easily start to turn them. We have to do it carefully. We are not together here, can you even imagine a world were we are not together?” -she asked him with a surprised and almost offended voice.-

“Our mind link will help you with memories. It’ll help you blend in. I think this is fun. We’ll flirt but never touch. Oh how tantric.” -her voice was seductive and excited as she thought about how fun this might be.- “I do not like leaving in a middle of a war, but I believe we’ll still win it. They won’t hurt our bodies, because they’ll want us to return. Some come, let’s play innocent and sweet.”

-Reed and Hank started to move again and Jean once again turned around letting go of Logan’s hand and started to pretend to walk towards the two, as she had already disconnected the camera’s with a little bit of Telekinesis.- “Hank? Reed?” -she had changed her voice to something softer.- “I’m sorry…I don’t know what happened.” -she said playing the victim here.- “Are you two ok?”

The Phoenix’s words cut keeper than any blade, tearing him asunder like a cannon blast. For Logan to think that he could still be causing her any pain, making Jean lose a night of sleep over what he’d done… He steeled his resolve, grinding his teeth to fight back the tears, to channel that burning in his cheeks into anger through his veins. Jean would never level that guilt on him. She’d asked him, begged him to do what no one had been strong enough to. It had been the right decision.

Right?

Logan had no respite, no argument to offer as she told him what was going to happen. His brown orbs opened wide, recognition there as he looked to the marking, trying to back away before she was on him, and all he knew was pain.

A roar that shook the halls escaped him as it felt like every fiber of his being was being engulfed in hellfire, rolling through him in a wave as his mind was ripped from one reality to another. Every coarse hair on his body stood on end, corded muscles clenching tight enough to nearly strain that adamantium skeleton, the claws popping out violently. Time and space stretched beyond his view, shifting from the vision of one good eye, looking down upon the bloodied face of the Hulk, blacking out as the brute’s oversized green hand closed around his face.

In a flash, he was looking up into heaven, the endless green pools of his Goddess. His body, ripped from the field of battle and suddenly pressed against her own. On their own, the claws retreated, and he was enveloping her with his form, those overworked muscles coiling tight around her, as if he had been starved of her touch, a balm to the pain and horror he just experienced. Burying his face into her own neck, returning kisses that soon grew into bites and nips. The adrenaline of battle, the flush of pain, it was still there, still boiling in his veins, racing through his mind. But instead of War, it was Her. Logan pivoted, diverting his bloodlust into a different hunger. His hands grasped her thighs, lifting her off her feet and pulling her against him, turning her body against a wall and pinning her there.

Logan breathed her scent in deeply, letting it consume his senses while at the same time studying it, examining it, committing it to memory for analysis later. His mind opened to hers, melding seamlessly so he could see what she had seen, know what she knew, discover the world as she saw fit to show him. His hips ground against hers, that lust for her now unabashed as his hands roamed her freely before cupping her face tenderly, leaning in to claim her mouth in a kiss.

“You honor me, My Love.”

He did not care to be this world’s Idol. He would conquer it for her, as he had the other. And were a lesser man, he would have been reduced to a rutting beast for her in that moment, left to her affections. But she had made him more. As she was with the Phoenix, he was with The Beast Within. With a careful reluctance, he lowered her back upon those booted feet, his touches lingering along with his lips before he was looking around them. Examining the halls, looking for threats. Listening, smelling for them. They were alone. For now. None had come underground to check on the situation. He looked towards Hank and Reed. She could read his thoughts. Blips.

*Old Friend. Different. Dead* - Hank, more simian in appearance than the McCoy of their world, who was more feline in appearance. And a traitor.

*I don’t know this one….* About Richards, not playing his face, or the elastic nature of his oustretched, frozen limbs.

“I will right the wrongs of this Coward, my love. And then I will have the Gods of this realm bowed or broken at our feet…”

Logan had wanted this fantasy so much. Holding her in bed, doing what he did best: take care of her. Nothing carnal, just… peaceful. His instincts were howling at him. Something was off. Something was wrong. It wasn’t just the visions, or the ominous rumblings beyond that domain. It wasn’t just her…..

The room changed as she pulled away and he was mesmerized, distracted from reaching for her, shifting on the bed, no longer worried about modesty. He tried crawling towards her, the silk acting like quicksand.

“Jeannie!”

He was in the smaller bed with her, in that tank top and jeans, sitting up and reaching tenderly for her. The air flung from his lungs as he was suddenly thrust against the wall with the psychic backlash, catching himself on palms and knees. While alarms started going off throughout the lab, Logan couldn’t hear it, his mind deafened by the roar of the Phoenix. Logan shifted, pressing his back up against the wall, looking up at Jean as she rose like her namesake. Brilliant, blinding, beautiful. Fear knotted in his gut, something in him sinking into despair at the terrifying magnificence of that beast’s return. A beast that sang a siren song to something in him. Shame followed the lust that welled within him as she willed a new wardrobe to herself. It was as if her mere aura played upon his instincts, heightening them amidst her glory.

So to did anger in response to that fear. The Phoenix was not Jean — it was something that sought to ruin her, twist her, destroy her. Logan had to separate the two in order to make a distinction. It had allowed him to make one of the hardest decisions of his life. And he would do it again. In his mind, it was saving Jean, even if it was from herself. He was up quickly, lips curled in a a snarl, hands by his sides. No, he couldn’t just attack outright. She could rip him to pieces.

But whatever he may have planned was cast aside when she began speaking. The words leveled him. For a reason he could not comprehend, his heart sank at her dismissal. Her accusations. They were true. And they caused a tidal wave of confusion and remorse. Not just for what he had done to Jean in that reality, but of what he had denied himself from hers. Of him, not Scott, fighting the entire world to protect her, until he was a revenant of blood, muscle and adamantium, rending the flesh of her enemies.

“...I did what she asked….”

Logan kneeling, the first of 12, to kiss her hand, before she drew him up for a kiss. Dozens more knelt as she presented him as her….

“Lady, I ain’t nobody’s nuthin’,”

He slapped himself, hard enough that there was a slight metallic ding that sounded. The pain was fleeting, but it rattled the brain, trying to un-fuck the cluster of memories he knew weren’t his. That’s not me. That’s not Jean. This isn’t Jean.

He held his shoulders back, neck straightening and he got as much as he could out of his shorter stature without a thought of it his. HIs brown orbs blinked, that fear settling in as she easily cowed him to her will. Without even trying. That anger and fear swirling in his gut, overshadowed only by the heated, euphoric press of her body to his, that whisper of a kiss bringing a slew of other urges. Then she was moving, and he was moving after her. Logan looked at hank and reed in the hallway, their bodies frozen in place. He went to Reed and pressed his communicator quickly, trying to make it seem like a friend’s endearing touch. Logan was trying his best to lock off his mind, using tricks taught to him by Chuck and Jean, but it felt futile, especially in the state he was in mentally.

“Wait!”

He yelled, moving towards her, head lowering again with determination, walking towards her. He’d reach out if necessary to whirl her back to him, but otherwise he was walking right up to her, looking up into her gaze.

“I’m not yours, but I’m the best at what I do. and I’ll do whatever you need… but you leave the kids outta this.”

-Jean was terrified. She just had a different way of showing it. Which was why she was seeking comfort in Logan, as she so often did. Most of the time he might not have realized it, but whenever things were tough for her, she would seek him out. Even if it was just for a danger room training, maybe even share a beer with him. He made her feel safe. She felt protected. Not that she often needed outside protection, what she needed was the internal protection. Protection from herself. Jean had prided herself on always trying to do the right thing. To see things through properly. She would sacrifice herself time and time again for the team. She often times felt like her purpose was to die. You do it enough times, and it starts to feel right. Logan was the one that never judged her, shamed her or even showed fear of her. Scott, for as great as he could be, sometimes showed her fear. Even if his eyes were hidden Jean could feel it. She got treated different even when she showed them that she was safe.

This moment right here, while she didn’t look deep enough to connect it to his pain, felt right. It felt safe and comfortable even if there was something knocking down her gates. She didn’t know exactly who it was, but it was a Jean she had saw. One that apparently felt her presence and wanted to know who she was. One that was powerful enough to use Jean’s own body and mind against her. –

“It’s not them, Logan. It’s Her.” -she whispered to him as her forehead rested so gently against his. She squeezed his hand tighter and he could feel her starting to shake.- “It’s me.” -she said again pulling back from him. This time the room changed, to one that was neither of their memories. It was the bedroom he had saw in his mind. Crimson and gold, dark gothic. Her emblem of the Pheonix was etched into the bed and into the doors. Every thing bared her mark.-

“No..no no….” -Jean said as she looked over Logan terrified, moving from the soft and rather plush bed that held those memories that were starting to converge together.- “She’s here.” -Jean then fell to her knees and started to scream. The room started to shake and Logan was pulled from this dream like state into reality.- “I can’t hold her back!” -she screamed and this time he would hear it from her own lips.

In his room in quarantine, Jean was on her knees holding her head. Fighting a battle that Logan couldn’t see. The room started to rumble with her power, the bed shaking on the floor, anything that wasn’t nailed down started to fall to the floor. Jean had the ability to bring this mansion down on their heads.

Then it happened, the screech heard. That loud fiery sound that could send shivers down the X-Men’s spine. The rebirth of the Phoenix, which always took Jean with it.  The windows of the quarantine shattered outwards, and she started to rise from the floor. Her hair fire, fingertips flamed up. Her eyes white. One of the most terrifying forces they had to face was now floating so eagerly in the room. Hank and Reed had come to see what was going on but Jean had stopped them with a thought. She cut off the connection with Emma.-

“No.” -came that harsh whisper from her, their minds were twisted by her in an instant. So when Emma reached out to them Hank would confirm that everything was ok by Jean’s thoughts. She then allowed herself to float down. Most people forgot about Jeans ability to change her clothes. She had changed while she was floating down. Fire engulfing her body until the flames died out. Under the flames was Jean, but not Jean. This Jean was wearing an outfit that would put even the Goblin Queen to shame. Except that it was red, she had a cape made of fire for a brief moment before the cape turned into a dark red with her golden emblem on the back of it.  The out fit showed more skin then Jean would be comfortable with outside of a bikini. A triangle top that her breasts threatened to burst through with a small gold phoenix holding the two pieces together in the middle of her chest. Down her sides were red leather straps that went into the bottom that was just red shiny panties. Her legs and feet were adorned with high red boots with golden soles. Her down and the ends flickered with flames before it stopped.

Her white eyes rolled and her green glimmering eyes were back. They eyed Logan carefully as if she was reading him.- “You’ve killed her.” -she said to him with a disappointing click of her tongue. She walked over towards him, he was free to move if he wanted. Her heels clicking dangerously on the ground below her. A finger came up and ran under his chin.- “You are not My God of War.” -her voice sounded disappointed but hopeful.- “You promised me that you would follow me into the fire, and yet…you would kill me.” -The hatred dripping from her voice was almost felt in veins.- “If you kill me, you kill her. We are connected. I don’t know how, but she’s no longer here.” -this caused her to smile because that meant wherever this Jean was from, she had switched places.-

“However, you should have some uses..” -she said as her eyes openly traversed his body, her eyes flickered from green to blue.- “And you have brown eyes here. Odd. My God has blue. And he stands up straighter.” -he would feel his shoulders be pushed back causing him to stand up correctly.- “I don’t know what this world is, but I know what it will be.” -she paused as she closed the gap between them. He could feel her so breasts pushing against his chest, and an eerie smile creeping up on her features. Her head bending down to his lips.- “Mine.” -she said against his lips. But did not kiss him, instead she pulled back and started to walk over the broken glass towards one of the windows she had blown out. Even her walk was different. She moved her hips back and forth with each step causing her ass to sway with an allure that could weaken the resolve of the strongest man.-