Categories > Cartoons > X-Men: Evolution > X-men: Evolution of the Heart
The Stuff of Heroes
0 reviewsAU on how the X-men came to be. Major Jott and Kurtty. Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Evan, and Rogue have all had horrible lives. See how they ban together and become the future X-men with the help of ...
0Unrated
X-men: Evolution of the Heart
Chapter 35: The Stuff of Heroes
AN: This chapter goes along with the episode "The Stuff of Heroes" from the series. It's a little different so please bear with me. Thanks and enjoy!
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In the chambers of the Capitol, both houses of Congress met on the floor to discuss the actions that were to be taken against the new mutant phenomena. Discussion was heated as fear and anxiety ran high among those who were present.
"Order! Order!" yelled the Speaker of the House as he banged his gavel against the podium. "We will have order!"
As the heated discussion gradually calmed, the majority leader resumed speaking.
"So it is agreed. The Emergency Mutant Action bill will be passed before things grow out of hand and..."
"What are you talking about?!" exclaimed one of the senators, "Things are already out of hand! There's panic in the streets, people are afraid to leave their homes, and lets not forget that giant robot still sitting in the middle of Manhattan!"
"We don't even know where that robot came from!" reasoned one of the other senators.
"All the more reason to hunt down whoever built it and contain whoever those freaks were!"
"Then our course of action will be as follows: the National Guard and the rest of our police forces will be mobilized against the mutant threat," said the Speaker as he prepared a joint vote.
Just then, two new occupants entered the hall of Congress amidst frightened gasps from weary congressmen.
"Hold it! You can not vote until all sides are heard!"
The Speaker of the House along with the majority and minority leaders looked on in shock as Storm and Beast approached the front of the great hall.
"What are you doing in here?! This is a closed session! Especially to freaks!"
"Call us what you will sir, but this is still a democracy. And you can't take action against something if you don't know all the facts," responded Beast.
"We know enough!" responded one of the senators angrily, "We know you and your kind have been hiding from the law and are a major threat to the public at large!"
"We mutants have lived in peace unknown from others for years," said Ororo as she tried to speak through all the anger and fear that hung strong over the room, "We have never caused any harm, broken any laws, or used our powers in violent ways."
"Never caused any harm you say? What about that giant robot that caused nearly half a billion dollars worth of damage to downtown Manhattan!?" quipped the speaker.
"That thing attacked us! We were merely defending ourselves and if we hadn't acted, more damage could have been done and people could have been seriously hurt."
"Oh please!" said the Majority Leader in a non-believing tone, "How do we know that robot wasn't your doing!"
"Why on Earth would we make a monstrosity like that?" reasoned Beast, "We just told you that thing attacked US!"
"Perhaps...Or maybe you just couldn't control it!" said the Speaker.
"Now you're just being paranoid!" responded Storm in a forceful tone against this man who was insinuating so many terrible things.
"Don't insult me mutant! You say you've lived in peace alongside humans in secret for years...But why? What do you have to hide? Is it because you're just biding your time? I ask you my fellow members of Congress, should allow this kind of menace to threaten the pubic?"
A loud din of agreement filtered throughout the halls of Congress as Storm and Beast stood in the center of this new government of hate. They could not leave though, if they did it would only confirm what the Speaker was saying and mutants everywhere would be in danger. They knew there were a lot of people counting on them now that the mutant secret had been exposed. As they stood before this Congress of hate, the two mutants could only hope for a miracle from the others.
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Bullets, rockets, and bombs exploded as a fleet of helicopters and troops cornered the X-men outside the cave they had been hiding in. Soon, the helicopters were blaring an ominous message out the loudspeakers from the helicopters.
"We have the area surrounded. Surrender immediately."
"Yeah right," said Logan as he took cover with the others in the trees near the cave.
Evan lined the dirt paths with spikes as jeeps and other off road vehicles came their way. Jean was forced to put up more telekinetic shields as bullets began to fly their way from the helicopters hovering above.
"Great, what do we do now?" asked Rogue as she followed the others deeper in to the trees.
"The same thing as last time...We run," grunted Logan knowing it was all they could do.
Running away once more was not the answer the team had in mind. Lately it seemed that was all they were doing...Running. But they knew there was little else that could be done. Fighting the military would only make things worse for mutants.
Just then, a helicopter descended down from the tree line and was directly above them packing large, heavy machine guns.
"We got it!" said Kurt as he grabbed Kitty and teleported up to the cockpit.
They appeared before the bewildered helicopter crew in a puff of smoke. There was little that could be done as the two mutants now blocked both of their view.
"Hi, I'm Nightcrawler and this is Shadowcat," said Kurt casually.
"And this is your helicopter on the fritz," said Kitty as she phased through the controls and short-circuited the system while Kurt grabbed the two men and teleported them to the top of a tree.
As the helicopter crash-landed behind them, a narrow window of opportunity opened to them. The smoking craft blocked the narrow roadway leading to the other side where the X-jet was. It was here, under the cover of the trees, that they made a mad dash for the jet before they were overwhelmed again. Jean put up a small telekinetic shield to guard them from stray bullets and shrapnel, but the X-jet was in sight so she hoped it wouldn't be too long.
"Can you keep the shield up Jeannie?" said Logan as more bullets rang out from the increasingly closer gun ships.
"I...Think...So," said Jean as she struggled to concentrate because of the noise, "Just keep going and don't make me laugh!"
Finally, the team found themselves near the side of the X-jet. They wasted no time as they scrambled through the doors. Scott and Logan frantically started the engines up as the helicopters got closer and closer. As Kurt and Kitty ported in, the plane began to shake, for they were now ready for take off.
"GO! GO!" yelled Kitty as she and Kurt promptly took a seat and held their breath along with the others.
As the X-jet took off vertically, the helicopters began firing at it. Some rounds hit, but it didn't stop the massive jet. Then, as they prepared to ignite the afterburners a barrage of rockets was sent flying their way. Most of the team closed their eyes, dreading the impact of the deadly projectiles. Kurt held on to Kitty's hand as everyone braced for the inevitable. Then...The afterburners kicked in and the powerful jet sped away from the action. A powerful sigh of relief came over the bewildered team as they struggled to catch their breath again.
"Let's not do that again anytime soon," said Rogue as she tried to breathe deeply.
"Amen to that," agreed Jean, as she tried to rest her tired mind.
As the jet ascended to a higher, safer altitude, the team contemplated what to do now.
"So what's our next move? How do we go about finding the Professor?" asked Kitty as the adrenaline from the battle they just took part in started to wear off.
"Where there's a will, there's a way half-pint," said Logan, "We just need to retrace the Prof's steps and hope to find some answers."
"That's it?" asked Evan knowing it wasn't a very thorough plan.
"It's all we can do...For now."
And with that, the team sped off towards their next destination not knowing what they'll find next.
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Not far from the outskirts of Bayville, a group of bewildered soldiers came to after being nearly knocked in to oblivion by a renegade mutant. They looked back at the wake of destruction left behind in its wake. Vehicles were crushed, guns were bent and broken with bare hands, and nothing seemed to be able to stop whoever this powerful mutant was. As the last group of soldiers was sent flying from an unfortunate jeep, one of the soldiers grabbed his communicator and contacted his superiors.
"Uh sir...I think were gonna need some major back up here."
"How much?" responded the general.
"Oh I don't know...Let's start with the army and...Go from there."
Nothing stood in the unstoppable Juggernauts way as he made his way closer to the dam overlooking a small, yet moderately populated, town.
"I'll teach you puny weaklings to lock me up...Now its payback time!" said Juggernaut with a sinister grin.
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Back in the halls of Congress, things kept getting progressively worse for Storm and Beast.
"Ladies and gentlemen of Congress, I think we've seen enough of this charade!" said the Speaker as he eagerly pushed for the vote, ending this debate.
"Charade!?" said Storm in disbelief, "This is character assassination! We are trying to plead our case and you just won't listen!"
"Say what you will mutant, the evidence speaks for itself..."
Then, a large video screen appeared behind the Speaker and the Congressional Leaders and a series of images flashed before the whole of Congress.
"These, my fellow Congressmen, are photos taken from the ruins of the now destroyed Xavier institute."
Storm and Beast watched with dread as images of the danger room and security system appeared for all to see.
"Now I may not be familiar with the policies of this so called 'school.' But I'm pretty sure a place with more security than Fort Knox and a training ground that looks more fitted to soldiers than to students has a bit more to hide than a simple haven for mutants."
More voices echoed out as this new revelation filtered through the Congress.
"And it doesn't stop there...The so called 'students' that use to reside there and train in that area are a danger in themselves. Allow me to read a little background information on some of these mutants..."
Hank and Ororo dreaded this. They knew that information about the past of the six students would be especially incriminating.
"Let's start with Ms. Kitty Pryde. On the outside she looks like your normal, sweet teenage girl. But from what I've been told from our military investigators, she has the ability to walk through walls. I ask you Ms Munroe, what's to stop her from simply walking her way in to a bank vault and stealing every dime there is?! There's another one listed here; a Mr. Scott Summers. Now on the outside most people would think those sunglasses he always wears are just for looks, but according to our data, he can shoot powerful lasers out of his eyes that are strong enough to tear through solid steel! And keep in mind, this kid attends a local high school!!! Or should we mention a girl whose only name listed is Rogue, and can put somebody in to a coma simply by touching them!"
A wave of voices echoed through the halls of Congress as the Speaker continued to scrutinize every aspect of mutants in general. They tried to speak up, but nobody was listening...The fear from this new phenomena was too great.
"It doesn't look good Ororo," said Hank as voices of outrage grew within the large chambers of the Capitol.
"I know...But we can't stop now. We have to keep trying..."
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As the X-jet passed over the far side of Bayville, one of the scanners on the control panel went off.
"What's going on now?" said an exasperated Rogue Logan began to look in to the reading.
"Oh no," he said under his voice.
"What do you mean 'oh no?'" said Scott, dreading Logan's words.
"I don't know how but he's escaped...Juggernauts escaped."
"Who or what is Juggernaut?" asked Evan, knowing he probably wouldn't like the answer.
"His real name is Cain Markos...He's the Prof's half-brother."
"Half-brother?" said Kurt not knowing if he had heard right.
"Yeah, half-brother. He's also a mutant...A dangerous mutant. His powers make him practically invincible to anything you throw at him. That's why they locked him up and threw away the key."
"But if they locked him up...How'd he get out?" asked Kurt as he couldn't make complete sense of the situation.
Logan just let out an angry grunt.
"I don't know...But now that he's out and with the Professor missing...I don't see how he can be stopped."
Logan didn't slow the jet down or head towards the source of the reading. He just kept flying away from it to the surprise of the rest of the team.
"Wait, aren't we going to do something?" asked Jean.
"We can't do anything about him until we find Xavier. If we try and fight him, it'll just cause more damage."
"And leaving him as it is won't?!" quipped Jean.
Logan let out a frustrated sigh as continued to grapple with the six young students. He had faced Juggernaut before and it was something he'd rather not remember. Nothing had ever stopped him before...Only the Professor could take him down with his psychic powers. And without him, it was nothing short of suicide.
"The only way to stop the unstoppable is to hit his mind with a psychic blast that only the Prof can administer. That's it...Without the Professor, we're fucked."
The rest of the team looked at the scanners and saw the tiny blip that was the unstoppable Juggernaut make its way across the screen.
"Oh man, it looks like he's heading for the Lockport hydroelectric dam," said Scott as he looked at the screen.
"Then we've gotta stop him!" exclaimed Evan, "If he takes that dam out then it's pretty much over for mutants everywhere!"
Logan still wasn't about to turn the jet around, but then a large jolt shook the aircraft as it abruptly changed its course. At first he didn't know what had happened, but then he looked over to the co-pilot seat and saw that Scott had taken control of the plane.
"What are you doing slim!? Turn this thing back around!" ordered Logan.
However, Scott did not comply with Logan's demands.
"Evan's right Logan, we have to do something about this guy before he hurts anybody," said Scott.
"Are you nuts kid?! Did you just ignore everything I just said about this guy!? He can't be stopped without Xavier!"
"You're forgetting two things Logan: One, we have another psychic right here with us," said Scott referring back to Jean, "Two, you trained us. And we're good...We're really good..."
Logan looked back at Jean and the rest of the students. He knew nothing he said would change their minds. The ideals of the institute that he had helped teach them was still strong even in the wake of the destruction of their home. He didn't see how it could be done. He knew this could either make or break the public view towards mutants. But that wasn't the primary concern of the rest of the team. They had faced overwhelming odds before...And now they seemed destined to face them again.
"Fine," grunted Logan, "But if yer going...So am I."
Scott then ignited the afterburners as the jet sped back towards were Juggernaut was heading. Logan knew this mission was pretty much foolhardy, but there seemed to be no way around it. Fighting and losing seemed many times better than not fighting at all. Logan was skeptical that Jean's powers were strong enough to match the level of the Professor and he was even more doubtful that the public would see them as heroes even if they won. However, their path was set...And Juggernaut awaited them.
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"Is that the best you can do?!" laughed the unstoppable Juggernaut as several missiles exploded around him, but did no damage.
Explosions and bombs went off all around the area around Juggernaut, but it had no effect. The soldiers in the helicopters watched on in horror as everything that they tried against him failed. News helicopters hovered over the scorched battlefield as they broadcasted the event live on national TV.
Then, as the helicopters circled around for another attack, the unstoppable leaped in to the air with super-human strength and slammed his massive fists in to the hovering crafts. Fire and explosions erupted from the craft as the pilots desperately scrambled to get out. No sooner than the first helicopter fell, did the powerful mutant jump towards another and crush it in to scrap metal.
"Ha! You puny little weaklings can't stop me! Nothing can stop me!" bellowed Juggernaut as he made his way up to the dam.
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Back in the chambers of Congress, the live feed from the dam was observed over on a large projection screen. Weary men and women of all sides watched in horror as the unstoppable Juggernaut tore through military machines and dam security like it was nothing.
"Oh no..." muttered Ororo under her breath, "Juggernaut."
She had faced the unstoppable before and she very well knew that without the Professor, little could be done. And it couldn't have come at a worse time for them. The live feed of raw destruction only fueled the fans of hate that had already permeated throughout the halls of Congress.
"You see my fellow Congressmen! This is what they've been hiding under our noses the whole time! This is the kind of destruction that only one mutant can bring! Just imagine the devastation to this country, AND this world, if mutants are allowed to walk free!"
A cheer of dismal agreement echoed through the chambers. It appeared that it would only get worse for the two mutants trying to plead their case. Just then, something else appeared on the screen.
"Ro, look!" said Hank.
Ororo looked up to see a new image being broadcasted over the projection screen. I brief glimmer of hope grew within her as she saw the X-jet speeding towards Juggernaut's position.
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"Whoa...This guy has some serious anger issues," said Evan as he looked at the path of destruction left behind by Juggernaut.
"You don't know the half of it kid," muttered Logan as the ship descended.
Juggernaut had just taken out a cluster of electrical transformers and had left the whole town in the shadow of the dam without power. But he was soon faced with a new challenge as the X-men scrambled out of the jet towards his position. Despite this action, the unstoppable remained undaunted, for they did not have Xavier with them.
"Ain't it past your bedtime kiddies?" taunted Juggernaut as the team descended upon him.
"Great, just what we needed...A bad guy that thinks he's a comedian," said Kitty sarcastically as they now stood before the oversized mutant.
Logan took the lead as he unsheathed his claws and prepared for battle.
"We gotta remove that helmet of his! It makes him immune to psychics! Jeannie, you think you can pull this off if we give you a shot?"
"Only one way to find out..."
With numerous pieces of the shattered transformer around her, Jean used her telekinesis to launch a barrage of metal at the unstoppable Juggernaut. Scott added his optic blasts to the mix as Evan also launched a barrage of spikes at him. However, this did little to stop Juggernaut.
"HA! If this is the best you've got, they you might as well surrender now!"
"You know somethin' Cain? You talk too much!" growled Logan as he pounced on the unstoppable Juggernauts head and tore in to his helmet with his claws.
This action only further enraged the ill-tempered mutant as he fought off the barrage of attacks.
"Don't ever call me that name! I'm Juggernaut!" bellowed the angry mutant as he threw Logan off to the side.
This briefly caused Scott, Jean, and Evan to stop their attacks.
"Aww what's the matter? Lose your nerve?"
But no sooner had he finished these words, did Kurt suddenly appear on top of him and undo one of the latches of his helmet.
"HEY! GET BACK HERE FURBALL!" yelled Juggernaut as he grabbed Kurt's tail and flung him over the edge.
"Oh no...Kurt," said Kitty as she watched this, but she was soon relieved when she saw Kurt teleport away and appear right in front of the cameras that were filming the whole incident.
The camera crew fell back in shock as Kurt appeared suddenly out of thin air. But the blue mutant was soon to port back. However, before he left, that didn't stop him from waving to the cameras knowing this was probably being watched by the whole country.
'There's my five seconds of fame,' thought Kurt as he teleported back in to the thick of the battle.
Logan had recovered from being tossed aside and began to attack once more as the enraged Juggernaut continued his rampage. He kept trying to open up windows for the others to unlock the helmet or for Rogue to absorb some of his strength away, but so far they hadn't found many openings. Then, as the unstoppable mutant fought off another barrage of spikes and metal parts, he was clipped by one of Scott's optic blasts and lost his balance. As he fell, Kitty phased up out of the ground and used her powers to entrap him in solid rock. In the process she was able to unlock another latch, but the hold on Juggernaut was short lived.
"THAT'S IT!" yelled Cain as he broke out of his stone entrapment much to the shock of the rest of the team, "YOU CAN'T STOP ME! I'M INVINCIBLE!"
Then, with his superhuman strength, Juggernaut leaped to the top of the dam overlooking the small, darkened town in the distance. He was going to show the whole world his power and that he truly is the ultimate force.
"I'M GONNA BRING THIS DAM DOWN!" bellowed the unstoppable as he slammed his massive fists in to the top of the dam, causing a large crack along to top side of the dam.
"Mien Gott, he's really going to do it..." said Kurt as he and the rest of the team stood in amazement at Juggernaut's strength.
"Not if we can help it," said Scott with a determined tone, "Kurt, port me up there. I'm gonna take care of that helmet of his. Jean...Are you ready for this?"
"I think so..." said Jean as she took a deep breath to mentally prepared herself for this.
"Good...Then leave the rest to us. We'll get that helmet off..."
Jean knew she hadn't tried anything like this before. The Professor had shown her in the past that it was possible to send psychic surges in to one's mind, but she had never developed the power and control needed to even so much as try one. But now she was going to have to do it if this madman was to be stopped.
As Kurt ported Scott to within twelve feet of the unstoppable, he set his visor to full power.
"You still think you can stop me kid?!" taunted the unstoppable, "I've already shown you I can take anything you throw at me! Go ahead! Hit me with all ya got!"
"If that's what you want...TAKE THIS!" yelled Scott as he let out the full force of his optic blast.
A massive flash erupted from the visor and engulfed the unstoppable Juggernaut in a bright red light. The helmet he wore blew off and was sent flying in to the reservoir in a smoldering heap. The helmet was off, but the enraged mutant fought it as he struggled through the light and Scott struggled to keep the full power going. The news cameras below watched brilliant light show unfold and back in Washington, Congress watched with awe at the spectacle before them. However, Juggernaut wouldn't be stopped by even this power.
"Is...That...The...Best...You...GOT!?" said Juggernaut through the intense ruby-colored light.
"Actually...No!" said Scott as he tore off his visor and unleashed the full, unimpeded force of his powers.
Juggernaut was sent back in wake of this new blast and actually struggled to fight it...But the power of the blast was all to great for Scott to sustain as the intensity began to waver as Scott's body started to fatigue. Slowly, the unstoppable inched his way closer towards Scott as he soon fell to his knees from exhaustion, but still kept to blasts going. Finally, after what seemed like an eternal struggle, Juggernaut got close enough to put his oversized hand over Scott's face to contain the blasts.
"HA! YOU SEE KID?! YOU CAN'T STOP ME! NOBODY CAN STOP THE JUGGERNAUT!"
'Jean...now...' said Scott weakly through their link as he fought the intense fatigue of his body.
Soon, Juggernaut was sent flying back by a massive burst of telekinetic energy. Scott slammed his eyes shut as he collapsed to the ground. With the helmet gone, the final blow could be delivered to the unstoppable Juggernaut.
"It's over Juggernaut...You're going down!" said Jean as she flung him away from Scott's tired body.
Then, with a deep breath, Jean unleashed a powerful psychic blast in to the head of the unstoppable mutant. It was something she hadn't fully learned how to do, but she had no choice now.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" yelled Juggernaut as he clutched his head.
The powerful mutant began to thrash wildly about as Jean began to increase the intensity. However, it wasn't stopping him. He began to stumble closer and closer towards her in an effort to stop the source of the psychic barrage, but soon he was stopped cold in his tracks...For Rogue had approached from behind as she saw Jean start to struggle against the unstoppable Juggernaut.
"Looks like ya need a little help Jean," said Rogue as she proceeded to take off her gloves and grab the exposed skin on his face.
Rogue felt an immediate surge of power throughout her body as the power of the unstoppable Juggernaut began to drain in to her. It was almost too intense for her to handle, but she held on as he continued to weaken.
"Can't...Hold it...Much longer..." struggled Jean as she pushed her powers to the limit.
Juggernaut was almost out cold, but was able to find the strength to knock Rogue off of him. But even with her off, he was still getting closer and closer to passing out from Jean's powers, which he had greatly underestimated.
Just then, the powerful mutant was lifted up off the ground by brute strength. This time he could do nothing to fight it, for Rogue was now armed with his power and she was using it against him.
"I...can't...be...stopped..." struggled Juggernaut as he tried to inch his way closer to Jean.
"Aw, will ya shut the hell up!" said Rogue.
Then, Rogue used her newfound strength to body slam the unstoppable Juggernaut on to the hard concrete. This time...He did not get up.
Jean then collapsed to the ground, but was caught in Scott's ready arms as he fought off the pain and fatigue he felt from pushing his own powers.
"I didn't know...That I could do that," said Jean in deep breaths as she tried to get her head straight.
"But you did Jean. And you succeeded," replied Scott with a smile.
As Jean struggled back to her feet, she looked in to his tired eyes and smiled back.
"Hey guys!" yelled Evan as he and Kitty ran up towards them from the side.
Soon, Kurt appeared as well with Logan via teleportation. Both mutants immediately went to Rogue, who seemed to be struggling with the power she absorbed.
"Rogue...Are you okay?" said Logan as he and Kurt ran to her side.
"Yeah..." said Rogue still slightly dazed, "Just so much power, and his memories are so strange and...And I know where the Professor is!"
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The epic fight between the students of the Xavier Institute and the unstoppable Juggernaut went out live on national TV. In the halls of Congress a new round of bewilderment came over the chamber as representatives, senators, and congressional leaders watched the end result of the fight in amazement. Ororo and Beast couldn't help but smile at their students' triumph. Now, the cameras over the dam simply broadcasted the image of the victorious X-men over the airwaves.
"What just happened here?" said the Speaker as he and his fellow leaders grew all the more confused by this new development. "What did those freaks just do now?"
"Exactly what they were taught to do...Use their powers for good," responded Ororo.
As the Congress took in this new development, the leaders were forced to grudgingly accept this new view that seemed to permeate throughout the rest of the legislative body.
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The X-men had escorted the unconscious Juggernaut back to where he resided in Stokes County Maximum Security Prison. However, there was another reason for their visit. As they walked in to the central holding area that had once contained Juggernaut, they prayed that the memories that Rogue had absorbed were right.
"I can't tell you what a shock this is to me, but...I guess we should have been more careful in our security containment," said one of the head prison officials as he escorted the X-men to the holding area.
"Yeah...You should of," quipped Logan as he and the others waited anxiously for the guard to raise the containment tube that was built specifically for Juggernaut.
As the tube rose, the team of mutants was greeted with a most surprised sight. Professor Xavier was floating unconscious in the strange liquid, but he was alive and well. As the strange substance drained away and the tube was opened, Scott and Jean quickly made their way up to his side and kept him from collapsing on to the floor.
"Easy Professor, you're gonna be okay," said Scott as the others gathered around him in jubilation for their mentor's safe rescue.
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Professor Charles Xavier was safe and sound, but that did not change the fact that the institute was in ruins and the world now knew of the existence of mutants. However, the X-men had shown that they could use their powers for good before a live TV audience across the nation. It was enough to at least stop the senseless witch-hunt that had ensued after the revelation. However, there was still much work to be done. They had a home to rebuild and a whole new set of challenges to face.
That evening in the rubble of the institute, the team watched as the president delivered a historic speech that signaled the end of one thing, and the beginning of another.
"My fellow Americans...All, my fellow Americans. A historic and unprecedented event has gripped our nation and our world in the past several days. The once fantastic notion of mutants is now a reality. While the implications of this event are still unknown, we must go forth with great care in hopes of maintaining peace throughout our great nation. The individuals responsible for the sentinel attack in Manhattan not long ago have been arrested and contained. The escaped mutant from Stokes County Prison has been returned to his domain. Action against this new phenomenon will come slowly now, for we must make certain that we make sound decisions for both the public...And mutants at large. We will take steps to ensure domestic safety, for we must give the question and issues over mutants...more time."
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AN: That's it for now folks! Now how are the X-men going to fare when they return to school. Just when you think they've been traumatized enough, this happens to them. I know it's kinda cruel. But hey, the X-men just can't seem to ever cut a break. So what did you think of this rendition of "Stuff of Heroes" and the whole "Day of Reckoning" part in general? Please tell me! I'm eager to know! Send reviews to me at slickboy444@aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. There's not much left to go in this long story! So stay tuned and thanks for reading thus far!
REVIEW PLEASE!!!
Chapter 35: The Stuff of Heroes
AN: This chapter goes along with the episode "The Stuff of Heroes" from the series. It's a little different so please bear with me. Thanks and enjoy!
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In the chambers of the Capitol, both houses of Congress met on the floor to discuss the actions that were to be taken against the new mutant phenomena. Discussion was heated as fear and anxiety ran high among those who were present.
"Order! Order!" yelled the Speaker of the House as he banged his gavel against the podium. "We will have order!"
As the heated discussion gradually calmed, the majority leader resumed speaking.
"So it is agreed. The Emergency Mutant Action bill will be passed before things grow out of hand and..."
"What are you talking about?!" exclaimed one of the senators, "Things are already out of hand! There's panic in the streets, people are afraid to leave their homes, and lets not forget that giant robot still sitting in the middle of Manhattan!"
"We don't even know where that robot came from!" reasoned one of the other senators.
"All the more reason to hunt down whoever built it and contain whoever those freaks were!"
"Then our course of action will be as follows: the National Guard and the rest of our police forces will be mobilized against the mutant threat," said the Speaker as he prepared a joint vote.
Just then, two new occupants entered the hall of Congress amidst frightened gasps from weary congressmen.
"Hold it! You can not vote until all sides are heard!"
The Speaker of the House along with the majority and minority leaders looked on in shock as Storm and Beast approached the front of the great hall.
"What are you doing in here?! This is a closed session! Especially to freaks!"
"Call us what you will sir, but this is still a democracy. And you can't take action against something if you don't know all the facts," responded Beast.
"We know enough!" responded one of the senators angrily, "We know you and your kind have been hiding from the law and are a major threat to the public at large!"
"We mutants have lived in peace unknown from others for years," said Ororo as she tried to speak through all the anger and fear that hung strong over the room, "We have never caused any harm, broken any laws, or used our powers in violent ways."
"Never caused any harm you say? What about that giant robot that caused nearly half a billion dollars worth of damage to downtown Manhattan!?" quipped the speaker.
"That thing attacked us! We were merely defending ourselves and if we hadn't acted, more damage could have been done and people could have been seriously hurt."
"Oh please!" said the Majority Leader in a non-believing tone, "How do we know that robot wasn't your doing!"
"Why on Earth would we make a monstrosity like that?" reasoned Beast, "We just told you that thing attacked US!"
"Perhaps...Or maybe you just couldn't control it!" said the Speaker.
"Now you're just being paranoid!" responded Storm in a forceful tone against this man who was insinuating so many terrible things.
"Don't insult me mutant! You say you've lived in peace alongside humans in secret for years...But why? What do you have to hide? Is it because you're just biding your time? I ask you my fellow members of Congress, should allow this kind of menace to threaten the pubic?"
A loud din of agreement filtered throughout the halls of Congress as Storm and Beast stood in the center of this new government of hate. They could not leave though, if they did it would only confirm what the Speaker was saying and mutants everywhere would be in danger. They knew there were a lot of people counting on them now that the mutant secret had been exposed. As they stood before this Congress of hate, the two mutants could only hope for a miracle from the others.
**************************************************
Bullets, rockets, and bombs exploded as a fleet of helicopters and troops cornered the X-men outside the cave they had been hiding in. Soon, the helicopters were blaring an ominous message out the loudspeakers from the helicopters.
"We have the area surrounded. Surrender immediately."
"Yeah right," said Logan as he took cover with the others in the trees near the cave.
Evan lined the dirt paths with spikes as jeeps and other off road vehicles came their way. Jean was forced to put up more telekinetic shields as bullets began to fly their way from the helicopters hovering above.
"Great, what do we do now?" asked Rogue as she followed the others deeper in to the trees.
"The same thing as last time...We run," grunted Logan knowing it was all they could do.
Running away once more was not the answer the team had in mind. Lately it seemed that was all they were doing...Running. But they knew there was little else that could be done. Fighting the military would only make things worse for mutants.
Just then, a helicopter descended down from the tree line and was directly above them packing large, heavy machine guns.
"We got it!" said Kurt as he grabbed Kitty and teleported up to the cockpit.
They appeared before the bewildered helicopter crew in a puff of smoke. There was little that could be done as the two mutants now blocked both of their view.
"Hi, I'm Nightcrawler and this is Shadowcat," said Kurt casually.
"And this is your helicopter on the fritz," said Kitty as she phased through the controls and short-circuited the system while Kurt grabbed the two men and teleported them to the top of a tree.
As the helicopter crash-landed behind them, a narrow window of opportunity opened to them. The smoking craft blocked the narrow roadway leading to the other side where the X-jet was. It was here, under the cover of the trees, that they made a mad dash for the jet before they were overwhelmed again. Jean put up a small telekinetic shield to guard them from stray bullets and shrapnel, but the X-jet was in sight so she hoped it wouldn't be too long.
"Can you keep the shield up Jeannie?" said Logan as more bullets rang out from the increasingly closer gun ships.
"I...Think...So," said Jean as she struggled to concentrate because of the noise, "Just keep going and don't make me laugh!"
Finally, the team found themselves near the side of the X-jet. They wasted no time as they scrambled through the doors. Scott and Logan frantically started the engines up as the helicopters got closer and closer. As Kurt and Kitty ported in, the plane began to shake, for they were now ready for take off.
"GO! GO!" yelled Kitty as she and Kurt promptly took a seat and held their breath along with the others.
As the X-jet took off vertically, the helicopters began firing at it. Some rounds hit, but it didn't stop the massive jet. Then, as they prepared to ignite the afterburners a barrage of rockets was sent flying their way. Most of the team closed their eyes, dreading the impact of the deadly projectiles. Kurt held on to Kitty's hand as everyone braced for the inevitable. Then...The afterburners kicked in and the powerful jet sped away from the action. A powerful sigh of relief came over the bewildered team as they struggled to catch their breath again.
"Let's not do that again anytime soon," said Rogue as she tried to breathe deeply.
"Amen to that," agreed Jean, as she tried to rest her tired mind.
As the jet ascended to a higher, safer altitude, the team contemplated what to do now.
"So what's our next move? How do we go about finding the Professor?" asked Kitty as the adrenaline from the battle they just took part in started to wear off.
"Where there's a will, there's a way half-pint," said Logan, "We just need to retrace the Prof's steps and hope to find some answers."
"That's it?" asked Evan knowing it wasn't a very thorough plan.
"It's all we can do...For now."
And with that, the team sped off towards their next destination not knowing what they'll find next.
**************************************************
Not far from the outskirts of Bayville, a group of bewildered soldiers came to after being nearly knocked in to oblivion by a renegade mutant. They looked back at the wake of destruction left behind in its wake. Vehicles were crushed, guns were bent and broken with bare hands, and nothing seemed to be able to stop whoever this powerful mutant was. As the last group of soldiers was sent flying from an unfortunate jeep, one of the soldiers grabbed his communicator and contacted his superiors.
"Uh sir...I think were gonna need some major back up here."
"How much?" responded the general.
"Oh I don't know...Let's start with the army and...Go from there."
Nothing stood in the unstoppable Juggernauts way as he made his way closer to the dam overlooking a small, yet moderately populated, town.
"I'll teach you puny weaklings to lock me up...Now its payback time!" said Juggernaut with a sinister grin.
**************************************************
Back in the halls of Congress, things kept getting progressively worse for Storm and Beast.
"Ladies and gentlemen of Congress, I think we've seen enough of this charade!" said the Speaker as he eagerly pushed for the vote, ending this debate.
"Charade!?" said Storm in disbelief, "This is character assassination! We are trying to plead our case and you just won't listen!"
"Say what you will mutant, the evidence speaks for itself..."
Then, a large video screen appeared behind the Speaker and the Congressional Leaders and a series of images flashed before the whole of Congress.
"These, my fellow Congressmen, are photos taken from the ruins of the now destroyed Xavier institute."
Storm and Beast watched with dread as images of the danger room and security system appeared for all to see.
"Now I may not be familiar with the policies of this so called 'school.' But I'm pretty sure a place with more security than Fort Knox and a training ground that looks more fitted to soldiers than to students has a bit more to hide than a simple haven for mutants."
More voices echoed out as this new revelation filtered through the Congress.
"And it doesn't stop there...The so called 'students' that use to reside there and train in that area are a danger in themselves. Allow me to read a little background information on some of these mutants..."
Hank and Ororo dreaded this. They knew that information about the past of the six students would be especially incriminating.
"Let's start with Ms. Kitty Pryde. On the outside she looks like your normal, sweet teenage girl. But from what I've been told from our military investigators, she has the ability to walk through walls. I ask you Ms Munroe, what's to stop her from simply walking her way in to a bank vault and stealing every dime there is?! There's another one listed here; a Mr. Scott Summers. Now on the outside most people would think those sunglasses he always wears are just for looks, but according to our data, he can shoot powerful lasers out of his eyes that are strong enough to tear through solid steel! And keep in mind, this kid attends a local high school!!! Or should we mention a girl whose only name listed is Rogue, and can put somebody in to a coma simply by touching them!"
A wave of voices echoed through the halls of Congress as the Speaker continued to scrutinize every aspect of mutants in general. They tried to speak up, but nobody was listening...The fear from this new phenomena was too great.
"It doesn't look good Ororo," said Hank as voices of outrage grew within the large chambers of the Capitol.
"I know...But we can't stop now. We have to keep trying..."
**************************************************
As the X-jet passed over the far side of Bayville, one of the scanners on the control panel went off.
"What's going on now?" said an exasperated Rogue Logan began to look in to the reading.
"Oh no," he said under his voice.
"What do you mean 'oh no?'" said Scott, dreading Logan's words.
"I don't know how but he's escaped...Juggernauts escaped."
"Who or what is Juggernaut?" asked Evan, knowing he probably wouldn't like the answer.
"His real name is Cain Markos...He's the Prof's half-brother."
"Half-brother?" said Kurt not knowing if he had heard right.
"Yeah, half-brother. He's also a mutant...A dangerous mutant. His powers make him practically invincible to anything you throw at him. That's why they locked him up and threw away the key."
"But if they locked him up...How'd he get out?" asked Kurt as he couldn't make complete sense of the situation.
Logan just let out an angry grunt.
"I don't know...But now that he's out and with the Professor missing...I don't see how he can be stopped."
Logan didn't slow the jet down or head towards the source of the reading. He just kept flying away from it to the surprise of the rest of the team.
"Wait, aren't we going to do something?" asked Jean.
"We can't do anything about him until we find Xavier. If we try and fight him, it'll just cause more damage."
"And leaving him as it is won't?!" quipped Jean.
Logan let out a frustrated sigh as continued to grapple with the six young students. He had faced Juggernaut before and it was something he'd rather not remember. Nothing had ever stopped him before...Only the Professor could take him down with his psychic powers. And without him, it was nothing short of suicide.
"The only way to stop the unstoppable is to hit his mind with a psychic blast that only the Prof can administer. That's it...Without the Professor, we're fucked."
The rest of the team looked at the scanners and saw the tiny blip that was the unstoppable Juggernaut make its way across the screen.
"Oh man, it looks like he's heading for the Lockport hydroelectric dam," said Scott as he looked at the screen.
"Then we've gotta stop him!" exclaimed Evan, "If he takes that dam out then it's pretty much over for mutants everywhere!"
Logan still wasn't about to turn the jet around, but then a large jolt shook the aircraft as it abruptly changed its course. At first he didn't know what had happened, but then he looked over to the co-pilot seat and saw that Scott had taken control of the plane.
"What are you doing slim!? Turn this thing back around!" ordered Logan.
However, Scott did not comply with Logan's demands.
"Evan's right Logan, we have to do something about this guy before he hurts anybody," said Scott.
"Are you nuts kid?! Did you just ignore everything I just said about this guy!? He can't be stopped without Xavier!"
"You're forgetting two things Logan: One, we have another psychic right here with us," said Scott referring back to Jean, "Two, you trained us. And we're good...We're really good..."
Logan looked back at Jean and the rest of the students. He knew nothing he said would change their minds. The ideals of the institute that he had helped teach them was still strong even in the wake of the destruction of their home. He didn't see how it could be done. He knew this could either make or break the public view towards mutants. But that wasn't the primary concern of the rest of the team. They had faced overwhelming odds before...And now they seemed destined to face them again.
"Fine," grunted Logan, "But if yer going...So am I."
Scott then ignited the afterburners as the jet sped back towards were Juggernaut was heading. Logan knew this mission was pretty much foolhardy, but there seemed to be no way around it. Fighting and losing seemed many times better than not fighting at all. Logan was skeptical that Jean's powers were strong enough to match the level of the Professor and he was even more doubtful that the public would see them as heroes even if they won. However, their path was set...And Juggernaut awaited them.
**************************************************
"Is that the best you can do?!" laughed the unstoppable Juggernaut as several missiles exploded around him, but did no damage.
Explosions and bombs went off all around the area around Juggernaut, but it had no effect. The soldiers in the helicopters watched on in horror as everything that they tried against him failed. News helicopters hovered over the scorched battlefield as they broadcasted the event live on national TV.
Then, as the helicopters circled around for another attack, the unstoppable leaped in to the air with super-human strength and slammed his massive fists in to the hovering crafts. Fire and explosions erupted from the craft as the pilots desperately scrambled to get out. No sooner than the first helicopter fell, did the powerful mutant jump towards another and crush it in to scrap metal.
"Ha! You puny little weaklings can't stop me! Nothing can stop me!" bellowed Juggernaut as he made his way up to the dam.
**************************************************
Back in the chambers of Congress, the live feed from the dam was observed over on a large projection screen. Weary men and women of all sides watched in horror as the unstoppable Juggernaut tore through military machines and dam security like it was nothing.
"Oh no..." muttered Ororo under her breath, "Juggernaut."
She had faced the unstoppable before and she very well knew that without the Professor, little could be done. And it couldn't have come at a worse time for them. The live feed of raw destruction only fueled the fans of hate that had already permeated throughout the halls of Congress.
"You see my fellow Congressmen! This is what they've been hiding under our noses the whole time! This is the kind of destruction that only one mutant can bring! Just imagine the devastation to this country, AND this world, if mutants are allowed to walk free!"
A cheer of dismal agreement echoed through the chambers. It appeared that it would only get worse for the two mutants trying to plead their case. Just then, something else appeared on the screen.
"Ro, look!" said Hank.
Ororo looked up to see a new image being broadcasted over the projection screen. I brief glimmer of hope grew within her as she saw the X-jet speeding towards Juggernaut's position.
**************************************************
"Whoa...This guy has some serious anger issues," said Evan as he looked at the path of destruction left behind by Juggernaut.
"You don't know the half of it kid," muttered Logan as the ship descended.
Juggernaut had just taken out a cluster of electrical transformers and had left the whole town in the shadow of the dam without power. But he was soon faced with a new challenge as the X-men scrambled out of the jet towards his position. Despite this action, the unstoppable remained undaunted, for they did not have Xavier with them.
"Ain't it past your bedtime kiddies?" taunted Juggernaut as the team descended upon him.
"Great, just what we needed...A bad guy that thinks he's a comedian," said Kitty sarcastically as they now stood before the oversized mutant.
Logan took the lead as he unsheathed his claws and prepared for battle.
"We gotta remove that helmet of his! It makes him immune to psychics! Jeannie, you think you can pull this off if we give you a shot?"
"Only one way to find out..."
With numerous pieces of the shattered transformer around her, Jean used her telekinesis to launch a barrage of metal at the unstoppable Juggernaut. Scott added his optic blasts to the mix as Evan also launched a barrage of spikes at him. However, this did little to stop Juggernaut.
"HA! If this is the best you've got, they you might as well surrender now!"
"You know somethin' Cain? You talk too much!" growled Logan as he pounced on the unstoppable Juggernauts head and tore in to his helmet with his claws.
This action only further enraged the ill-tempered mutant as he fought off the barrage of attacks.
"Don't ever call me that name! I'm Juggernaut!" bellowed the angry mutant as he threw Logan off to the side.
This briefly caused Scott, Jean, and Evan to stop their attacks.
"Aww what's the matter? Lose your nerve?"
But no sooner had he finished these words, did Kurt suddenly appear on top of him and undo one of the latches of his helmet.
"HEY! GET BACK HERE FURBALL!" yelled Juggernaut as he grabbed Kurt's tail and flung him over the edge.
"Oh no...Kurt," said Kitty as she watched this, but she was soon relieved when she saw Kurt teleport away and appear right in front of the cameras that were filming the whole incident.
The camera crew fell back in shock as Kurt appeared suddenly out of thin air. But the blue mutant was soon to port back. However, before he left, that didn't stop him from waving to the cameras knowing this was probably being watched by the whole country.
'There's my five seconds of fame,' thought Kurt as he teleported back in to the thick of the battle.
Logan had recovered from being tossed aside and began to attack once more as the enraged Juggernaut continued his rampage. He kept trying to open up windows for the others to unlock the helmet or for Rogue to absorb some of his strength away, but so far they hadn't found many openings. Then, as the unstoppable mutant fought off another barrage of spikes and metal parts, he was clipped by one of Scott's optic blasts and lost his balance. As he fell, Kitty phased up out of the ground and used her powers to entrap him in solid rock. In the process she was able to unlock another latch, but the hold on Juggernaut was short lived.
"THAT'S IT!" yelled Cain as he broke out of his stone entrapment much to the shock of the rest of the team, "YOU CAN'T STOP ME! I'M INVINCIBLE!"
Then, with his superhuman strength, Juggernaut leaped to the top of the dam overlooking the small, darkened town in the distance. He was going to show the whole world his power and that he truly is the ultimate force.
"I'M GONNA BRING THIS DAM DOWN!" bellowed the unstoppable as he slammed his massive fists in to the top of the dam, causing a large crack along to top side of the dam.
"Mien Gott, he's really going to do it..." said Kurt as he and the rest of the team stood in amazement at Juggernaut's strength.
"Not if we can help it," said Scott with a determined tone, "Kurt, port me up there. I'm gonna take care of that helmet of his. Jean...Are you ready for this?"
"I think so..." said Jean as she took a deep breath to mentally prepared herself for this.
"Good...Then leave the rest to us. We'll get that helmet off..."
Jean knew she hadn't tried anything like this before. The Professor had shown her in the past that it was possible to send psychic surges in to one's mind, but she had never developed the power and control needed to even so much as try one. But now she was going to have to do it if this madman was to be stopped.
As Kurt ported Scott to within twelve feet of the unstoppable, he set his visor to full power.
"You still think you can stop me kid?!" taunted the unstoppable, "I've already shown you I can take anything you throw at me! Go ahead! Hit me with all ya got!"
"If that's what you want...TAKE THIS!" yelled Scott as he let out the full force of his optic blast.
A massive flash erupted from the visor and engulfed the unstoppable Juggernaut in a bright red light. The helmet he wore blew off and was sent flying in to the reservoir in a smoldering heap. The helmet was off, but the enraged mutant fought it as he struggled through the light and Scott struggled to keep the full power going. The news cameras below watched brilliant light show unfold and back in Washington, Congress watched with awe at the spectacle before them. However, Juggernaut wouldn't be stopped by even this power.
"Is...That...The...Best...You...GOT!?" said Juggernaut through the intense ruby-colored light.
"Actually...No!" said Scott as he tore off his visor and unleashed the full, unimpeded force of his powers.
Juggernaut was sent back in wake of this new blast and actually struggled to fight it...But the power of the blast was all to great for Scott to sustain as the intensity began to waver as Scott's body started to fatigue. Slowly, the unstoppable inched his way closer towards Scott as he soon fell to his knees from exhaustion, but still kept to blasts going. Finally, after what seemed like an eternal struggle, Juggernaut got close enough to put his oversized hand over Scott's face to contain the blasts.
"HA! YOU SEE KID?! YOU CAN'T STOP ME! NOBODY CAN STOP THE JUGGERNAUT!"
'Jean...now...' said Scott weakly through their link as he fought the intense fatigue of his body.
Soon, Juggernaut was sent flying back by a massive burst of telekinetic energy. Scott slammed his eyes shut as he collapsed to the ground. With the helmet gone, the final blow could be delivered to the unstoppable Juggernaut.
"It's over Juggernaut...You're going down!" said Jean as she flung him away from Scott's tired body.
Then, with a deep breath, Jean unleashed a powerful psychic blast in to the head of the unstoppable mutant. It was something she hadn't fully learned how to do, but she had no choice now.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" yelled Juggernaut as he clutched his head.
The powerful mutant began to thrash wildly about as Jean began to increase the intensity. However, it wasn't stopping him. He began to stumble closer and closer towards her in an effort to stop the source of the psychic barrage, but soon he was stopped cold in his tracks...For Rogue had approached from behind as she saw Jean start to struggle against the unstoppable Juggernaut.
"Looks like ya need a little help Jean," said Rogue as she proceeded to take off her gloves and grab the exposed skin on his face.
Rogue felt an immediate surge of power throughout her body as the power of the unstoppable Juggernaut began to drain in to her. It was almost too intense for her to handle, but she held on as he continued to weaken.
"Can't...Hold it...Much longer..." struggled Jean as she pushed her powers to the limit.
Juggernaut was almost out cold, but was able to find the strength to knock Rogue off of him. But even with her off, he was still getting closer and closer to passing out from Jean's powers, which he had greatly underestimated.
Just then, the powerful mutant was lifted up off the ground by brute strength. This time he could do nothing to fight it, for Rogue was now armed with his power and she was using it against him.
"I...can't...be...stopped..." struggled Juggernaut as he tried to inch his way closer to Jean.
"Aw, will ya shut the hell up!" said Rogue.
Then, Rogue used her newfound strength to body slam the unstoppable Juggernaut on to the hard concrete. This time...He did not get up.
Jean then collapsed to the ground, but was caught in Scott's ready arms as he fought off the pain and fatigue he felt from pushing his own powers.
"I didn't know...That I could do that," said Jean in deep breaths as she tried to get her head straight.
"But you did Jean. And you succeeded," replied Scott with a smile.
As Jean struggled back to her feet, she looked in to his tired eyes and smiled back.
"Hey guys!" yelled Evan as he and Kitty ran up towards them from the side.
Soon, Kurt appeared as well with Logan via teleportation. Both mutants immediately went to Rogue, who seemed to be struggling with the power she absorbed.
"Rogue...Are you okay?" said Logan as he and Kurt ran to her side.
"Yeah..." said Rogue still slightly dazed, "Just so much power, and his memories are so strange and...And I know where the Professor is!"
**************************************************
The epic fight between the students of the Xavier Institute and the unstoppable Juggernaut went out live on national TV. In the halls of Congress a new round of bewilderment came over the chamber as representatives, senators, and congressional leaders watched the end result of the fight in amazement. Ororo and Beast couldn't help but smile at their students' triumph. Now, the cameras over the dam simply broadcasted the image of the victorious X-men over the airwaves.
"What just happened here?" said the Speaker as he and his fellow leaders grew all the more confused by this new development. "What did those freaks just do now?"
"Exactly what they were taught to do...Use their powers for good," responded Ororo.
As the Congress took in this new development, the leaders were forced to grudgingly accept this new view that seemed to permeate throughout the rest of the legislative body.
**************************************************
The X-men had escorted the unconscious Juggernaut back to where he resided in Stokes County Maximum Security Prison. However, there was another reason for their visit. As they walked in to the central holding area that had once contained Juggernaut, they prayed that the memories that Rogue had absorbed were right.
"I can't tell you what a shock this is to me, but...I guess we should have been more careful in our security containment," said one of the head prison officials as he escorted the X-men to the holding area.
"Yeah...You should of," quipped Logan as he and the others waited anxiously for the guard to raise the containment tube that was built specifically for Juggernaut.
As the tube rose, the team of mutants was greeted with a most surprised sight. Professor Xavier was floating unconscious in the strange liquid, but he was alive and well. As the strange substance drained away and the tube was opened, Scott and Jean quickly made their way up to his side and kept him from collapsing on to the floor.
"Easy Professor, you're gonna be okay," said Scott as the others gathered around him in jubilation for their mentor's safe rescue.
**************************************************
Professor Charles Xavier was safe and sound, but that did not change the fact that the institute was in ruins and the world now knew of the existence of mutants. However, the X-men had shown that they could use their powers for good before a live TV audience across the nation. It was enough to at least stop the senseless witch-hunt that had ensued after the revelation. However, there was still much work to be done. They had a home to rebuild and a whole new set of challenges to face.
That evening in the rubble of the institute, the team watched as the president delivered a historic speech that signaled the end of one thing, and the beginning of another.
"My fellow Americans...All, my fellow Americans. A historic and unprecedented event has gripped our nation and our world in the past several days. The once fantastic notion of mutants is now a reality. While the implications of this event are still unknown, we must go forth with great care in hopes of maintaining peace throughout our great nation. The individuals responsible for the sentinel attack in Manhattan not long ago have been arrested and contained. The escaped mutant from Stokes County Prison has been returned to his domain. Action against this new phenomenon will come slowly now, for we must make certain that we make sound decisions for both the public...And mutants at large. We will take steps to ensure domestic safety, for we must give the question and issues over mutants...more time."
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AN: That's it for now folks! Now how are the X-men going to fare when they return to school. Just when you think they've been traumatized enough, this happens to them. I know it's kinda cruel. But hey, the X-men just can't seem to ever cut a break. So what did you think of this rendition of "Stuff of Heroes" and the whole "Day of Reckoning" part in general? Please tell me! I'm eager to know! Send reviews to me at slickboy444@aol.com or post them on fanfiction.net. There's not much left to go in this long story! So stay tuned and thanks for reading thus far!
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