"No More Phoenix".. As Hope and the Scarlet Witch speak these words the Phoenix Force leaves Hope and ascends into the skies. It then scatters all around the world reactivating all depowered mutants and activating all with a dormant mutant gene, boosting and reestablishing the mutant race.
Meanwhile in the white hot room, pupil and teacher have a conversation. Charles, passing thru the white hot room as all beings do upon arrival or departure of life, sits before his prize protégé. He tells Jean that she is needed; she must go back because he must go forward. He assures her that she is ready and she must lead mutants into the new era. She hesitantly agrees, they smile at each other and Charles departs. At that moment Jean feels the phoenix calling her and she leaves as well.
After scattering across the globe the Phoenix Force again tries to pull itself together, but cannot do so alone, it calls to the one person, the one house it knows, Jean Grey. All the pieces gather above earth and return to the Himalayas. In a fiery burst, dust and flames fill the air and Jean stands there, eyes glowing and gaze stern. The Mutant race has encountered a Rebirth.
EXTERIOR. HIMALYAN MOUNTAINS. EVENING.
Avengers and X-Men stand around mouths agape and eyes wide, staring at Jean. They all seem worn and tired from the ordeal with Scott and now exhausted, prepare for another battle with the phoenix. Scott stands up and Wolverine walks towards her claws drawn.
SCOTT & LOGAN
Jean…
CAPTAIN AMERICA
Avengers!
( Iron Man and Thor take to the skies and the Hulks prepare to charge. )
JEAN
( Raises her hand freezing all there and steps forward )
There will be No more fighting today, enough blood has been shed for a lifetime. Now we will talk and listen, really listen to one another. Today horrible things have happened, horrible unspeakable things have occurred that will haunt everyone here. Everyone has claim to the destruction and mayhem that has gripped the world today. –Pauses- But something amazing has happened as well…. When Hope and Wanda released the Phoenix, intent on getting rid of it once and for all, something else happened. The phoenix, guardian of creation and life itself, did what no one could do. It saved the mutant race from extinction. It struck down like lightning re-igniting all those brilliant lights that were snuffed out.
( Everyone's faces shifts, shock and disbelief shown in their eyes )
JEAN
( Her face softens and she smiles )
Yes, all depowered mutants are once again mutants, which mean all of us here have our work cut out for us. These people will be scared, hurt, upset, relieved, and possibly dangerous. But one thing for sure is that they are humans and deserve the right to choose their own path. I expect all Avengers here to , if the opportunity presents itself, direct all wayward, lost or scared mutants to the Jean Grey School. And while mutants deserve the same respect as every other human being on Earth, I completely understand that those to choose a path of destruction and crime must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
( Jean unfreezes everyone and turns to look at Scott, badly bruised and beaten )
Which is why I believe that Scott Summers, a great man of vision, deserves to be in prison. His crimes and poor choices have led to these events which will take all of us here to rebuild. I leave him in the Avengers custody to stand accountable for his actions. We X-Men must leave and prepare for the rebirth of our race.
( Captain America walks towards Jean, Wolverine stepping between them and Jean places her hand on his arm to reassure him. )
CAPTAIN AMERICA
Pretty words Ms. Grey but that doesn't negate the fact that this world has seen some of the worst destruction and casualties in a matter of hours that I've seen in a lifetime. Damage was done, countries are at war, and people are hurt and worse. You're damn right the responsible parties will be held accountable. Those were innocent people that were hurt and scared out there.
JEAN
( Steps closer to Cpt. America )
It was an innocent girl, whose life was harder than anything u could imagine, that you decided to abduct from her home against her will. So if we're talking about who started what Captain, I'd say you and the Avengers were at the top of the list. You tried to forcibly remove a young girl from her home, detain her, and separate her from the only family she knows in a world she barely knows. And it's ok because you say she was a threat. You are an honorable man, Steven, the fear of what could happen never negates an innocent life.
CAPTAIN AMERICA
( Turns and indicates to apprehend Scott and walks to the Avengers cruiser, he turns back )
We'll be in touch…
( As the Avengers board their cruiser, Wolverine carrying Hope, and Storm stand next to Jean as the fiery raptor engulfs them. )
UTOPIA. AFTERNOON. SECONDS BEFORE JEAN GREY'S REEMERGENCE.
Emma Frost's body lays limp and unconscious in the crater Cyclops left her behind in. Her hair slightly covers her face and neck, it still purple from Scott's final attempt to absorb the last of the Phoenix Force.
A wave of telepathic energy awakens the White Queen, her eyes opening wide, her body shooting forward. Her head rings from the energy that just passed through her. She searches for an answer to what jolted her back into consciousness but there has only been three other instances where she felt this energy. (Quick flashback to Emma vs Phoenix, Jean knowing of affair, and Jean ripping Phoenix Force from Emma).
Emma slowly picks herself up and searches for anyone on the once mutant haven. The ringing in her head prevents her from using her telepathy. She stumbles and falls to the ground, giving up on any attempt to move her body.
Then she feels a familiar mind, well three.
EMMA FROST: (telepathically)
Girls, did you feel that?
CUCKOOS:(telepathically From Cerebro )
If you're referring to the massive amount of energy that just passed through all of us, then yes, Miss Frost.
EMMA FROST: (telepathically)
I need you girls to do something. Send out a distress call to all the X-Men. Tell them to report back here. This battle is nowhere near over.
CUCKOOS:(telepathically)
We're a couple steps ahead of you Miss Frost.
The Cuckoos telepathically contacts Pixie and Magik, the resident teleporters to collect everyone out in the field. Pixie and Magik confirm with the Cuckoos and set of around the world to collect the X-Men. As the rest of the team makes it to Utopia Emma Frost changes to her diamond form to numb the pain she is feeling. Her diamond body sparkles in the sunlight and with ease the picks herself up from the pit of the crater where she laid. Emma reaches the top of the crater and she see's everyone standing around talking in confusion, she joins them and tries to calm them all down.
PIXIE
(Walks up to Emma and stands beside her)
Emma everyone is here and accounted for. What's happening now?
The mutants are all yelling and talking over one another, Emma tries to hear everyone but she cannot hear them all at once. She folds her arms and lets out a scream. Everyone falls silent, standing there surprised and confused.
EMMA
Now that you all have stopped yelling at me I can hear everyone and I will answer your questions to best of my abilities. And here is my answer to you all. I do not know what's happening but I do know that something bad has happened. Jean Grey has returned and is on her way here.
BEAST
(He steps out from the crowd and stands across from Emma)
Why do you assume that Jean Grey has returned?
RACHEL
I felt is too. I assumed it was the Phoenix but it has more of my mother's signature.
EMMA
Henry before I went into diamond form I felt a huge spike in telepathic energy, I've felt that energy only 3 other times and all with the same person, Jean Grey.
CUCKOOS
We felt is as well.
PSYLOCKE
Same.
EMMA
When the Phoenix is involved one can only assume that Jean isn't far behind. And we don't know why she's here or what state of mind she is in. We need to be prepared and organized. We need teams to go out and search and see what's going on.
RACHEL
Let's not jump the gun here now Emma. We don't know if my mother being here is a bad thing. If anyone recalls Scott just had all of the Phoenix and it went straight to hell. I'm pretty sure that my mother has fixed something, she always does.
KITTY
(Steps out of the crowd with her finger in the air)
Aaaandd, let's not forget Emma, only moments ago you just had the Phoenix so don't think we're all just going to follow your orders like that just didn't happen.
JUBILEE
(Yelling from the side of the crowd)
She doesn't even go here!
PIXIE
(Looks to the side of the crowd at Jubilee, smiling)
I love you for that!
BEAST
(Interjects)
Now let's get serious for a minute. We know nothing of Jean's return or if that's even a bad thing. I for one agree with Rachel, she's fixed something. I feel it.
PSYLOCKE
I'm not Emma's biggest fan and I'm sorry Rachel but I do agree with Emma we need to be ready for whatever comes along with Jean, being prepared is not a bad thing.
MAGNETO
I agree as well, we know nothing of what Jean has come to do, good or bad we need to be prepared. We've all been through enough and the last thing we want to do is fight again but if push comes to shove, we need to shove.
KITTY
I feel what you guys mean, but if she is coming we don't want her to feel threatened. The last thing we want is a threatened Phoenix.
ROGUE
Doesn't anybody find it a little strange we ain't heard nothing from Storm and Wolverine.
BOBBY
(Yells out to quiet them all down)
Everyone just need to chill out! No pun intended. We have to decide what we are going to do.
In that moment, a flicker of a flame appears in the middle of the group, catching everyone's eyes as they slowly back away. Before anyone can react the fiery raptor manifests with 3 shadows cast inside. Emma, Psylocke and Mangeto, bracing for an attack step in front of the students while Kitty and Rachel, ahead of them, gaze inside of the flames.
The fire disperses and standing there is Storm, Jean, and Logan carrying Hope. An unexpected sight, no one moves as they aren't sure what to make of the arrival of the 3. Rachel steps forward and Storm holds out a hand to stop her.
STORM: ( Addressing everyone )
I'm sure you all have many questions about what has transpired. Though we are not completely sure of the magnitude of what has happened we are going to inform you of what has occurred. Firstly, Scott Summers is in the custody of the Avengers and on his way to a shield facility. He will be detained there and held accountable for what has happened today. We are not sure of the actions they will take against the rest of the Phoenix 5, but know that we will not be guilty by association.
WOLVERINE:
Jeannie here, came to clean up the mess, best I can tell she's good. More together than I've seen her in a long time. She came to help us with something that's…
( Pauses and looks to Jean and Ororo )
…..about to change our lives in a big way. Ya see….. uhm.. Well…
( Nods to Jean )
You tell it.
JEAN:
Hi, I'm Jean. I know a lot of you here, and a lot of you here know of me. And while the stories, good and bad, are true I want you to know one thing. I'm no different from you. I'm a mutant that has gone thru a lot, seen a lot, and done a lot. All of which I own but I'm not defined by those things. We're, are all of us, mutants, but that's not all we are. We are wonderful multifaceted multicultural group of people. We've all been thru very hard times in our life, but look at us, we are still here, living. We are all hoping for something better than today. I'm here to tell you that we can get that. We can continue to hope because we are no longer a dying breed. Yes, we are no longer a dying breed. We are rebounding from a most horrible nightmare. And there are many tough times ahead for mutants, especially after today. But know that now, we are a thriving race. Where our numbers have dwindled, we now have more than doubled. Our race has been given a rebirth.
ANGEL:
Where do we go from here?
TO BE CONTINUED…