"Anti-Phoenix?" Alysande Stewart echoed, the brown haired British colonel looking distinctly worried as they stood there in the rising storm. "Fascinating," Allistaire murmured, the colonel's twin looking around him eagerly. "How can there be an Anti-Phoenix?" Kitty demanded, leaning on Illyanna for support. "I don't know," Jean answered, the fiery haired young woman meeting their eyes directly, "I just know that is what it is, instinctively." "Any idea if it's going to be here for awhile?" Illyanna asked warily, the blonde woman's soulsword shining in her hand. "I think so," Rachel offered seriously, the young redhead standing nearby her mother, "I don't believe it's fully awake just yet." "It tried to drain Ms. Pryde while asleep?" Alysande asked, raising an eyebrow. Jean nodded slightly, "Probably the amulet forged a connection, one strong enough that it instinctively attempted to feed." Allistaire looked at the others thoughtfully a moment. "We have a shelter set up nearby," he offered, "why not go inside and have a spot of tea before we do anything else?" "Not a bad idea," Kitty admitted tiredly. The shelter the Weird Happenings Organization had set up wasn't far from the archeological site, a preconstructed building that had been hauled over to the site. Within heaters staved off the chill storm while a portable stove heated up drinks or food, whatever might be needed. Illyanna quickly ushered Kitty to a seat, grabbing some donuts and tea for her to eat. The others settled into places around the long rectangular table a bit more slowly, the Stuarts up at one end and the Americans scattered around the rest of the area. "You came into contact with this... thing," Alysande finally asked Kitty, "can you give us any impressions on it?" Kitty cupped the drink in her hands, "It's old, but not like the Old Ones we've encountered." She smiled wryly as she munched on a donut, "It almost feels human, but it's been overlaid with an almost inhuman hunger." "Vampire?" Allistaire asked eagerly. Jean gave him an odd look, "No, not in that sense. At best it's hungry for pure energy, attempting to become what it was meant to be." "You know more than you're telling," Illyanna's voice had gone flat, dangerous as she continued on, "I am not providing any more help until you tell us what's going on." "Giving you that sort of information could change the timeline," Rachel swiftly stepped up to defend Jean. "Bullshit," Illyanna snapped back, "your very presence in the past has already changed the timeline irrevocably." "Are you following this?" Alysande asked quietly. "Think so," Allistaire answered softly, "looks like both redheads are time displaced, probably from the same future era." "Too bad we can't ask some questions," Alysande said wryly. "Bad idea," Allistaire agreed. "That's enough," Jean said, putting a hand on Rachel's arm. She looked into Illyanna's eyes and saw cold fury, a lover defending her bride, and knew she was not getting away with any evasions or half truths. "The Anti-Phoenix is a weapon," she explained, "a force created to be used against the true Phoenix at the proper time." Kitty made a face, "It's... it did remind me of things the X-Men have said about Dark Phoenix, the passion and hunger for destruction." Jean made a face at that, "If only it were that simple." A deep breath, "Millennia ago a wizard successfully tore a piece out of the Phoenix Force, binding it into a corpse to be reshaped over the years into the force beneath that circle of stones." "Your sorcerer enemy from the future," Illyanna said flatly, "the one that Rachel was sent into the past to try and avoid." "Right," Rachel nodded, "I don't think your future selves expected a manifestation of the enemy in this era, too." "Can the Anti-Phoenix be rejoined with the original Phoenix Force?" Kitty looked over at Jean to ask. "If it was purified of the sorcerer's influence, possibly," Jean answered. "Why aren't you naming who this sorcerer is?" Allistaire asked curiously. "Names have power," Illyanna gave him a look like he was an idiot, "speaking it could draw his attention here, or even fully awake that thing out there. Either way, not good." "So we need to perform an exorcism on whatever is under those stones over there," Kitty said with remarkable casualness. "Just like that?" Alysande blinked. "No way," Illyanna blurted. "Seconded," Jean agreed, "you have no idea what he could do to you, especially with the potential power that thing has." "Operative word being, potential," Kitty said as she sipped her tea. She looked serious, "The way I see it we can take steps now, or wait however many years until this blows up in our faces." "She does have a point," Allistaire offered. "Stay out of this," both Illyanna and Jean barked at him. "Hey!" Alysande protested. "We're they're guests, remember?" Kitty pointed out. "Sorry," Illyanna looked sheepish. Rachel looked troubled, "We faced that thing in the future and it nearly killed us all." A deep breath, "I hate to say this, but I'm with Kitty." "I can't believe this," Jean muttered. Alysande sipped her tea and snuck the occasional cookie as she watched the exchange unfold. The situation quickly broke down into two camps: there was Kitty and Rachel who were for taking steps to deal with the threat and Jean and Illyanna who were both dubious about the idea, primarily due to the dangers involved. And of course Allistaire, who was following the discussion eagerly and tossing in occasional remarks. "Can I make an observation?" Alysande finally spoke up. When she was sure she had their attention she continued, "It seems like Illyanna and Jean would agree to act, if the safety of the others could be assured." "Well, yes," Jean conceded while Illyanna nodded. "So is there a way to attempt the exorcism without actually putting yourselves at risk?" Alysande asked them reasonably. There was a moment of dead silence as they all grasped that idea, then Jean shook her head, "Why didn't I think of that?" Illyanna drummed her fingers on the table, "It could be done, maybe." She looked over at Kitty, reaching out to take her hand, "Love?" "We'd better get to work," Kitty agreed, taking her hand with a warm smile. 'Interesting, very interesting,' Alysande thought as she watched as the four women went to work, talking together quietly.
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