marvel_girl:

Less than twenty-four hours had passed since Rachel had been abducted by Lady Mastermind of the Hellfire Club (as opposed to Lady Mastermind of the X-Tremists or any of the other dozen or so Lady Masterminds out there. Wyngarde had a lot of kids). The illusion currently running in her mind was deep-set and powerful, though not as powerful as the Phoenix shard she still carried within her. Given enough time, it would probably shatter.

But in the end, it didn't much matter. An omega-level telepath and telekinetic backed by a cosmic force could do fantastic damage in a short amount of time. Even if she broke free eventually, a lot of damage would likely be done by the time she snapped out of it.

Cloaked in cosmic flame, the body of Rachel Summers landed on the lawn of the X-Mansion. To her mind, she was landing in front of one of Sinister's bases, ready to face the legion of Marauders or Nasty Boys that dwellt within, before she ended his miserable life.

She brought up a hand, utterly dismantling the foyer with a single gesture. "Come on then!" she shouted. "See how you like fighting someone who fights back!"

nextgen_shield:

The X-Men had informed Shield of the resurgence of the U-Men and since then Donnelly had feelers out to see how extensive the organization was. While on one of these searches some unexpected information fell into their laps. He quickly put in a call to the X-Men.

ng_xtremists:

Cape Citadel, Florida, home to a portion of the United States nuclear arsenal.  Notable for being the first public target of the then-terrorist mutant Magneto and the first public appearance of the X-Men who battled him there.  Not especially remarkable in and of itself, but quite notable in that the events there first brought the idea of mutants and the causes involved to the public attention.  It was a day that changed everything.

In the decades since, the stock of mutants has risen and fallen, sometimes with a fair amount of public support, sometimes with even those who called themselves heroes a little afraid to show themselves in public.  In the time since, Magneto had gone from a wanted and hated terrorist to a leader of men, with a nation of his own.  The X-Men continued their fight for mutant rights and equality, trying to show the world that they to, could be heroes. 

Today... today was going to be a day for the history books again.

It began with a flash of energy in the middle of the base, a teleportation device, and the appearance of seven women.  One, monstrous like a giant frog.  Another, taller than all the rest and built like a truck.  A slender, pale woman in red and a similar looking woman with blue hair.  Another, a blonde, staying at the fringes.  Another, a beautiful red haired woman.

And last, in crimson and purple armor, cape trailing behind her, and dark helmet upon her head.  She floated on the air on currents of magnetic force, looking at the world like she owned it all.  In scant moments, they defeated the soldiers who came to challenge them, mutant powers making it all too easy.

One of the others, the frog-woman, pulled out a small, camera-like device and pointed it at her.

She raised a hand, and a magnetic force field sprang into existence around the base, bent just enough to allow her transmission through.  It would soon be appearing on every television in the country.

"People of the United States, I am Magneta, daughter of Magneto.  And for too long have you oppressed our people!  Today, as my father once did, we mutants strike back to take what is ours!  My X-Tremists and I have seized your nuclear arsenal.  We demand the total surrender of your government, or else I shall unleash them upon you.  Today is a call for all mutants to join us!  Rise up!  Rise up and join our cause!  Cast down your human oppressors!

To the government of the United States... you have twenty-four hours to abdicate.  You know what shall happen if my terms are not met."

The transmission ended there.

nextgen_misc:

Gbadu and her followers gathered outside a small unknown temple in the desert near the ancient site of Akkaba. Inside one of the ancient temples the mutant known as En Sabah Nur lay in a state of suspended animation. Today they were here to awaken Apocalypse and unleash him on the world.

nextgen_misc:

Once the Champions returned to their headquarters and destroyed the Quantum Mirror returning all the heroes to normal. Once that was done they called a meeting of the superhero teams. Irina transported the Champions to the Avengers Mansion and volunteered to provide transportation for the other teams.

nextgen_parent:

Charles Xavier, head of the Xavier Institute of Higher Learning and mentor of the X-Men, had been busy in the recent days. Together with an old friend, Erik Lehnsherr, the two of them pushed the anti-human groups into action. Attacks on humans started happening all around New York City.

In Times Square the MLF appeared and started attacking the sea of people in the "Crossroads of the World". They also targeted the nearby Police and fire stations to hinder efforts to control the chaos they were creating.

Down on Wall Street the Brotherhood started attacking the bankers and investment brokers.

Leading the attacks on humans were Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr.

Mutants attacking humans prompted responses from anti-mutant groups such as the Friends of Humanity, the Church of Purity and other pro-human groups.

The streets of New York quickly became a battleground between humans and mutants.

nextgen_misc:

It was a quiet misty morning in New York City. Thus far nothing to out of the normal had happen but the day was still young.

Then a loud roaring like thunder came from the sky as a burning and crashing spaceship headed towards the center of Central Park.

A loud boom struck through the entire city as the ship crashed in the park leaving a big crater. Then the crew of the ship began to make there way out of the wreckage of the ship.

echokinetic:

After their little picnic and... the events that transpired during and after, Sasha felt sooner was better than later to break the news to Sylvie. As one of her besties, Sylvie would think she was hiding it if she put off telling her. Of course, the fact that the other party in this equation was her cousin, well, that was just another very viable reason why now was better than a week from now. Or never.

Regardless, she still wasn't looking forward to it. So she baked. Because really, bad news always went better with something to shove in your mouth. And Sylvie did love her pies. And her cookies. So... one pie and two dozen cookies later, Sasha was bringing her attempted-bribe to Sylvie's door with a soft knock.

echokinetic:

Bored and somewhat lonely, Sasha decided to go see just who she could find lurking around the mansion. Her hearing picked up ambient sounds, indicating there were a few options of who to bother. Eeny, meeny, miney, mo...

lightningbolt:

It had been nice staying with his mom over the holidays but Shane was glad to be back at the mansion again. He had done a quick workout and a run outside earlier. Why he thought it would be a good idea to go out running in the cold he did not know.

After grabbing a glass of water from the kitchen Shane made his way over to the rec room to get caught up on some TV shows. They had a pretty big DVR here but even so it tended to fill up pretty fast which lead to things getting deleted quickly.

nextgen_misc:

The X-Men and Guardians of the Galaxy set out from Knowhere Station and headed toward Chandilar the throne world of the vast Shi'ar empire. They arrived not far from the planet and ready to put their plan into action.

nextgen_holiday:

Christmas. Yule. Saturnalia. Dies Natalis Solis Invicti. Many cultures have celebrated and still celebrate a winter festival. There have been many names for it over the millennia. No matter the name it is a time to come together and celebrate with feasts and gifts with friends and loved ones.

Each culture has a legendary figure who would deliver gifts to children during this time. In Russia and some Slavic cultures he is known as Ded Moroz, Grandfather Frost, and comes not on Christmas but on New Year’s along with his granddaughter Snegurochka, or ‘”Snow Maiden”. In the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe he is known as Father Christmas. In the Netherlands and Belgium he is known as Saint Nicholas or “Sinterklaas” and in France he is known as Père Noël. In the United States we know him as Santa Claus.

No matter the name or who is delivering gifts, it is the season of peace, joy and togetherness. It is the season for thinking about loved ones, friends and those less fortunate. It is a time to witness the goodness and generosity the human race is capable of. It is a time for peace on Earth and goodwill toward man.

nextgen_misc:

The Guardians of the Galaxy had managed to make it back to Knowhere Station with their guests, the X-Men and one Shi'art citizen. The visitors were shown to temporary quarters and given a chance to rest a bit after their battle.

The next day they were asked to meet in a conference room.

nextgen_misc:

Abel dropped them out of a space warp as close to Earth as possible. The ship shook as it entered the upper atmosphere and the hull started to heat up and started to glow red. Azura helped Alex pilot the ship through the turbulence. She hoped the rust bucket held together.

Once they were past the initial barrier and slowed down a bit, they set a course straight for Xavier's. They ignored hails from local enforcement agencies and continued on their way. Their passenger, the Shi'ar, had been antsy during the whole trip and seemed a little relieved once they arrived. It didn't last long and he fretted until they arrived over Xavier's.

Their timing was perfect. They arrived just in time to see the Imperial Guard standing off with the X-Men and Prince Starbridge. Azura shoved their Shi'ar guest into her seat and ordered him to take over. She grabbed her gun and Godslayer and raced for the hatch.

Alex gave the flying of the ship to their guest and raced after Azura. Once they were low enough the Guardians of the Galaxy exited the ship to help Prince Starbridge and the X-Men.

politicalfire:

It always took a few days to learn the ropes of a new place - extra hard since she'd done her best to keep to herself. Not the easiest with this group of people. But she'd finally gotten the lay out, was able to navigate down to the kitchen without getting lost as she poked around for a late night snack, having avoided most major meals as she settled in. It wasn't that she wasn't friendly....oh wait...

nextgen_cosmic:

The ship exited the space-warp behind Earth's Moon. It carried the whole of a civilization long thought extinct. The civilization was one bent on the destruction of the Shi'ar race and its empire. Today would be the first salvo in their efforts to achieve their goals.

"We have arrived at Earth," Brother said to Eldest.

"Excellent. Prepare the assault team. I want the prince killed before the day is over," Eldest said and left the bridge. He had planned for this day for so long. They would finally eradicate the cursed Shi'ar from existence.

A few moments later three smaller ships exited from the larger ship and sped toward Earth. They entered the atmosphere and headed toward their destination in New York state. Eldest looked on with anticipation. It was exhilarating to finally take action against their ancient enemy.

Once they were close enough they opened fire. The blasts weren't to destroy the buildings on the ground, but more to cause confusion. Eldest wasn't about to kill the prince from a distance. He wanted the honor of killing the Shi'ar prince up close and personal.

nextgen_misc:

The day was going like any normal summer day in Salem Center. The sun was out, it was hot and the residents of the small town in Westchester county went about their daily business. It was not to last.

A small pinpoint of light appeared in the middle of Main St and started to grow. It quickly expanded causing traffic to stop and the citizens to stop and stare. The light continued to grow until it was the size of a three story building.

A moment later things started coming out of the bright portal.

pym_kitten:

Chris had sent out an e-mail to all the other students that she was putting together a day-trip to the city for shopping, with the promise of dinner and deserts that were entirely bad for them. She'd called Pauline as well, in case she was free to meet them once they got in.

She waited in the foyer of the Institute for anyone who was going to join her.

_tsunami_:

Cait had made two dozen of Rachel's favorite cookies and had put them in a small basket. She also made Rachel a new emerald green dress that would go well with her hair and eyes. The last thing Cait got one of her oldest and closest friends was a $25 gift card to iTunes. She put the items and a card in Rachel's room.

ng_mojoverse:

"Crap, crap, crap, really bad crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, porn, crap, crap, crappy porn, crap, crap, crap.."

Each of the words was punctuated by a click of a remote and the changing of a channel.  Mojo, supreme ruler of the Mojoverse and master programmer supreme, sultan of the air waves, tip top tv exec, and the person responsible for the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show, was not happy.

"Why are my ratings DOWN?!" he bellowed.  He looked left.  He looked right.  And he realized that there was no one around to listen to his rantings.  "DOMO!   DOMO!  DOMO!"

"You bellowed, oh bulbous one?" Major Domo, his majordomo asked, appearing behind him with enough quietness that the great Mojo was forced to jerk in surprise.

"What have I told you about sneaking up on me?!" he demanded.

"I was making plenty of noise, oh supreme one.  Doubtless you were simply engaged in creating superior programming and did not hear me."

"Yes, well... yeah, I was.  But why are my ratings DOWN?!"  He gestured toward the tvs.    "I mean, I've got people out there readings books!  Dead trees!  And this FaceSpace and myBook and tweeter-de-dee?!  What's wrong with these people?!  Why aren't they watching?!  I need a new show.  I need inspiration.  Something that will really put the butts back in the seats.  And then something that will keep them there.  Maybe some kind of glue...  Domo, look into super-glue suppliers.  Tell them we'll take everything they have.  Literally. Or else I'll send Spiral after them!"

Domo sighed.  He was used to dealing Mojo's moods.  And he knew just the thing to bring him out of it.  "If I may offer a suggestion, oh Video Master?"

Mojo seemed unresponsive, so Domo took the initiative and waved a remote in front of his face, large yellow eyes following its every move.  He turned the TV on.

"As you can see, the X-Man called Rachel Summers is engaged in quite the romantic conundrum.  Three different suitors, three different demographics.  The Prince, the Bat Boy, and the Furry.  You could get quite the audience draw with them."

"No, no, no!" Mojo ranted.  "That's a terrible idea!  We need something good!  ...Wait, I've got it!  We'll kidnap the Summers girl and her three boy toys, throw in one of our own, put it on TV.  Call it... Who Wants to Marry a Mutant!  We'll make millions!  Make it happen!  GET ME THAT PHOENIX!"

fireball:

Rufus was in the kitchen eating breakfast when he realized he had not pulled off any major mischief recently. This could not be tolerated in Rufus’s expert opinion.

After finishing up breakfast Rufus when up to his room and pulled out his planning chalkboard. He had to scrap the first plan he came up with because he wasn’t sure where he could get a backhoe on such short notice.

After going through several more plans like that it finally hit him what he should do. Uncle Scott was always telling him to think creatively and in ways that wouldn’t cause trouble.

After gathering the supplies he needed which wasn’t that hard Rufus made his way to the boy’s bathroom. It had taken him sometime to do it but with a little ingenuity he had done it. He turned the boys bathroom into a sauna. To celebrate his achievement he sat down in his bathing suit to relax.

_tsunami_:

Today was Aaron's birthday and Cait was going to make it a special day for Aaron. She started by making him breakfast with eggs, bacon, home fries and homemade muffins and serving it to him in bed. She had contacted his mom to see if she would be up for Aaron and Cait coming over for dinner. Cait was happy when she was agreeable to the idea and Cait had made arrangements to borrow one of the school's vans for the evening. Lunch would be a picnic lunch provided the weather stayed nice.

For a gift she had manage to save up to get him a Kindle and his favorite books on it. It was costly, but she had been planning this for awhile.

nextgen_misc:

The resort looked like any other Caribbean resort except for the people walking around. Some openly displayed use of their powers while others sported opening physical mutations. They laughed and talked, clearly having a good time, unaware that more sinister things were happening not far away.

When the X-Men arrive they will be greeted with smiles, but no one will have any information on their two missing members.

little_gabriel:

It had been some time since Gabriel had seen Cait and Aaron, so he was getting somewhat worried.  They were more responsible than that, to just not come back.  First thing he did was call the resort they said they were going to, but the attendant on the phone told him nobody by those names were there.  He went to go find Xavier to express his concern.

omni_absorber:

It was seven in the evening.  His target was in the kitchen, grabbing a beer.  He was on a break from training some of the other kids in the mansion, and Zak was ready to take full advantage.  He strolled into the kitchen all casual-like, trying to hide the big grin on his face.  He just watched for the moment, probably making it super awkward.

nextgen_holiday:

There were certain traditions that were kept around the holidays and then there were traditions. The annual New Year's Day snowball fight was a long standing tradition at Xavier's Institude For Higher Learning. For the past six years the girls have won the fight, but this year the boys have a new player on their side and he's one that may tip the scales in their favor.

Dawn broke over the grounds and the sun climbed into the sky. It would be a warm bright day and perfect for a snowball fight.

At high noon the players on each side gathered on opposite ends of the grounds.

nextgen_holiday:

The beginning of a New Year, a time for new hopes, new experiences to come. A time to reflect on times past, remembering fond memories happily and trying to put less pleasant thoughts and experiences in the past.

It is a time of renewal, a time of rebirth. And for much of the world, it is a time of celebration. This is no less true for the super hero set as anyone else. If anything, they just have that much bigger of things to look forward to.

nextgen_holiday:

There's a piece of paper and a pen attached to a bulletin board. Across the top is written:

New Year's Resolutions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
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+

Anonymous entries accepted.

nextgen_holiday:

Christmas. Yule. Saturnalia. Dies Natalis Solis Invicti. Many cultures have celebrated and still celebrate a winter festival. There have been many names for it over the millennia. No matter the name it is a time to come together and celebrate with feasts and gifts with friends and loved ones.

Each culture has a legendary figure who would deliver gifts to children during this time. In Russia and some Slavic cultures he is known as Ded Moroz, Grandfather Frost, and comes not on Christmas but on New Year’s along with his granddaughter Snegurochka, or ‘”Snow Maiden”. In the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe he is known as Father Christmas. In the Netherlands and Belgium he is known as Saint Nicholas or “Sinterklaas” and in France he is known as Père Noël. In the United States we know him as Santa Claus.

No matter the name or who is delivering gifts, it is the season of peace, joy and togetherness. It is the season for thinking about loved ones, friends and those less fortunate. It is a time to witness the goodness and generosity the human race is capable of. It is a time for peace on Earth and goodwill toward man.

nextgen_holiday:

“We’re here outside the Four Seasons Hotel in New York where the who’s who is gathered tonight. Celebrities, royals and superheroes have all turned out for the annual Maria Stark Foundation Winter Charity event benefiting Toys for Tots.

It’s truly an all-star gala here tonight.

New York’s own princess, Anya Stark, was seen being escorted by what appears to be her new flame, actor Austin Cain. Her brother and currently second in line to the Russian throne, Mikhail Romanov, was seen entering the party with Lyta Worthington, heiress to Worthington Industries. Tony and Natasha Stark, parents of a new baby, are making their first public appearance since the birth of their son.

Mackenzie Rider, a prince of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, is escorting Ms. Andrea Denker of the Fantastic Four tonight. Kristoff Vernard, leader of the Fantastic Four, was seen in attendance with his wife Cassandra and their son Scotty. Vincent Amorason, heir to Latveria, arrived alongside his brother and was seen escorting a member of the Defenders, Asleif Thorsdottir. The rest of the Fantastic Four are here too with their dates, though Miss Valeria Richards is not in attendance. Franklin Richards is in attendance and is escorting one Miss Gill.

Los Angeles’ own superhero team, the Defenders are in attendance as well. Arriving with her team is Grace Danvers, daughter of Hollywood hunk Simon Williams and she is being escorted by teammate, Eiltin. The two Asgardian princesses and daughters of Thor, Asleif and Aridis, are also attending the festivities with their team.
Akilah Munore, the crown princess of Wakanda, is here tonight with her steady flame, Daniel Sherwood a member of the Young Avengers. The other Young Avengers are in attendance tonight with their dates, alongside the adult Avengers.

Donald Trump arrived with his wife and is one of many other famous faces to arrive. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Hugh Jackman, Jack Nicholson, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift are just a few celebrities who have made an appearance here tonight.

It’s truly a party of the who’s who and it’s all for a great cause.”

pym_kitten:

Chris smiles to herself as she checks herself out in the mirror. The dress was a little lighter than winter called for, but it was a small price to pay. She could put together a throw or jacket to coordinate with it if she had to. For the most part though, she was done. She'd managed to find the materials she'd been looking for for the gift for her date, and her own threads were done.

Not wanting to come down from her creative high just yet, she put up a message on the bulletin board in the common area that she was taking requests on accessories for the party. She tacked on a few photos of stuff she had already made, just to pad her cred a little bit.

next_avenger:

With Charlie gone and as a male member of the Avengers, in addition to being the leader, it was up to James to uphold a few traditions that didn't have to deal with battling bad guys. Though he had to admit that he would rather be fighting bad guys than doing this. It just wasn't his thing.

He wasn't as industrious as Anya, but James had managed to collect the necessary photos. It hadn't been easy and a part of him felt like he was cheating on Val.

Invitations were sent to the Avengers, Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four, Champions, Excalibur the X-Men and the Defenders guys.

With the help of Jarvis food and drink was laid in. James made sure they had a wide variety of pizza, chips, pretzels and drinks.

He loaded the photos in and took care of the security systems. The girls were not allowed to watch. Now all that was left was people showing up.

anyastark:

Anya didn't have many traditions in her family, unless you counted being a bastard as one of them. The Avengers however did have a few time honored traditions that must be kept going. Sure saving the world from alien invasions, beating up the world level threats and other heroic things were some of those traditions, but not everything could be about beating up the bad guys. One such non-heroic thing was Rate the Hunk.

Each year the female Avengers got together and rated their fellow male Avengers. The new generation had eagerly picked up and kept this tradition going. However, they had expanded it a bit.

The day after Thanksgiving was a perfect day to avoid shopping crowds, take over the rec room, banish the males and look at pictures of them. Anya had run it last year and she took it upon herself to do it again this year. Invitations went out to fellow female heroes. Avengers, X-Women, Defenders, Champions and Thunderbolts all got invitations to come to New York to Rate the Hunk.

Food, drink and snacks were laid in. Signs were put up on the doors and electronic surveillance was set up to see if males dared to interrupt.

Anya settled in on one of the couches and queued up the stash of photos she had collected in the past year.

nextgen_holiday:

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." JFK

In America today is a day for being thankful for the things in people's lives. Today was a day to celebrate family, friends, prosperity and health with food, family and friends. It is a time to reflect on what is important us and to recognize the gratitude we hold for having those things in our lives.

nextgen_holiday:

All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween as it has been come to be called, is a popular holiday with children and adults alike. It is a holiday that had its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain or Summer's End. Samhain celebrated the end of the "lighter half" of the year and the beginning of the "darker half".

On this evening the barriers between this world and the Otherworld were believed to be thin and the spirits, good and bad, of the dead could pass through. The spirits of the family's ancestors were welcomed in while evil and bad spirits were warded off by the wearing of masks and costumes. The costumes and masks disguised one as a harmful spirit and avoided harm from others.

It was also a harvest celebration and time to take stock of food stores for the winter. Livestock were slaughtered and the meat prepared for storage. It was the final harvest of the year and the crops were then stored for the winter. Celebrations included bonfires and tales of the family's ancestors.

It was a celebration of the dead and of the harvest.

Today we dress up in scary and not so scary costumes and masks and go door to door for candy or attend costume parties. It is a night for revelry, pranks and fun.

nextgen_citizen:

The warehouse down on the docks looked deserted and it was the perfect place to goof off and cause trouble, at least to Tommy Stackhouse and Johnny Crane. The two boys had been looking for a place to hang out for some time now and when they spotted the warehouse it looked like the perfect place.

The two boys approached the warehouse and stacked a few crates that had been nearby to get up to a window. Tommy slipped in first and then Johnny followed him. They were unaware that they had set off a silent alarm, but they were too busy staring at what was inside the warehouse.

It was Christmas, a birthday and winning the lottery all in one.

About twenty minutes later police and company security officials would arrive, but they were too late to stop twenty of the drones that had been inside from taking off and blasting through the roof.

Tommy and Johnny had ran as soon as they could and the authorities missed them by a mere minute.

nextgen_holiday:

The air was warm and the sun was bright making it a perfect day for a cookout to celebrate Labor Day. Classes would start on the 7th (for those going to college they started a week ago) and it was the last chance to kick back and cut loose before hitting the books.

At Xavier's Institute For Higher Learning tables had been placed out around the pool and the large grill fired up. Burgers, hot dogs, sausage, ribs, corn on the cob, pasta salad, salad and fruit salad were just some of the food available to eat. Soda, water, fruit juice and other beverages were on ice.

It was a day of rest and relaxations for those who put their lives on the line for others.

son_of_discord:

Joey's been working on this idea of his for several months, since he managed to get someone to tell him Rose's birthday. The plan has changed several times over the last couple of months, but when Joey finally decided exactly what to do for her birthday, he'd gone all in with the plot.

( Read more... )

nextgen_citizen:

Torn Ear's whiskers twitch as he braces himself. He's fairly sure he's doing things correctly this time. Flowers instead of a fresh kill. He bathed himself*. He'd even decided to try out human clothing. The chosen one Pym girl had given him a pair of hide pants that would even fit his tail; leather she called it, if he remembers correctly. The four-armed human, Silvee, had given him a very pretty shirt too. It was a bit snug, but the color was nice and vivid. To top it all off, he'd even picked out a face with the illusion-maker that he found satisfactory.

He knocked at Red-fur Rachel's door.


*And for the record, 'bathing' himself involved water and scrubbing stones in one of those indoor giant white bowls the humans seemed to enjoy.

indigogirl:

Gretchen needed it. She really needed it.

So she'd asked around among the Alternate-Xavier's kids (she should probably keep trying to stop thinking of it like that), touched on all the conversational points that made Rose more likely to go along with something, and was currently seated in a lovely little establishment that reputedly had great Asian barbecue as well.

Gott in Himmel, they had everything. Even the LeBlanc cover of the song she was looking for. That was good. She liked the more upbeat tempo, although she tended to sing the original, cleaner lyrics.

So the lighting near the little 'stage' area dimmed a bit as Gretchen strutted up for a very enthusiastic rendition of "The Lord Knows I'm Drinking."

mrfixit:



Arthur strolled up to the lab, pressed the buttons he was instructed to and the doors opened for him. He examined the area in the lab and rooms within the lab. He dug through the scraps and the chalk board, poking at the prototypes planning to be made. Then he reached into the pocket of the shorts given to him by Xavier, until he goes shopping for more. He pulled out a piece of paper. 

When he was in the lab in his universe, on his spare time he began learning about machinery and the parts, beginning to blueprint a suit he was planning to make for combat purposes. He looked at the skematics and then around at the lab. He'd have enough experience with the scientist. He could build the suit himself. He almost jumped for glee when he realized and maybe he could finish in time before going for his sister, just in case. 

He sat at a Drafting table he saw nearby and started examining his sketch and correcting any mistakes while listing all the parts he would need. He didn't see anyone in the lab so he didn't think anyone would mind

mishaloganovich:

Misha flew back to New York after his overnight stop in Moscow to see Mom and Grandpa Ivan. He was there only long enough to shower and change before he packed the stealth suit into Darlene’s trunk and headed out to the institute. He didn’t see Justin at the penthouse, so he left a voice mail saying he wanted to get together and talk. Stark’s words were still fresh and Misha was smart enough to at least explore the idea the man had about asking for Justin’s help in tracking down Weapon X.

On his way home, he stopped at the pizza place in Salem Center to order two dozen pizzas to take back. While they had a hard time getting delivery at the Institute, the place was happy to do carryout orders for them. He was the main culprit for carryout at the institute, and always willing to share.

Arriving home, he carried it all into the dining room and put out the call that there was food and it was getting cold.

mrfixit:

 
Arthur Pittman Dane-Drake took a deep breath before he approached the gate. It might of looked weird to anyone else that he didn't have any bags, just his body-suit that  he should go surfing with. He stretched and took a deep breath again, he was nervous...but he needed to stop stalling because his sister was the most important thing to him right now and he was her rescue.

He began to ring the bell numerous times. He hoped they were inviting...or he'll be on his own. Or going bak to Gio.

marvel_girl:

Galactus was gone, Chandrillar had been saved.  The Throneworld of the Shi'ar Empire and its royals were safe.  Saved by the efforts of the X-Men and the former guardian of the M'krann Crystal, the Phoenix.

The Phoenix, bonded to Rachel Summers of Earth, daughter of Scott Summers and Jean Grey, the former host of the Phoenix, counterpart of another Rachel Summers who had also hosted a measure of the Phoenix's power.

The same Phoenix the Shi'ar had tried to kill or enslave numerous times.  The same Phoenix a rogue faction of the Shi'ar had so feared, they'd tried to kill the entire Grey family and would have, if not for the timely intervention of the X-Men.

As Rachel rejoined the others, still surrounded by a corona of cosmic flame, she could feel the unease from... well, virtually the entire world.

nextgen_cosmic:

Since his universe had ended and this one had begun, Galactus had fed.  His hunger had driven him, given him cause and purpose throughout the universe, in a way that the mortals who inhabited it would never understand.  He did not feed out of malice or even joy, he simply fed.  They tried to give motivations for him, but he was beyond their understanding, as necessary an element to the cosmos as Eternity and Death, the balancing point between those two extremes.

His feet touched the ground of Throneworld, and the whole of the populace seemed to tremble in fear.  Sharra and K'ythiri were called out for, but the gods of the Shi'ar would have no place here.  Here was only the Great Devourer of Worlds.  Here was only Galactus, assembling his terrible machine with which he would consume the lifeforce of the planet.

Galactus was.

nextgen_cosmic:

The small ship dropped out of hyperspace, but had it arrived too late?  The usual space traffic that surrounded the Shi'ar Throneworld of Chandrilar was light, and what few ships remained were either warships, now actively engaged in battle, or trying to flee the immediate area.

What dominated their field of vision was a ship who's geometry was utterly alien, almost seeming to not exist in quite the same space as everything else.  Taa II, the worldship of Galactus, Devourer of Worlds.  Galactus himself, for the moment, was nowhere in sight, but as close to the planet as the ship had come, it would not be long.  Unless the X-Men could do something, the Shi'ar Empire's days were likely numbered.

death_wings:

Deathwing landed just outside of the gate entrance to Xavier's, and he pressed the buzzer to let the X-Men know he was there.  But he wasn't there to join them.  That was far from his goal.  Instead, Deathwing planned to cause some chaos.

nextgen_shiar:

It was a modified kjethya scoutcraft. Big enough for passengers, but still small and simple enough for one man to fly.

Or, in this case, one seventeen-year-old princeling.  His Imperial Highness Starbridge Xavier Neramani hadn't been to the planet he was now orbitting since three summers ago. Various formal duties and complications had kept getting in the way of his visits with his father.

The father for whom he was mentally calling as his ship came screeching into the upstate New York sky. Starbridge managed to land safely at the Institute's designated area, but it was close. And until he'd gotten help, nothing counted as 'safe' anyway.

anyastark:

As always, Anya knew exactly what to get Prince Dork for his birthday. Gifts for him were never hard. Others, like Mom, on the other hand were almost impossible to buy for. The Dork didn't need anything for Darlene or his motorcycle, so she went with something else he loved.

The New York Mets.

Luckily they were playing in New York on the Dork's birthday this year. Coordinating with Lyta, the girlfriend (hee hee the Dork had a girlfriend and one Anya liked), they came up with A Plan. Lyta would distract the Dork and get him to the stadium. Lyta also was responsible for telling the X-ers and making sure they knew The Plan.

The Plan was simple.

Get to the stadium three hours before the game and join battling practice with the team. Then dinner in the private box before the game, and then watch the game from the private box. Snacks and drinks would be served all night.

It would be the perfect birthday for Prince Dork.

She informed the other Brother Dork, Eliza, Dad and Mom of the plans. Mom excused herself from the activity and said she would have lunch with Prince Dork tomorrow. Which if Misha saw Mom, he would send her right home. She looked exhausted today and it was best that she stayed home. She wasn't sure if Eliza and Dad would make it, but the other Brother Dork was going.

She got ready and grabbed James. They arrived at the stadium before everyone else.

omni_absorber:

Zak rolled over off of his bed, and his the floor with a large 'clunk'.  "Uhh."  He shook his eyes and opened his eyes.  He didn't really feel anything except slightly different textures, which was odd.  He didn't put two and two together yet.  It took him awhile to get up off of the floor, and he headed into the hallways and down to the bathroom.  Some of the other students gave him strange looks.  "What'chu lookin' at?" he barked.  He also gave some angry or irritated grunts.  He didn't understand what was wrong with people that morning.

And then he looked in the mirror.  "OH SHIT!!" he shouted.  He was easily heard when he shouted.  And he had every right to.  His body had taken on the properties of different objects, without his permission.  Some of the materials his body was mimicing he hadn't touched in ages, or even on the planet.  "Shitshitshit!"