Excelsior!

[Jessie Grey XM]

Jessie let her spirit drift away from the realities of her existence taking her to somewhere she just felt at peace. For some the emptiness of space was a place of darkness and depression. For others it was a place of intrigue but for Jessie it felt like home. After all she was born of sorts here so why wouldn't it be?

She let her mind drift as she felt everything from the planet earth she had just departed to a nearby sun storm. While she floated there her mind also started to think about all her questions.....And there were many. While her sisters and Emma had been of some help she really needed the guidance of one person and she knew when the time was right they would speak.

[The Phoenix Force]

It was not Jean Grey's time to walk this world once more, but part of what made her who she was flew freely in space. In reality this was merely a portion of its totality, but the Phoenix Force--in whole or in part--was still a glory to behold.

Solar flares and asteroid fields were nothing for such a primal force of creation to concern itself with, and in many ways she reveled in the beauties of this galaxy as she wove in and out of planetary belts and star systems. The Phoenix Force drew strength from all creation, and now, more than ever, she needed to be strong. Dark days were ahead for all worlds, and the Phoenix knew she would play a part in this world's salvation one day.

The raptor cried out as she felt not one but two of her children nearby. One had flown towards the third planet from Sol, the daughter of not only itself but of the Earth Goddess The Morrigu as well. The fiery bird then turned and flew toward the other presence and hovered there, watching all the while as the woman known as Jessie Grey took in the beauty of this place as well.

[Jessie Grey XM]

Jessie had hovered there stretching out her powers as she felt the universe all around her. While her powers grew she listened to everything around her but she was taken back by a very familiar presence. Fitting as it was this presence that gave her this life. {"Hello mother."} She said in a very loving tone.

[The Phoenix Force]

{{My beloved daughter}} the raptor said back to Jessie as they both hovered in space. it did not take much for the Phoenix Force to know what had transpired on the piece of ground called Muir Island. {{It saddens me that those who do not understand us try to kill us once more. For I am a part of you as much as I am of Jean Grey or her other children, and I can feel all that you go through, even though the cold depths of space separate us}}

The raptor screeched as it felt the pain radiating from her children below them and then turned to look at Jessie. {{What brings you here, my daughter? Ar e you injured? Or do you just seek the quiet of the place where you were born? I may not have human arms to comfort you, but I will comfort you as best a mother can}}

[Jessie Grey XM]

{"Your presence here speaks more then enough mother."}She responded as Jessie floated closer. {"It is very sad.....So much loss on this day I felt as though I needed to come here to get a hold of things. This life is still so new to me."} She said as she looked at her mother. {"It's a lot to understand and a lot of memories I am still realizing even now.....So much I want to share but I know it might change things on this plain."}

[The Phoenix Force]

{{Every move of every soul on that world affects everyone else}} The Phoenix replied as she looked at Jessie. {{Even now, as we hover here in the vast cradle of this universe, there are those who seek to destroy what your family below has struggled to build. And that family--mutant and mystic--has much that it must fight for. Love. Friendship. Those things that are to be treasured. The child you all came to protect will need you and your siblings more as days go forward. I pray that you are all ready for that challenge}}

The raptor flapped its wings as it gazed at the blue-green planet below and then looked to Jessie once more. {{What of Emma Frost and Scott Summers? How did they take to your arrival on this world?}}

[Jessie Grey XM]

"They have been accepting although I can feel Emma's concern....If she really knew what I've seen of her own experiences with the same power. I have memories of her doing great good....But I understand why she would be concerned from her own experiences." Jessie responded as she looked at her mother with a smile.

"I've also been experiencing so much since I arrived here. I feel like every day my powers grow and with my boyfriend with me It's been a enjoyable experience learning about my new home."

[The Phoenix Force]

There was a part of the Phoenix that railed at the name Emma Frost. The girls called the Stepford Cuckoos had been grown from the eggs of Frost by a man named Sublime for the sole purpose of controlling the cosmic entity. Frost herself had been a host for the Phoenix in this world, but that had ended in near disaster when the Shi'ar tried to intervene. If not for the resurrected Jean Grey, the day would have been lost.

{{The Emma Frost of this world is no fan of what we are. She blames our very being for the death of other children of her lineage. Be careful, my child, and do not let that cause you pain. Pain and sorrow are what lead to the darker path}}

As The Phoenix Force thought of all that had happened because of Emma Frost in this world, and all that could happen as well, the raptor grew agitated. She did not want any of her children to suffer at Frost's hands.

{{We are greater than the totality of all creation. You are a goddess among children. You have the power to shape this world. The power to do great good. do not forget that}}

[Jessie Grey XM]

"I know mother I can feel even with her worry Emma does love me I just think as time goes on it will be easier." Jessie responded to her mother. She was speaking from her heart but a part of her knew the entity was right about Emma.

{"Mother at times it's hard not to free myself and allow myself to do exactly that. The love in my life has been part of what has kept me grounded. I only wish I knew how to share it with him......Ewan has been a godsend to me.....I see so much love in him."}

[The Phoenix Force]

The Phoenix had to pull up the memories of another as she searched for who this Ewan was. It was only through her alliance with the Earth Goddess The Morrigan that she knew of the MacFeorais clan to the degree that she did.

{{Ewan. The one who walks in sorrow but does not let it show. A child of darkness who has always struggled to stay in the light and grounded among his siblings. There are those among the X-Men who understand as little about him or his family as they do about us. I pray that he does give you the love and strength you will need to weather the times ahead. The child you all sought to protect will be a beacon to you all. May you all use that light to forge a new path in an uncertain world}}

The cosmic raptor stopped for a moment and felt an unholy pull at what would be considered a heart by mortal men. Forces she could sense were moving in the shadows, and her pain, despair and anger started radiate to out to Jessie and all of her children on the orb below. {{They will never understand us. None of them will}}

[Jessie Grey XM]

{"He loves me mother and I love him. The connection we share is one I've never felt with anyone......He's my soul mate."}


Jessie floated in front of the Phoenix like a child listening to it's parent. She felt the pain, the sadness, the anger that her mother was feeling as it radiated to her. She knew these feelings all to well but the line Jessie and her family walked was thin. At times the line between good and evil, right and wrong was murky.

"I know mother.....I know with time some of them will understand.....I just wish they knew."

[The Phoenix Force]

There was a time that the Phoenix Force knew what love was. It was during the time she took the form of Jean Grey and learned love in the arms of Scott Summers. Indeed, at times she missed that part of her existence. That is why she caused grief and pain for this world's X-Men in recent years after Jean's death as she tried to resurrect her earthly avatar much too soon and caused the woman once called Marvel Girl to go to the White Hot Room to collect the pieces of herself.

{{There is a period in this world where mutants ruled supreme above all. It was the rule of the House of Magnus. Since that time, one descimated the mutant population, and the rest of the world has seen fit to try and kill of your entire race. To kill off all of my children. Mutant. Witchbreed. All of you}}

The raptor grew more agitated as she thought of the lives lost on this world because of hatred and insanity. The flames of the cosmic firebird grew brighter as it could not contain its pain and anger any longer.

{{Those of this Earth once thought of our kind as angels. Protectors. Ask your Ewan. He can tell you because he saw it. But now they see us as demons. We cannot let this happen}}

If a being of fire could truly cry, then those who could discern them likely would have seen The Phoenix cry as she thought of the pain of her children below.

{{You must be prepared to fight at all costs, my daughter}}

[Jessie Grey XM]

Jessie searched her soul and knew what her mother said was true. She thought about Ewan and what would have been had they not met. She floated in closer feeling the anger and power radiating from her mother.

"What should I do mother?" She said asking the entity in front of her to guide her.

[The Phoenix Force]

A part of the Phoenix wanted to rip the uneducated souls of this world assunder for what they had done to her children. She spoke more of modern mutants and ancient Witchbreed than of the Children of the Night, but now that her daughter was one and loved one, she could not let them suffer as well.

{{You must teach the wayward souls of this world a lesson. Use my pain as a means to make you stronger. They must not wipe your family from this world}}

The Phoenix let her strength flow to Jessie as if feeding a fire. {{Not all may understand at first, but you must show them the way}}

[Jessie Grey XM]

The woman listened to her mother as the celestial entity shared it's concerns with her daughter. The fiery psionic listened to everything her mother said both verbally and emotionally.


Her mother was in much pain and anger over what had transpired. No matter what the X-Men did to try to better the world there were always those that felt they were a disease, unpure and unfit to live. A notion that was both unacceptable and downright sickening and the Phoenixs hatred of what had happened was echoed in her daughter even more so.


Jessie had some good memories since arriving to the X mansion but among those joyful memories ones of pain and sadness filled the void and with that came feelings of helplessness. Of wanting to protect but even with her powers being unable to do so.


In the darkness she found her soul mate. Someone who knew all too well what she was going through. Ewan had been a godsend to her. The vampire had helped her find meaning in that sea of hate. But even with Ewan she needed more. The Children of the Phoenix always had a special connection with the entity but for Jessie it was unique. She was as much fire as she was flesh and blood being the direct spawn of the Phoenix and she always felt the strongest connection to her, even more so then Jean or Emma both of which had been touched by the Phoenix in different ways.


Too many of the X-Men both mutant and mystic had fallen, too much innocent blood had been shed.....it was time to stop this and to bring peace to all of it.


When her mother opened herself up to her daughter everything fell into place. Everything made sense. The balance would be restored, those that threatened her family, both direct and extended would now feel a hell never before seen. She would be both protector and destroyer.


As the flames grew around her she went through a evolution. The uniform she had been wearing turned to ash and blew into the space surrounding her. The flames spread around her body as her naked frame was covered in Black. As the flames spread further around her traces of gold could be seen until she was clad in the garb of the Phoenix made infamous by many of her family but unlike them hers was Black and Gold. The uniform fit to her body like a second skin. Her hair had turned Black as the darkness around them. Her eyes were pure flame.


She floated in the embrace of her mother as feelings both of anger and joy echoed outwards. She was feeling things that even before she had never felt. She wanted to reach out to those she loved but right now her focus was on her mother and now.


Jessie had come of age.


{"Mother I promise you that I will bring the peace and protection our family needs and those that stand in the way of that will turn to ash and scattered to the winds."} She said with a voice that sounded different, more mature, one with purpose.