Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:21:26 +1030
From: Ben Harvey <scifi_fanboy@hotmail.com>
Subject: X-Force 3 (Celebrity)

Disclaimer:

All of the standard disclaimers apply. The X-men are the property of
Marvel, and I take no credit for the creation of their characters, only my
own. This is a fanfiction, therefore anything dicontinuous to the normal
X-men universe, including sexuality of the characters, is the product of my
imagination. Any similarities to real people or events is completely
coincidental.

This story contains male/male sex and romance. If you find either theme
offensive, what are you doing reading nifty stories? And if you are
underage or this story is illegal where you are reading, please leave. But
if you chose to ignore this warning, it's your own fault!

Thank-you to everyone who has read X-Force so far. I'm sorry about any
accidental screw-ups with grammer and formatting, but I promise that I'm
trying my very best to get everything right.

I've decided that for the sake of the upcoming storyline the remainder of
the story will be told in the third-person.


Chapter Three - Future Tense

Remiel St.Cloud sat cross-legged on a disc of telekinetic energy, suspended
ten feet off of the ground. Two dozen tennis-ball sized spheres of liquid
mercury orbitted the young mutant, their motion and defiance of gravity
provided by his psychic talents. Their reflective surfaces mirrored the
spartan environment that the Danger Room provided. The low ambient light of
the domed room refracted off of the liquid metal, casting Remiel in an
almost etherial glow.

The Danger Room's tall metallic doors hissed open and five new figures
entered the wide empty space. The first was Jean Gray, a tall, slender
woman with long red hair that cascaded down her shoulders, enhanced
dramatically by her pale skin. Next to her walked Scott Summers, her
husband, and leader of the X-Men. His body was powerful, but lithe, covered
in firm, defined muscles that showed through the tight combat suit he
wore. Behind the powerful couple where three of Remiel's closest
friends. Noriko Ashida, or Nori as everyone called her, David Alleyne and
finally, John, Remiel's boyfriend.

Remiel's fiery young lover was wearing a pair of tight blue jeans and a
form-fitting black sleevless shirt. His feathery blonde hair was layered
chaotically, giving him a perpetually scruffy look.

"Good morning Remiel," Scott said, leading the group across the Danger
Room.

"Good morning Scott," Remiel replied without breaking his focus on the
metallic spheres. "Everyone".

"I see that your training is progressing smoothly," Scott said, observing
the display of telekinetic talent.

Remiel smiled, "Is it any wonder, with that slave-driver of your's teaching
me?"

"Slave-driver!?" Jean mocked indignation. "I'll have you know that most
students thank me for keeping such a regulated training program".

John made a not-so-subtle coughing sound that greatly resembled
"NERDS". Jean turned to glare at him and he smiled innocently.

"Anyway," Nori declared loudly in an attempt to diffuse the situation,
"haven't you got something you need to tell Remiel, Scott?"

"Yes. Remiel can you come down, please?" Scott watched as Remiel opened his
eyes and the metallic spheres dissipated. The young mutant floated down
smoothly and landed in front of Scott without making a sound. "Good. I've
talked with the Professor and we both agree that you're ready to join
everyone else on active field duty as of now".

"What?" Remiel's face broke into a wide grin.

"That's right baby-boy", John called, catching Remiel in a head-lock and
ruffing up his hair. "As of now, you're a full-fledged X-man!"

"And you know what this means!" Nori started.

"Party!" David yelled out.

Jean and Scott stood back as all three of Remiel's friends decended on him
and hauled him out of the Danger Room in a chorus of laughter and noise.

"It's hard to believe he's only been with us for six weeks," Scott said.

"I know. He's come so far," Jean said. "I don't say this often, but I think
that that young man really is something special".

"How do you mean?"

"Come on Scott. How many other mutants go from having Class Two and Three
abilities to being Class Four across the board?"

"I'm guessing, not many".

"Try none, Scott. In all of my years of teaching here, I've never seen a
mutant come as far as he has in such a short span of time".

Scott sighed. "Well, I guess we're lucky to have him on our side".

"You bet your porn stash we're lucky. That kid is going places".


******


"Okay," Nori announced, dragging Remiel behind her as she walked through
the sub-basement. "Now that you are an official X-man, you need a codename,
and a uniform, and a cake!"

"Yes," David snorted, "because you clearly need more sugar".

Nori stuck her tongue out at him as she continued walking. "Let's
see. You're a Psi, so how about Brainwave? Or Psion? Maybe Mindwalker?"

The small group of friends finally arrived at their destination; a medium
sized room that housed a series of lockers set into the walls and a raised
dias in the centre. Nori quickly hefted Remiel onto the dias and grabbed a
small hand-held device that resembled a palm-pilot. She looked up at him
expectantly.

"What?" he asked, looking bewildered.

"Well, strip!"

"Excuse me!?"

John sighed and stepped forward, taking the device from Nori. "It's a
holographic tactile overlay. We're going to use it to design you a uniform
that you feel comfortable in, but we need you to strip down to your
underware for it to work".

"Oh," Remiel nodded before turning to Nori. "Now that makes sense. Why
couldn't you have just said that?"

"Whatever," Nori said, rolling her eyes.

Remiel quickly removed the sweat-shirt and track-pants he was wearing,
exposing the rippling muscles of his cut swimmer's build.

"Damn!" David let out a low whistle. "No wonder you got Johnny so whipped".

"I am not whipped!"

"Whipped!" Nori laughed

"Whatever!" John said as he fiddled with the small device.

Light shone up from beneath Remiel as the dias activated. A black uniform
materialised over his semi-naked form with a sound that was a cross between
a hiss and a buzz. The uniform was made of a material similar to that of
leather that hugged his body like a second skin. Every inch of Remiel's
skin was covered, from his boots and gloves, to his high collar.

"I don't know guys. I'm not sure I like being covered up. I kind of feel a
little restrained".

"That's no problem," John announced, tapping the device a few times.

The high collar disappeared, along with the sleeves and gloves.

"Better?"

"Much, thanks. Mind if I have a play around with it?".

John tossed him the remote and took a seat on a nearby bench. "So what
about the name. Have you given that any thought?"

"I don't know. What are yours?"

John smiled, "Pyro".

"That's kind of sexy," Remiel said, giving John a coy smile.

"Oh God. Get a room!" David groaned, "and it's Prodigy by the way".

"Surge!" Nori shouted, thrusting her hand in the air like she was answering
a question in class.

Remiel continued to fiddle with the controls, adjusting the unifrom in a
number of variations. "I was thinking maybe going for something angelic, on
account of being named after an angel already".

"That could work," David said. "How about Longinus?"

"The guy who stabbed Jesus?" John asked, eyebrows raised. "How about we not
name my boyfriend after the guy who killed Christ".

"Seraphim?" Nori offered. "I'm not sure what it means but I think it has
something to do with angels".

"Yeah. The Seraphim are the highest order of angels. They're like the
person bodyguards of God," David answered. "They also have three pairs of
wings".

"So?" John asked.

"So..." David looked at him with an expression of mild annoyance. "Your
boyfriend has three psychic powers".

A look of realisation crossed John's face. "Right. I get it now".

"I like it, but I think that it's a bit of a mouthfull".

"Then shorten it to Seraph," David reasoned.

"What do you think babe?" John asked.

"I think it's a match made in heaven," Remiel said. "Now what do you think
of my uniform?"

The three older members of the X-men refocussed their attention on the
newest recruit. A shiver ran up John's spine as he surveyed his lover's
attire. Remiel was wearing a tight pair of black pants and a pair of SWAT
style combat boots. His upper body was covered by a sleeveless vest that
sported a wide hood that was pushed back over his neck. The vest hung open,
revealing a singlet that was fashioned from rows of interlocking metal
rings that afforded a great deal of protection while still revealing the
fine contours of his chest and stomach. His hands and wrists were covered
in a pair of fingerless gloves with an added wrist guard. Finishing the
uniform was a wide leather belt with a circular belt buckle emblazed with a
stylised 'X'.

"I always knew you had in ironic streak," John said.

"How's that?" Remiel asked, smirking.

"Because you may be named after an angel, but all that uniform does is make
me want to live in sin".


******


The night air stired slowly, driven by a force beyond the laws of time and
space. The strong scent of ozone wafted across the parking lot as arcs of
electrical energy lashed out against the cold tar. A violent tearing sound
rent the air and from within the focal point of the disturbance, a metallic
sphere began to grow. Electricity poured from it's mirrored form as it
continued to expand. Its growth slowed and finally stopped when its
diameter reached two meters. Suspeneded two feet above the ground by some
invisible force, it remained completely still, the hazy forms of the few
remaining cars reflected in its polished metallic surface. Seconds passed
and as suddenly as it had appeared, the sphere melted into nothingness,
leaving the naked form of a young man to fall to the ground.

Seconds bled into minutes before he began to stir. He stood slowly, moving
with measured precision. An azure glow radiated from his cobalt coloured
eyes as the young man surveyed his surroundings.

He stood roughly in the center of an expansive parking lot, bordered by
roads on three sides. On the last side stood a large shopping center. In
the corner of the lot, a tall clock tower stood out against the night
sky. 2:23 am. With the exception of a half dozen empty cars, the immediate
area was deserted.

Taking off at a brisk jog, the young man made his way to the entrance to
the shopping center. Its glass doors were locked and a large metal
barricade had been extended across the inside of the entrance. The sound of
warping metal rang out as he extended his hand towards the
barrier. Molecules were rent from one-another by the temporal sheer that
extended from his palm, effortlessly ripping the obsticle aside and leaving
only a circular aperture behind.

He stepped through the new opening and made his way along the prominade,
glancing through the windows. Finally stopping in front of a men's clothing
store, the young man again extended his hand towards the glass. The glass
warped and shattered as the sheer extended. Once the sheer had finished
it's task, the azure glow behind the stranger's eyes faded, leaving only
the cobalt blue behind.

Time to get to work.


******


The party was in full swing. Every member of the X-men had managed to cram
themselves into the small function room that Xavier had set aside for
Remiel's graduation celebration.

"Remmy!" A young woman shouted from across the room.

Remiel turned from the small group he'd been conversing with. Spotting the
origin of the voice, his face broke into a wide smile.

"Robyn!" He shouted back, waving the fiery red-head over.

Squeezing through a small break in the crowd, she crossed the room and
wrapped her arms around him. Remiel hugged her back before holding her at
arms length to examine her closely. She'd changed in the six weeks since
they'd been brought to the school. They'd tried to stay close but between
Remiel's extensive training and Robyn's classes, the pair hadn't seen each
other in over a month. Her deep red hair had taken on a soft feathery
quality that caused it to dance from side-to-side as she moved. The hard
edge Robyn had developed during her years on the street was still there,
but it had receeded, allowing her natural beauty shine through.

"I'm so glad you're here. I've missed you so much!" Remiel said, pulling
her back into a rib-cracking hug.

"Oh, come on. Like I'd miss your graduation," she returned with a smile.

"Here, I'd like you to meet some people," Remiel declared, pulling her into
the group he'd been talking to. "This is David, Nori and Josh".

"It's nice to finally meet you. Whenever Remmy and I manage to see each
other, he has nothing but nice things to say about all of you. It is just a
pity that we haven't been able to meet face to face until now".

"We're very sorry to have kept him away for so long," Josh said. "It's just
that initial training is so intensive that it really doesn't leave any time
for socializing. Now that Remiel's a full-fledged X-man, he'llhave a lot
more free time".

Robyn smiled at Josh, and Remiel noticed that her cheeks reddened ever so
slightly.

"Remiel! There you are," Jean announced. "I've been looking for you
everywhere".

Remiel turned to observe her making her way through the crowd, two people
in tow. The first was a young asian woman with violet hair that hung just
below her shoulders. Her movements were smooth and elegent, consealing what
Remiel recognised immediately as deadly strength. The appearance of the
second person could only be described as demonic. Every peice of exposed
flesh was covered in fine blue hairs. His ears were pointed and swishing
behind him was a long slender blue tail.

"Kurt!" Robyn waved.

"Young Robyn," the blue man replied, sweeping into a polite bow. "It is
good seeing you again".

Jean nodded towards the pair and began introductions. "Remiel, this is
Elizabeth Braddock and Kurt Wagner. They've both been on assignment for the
X-men and have only just returned to the school".

"Please. Call me Betsy," the young asian woman said in a fluent british
accent.

"Remiel," he said, taking the hand she offered. "Forgive me, but if you
have both only just returned, how is it that Robyn and you have already met
Mr. Wagner?"

"Ah," the demonic X-man grinned, revealing pointed teeth. "We met earlier
today, ja. In the garden".

"Well it's nice to meet you".

"Well then Remiel, please forgive my curiosity, but a certain individual
who shall remain nameless," Betsy said, giving a not-so-subtle look at
Jean, "refused to inform us of our newest comrades mutant capabilities. I
think the phrase she used was 'wait and see'".

"Ja. I must say, I too am curious," Kurt added.

"I'm afraid then, that you will have to 'wait and see'," John said,
emerging from the crowd and wrapping his arms around Remiel from
behind. Placing his head on Remiel's shoulder, John smirked at Betsy, "but
I can tell you that my man is extremely talented".

Everyone laughed with the exception of Jean, who just frowned.

"St. John Allerdyce I swear, you are anything but," Kurt declared.

"What?" John blushed. "All I said was that he's extremely talented -- which
he is -- it's not my fault you took it the wrong way".

Their renewed laughter was cut short by a sharp telepathic burst.

<All X-men to the War Room immediately!>


******


Remiel sat next to John and David in the back seat of the SUV. Nobody was
speaking, leaving him to organise his thoughts. A temporal distortion the
likes of which the Professor had never seen before. Time. An unbreakable
law of the universe and someone had shattered it completely. Remiel
trembled at the prospect of facing off against whoever had that kind of
power. And that's exactly what they were about to do. Everyone.

His hand unconsciously found John's and their fingers interlocked. John was
trembling too.

<Remiel. I need you to do something for me> Jean's thoughts touched his
own.

<What do you need?>

<Everyone's afraid of what we might find once we reach Salem Center> Jean
explained. <I need you to use your empathy to calm everyone down>.

<Jean, I'm not sure I can do that. I mean, I'm terrified of what we're
going to find. You saw the data. Whoever did this can play with space and
time like their nothing more than cheap chinese toys. How the hell am I
supposed to calm everyone down!>

<Please Remiel. I need for you to do this. If this guy turns out to be an
enemy, we need for everyone to be on top of their game>.

Remeil sighed before replying; <I'll try>.

Closing his eyes, he reached out with his mutant powers. Centering on
himself, Remiel pushed aside his fear and focussed on the feelings of calm
and contentment he experienced whenever he was rapped up in John's strong
arms with the early morning light shining through the window. The feelings
of love when they kissed. Of pride when John praised him. The emotions
welled up and flooded him, purging the darkness of fear and
anxiety. Slowly, his emotion trickled through the links he forged with his
comrades, germination their own feelings. Scott's courage bloomed and
flooded back through the link, awakening the dormant pride in Noriko, which
sparked the suppressed love in David, which releasing the pent-up lust of
Josh. The network of emotions cascaded back and forth between the three
vehicles and their passengers, banishing the fear.

Remiel's muscles relaxed, suprising their owner who had no memory of
tensing up. His powers receded, leaving everyone ready for the
confrontation ahead.

<You did good kid> Jean thought <You did good>.


******


The three SUVs came screeching to a halt and the X-men emptied out of the
vehicles and onto the pavement.

"Remember everyone, we are here to detain and question, peaceful is
possible," Scott paused, "by force if nescessary".

"Then we're going to have a problem," a voice sounded behind them, "because
I'm not going with you and you are not going to stop me".

Eleven pairs of eyes turned and beheld the young man standing on top of one
of the SUVs. He stood at 6" with his legs spread out in a fighting
stance. His medium length feathery blond hair was layered and swayed
slightly in the slight breeze. The clothes he was wearing were simple; a
pair of jeans and boots, a t-shirt and a canvas military jacket.

"Identify yourself!" Scott ordered, while everyone else took up a wide
combat formation, forming a semi-circle with the stranger at the center.

"I will warn you once," the stranger said, ignoring Scott's question
entirely, "and make no mistake, even this warning is a courtesy; stay out
of my way. My mission here is of vital importance and I will not allow you
to interfere. Leave now, and you will not be harmed, stay and you will be
given no quarter".

"We do not respond well to threats".

The stranger smiled. "As I said before, this is a warning. I don't make
threats".

"In either case, your terms are unacceptable," Scott pressed. "Surrender,
and once we have determined that you pose no threat you will be released,
but we cannot allow you to leave here".

"I have neither the time nor the patience to squander on your childish
persuits. I am leaving now, attempt to prevent my departure at your own
peril".

"Prodigy?" Scott called.

"His mind is shielded," came David's reply.

"Seraph, Phoenix, Psylocke. Now!" Scott ordered.

All three psychics lashed out with the most powerful telepathic assualts
they could muster, hoping that the combined strength of their suprise
attack would shatter the stranger's mental guards. But there was
nothing. When the trio assualted the stranger, it was as if he were a blank
slate. No thoughts. No memory. No emotions. Just a distinct absence of
everything.

"You really shouldn't have tried that," the stranger said.

The stranger turned Remiel and their eyes met. Cobalt blue eyes that began
to glow. Remiel felt a icy sensation shoot up his spine and the stranger
lept into the air, carried by some invisible force.

Scott's optic blast glanced off of an invisible barrier, casting the entire
parking lot in a scarlet glow. The reflected beam struck Logan and sent him
skidding across the ground. As soon as the stranger landed outside of the
X-men's circle, he repayed Scott with an azure optic blast of his own.

Nori lept over Scott's fallen form and unleashed the full force of her
mutant power. Arcs of electrical energy lept throught the air, but the
stranger merely held out his palm and absorbed the power directed at
him. He suddenly became a blur, moving with inhuman speed across the short
distance between Nori and himself. Planting a blow squarly at the base of
her neck, he rendered her unconscious. David lept forward to revenge his
fallen comrade, only to be struck down by brilliant arcs of electricity
cast forth from the strangers hand.

Next came Remiel and John.

"Ready babe?" John called.

"Let's go!" Remiel called from behind the stranger. But even as he moved
forward and lashed out with his telekinesis, Remiel was troubled. The
stranger had given off the most power readings of temporal energy when he
had arrived, but he hadn't used any power that even resembled time
manipulation. That was the last thought to pass through Remiel's mind
before it was assualted by images. Flashes of his worst nightmares played
in front of his eyes. John dead. Robyn dead. The school in ashes. Men in
white masks.

John watched as his lover slumped to the ground under the psychic
assault. Enraged, he ignited his powers, streaming the flame of his zippo
lighter around him like a molten whip. It snapped out towards his enemy,
breaking out into a dozen flailing strands. They rapped around their target
burning the flesh of the stranger's arm.

"Bad boy!" The stranger yelled, blasting John with an intense optic burst.

The unconscious form of Pyro thumped pathetically at the feet of Ororo,
who, in a voice like the wind howled;

"You will pay for this! X-Men, to me!"

The wind whipped around her and lifted her into the air. Her irises faded
into the whites of her eyes.

"I warned you not to interfere! What happened here is on your heads, not
mine!" The stranger yelled out over the howl of the wind. He raised his
burnt arm and to the suprise of the five remaining X-Men, the scortched
flesh regenerated. "I haven't the time to deal with you as I'd like so this
will have to do".

The ground beneath Ororo underwent a metamorphasis from solid to liquid and
gas. It reared up and swallowed her, pulling her into a binding cage of
stone and cement. The four other X-men were likewise attacked, but only the
recovered Logan was caught.

Kurt vanished in a plume of sulphuric vapour and Betsy dissolved into the
shadows. Jean's telekinesis rent the ground as she sent a wall of force
against the stranger. He vanished in a plume of cobalt mist, reappearing
behind Kurt, who had materialised an instant before. Gripping the
teleporter firmly, the stranger swung him around, allowing the blow Betsy
had aimed for him to strike Kurt in the forehead, rendering him
unconscious. Besty was so suprised, she didn't have time to intercept the
swift kick the her opponent landed against her temple. Another plume of
cobalt mist, and the stranger left the two unconscious forms to be thrown
aside by Jean's assault.

Jean casted her gaze around the entire parking lot but the stranger did not
reappear to continue the attack.

<This defeat was the result of your own arrogence>. The stranger's
telepathic message touched her mind. <You could have walked away. I leave
you unharmed, Jean Grey, so that you may remember this message. Stay out of
my way>.

Jean stood in silence, observing the unconscious forms of her friends and
comrades.

Such terrible power, she thought. Such terrible power.