Alternate X-Men #68
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Cover : Black Cover - A Male-Looking Phoenix burns with intensity in the
background, hands up the sky, head titled upward. In the foreground, 
Jean and Logan are on their hands and knees, apparently injured.
 
Caption : "GodQuest begins here."
 
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Story  : The GodQuest Epic
 
Part I - The Long-Distance Run Of The Devil And The Gnarly Screamer 
 
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Quick Rundown Of What's Going On : 
 
The X-Men have had their lines thinned considerably. The remaining X-Men 
[Bishop, Archangel, Beast, Wolverine, Jean Grey, Psylocke] have regrouped at 
the X-Mansion, trying to piece together what little remains of their lives. 
Locus, whom had apparently transported Archangel and Psylocke from harmsway, 
is noticeably absent.
 
Meanwhile, Jean Grey continues to have recurring riddle-like visions in
her sleep, and Sinister, or whatever Sinister has become, is currently
chasing somebody across the country.
 
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@ Prelude @
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 A small town somewhere in New York.. The dead of night.. The winds runs
 through the trees in the background, creating a whispering effect.. Aside
 from the wind, there is total silence..
 
He almost thinks he can hear the trees slyly saying "Run, run" under the
power of the wind.
 
Ruckus, looking as if he hasn't showered in a week, puts his hand through 
his light-colored hair, shaking it loose of all the dirt and debris,
which also stains his face.
 
He attempts to run, holding his hand to his head, as a fluttering of
different voices run through his mind. One acts as a beacon, another as
stimulus, and the one which he can honestly say is his own, acts as
the devil's advocate.  He tries to screen them out, only to find he can't..
 
The darkness of night is suddenly filled by an intense rumbling, as red
light cloaks everything in blood colors, and a tree falls over.
 
[Within Ruckus] : **He's coming! Will you get a move on!**
 
[Another Voice] : &&Where are you? Where is my husband?? Help me help you!&&
 
[Yet Another]   : ##Your soul is mine. It's -always- been. Why should I
                    settle for the body of a Summers, when I can have that
                    of GOD?? I know you can hear my thoughts.##
 
Ruckus looks towards the red light, with a sneer on his face, ready face.
Then, for no reason, the expression on his face changes to a look of fear,
and he dashes off, spotting a green van on an adjacent corner..
 
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@ End Prelude @       
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@ The Xavier Institute For Higher Learning @
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Hank McCoy stands in his lab, standing over a specialized microscope. Logan
and Bishop hover over him, staring at the tiny creature he is closely
scrutinizing.
 
"Hm.."
 
It's a turtle. Hank McCoy examines it closely under the microscope. The
turtle peers back at him. Hank McCoy stares back through the microscope.
The turtle hides in its shell.
 
Logan : "Do you think it might be a bomb or something, bub?"
 
Beast : "No, it looks like a common species of turtle to me, however let me 
  peruse over its features a bit longer."
 
Logan : "Well, Kitty and Co had a run-in with an explodin chicken* ways back, 
         so ya can't be too careful.."
 
[Excalibur #42  -Mike]
 
Bishop : I say we just kill it. Regular turtles don't just appear out of
  nowhere*.
 
[* Check out AXM #67 for the first appearance of the turtle.. -Mike]
 
The turtle peers its head out, only to veer back into its shell as it see 
Logan staring at it.
 
Beast : "Come now, Bishop, I've done all sorts of tests. As far as I can
  tell, it's just a turtle."
 
(As Beast is saying this, Niels the Cat is wandering underfoot, proudly
 displaying a boloney sandwich in his mouth.*)
 
[*It's a long story how Niels got here. Check out last issue for a quick 
 recap.. -Mike]
 
Bishop : It's a SECURITY BREACH!
 
Beast <in Bishop's face> : TURTLE! 
 
Bishop : SECURITY BREACH!!
 
Beast : TURTLE!
 
<Sabretooth materializes out of thin air>
 
Sabretooth : It looks like LUNCH to me.
 
<The turtle takes off faster than a jackrabbit, as Niels suddenly finds
 the need to chase it.>
 
Logan <popping claw> : No More "Blinkin In", Bub. That act's growing thin
  quick.
 
<Logan swipes his claw at Creed, who disappears, snickering>
 
Beast : As much as our feral-friend's holographic projecting infuriates you,
  Logan, it is a recuperative, therapeutic --
 
Logan <cutting Beast off> : No, it's just annoyin' --
 
Beast : But Charles said that --
 
Logan <huffing> : Well, I don't see Chuck here, do YOU?
 
-*-
 
Outside The Mansion : Warren [Archangel] and Betsy [Psylocke] stand, 
  stargazing. 
 
Betsy looks up at the sky, favoring her weight against a crutch she is 
holding*.
 
[* She injured her leg a few issues back. -Mike]
 
Betsy : "That's the Orion Nebula there, isn't it?"
 
Warren : <ANGST ANGST ANGST ANGST ANGST ANGST ANGST>
 
Betsy : Hm, that's sure a brilliant full moon in the sky. <pointing>
 
Warren : <ANGST ANGST ANGST ANGST ANGST ANGST ANGST>
 
Betsy puts her hand to her shapely hips.
 
"Look. I promised to accompany you out here if you promised to stuff it."
 
Warren : I'm sorry, Bets. I just have so much on my mind. 
  
Betsy : Here, do some stargazing. That will take your mind off things.
 
Warren <reluctantly> : Oh. All right. <looking up>
 
Betsy : So, what do you see? 
 
Warren : A bunch of stars in the sky, trees blowing about in the wind, Artie 
and Leech hanging from the mansion roof, clouds fluttering about..
 
<doubletake> ARTIE AND LEECH HANGING FROM THE MANSION ROOF?
 
Image : Artie and Leech are strung up to the edge of the Mansion Roof
by a fishing line.
 
Leech : "LEECH no wanna be up here any more."
 
Artie : <mental picture of a ladder>
 
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@ Interlude @
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A green van goes streaming down a lonely road, as another car is in hot 
pursuit. Within the green van, a young fellow with flowing blond hair, sits 
indecisively in the drivers seat. He cries, as millions of thoughts pass
through his head rapidly. Two voices argue, and the pressure is splitting
the man nicknamed Ruckus apart.
 
<within Ruckus' mind>
 
Ruckus : We have to KILL him! Don't you get it! He'll follow us to the
ends of the freakin' world if we don't! 
 
Another fiery fellow : We can't kill him. His heart belongs to another,
somebody whom I'm close to as well.
 
Ruckus : Don't you get it! It's either him or us! I worked for the guy, so
I know what he's willing to do. You can just move onto another host. I
can't. Can't you go in and shut off his mind, while preserving the body?
 
Another fiery fellow : If it were only that simple. If I try something like
that, it could very well erase what little bit of Scott Summers there is
left in there.
 
Ruckus : Waitaminute. Who's driving? 
 
Fiery Fellow : Uh-oh. I thought you were.
 
-*-
 
<in the real world>
 
A singular Ruckus suddenly slams on the break, as he realizes he is heading
right for a building.
 
Ruckus <both personas> : OH $hIT!!!!
 
-*-
 
-For some reason, she felt the need to be here. She stares out at
 the out-road leading out from the campus."
 
"They all think I'm going crazy, don't they?" Jean says to herself..
 
A voice appears resonates from behind her, low and grumbly.
 
"Well, Red, standin' around in the cold for hours starin' out into space
 is a little strange."
 
Logan appears from behind her, putting his hand on Jean's shoulder, trying
to comfort her.
 
Red : "I can feel him. He's coming. Scott. You believe me, right? The
  others think I'm losing my mind."
 
Logan : Jean, if you say it, I believe it. I'm no stranger to the
  insane --
 
<Logan's words are broken off by a low buzzing. His ear perks up slightly.>
 
Logan : Car? <sniffs, trying to pick up a scent>
 
Jean suddenly holds her hand to her head, in a sudden fit of pain.
 
A word rushes through her head.
 
H  H  EEEE  L      PPPP    !!  !!
H  H  E     L      P   P   !!  !!
HHHH  EE    L      PPPP    !!  !!
H  H  E     L      P
H  H  EEEE  LLLLL  P       !!  !!
 
<The buzzing grows louder>
 
She cries in anguish, as the word simply can't be held in confines of
her head. She sucks in the entire range of emotions from such a small
message, and unnaturally breaks into tears, followed by rage, followed
by misery.
 
Logan covers his ears, as the buzzing becomes louder, almost
thunderous.. Without warning, a green van shoots up the in-road,
as Logan pushes himself and Jean out of the way. 
 
The van goes crashing into a series of trees, erupting into flames.
>From the flames, an ominous figure emerges, unscathed. 
 
No, burning, but not being consumed.
 
Lying on the ground, Logan and Jean stare up at this figure, who is
unusually tall.
 
Words ring out from the stranger, both in spoken voice, and in mental 
anguish :
 
"**Please, help me. I don't want to kill him.**"
"@@HE HAS TO DIE! THIS IS IT!@@"
"**Please, Jean, help me help you.**"
"@@WE WILL NEVER BE FREE AS LONG AS HE'S CHASING US!@@"
 
The voices grow silent, as another blue car pulls up. 
 
"The window rolls down, as a glowing red light radiates from within."
 
"RUCKUS, THE CHASE IS OVER. IN THIS LITTLE MARATHON, YOU REACHED THE
 FINISH LINE FIRST, AND STILL LOST."
 
He steps out of the car. 
 
The red light from the driver spills over onto the faces of Jean and Logan,
who have clumsily made their way back to their feet.
 
"SCOTT?" [from Jean]
 
<to be continued>
 
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<Disclaimer> : Yadda. Yadda. Yadda. Most of the characters here are the
sole property of Marvel Entertainment. Most of the ideas are from my
head. I'm not doing this for money or actively looking to make a profit.
So, don't sue me.
 
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Next issue : GODQUEST CONTINUES.. More On Artie And Leech..
             Plus, some Revelations about Wolverine.. Almost..
 
C+C is welcome : triggs_mich@bentley.edu



