Ruse •X-men•

Chapter 1

The future, a dark, desolate world. A world of war, suffering, loss on both sides. Mutants, and the humans who dared to help them, fighting an enemy we cannot defeat. Are we destined down this path? Destined to destroy ourselves like so many species before us? Or can we evolve fast enough to change ourselves, change our fate?

•2023, China•

"Bishop, Sunspot, you're with me. Warpath is already on watch."

"Aren't I always, Ruse?" Bishop chuckled, shrugging his shoulders while holding the huge gun flat against his stomach. Ruse grinned, pulling the door open for bishop, leaving only a small gap between the pair as they approached the landed vessel. Ruse, or Dannielle, was older than sixty-five, yet she looked no older than thirty and even her strength. Over the course of time, it didn't take them long to figure out her abilities caused her body to slow in the ageing process, unlike Charles and Erik.

Storm was the first to exit the craft, shortly followed by an aged wolverine lighting one of the cigars he somehow managed to find. Charles followed in suit as did Erik and when the four were in sight, Ruse couldn't help but smile, it had been years since she last saw them yet it felt like only yesterday that they were back at the mansion.

Ruse was quick to walk down the stairs and embrace storm first but as soon as she walked up to Erik, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, causing the old man to chuckle.

"You look as young as you did the last time I saw you." He said. Dannielle pulled away, her smile never faded as she examined his facial features.

"You look older, it's a good look, Erik." Erik let her go, giving her shoulder a small pat as she made her way to the professor.

"Erik is right, Dannie, you have t aged much at all." Charles stated, the smile on his face was one of the most pleasant things she'd seen in weeks. Dannielle bent down and wrapped her arms around the professor.

"I missed you guys." She told him, pulling away and looking over to Logan, who gave her a nod. Dannielle walked up to him and threw an arm around his neck.

"I haven't seen you in years and all I get is a nod?" Logan chuckled, shaking his head at the woman.

"They're right, you haven't changed." Logan said.

"I know." Dannielle sighed, looking over to the rest of the group before waving her hand and leading them to the entrance of the mountain.

Everyone finally was sitting at the entrance of the building while Warpath moved through the building to light candles, making sure everyone could see.

"Every time sentinels attack, Warpath spots them and I send bishop back to warn us of the attack before it happens. Blink scouts the next sight and, well we leave before anyone ever knew we were there." Kitty explained.

"Because, we never were." Warpath added. Logan frowned.

"What do you mean you were never there?"

"She projects bishop back in time a few days to warm the others of the coming attack." The professor explained, earning a slight nod from Logan.

"So you're saying she sends him back in time?"

"No, just his consciousness, into his younger self, his younger body." The Professor corrected. Logan didn't know what to say, he stood there for a moment, processing what he'd just been told before muttering a small wow. Erik looked to Charles and then to kitty.

"This might work." He commented, earning only a blank star from them.

"What might work?" Kitty asked.