As Kyle walked alongside Emma and Psyclocke, Jean used her telekinesis to support Xavier. Kyle looked at the others and felt a sense of nostalgia flow through him. Truth be told, he'd begun to feel that sensation the minute Jean had given him the uniform that day she and Xavier had visited his apartment. He looked down at his dark clothes and wished he was wearing it now.
Psyclocke was wearing a purple bodysuit with darker purple armored pieces covering her shoulders, torso, arms and legs. A hooded cape fanned out around her, creating a mysterious and majestic appearance. Psylocke had joined the team just before The Blip, so Kyle knew very little about her. He knew that she was a powerful psychic capable of various feats. It was her fighting skill and her ability to craft psionic shapes that distinguished her from other telepaths though.
Jean was wearing her red and blue bodysuit, her long red hair spilling past her shoulders. Emma, who never met a midriff-baring top she didn't love, was dressed in a white corseted top that showed off her shoulders and abdomen, a pair of tight white pants, and a flowing white cape.
"Thinking about your man, Kyle?" Emma asked beside him.
"We've discussed this before, Emma- stay out of my head."
Emma chuckled melodically. "Oh, please don't insult me. One doesn't have to be a psychic to know the obvious. Don't be so cagey about it. I find it quite endearing, actually. Honestly, it's about time you found romance. Perhaps you'll be less angry and broody now."
Kyle rolled his eyes and picked up the pace. "Funny, I'm only angry and broody around you."
"Can we focus on the plan?" Psylocke suggested in a low voice.
"You mean the plan that involves finding and turning everyone on the island back to themselves?" Emma asked with a nonchalant voice.
"If Erik hasn't destroyed Cerebro then we stand a better chance of accomplishing the task more quickly," Xavier said before turning to Kyle. "Do you know if Cerebro exists on this island?"
Kyle shrugged. "I never saw it. Never heard anyone mention it either."
"But there are places Magneto hasn't told you about? Places that are off-limits to you?"
"Yeah," Kyle said as he recalled Magneto's private quarters. No one was allowed to enter there without his approval. Kyle couldn't recall ever having gone there.
"Then our plan is simple- we gain access to Magneto's quarters, find Cerebro, and use it to reach every mind on the planet," Xavier said.
"We're assuming Magneto hasn't demolished Cerebro or simply erased it from reality," Emma sighed.
Xavier shook his head. "No. Erik helped me create Cerebro. He knows how powerful it can be."
"With the aid of a psychic," Emma countered. "And, as far as he is concerned, all psychics are currently being feasted upon by this godforsaken island."
"Still, we have to try," Jean said, siding with Xavier.
"And while we're searching for Cerebro," Psyclocke said, "we'll want to try and turn as many people back as possible. The more we have on our side, the better." She cast a wishful look over her shoulder and into the cave. "It's too bad we can't wake up a few more people. Some pretty big guns are sleeping."
"We can't risk it, not until we have a way to get everyone away from here safely," Xavier said.
"Well, we can't expect to finish this by talking about it. Let's go." Kyle stepped out of the cave first and had a look around. A stillness filled the air but he knew they weren't alone. Magneto's enforcers would be near. He thought about Colossus and Rogue and felt a twinge of anger. Magneto always claimed to care so deeply for mutantkind, yet he was using whatever hold he had over reality to enslave them, turn them into obedient acolytes.
"Stop," Emma hissed, reaching out for Kyle's shoulder. "We have company."
Kyle scanned the forest near them. Silence. He was about to settle down when a line of trees shattered before his very eyes. Moonlight glinted off of Colossus's steel skin as he tore through the trees and rushed the five of them like a freight train. As Kyle lifted his hands, he had a fleeting thought that maybe his ballistic telekinesis wouldn't be strong enough to stop him. Colossus's fist was upon him when a shimmering figure leaped in front of Kyle and shoulder-checked the incoming mutant, knocking him off course.
"Kyle, be a pet and see to Rogue," Emma said in a nonchalant voice before slamming her diamond fist into Colossus's head.
Right on cue, Rogue flew out of the broken trees toward them. "It's a good thing you're durable, girl," Kyle muttered before unleashing a huge burst of telekinesis. It collided with Rogue, stopping her.
"Oh, now don't go playin' hard to get, suga," Rogue called out as she pushed against the wall of pure force, her strength permitting her to slowly gain purchase.
"I've got her," Psyclocke announced before leaping overhead and landing on Rogue's back. A blazing purple aura unfolded in her face and took the shape of butterfly wings. She placed her hands on either side of Rogue's head. Hear me, Rogue! You're being deceived!
Rogue quickly reached behind her and took hold of Psylocke, her immense strength permitting her to tear the woman off of her shoulders and toss her aside.
"I won't be able to break through to Mr. Rasputin's mind while he's in steel form," Emma called out. "We'll need to bring Rogue back so she can absorb his powers."
Colossus backhanded Emma, her diamond body tearing up earth as she was thrown several feet back and sent crashing through a tree. Colossus jumped through the air, his fists raised overhead.
"Oh, bugger," Emma sighed, bracing herself for impact.
A telekinetic bolt snapped through the air and struck Colossus, throwing him off-course. Emma looked up to see Jean standing a few feet away, her fingers on her temples, hot pink psychic energy fluttering around her head.
"If we can get Rogue back to herself she can absorb Piotr's power and leave him vulnerable," Kyle said through gritted teeth as he fired another force blast at Rogue.
Psylocke landed gracefully in a crouch, then sprang up and ran for Rogue again. "Not holding back this time," she said as a vibrant purple blade of psychic energy erupted from her fist. She raced toward Rogue and smiled as the southern belle immediately darted toward her. At the last possible second, the agile psychic vaulted through the air, flipping overhead. As she spun, the psychic blade shifted into a handful of throwing stars. They fired off from her hand, striking the back of Rogue's head and grounding her.
"Nice shooting," Kyle complimented as he ran to Rogue's fallen body, preparing to restrain her.
"That won't be necessary," Psyclocke said before laying a hand on Rogue's forehead and getting to work. "Help the others keep Colossus from making a mess."
Kyle nodded and hurried off just as Emma's body was being flung across the clearing. He ducked and let out a burst of telekinesis at her body, enough to slow her movement and bring her to the ground. She landed in an undignified heap, her cape covering her. Kyle launched himself up off of the ground, rocketing across the clearing and toward Jean as she attempted to keep Colossus trapped in a prison of telekinetic energy. Kyle hovered overhead, using his power to stay aloft while helping to pin Colossus down. "Any day now!" he shouted through clenched teeth.
"You waitin' on little ol' me?" Rogue asked.
Kyle looked over as Rogue raced onto the scene. "You are easily the most beautiful person in the world," he grunted.
"You always did know how to make a gal feel special," Rogue teased. She slipped a glove off and nodded at Jean and Kyle. They both simultaneously let go and Rogue was upon Colossus, her hand touching his face. His steel skin reverted to flesh.
"Right," Jean said with a deep sigh as Emma and Psyclocke helped Xavier over to where they were. "Let's get our gentle giant back."
Xavier was helped down to the ground where he immediately went to work. Soon, Colossus was staring up at everyone with wide eyes. "Please forgive me!" he begged in a fatigued voice. "I...I could have hurt all of you."
"It's okay," Kyle said. "Listen, you know the truth now." He looked over at Rogue. "Both of you do."
"How did all this happen?" Rogue asked.
"It's a long story," Psyclocke said. "And one that we don't exactly have time to get into."
"All you need to know is that Magneto and his new friends screwed up reality and it's up to us to fix it," Kyle spoke in a serious voice.
"Us?" Rogue asked. "I thought you quit us a long while back? So you're back on the team?"
Kyle nodded and looked in the direction of the castle and then back at the others. "Once an X-Man, always an X-Man," he said with a hopeful smile.