Envisionings (2nd Edition) Part 24 ⛓👁

Following the meeting, the others file out while Jean approaches Scott.

"Even knowing this you can't push yourself." Her factual tone gives way to more open concern, "you can't risk a setback now."

Scott: "I know. Not knowing had me restless and confused.

I won't deviate from the regimen now."

Jean considers: "Then again, how about adding more nature therapy to the day?"

Meeting Jean with a comprehending look, we next see the couple setting out on a walk across the Grounds; hand-in-hand.

Transition-To - Another Day

Something set in Scott's hands - a new pair of gloves.

Hank: "RC gauntlets housing compact pressure plates around the thumbs.

Enabling the disengagement of your visor's optic shield via execution of a closed-fist."

As Scott looks up from the gloves, Hank further explains: "The idea came to me following description of your captivity. Now you'll hold command over your optic blasts even if your hands are restricted. So long as you're not intending to simultaneously throw any punches, you should find it to be a user-friendly mechanism."

"Good thinking. Thanks."

Cyclops wastes no time getting a feel for the new tech, should he need it. . .

. . .as blast time ticks steadily closer. . .

Morning - Jean & Scott's Room

Scott sits on the side of the bed, swapping his ruby quartz sleep mask for his glasses. After they're set, his right hand can be seen paused on the arm: "He gave me my first pair."

Jean looks to him from her side of the bed. "Who did?"

"Essex. . . What if it wasn't the brain damage from the accident that disabled me?"

"You think Essex did something?" She pushes herself up into more of a sitting position.

"How else could he've known my optic blasts had to be arrested? And what would do it?"

He fingers the edge of the protective eyewear before bringing his hand down.

Though not having the answer, there's been a question on Jean's mind:

"How did he ever have the opportunity?"

"The blackout headaches I experienced after the accident could easily have been taken advantage of."

Jean shakes her head, sympatric and indignant at Scott's treatment as a child.

"Someone had to have suspected something?"

"Well if the people at the orphanage knew, they probably wouldn't have thought much past someone finally seeing worth in me. Nevermind it being for experimentation.

They were convinced no family would want me."

Having shifted closer, Jean now reaches her forearm over his to take his hand, lacing their fingers together. Scott looks down at this before looking up into her face. At first making only the shy gesture of bringing his other hand to her arm, then turning to lay a tender kiss on her lips.

X-Mansion Hallways - Evening

Hank: "That's right, troop. An orderly procession to the nearest exit."

Drill Student # 1 (while filing out): "End of Summer Disaster Drill?"

Drill Student # 2 (chuckles): "No other school has this."

Filing out from an area under Piotr's watch, Jubilee remarks to her group:

"I'm not surprised we're having one- preparing for a disaster is the first thing that sounds right since being told we're apparently trusting Magneto now."

And so it commences. . . The sun tinting the earth that is to become ground zero, as it sets on Summers' last day. . . Cyclops heading for a spot far out on the Mansion Grounds. . .

He's come out ahead of time, just in case. But Essex seems intent on being prompt. . .

. . .Cyclops made to wait as darkness falls over him like a shroud. . .

Xavier (from Cerebro): 'Essex has arrived. I still can't discern his exact coordinates,

but I feel the disturbance in the psychic field; he's coming from above.'

Cyclops draws a focused breath.

Storm (from the air/over comm.): "Nothing from my position so far." We see she wears a frameless night-vision visor.

Jean, sporting the same, tensely looks around -both with her eyes and her telepathy-

from a point on the Mansion's roof. "Same here."

-Yet all at once-

-from somewhere--

--The gun is discharged-!!---

---a HUGH B L A S T crashing down

on Cyclops from an angle --engulfing him like some transporter beam-- force pressing down on him as if from the sky itself -- one knee buckling -- then he's down on both --pummeled by the light his body manages to take it-- yet the metabolizing of it is intense --like he's going beyond capacity --going to either overflow or explode if he doesn't let off some steam --yet too overcome to even try releasing his blast.....

Night vision having been thrown off- Jean watches from her vantage point --feels by way of their psychic connection the all consuming pressure he's enduring-- 'Scott! Stay strong!'

'Stay Strong!'

-The words echoed by Xavier, who we see with his own pained expression --working to pinpoint the source of the beam-- as we hear Jean's subsequent call to --"Storm?!"

And Storm's response: "Still nothing that I see!"

The Master of Weather gliding up in the direction the beam is coming, seeking its origin. .

. .Which we see much higher. A figure distinctly silhouetted against the extreme light of the blast, standing on some aerial platform housing the Summers Gun. .

Cyclops (heard through telepathy/strained): 'Call Storm back.'

Jean: 'Scott?'

'Out of the way!'

The command is quickly relayed to Storm--

--as we witness Cyclops making his stand-- trying to-- fighting to plant his foot firmly on the ground in prep for getting up-- action unmanageable-- his arm muscles striving just as ineffectively to bring his contracted hand to his visor-- but no- He doesn't have to.

Folding his fingers around his thumb, he clenches--optic blast releasing at once- the discharge of presser appearing to grant him more freedom to move- Cyclops raises his powered gaze to the larger light- -mutant blast surging through mechanized--

--O B L I T E R A T I N G the aerial platform and gun -Storm diving further away from the explosion- But the power coursing through Cyclops' body is still too much ----visor v a p o r i z i n g as he throws his head back to blast straight up--the raw blast---now pure white-- extending into the mesosphere-- -thermosphere-- -exosphere!!

The night sky illuminated as if by a celestial body reversing course back into the near reaches of space--

--while back down on Earth, Cyclops' body is taken over by a seizure- -convulsions causing his blasts--now rapidly intermittent by his flickering eyelids--to go wild- - - !

Having had to shield their eyes from the intense photonic energy, their first awareness of what's now happening comes in the form of telepathic connection--Jean uttering a sound of pain and alarm as she feels --along with Xavier-- the now intense electrical activity of a brain undergoing a power surge-!-

The next second sees Jean Grey turn her concentration towards the Mansion- -a window telekinetically opened -a case housing a spare pair of Scott's glasses brought from it. "Storm! Get me to him."

Jumping from the Mansion into a controlled wind, Jean keeps a forcefield between herself and Cyclops' errant blasts while she's p-r-o-p-e-l-l-e-d towards ground zero - - contracting her fingers slightly as she draws close--drawing closed Scott's eyes long enough to place the protective shield over them -- optic power having restabilized to a containable level.

Running out her landing- -Jean arrives at the still seizing form of Cyclops --bringing herself down to him- -hand slipped underneath his head to stop it from hitting the earth as his body can't be turned on its side -- Her concerned thoughts responded to a second later by Xavier: 'It's halting.'

And so, back under the shroud of a redarkened night, we see Cyclops' now side-laying body finally returning to a state of stillness. . . not even breath stirring his chest. . . .

"Scott?-!"

Storm lands beside them- "Is he alright?"

-as Jean quickly removes her gloves and one of his to check his pulse -arrested breath visibly returning in that moment.

Xavier: 'Despite the extreme output of energy, I don't believe he will see any lasting damage.'

Jean closes her eyes the length of a breath; relief washing over her.

Xavier: 'We will reassess his condition back in the Medical Bay."

Storm bends down to assist Jean in transporting Cyclops.

Jean: "We'll take him in a minute."

We see Cyclops' mouth move with soundless motions before: "Essex . . Essex . . ?"

Xavier answers the unarticulated question: 'He is gone, Scott.

What can be called his mental signature eliminated with the gun.

You can rest easy, now.'

Despite the assurance in his words, an expression of uncertainty rests on the Professor's face, for only us to see . . .His concentration shifted back to the psychic Aether a moment more. . . before disengaging from Cerebro.