Little did anyone know, but Emma had come out of that little invasion of
her body by the 'saintly' Jeanne Grey with more than she'd bargained for:
modest telekinetic powers were left imprinted in her fey mind, and now
they served as an ace in the hole when she needed them...

She knew what both women were suffering, because she'd felt echos of it
in the Mindscape when the various incidents that shaped their lives had
occurred...and she did want to help, even though it was totally unlike her
former self. Maybe, some of Jeanne's saintliness had rubbed off on Emma?
She nor Liz really cared to find out, but they both were possessed of a
fine sense of noblesse oblige, not only from their aristocratic British 
upbringing, but from their fey ancestry. 

Otherworld's genes were strong, and the traits ran deeper than the surface
in both women as they examined their current patient... Liz wanted to risk
a mindprobe on the Madelyne persona, to ascertain her condition, while Emma
was more conservative in her approach... Their telepathic debate was silenced
by a single telepathic command that issued from all around them, <<Stop.>>

Emma looked at Liz, raising an eyebrow, <<A telepathic command...in a 
mindvoice I almost recognise...>>

Liz shrugged, her violet eyes narrowing underneath her 'butterfly' mask
Aspect, <<'Course, Emma; we should've known...it's one of _them_: one of the 
oh-so-high-and-mighty X-types, attitude and all!>>

Emma straightened herself, as a gust whipped her ermine lined white velvet
cape back from her shoulders, sending her silver-blonde hair into her eyes as
Liz rose to gaze into the distance; her psiber-eyes automatically adjusting
to afford her the best view of the incoming intruder...
Liz wasn't sure just who was heading in at such a velocity, but they were
sure kicking up the snow, sending flecks of white over her crimson and ebony
armour. Her Bloodmarque was glowing faintly, clashing with her amethyst hair
and eyes, <<We'd better take Maddie someplace more secure...>>

Her suggestion was cut off by Maddie, who was conscious again, and wide eyed
with shock, <<It c-can't b-be...!>>

As the bow-shock came nearer, the redhead flung herself skyward with ballistic
fury, her rage finally having found a focus, <<...NOT HER...Not again!!>>

The self proclaimed Queen of the Damned streaked out to intercept the incoming
entity, leaving Emma and Liz buffeted in her wake as they watched in con-
fusion. They could only wonder what caused the deeply resounding echo beyond
their range of sight...until Liz refocused enough to cast her telesthetic
ability out that way...

Emma Saw through Liz' FarSight, her eyes widening as she recognised that
particular power-signature, <<What *has* that child done? Where did she access
that kind of power, Liz? That other woman's so close to the ground, it may
be the Mindscape, but her Avatar'll feel it just as if she were really going
to slam into the side of a mountain... There's no gravity here, but I've 
barely got enough time to 'kinetically slow her descent...to clear her away 
from the trees, without tearing her apart in the process...>>

Liz nodded, cloaking their minds as they made their way with double Sight
to the next valley...

Madelyne spotted them, her eyes cold with fury again, <<So, you're taking
her side, too? Protecting _her_...>>

The White Queen shot back, <<'Taking her side..?' What on earth are you talking
about, Madelyne? What is going on here? I was simply saving a life, plain
as the nose on your face, my dear; and to save you from something you'd regret
for the rest of yours...>>

Even as Emma spoke, the rescued Avatar took advantage of the opportunity to
slip up, behind Madelyne Pryor, psi-screened from her attacker's senses, 
until she lashed out with all she had...a screaming bird of fire manifested
it's talons around the stranger as she slammed her opponent into the ground
of the Mindscape's Alps. But in the case of this particular telepath, this
particular psionic ambush that would have proven more than enough, if Madelyne
Pryor were not furious enough to intercept the 'kinetic assault with one of
her own, returning it with interest...

<<For one and all, X-man...BACK OFF!!>> she psi-screamed, <<Leave me alone!
Just stay out of my life altogether--I don't really know how to make this any
clearer to you people--don't call me, and I won't call you!!>>

Phoenix felt her own power tapped by this 'other self', and slammed back into
her with a powerful jolt that reminded her of that time she battled Necrom
for the remainder of her power, and lost Rachel in the process... She wasn't
going to loose another part of herself, even if it meant actually killing 
herself all over again...

She merely lay there, still and quiet as she took stock of her foe, and
the potential hazards to herself... A voice whispered in her mind, as
she saw a projected image of a Coda warrior; familiar in some way, but
at the same time, unknown to her, <<I have the Sight, and you must do what
Cable could not..but you will *have* to... YOU will have to stop her, I have
ForeSeen it...>>

Phoenix arose shakily, whispering back, <<Coda...there has to be another way,
I must find it...>>

Her 'costume' was in reality her psi-armour, and it was fortunately unharmed,
but she felt like she'd been slammed into the side of a mountain, and for all
practical intents and purposes, she HAD... And then she looked up, only to see
a twisted version of herself staring back at her, with an insane gleam in her
eye, more malicious and malevolent than the Dark Phoenix had ever been...

<<Penny for your thoughts, Jeanne>> she said, bright red hair swirling around
her shoulders, <<Well, don't you have anything to say, old girl?>>

Phoenix's golden eyes burned like twin suns, <<You, must be Madelyne Pryor,
then? I've never had the dubious pleasure of meeting you, whom I offered
life to...>>

The clone laughed bitterly, her dark green eyes glittering like hard emeralds
as she took stock of the woman she thought to be Jeanne Grey, <<Yeah, Maddie
Pryor-Summers and Lady Jeanne Grey, together again...Confused, Jeannie?
Sudden doubts about your cozy little life, maybe--in the wake of my wake??>>

She took perverse pleasure in the sight of her rival downed, wings clipped,
in her proper place, <<No fear, girlfriend. Not about *that* at least...
Been there, done that; and his little brother Alex, too.....>> she snapped
as a strong hand clenched the wrist of her glowing fist.

Psykeye, Coda warrior, telepath and telesthetic par excellence was pinning
her where she stood with burning eyes and a psi-blade in the other hand, as
the White Queen helped Phoenix to her feet. <<Madelyne. Talk to me.>> she
ordered in tones that brooked no arguments, <<What's the story here? What 
is it, anyway between...you...two?>>

Her mindvoice trailed off as she looked from Phoenix to Madelyne and back
again. They were identical to Jeanne, but different at the same time. Maddie
was a hardened, apparently dominatrix-oriented version of Jeanne, twisted
by untold bitterness and betrayal, while Phoenix was a version of all what
Jeanne could have become had her fey powers matured... Neither was Jeanne,
yet they were, both staring back at her...

Maddie was the first to speak, <<Et tu, Madame Butterfly? You would betray
me now, in spite of your claims to wanting to help me?>>

Liz looked down at her, keeping a solid hold on her wrist, rolling her
eyes in disgust, <<You have got to be kidding me, young lady? Do you think
a Coda takes her oaths and obligations so lightly? I was sworn to help 
Jeanne, no matter what name she wore. You both wear her face, so I *will*
get to the bottom of this... I would like some answers, starting NOW...>>

Maddie stared at the telepath who'd shared exile to Australia with her,
been her fellow pilot in the bush, and much more. Liz had always been
tough for an aristo, but she'd gotten a hell of a lot tougher since they'd
last crossed paths. Even Wolverine would be hard-put to match her now,
Maddie thought...

<<You may have been created a clone, Madelyne, but YOU were the one who
made the choice to ally with the likes of N'astirh and the Damned of Limbo.
YOU were the one willing to sacrifice her own child, to use him as a pawn
to get even with your husband...>> Liz told her, <<...*I* was there, trying
to find a way to save your worthless hide when Exeter had the mercenaries
called the Marauders hunting you down, I remember how you seduced Alex. I 
don't blame you particularly on that point; but I do remember you choosing
try and kill Jeanne at the end of the Inferno. If you were going to die,
then you were hell-bent on taking her with you...>>

<<Stop....>> Maddie begged, <<please, just stop...>>

Elisabeth wasn't through, as she swung the persona around to face her,
<<You body jumped, didn't you? You've been living in Jeanne's head since you
supposedly died, haven't you...subconsciously nudging Scott toward Kwannon,
*making* him more susceptible to her manipulations, just so Jeanne would
suffer exactly the way you did? You were there, in the back of Jeanne's head
all along, savouring your petty revenge, eh? You think you're powerful enough
to hide from me? I have news for you, I'm not only a stronger telepath than
Jeanne, I'm stronger than Emma or even Charles Xavier himself. I am also
blessed with a rare Otherworld telesthetic gift, called the Sight, which
makes me able to know *everything* about you, Maddie. You may be able to
call the power of the Phoenix, but you're also committing suicide by trying
to kill another aspect of yourself. Who do you think gave you life in the
first place, you bloody git?>>

Madelyne's lips curled into a sulky pout as her eyes began to glow with
the same green energies as her fists, she didn't want to hear this. It was
all a lie, anyway...

The Coda drilled her further, <<Here you are, trying to kill another ghost,
who just happens to be the spitting image of you? What gives, girl...>>

<<Stop.>> Maddie repeated, as Elisabeth raised the psi-blade, holding it
to the side of her head, answering her with another pointed question, <<And
We're not allowed to ask questions, to reveal the truth which you would deny?>>

A column of plasma burst through the surface with a dull 'poom', forcing
Elisabeth to let go of her, Madelyne clutched her head in agony, as a dozen
more erupted with dull echoes through out the valley of the Mindscape, she
was babbling to herself now, <<Stop... Stop... Just make it stop...>>

She stumbled away from them a bit, as Phoenix and Emma caught Liz as the
area erupted in a mind-quake, the 'other' Jeanne reasoned with the stubborn
Coda, <<Not this way, Coda Sister....>>

They looked at each other, as the Mindscape began to break up, realizing 
they would have to act quickly, Liz looked at the rational persona,
<<Elisabeth. That is my name, or you may call me Liz...if Madelyne's
afraid of the truth and afraid of answers...>>

She nearly lost her footing as everything began to shatter, Phoenix sighed,
<<I can kinetically contain her, Liz; I can keep her from hurting
herself if Emma can shield us from the psychic backlash...>>

Elisabeth raised an eyebrow at the other women, <<But to what end....and
at what cost?? You're haemorrhaging from the looks of it, bleeding from the
nose and shedding tears of blood...>>

Phoenix nodded, feeling herself weakening as if her efforts were feeding
those of the insane woman at her feet, <<Aye, too quickly. far sooner than
I should weaken...>>

Emma agreed, <<Even as she grows stronger, Phoenix. Almost as if she's using
*your* power to...>> she trailed off, rather than consider what might really
be the case. But she knew that Liz would See it with her Sight gift before
it actually happened, <<Let her go, Phoenix, relax your TK hold on her...>>

And so Phoenix did, the mind-quake suddenly stilled, startling so--in fact!
She looked at her 'other self' wondering what was happening to them, what
ties bound them as Emma and Liz pulled her into a tight telepathic link,
<<Listen, before you do anything, before you make any decisions about her,
you have to know what she is. We *have* to know: there is so much more going
on here than any of us understand yet. Madelyne was your match 'kinetically,
somehow, doing more damage than good... I suspect she'll be your equal 
telepathically as well. But, she was a clone of Jeanne *before* merged with
Jeanne...and I have to believe that she can't close her mind to
you, or to Emma and myself...>>

<<Don't bet your life on it, Coda mind-witch!!>> Madelyne screeched along
the surface of their minds, <like nine inch nails on a chalkboard> Emma
shot to Liz, <<Fine, take her side already...they all do eventually,
don't they Madame Butterfly; O-high-and-most-majestic Ice Queen?>>

She lashed out at Phoenix with a powerful aura of nauseatingly green
energy, knocking her 'other self' across the blank, desolate plain of
the Mindscape, <<Men, boys...X-or otherwise, they're just pawns to you
aren't they Jeannie? We're all your little play-things, even a Coda Sister
and the reigning Ice Queen, right? Don't bother denying it... I am you,
remember? And I know you better than you know yourself by now, old girl...
I've lived the darker side of both of us! A side of you that you won't even
consider indulging in... You'd rather die than consider indulging your power.
You want to know what I'm all about, 'sister'...come on in and see for your-
too-sweet-self!! Who know, you might learn to loose that emotional straight-
jacket you wear and enjoy yourself...>>

And so she does. Phoenix acted without pause to consider the danger of 
exposing herself to the memories of Dark Phoenix, the risk of tasting deeply
of her shadow-self once again... The Phoenix responds to the slightest opening 
with the speed of thought, literally..only to find herself caught within
a psychic blaze, <<...get used to it, girlfriend, you won't be leaving again.
Once and Finally, I'm the only one of 'us' there will ever be!>>

Searing flames and flashing power and illumination; obscured by smoke and
ashes, threaten to consume Phoenix completely; amidst a Mindscape that
should be familiar to her, the one, true Phoenix is lost... The two fey
telepaths, for their part respond by instinct...one chilling the flames
with a howling blizzard of power that freezes the enemy, while the other
uses her Sight and psi-blades to cleave a path to the truth; both reaching
out with heart and mind to ease the most obvious pain, to share the heaviest
burdens; to face the glare of truth with the one, true Phoenix...

One blind, yet who Sees with a singular clarity, who has always dared to
cut to the heart of matters, and the other who's remoteness and coldness
masks a warm heart and a soul that dares to reach for the distant fires
of the stars...and taking up the task of mending broken wings so that a 
bird may fly free again, reborn from the ashes...

And the truth, as always...the blinding, shattering truth of Madelyne Pryor's
secret genesis, in this case changes everything. For everyone. Forever.

An explosion of brilliant green psi-energies rocked the Mindscape for many
a telepath and sensitive on Terra, blinding their sensitivities, sending
them into backlash... save three.

Emma's sense of Centre reeled as Elisabeth helped her to Phoenix's side.
Madelyne lay crumpled in the centre of the crater, still glowing with her
energies, <<Psi-flash burnt her out... but it won't last long...never seen
so much anger...so much power>>

<<Or so much pain...>> Phoenix supplied, as she struggled to sit up, <<Maddie
was only a tool of Exeter's, ladies. Another one, who suffered for his sins.
Until she died, and body jumped to Jeanne, who absorbed her. She finally found 
a measure of peace...freedom in a way. Then Kwannon's mind-rape brought her back, 
as a whole persona, all those weeks ago. Just like it brought me back....>>

Phoenix raised her flaming bird Aspect, as the energies danced around and
through herself, <<I can unmake her, release her from her hell...I can 
give her the peace she deserves...>>

Liz cried out, with her exponentially increasing powers, <<Phoenix! STOP!
It doesn't have to be like this. There's so much we could do for her....Just
because she scares you, because she's the embodiment of what made you the
Dark Phoenix...does it give you the right to strip all her life away?!>>

The molten golden eyes regarded the Coda with gentleness, <<I have the
responsibility, Elisabeth, to never let that kind of madness loose upon
the Mundane Plane again. She wants an identity: Jeanne's. Kwannon may have
re-created her, but she is my problem, since I was the one who breathed
life into her in the first place. Now I must correct my mistake, by eliminating
this abomination from Jeanne's Mindscape, even if it costs me my existence.
No one can reasonably meet those needs, Elisabeth, I can't keep her under 
control when she 'feeds' on my powers... This is the kindest way, for one who
never had a soul...>>

Emma reached out, restraining her friend, <<It's the only way that Phoenix
knows how to right a wrong that it created, Liz. Reclaiming and dissipating
those energies that belong to Jeanne...wait, something's wrong!>>

<<I know, Emma,>> the Coda telepath replied along their link, <<Something's
happening!! Madelyne's resisting...struggling to retain the 'lifeforces'...
Hecate's Bades, she's desperate to live!!>>

They pooled their strengths, sharing defenses in case all hell broke loose,
which it did. Eyes glowing a dull red rage, she snarled with a primal rage
that could be heard by every psi-sensitive on the planet, <<I DO LIVE!!>>

Phoenix struggled to maintain cohesiveness, as Madelyne sought to drain her
of the life essences... Her thoughts, were still her own, for the moment,
<Maddie keeps escalating her power levels. I don't think I can keep channel-
ling that kind of power--and I don't think she can either, or she'd make a 
direct attack on me, instead of striking at me through our surroundings here
in the Mindscape. She's trying to manipulate me, by threatening Liz and
Emma...and I'm through playing be her rules!>

Phoenix surged toward Madelyne, managing to remain solid long enough to
put a fist nearly through her rival's face, the energy fields clashed,
resonating painfully through the two witnesses minds. Maddie gloated at
her fading opponent, <<Your pathetic attempt to protect your friends won't
work, you arrogant sow! You're like a beast, sensing defeat...you resort to
the futility of physical attack, and giving me what I want--all I need to
do is drain your ebbing life-force, and the power that you used to wield will
be mine! -hah- this is easier than I thought possible...>>

Her eyes continued to glow with that ugly, dull red as the energies of 
Phoenix poured into Maddie, giving her what she wanted: the essence of life.
But Phoenix was wiser than her rival, <<That's what I counted on, sucker!
It was a stalemate...I couldn't beat you without sinking to _your_ level,
Madelyne. We would have destroyed more than each other, and every psi-
sensitive for parsecs, we might have destroyed a good chunk of this quadrant
or even this corner of the universe...>> she mindspoke with a tired, weary
chuckle.

<<Uk...uk...wha..>> Maddie gasped, <<whAT..HaVe..yOu..dONe..tO..me?!!>>
as the power surged through her, burning her up inside. Her old night terrors
finally coming to life...

<<You stupid clone, the Phoenix isn't power in itself...but it has the ability
to tap into the elemental forces of the universe...and they're damned near
infinite, sweets,>> Phoenix replied as Maddie choked on the overflow that
seared away her essence, leaving the one to reclaim the part of herself
that she denied possessing, <<I knew you wanted it all, so I willed myself
to give it to you...how much do you think you can absorb before...>>

<<...you burst?>>