What Dreams May Come (Open)
The Blue Area of the Moon

Dusty, nearly lifeless, the remains of what might have once been a mighty civilization.  The Moon today was a battleground.  The X-Men had fought and fought hard for their friend, fought against the might of the Shi'ar Empire and their Imperial Guard.  But for all their fighting, they had doomed themselves anyway.

"Come then!  You fought for this!  For me!  You deserve a chance to behold me in all my glory!"  Flames of psionic fire danced around her, forming into the silhouette of a bird.

"Rachel, please!"  Cait Drake formed what little moisture there was in the air into ice, trying to immobilize her.  "We're your friends!  Let us help you!" 

"Ice, Cait?  Against the fire that beats with the hearts of stars?  Why do you ever try?"  Flames leaped from her hands, incinerating her friend.

Vlad came up behind her, but she spun, blasting him with wave after wave of energy, stripping first flesh, then metal, until there was nothing left. 

Something landed on her back.  Fred.  Placing some device over her head, trying to cloud her thoughts.  Shane fired electricity into her, trying to shake her further.  She grabbed the lightning with her mind, pulling it into Fred until he fell, crispy and dead, to the lunar ground.  She took his pain, turned it back on Shane.  And she took his lightning, drawing more and more out, hurling it into space, until he had nothing left to give, in body or spirit.

A powerful bolt struck her, stunning her for just a moment.  "Really, Misha?  You too, now turn against me?  Haven't I been your friend? Your "wife"?  And you, David, no sense hiding.  I know how much you still care about me."

A fiery talon reached out and grabbed Misha, crushing him inside his iron shell.  Another lifted David from his hiding place, tore him apart.

And then something struck her mind, a piercing thought.   Radiant One... Please.  Do not do this...  I know you are not this.  That you are more than this Force!  You must fight it, before it goes any further...

"Starbridge?"  Her concentration and focus stopped for a moment, as the love of her life stepped into view.  "Please... stop me before I...  Foolish boy!  What is love to the Phoenix?"  She gestured, and scattered him to cosmic dust upon the winds.

She looked up from the Moon.  "Such a delicious planet...  I believe I shall have to sample it!"

And she did.  Seven billion humans, mutants, and others died screaming in fire, never knowing the reasons for their deaths...

And inside, Rachel Summers screamed, "NOOOO...  NOOOO....

"NOOO!"

Rachel sat bolt upright in her bed, drenched in swear and her heart pounding.  It had all felt so real.  She'd killed them all.  Killed Starbridge, Cait, everyone...

Third time this month.

She signed and got herself out of bed.  One quick shower later and she was still to wired to go to sleep.  So even though it was nearly two in the morning, she made her way down to the kitchen and prepared herself a glass of hot chocolate.