UNIVERSE BOWL VI: CHAPTER XXXII: MAESTRO AND MAGNETISM

            “You have a bit of blood flowing from your nostrils, Joseph,” says Xavier as he makes a wiping gesture.

            Joseph cleans his nose on the back of his arm. 

            “It happens in war, Charles,” quips Joseph, “people die; sides lose; all a part of the game.”

            “This is not a game, my friend,” corrects Professor X.  “You are dying.  The strain suffered by you pushing yourself too far in the creation of your monster has wounded both body and mind.”

            “My death shall not be in vain,” replies Joseph, thinking how he came to this point in his life, realizing that it all started with the loss of the bears to his weaponized submarine.

            The veins on Joseph’s forehead begin to bulge as pieces of his previous monster are melded together with Metroplex.  Professor X will not allow the enemy to accomplish his goal of creating another monstrosity.  Xavier focuses all of his attention on Joseph’s brain and projects a psionic blast at the already weakened mind of Joseph.  Droplets of blood begin to tear from Joseph’s eyes.

            “I know what you have done to me, Charles!” shouts Joseph.  “It’s not enough!!!”

            Joseph’s partially created invention fires a laser at the hover chair of Xavier. Professor X is thrown from his transport as the chair explodes and then is vacuumed into Joseph’s creation.

            “Everything you have is mine, Charles,” states Joseph.  “Everything!!!”

            Through bloodshot eyes, Joseph throws his left arm up and a piece of his beast, previously Xavier’s chair, flies from its formation, piercing the side of Professor X.  Xavier screams is agony.  In response, Xavier unleashes a mind blast upon Joseph, who wails at the overloaded information scrambling through his brain.  The blast is followed by another psionic blast aimed at Joseph’s mind.  Joseph feels the effects of the two blows as blood begins to stream out of his ears now.

            “No more!” shouts Joseph as his monster falls upon an immobile Charles Xavier, crushing the life from the mutant.

            A grin creeps across Joseph’s face.  He attempts to walk a few steps and stumbles, falling to the ground.  Blood flows from the clone’s eyes, ears and nose.  The last sight Joseph sees before closing his eyes forever is the heads of three smiling bears staring at him.  Joseph dies with a smile on his face.