#jenskot

Red (2016)

Made this one years ago for a canon compliant (at the time) AU. Where Scott Summers (Cyclops) unlocks his powers as they're falling from the sky after jumping from their burning plane. I drew this in 2016 but the AU has been rolling around my head since 2009 lol. I mean... I tried to keep it canon compliant but canon keeps changing its mind.

From X-Force Vol. 5 #010, “The Counterfeit King - Part 4”

Art by Dylan Burnett and Jesús Aburtov

Aliya Dayspring

-Real name: Aliya Dayspring

-A.k.a.: Jenskot

-Publisher: Marvel

-Type: Mutant

-Afilliations: Clan Askani, Clan Chosen

Marvel Premium X-Men | Timelines - Series 1 (1997)

The medallion was once a beautiful and spectacular gold piece on a long chain of the same material. The piece was once treated with joy and pride, each side portraying one of the Askani symbols. One side was a brilliant phoenix, wings spread wide in flight, strong and fierce. The other side was the sacred eye, the eye of the Askani'Son, the savior, the messiah. It was an image he saw every day when he looked at the mirror. It was an image that haunted him.

It wasn't the Askani he wanted to remember, it was the one who had given this necklace to him. She had been strong and was defined by no one's actions but her own. He could recall the softness of her dark brown hair, usually pulled back by a piece of green cloth. Her blue eyes were dark and wild like the storm, filled with determination and so much life.

It had destroyed Nathan to see that life fade away.

But he thought back on the times they trained together, sparred, and learned. She was a force to be reckoned with, and people saw that, he saw that. Nathan could recall the nights they would sneak out, despite being sore from training. They'd sneak away into the desert and look upon the flickering lights of their home. And Aliya would hum soft tunes as they came together and she'd show him slow steps. Slow steps and twirls and delicate dances. Often she would laugh, a sweet musical sound, as he stumbled and messed up, but over time that changed as he grew better and more confident. They'd dance through the night, spinning with the warm and sandy wind of the desert, in each others arms.

He could vividly remember their wedding day. People gathered from far and wide to celebrate. A beautiful day and everyone was happy, care free. The thought of war and fighting pushed away and momentarily forgotten as they celebrated life and love. There were gifts and praises and blessings from everyone. It was a wondrous occasion, so bright and hopeful. This day was the mark of a better time, a better future. And he recall, holding her hands, slipping that ring onto her finger, their vows dancing on his lips. He could still remember that one word, that one vow they swore their love by. Forever.

Nathan could see the time that past, the things they've fought for, the sacrifices they had to make. His hands clenched tightly around the jewelry, shaking. He could remember the war, the battle, the explosion that sent forms flying. He could see how forcefully her crippled form landed, he could feel the sand give way to his heavy footfall as he ran for her. He remembered collapsing to the ground and scooping her fragile body into his arms and cradling her close to his chest. The pained noises she made as she spoke of the hurt, the way he pleaded and begged for her to hold on. She reached up and touched that medallion, smearing blood along the bottom of it, casting crimson against gold. He thought about how her last words were a soft plea to take care of Tyler, to keep him safe, and how as she spoke those words, he had already failed her.

Nathan sat back, the memories there, the good and the bad, twirling around wildly in his mind, sending blinding images across his vision. He hadn't worn the medallion since her death, he hadn't danced since her death. The reckless nature he carried himself with afterwards proved to be incredibly dangerous for himself and others. That time had been taken so hard, lived so crazily that there were times that Nathan could barely recall it. It was all the past now, memories and the necklace was all he had. Carefully, he kissed the medallion and put it away, returning it to its safe place. It would be there, waiting for the next lonely night that was simply to much to bare alone.