✓ CHAPTER 09: In the Future
>> ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS
>> NEW YORK
>> IN THE FUTURE: YEAR 2973
Inside a cave situated just below a large mountain, a young man entered cautiously and silently, his heightened senses alerting him to the presence of life within.
"Well, look what we have here," he murmured.
A boy with white hair, a massive katana slung across his back glinting faintly in the cave's dim light, spoke. His green eyes gleamed with a mix of curiosity and a touch of malice, fixed on the bulky, wounded man before him.
The man the young boy was observing was gravely injured, with wounds so severe it was hard to believe he was still breathing. Both legs were missing, leaving him with only one arm to support himself. A colossal wound, nearly the size of a basketball, gaped in his stomach, exposing nearly all his innards.
Despite all these injuries, the man was miraculously alive, defying all odds. The young boy, observing him with his microscopic vision, could see that, inexplicably, the man's wounds were slowly beginning to heal before his eyes. Torn skin started to fuse, veins and muscles slowly reconstructing under his gaze.
"If it isn't the infamous Apocalypse," the young boy said, approaching with a smile on his face.
"Those two who tried to kill you are really stupid. Don't they know you're as hard to kill as a cockroach?" he mocked, observing Apocalypse in his pitiful state, his voice dripping with contempt and sarcasm.
"Who… are you, kid? Did you come to kill me too?" Apocalypse asked with great effort, fixing his gaze on the young boy, a mix of suspicion and curiosity reflected in his weary eyes.
"My name's Michael, and I wasn't actually looking for you, but for something else. However, now that I've found you here, I think killing you might be a good idea," Michael said, his left hand on his chin while he drew his massive katana from his back with his right.
"Then come on and kill me already… I am Apocalypse, I do not fear death," Apocalypse challenged boldly.
"Of course you don't fear death; after all, you're an External mutant," Michael said, aware that even if Apocalypse died, he would be reborn as a baby.
After all, he was an External mutant, and all External mutants are immortal. The only known way to kill an External mutant is if another External mutant eats their heart.
"Ah, it's good that you know that, young one, because after I'm reborn, I might come after you. But don't worry, I don't plan to kill you. I can't gauge your power level, which intrigues me greatly. However, I know you're likely a powerful mutant. Perhaps I'll recruit you as one of my Horsemen to serve me," Apocalypse said with a weak smile, coughing up some blood, his cunning mind already plotting possible future scenarios despite his current condition.
"Hmm… that's interesting. Initially, my plan was simply to kill you, but now… Hmm, look at that, don't worry. I don't intend to end you permanently. Soon, you'll be by my side serving me too," Michael said, his smile taking on a hint of malice as he held his sword, his mind already envisioning Apocalypse as a strategic ally in his future endeavors.
With an imposing stance, he raised his sword, pointing it at Apocalypse on the ground, and declared coldly:
"BANKAI"
The sword underwent an instant transformation, its appearance shifting to an aged, worn, and severely scorched version with a black hue. Smoke began to rise rapidly from the sword's tip, as if it were engulfed in flames.
"ZANKA NO TACHI"
After Michael uttered these words, the sword unleashed an immense and terrifying amount of heat, causing the air's humidity not only in that area but across the entire world to become dreadfully dry. Glaciers and snow worldwide began to melt rapidly, and even nearby rivers started to dry up, leaving behind scarce and desolate riverbeds. If that heat continued to be released, the world would soon face its end.
"ZANKA NO TACHI: HIGASHI: KYOKUJITSUJIN"
Michael swiftly materialized in front of Apocalypse and, with his sword, gave a single touch to Apocalypse's body.
"See you later… En Sabah Nur."
In an instant, Apocalypse simply vanished, burned completely without leaving even a single ash behind.
"Alright, now…" Michael said, deactivating his sword's power and sheathing it on his back, ready to move forward.
Michael looked at where Apocalypse's body had been and quickly used his special vision to examine everything around him, from matter and energy to aura and soul. He soon noticed that Apocalypse's soul was beginning to fade, so he decided to act quickly, saying:
"Devour everything… Void God Azathoth."
Immediately, something resembling a black hole, but with a vivid purple hue, appeared before Michael, its imposing presence voraciously sucking in everything around it. The black hole grew in size and darkness, consuming not only the energy and matter released from Apocalypse's body but also his entire soul and even fragments of space-time itself, creating a terrifying gravitational disturbance.
In a matter of seconds, the black hole dissipated, leaving behind only emptiness.
"Let's see if you can be reborn after that," Michael said defiantly, a subtle smile curving his lips.
"Ciel," Michael whispered.
"Yes, my dear," a young woman responded immediately, silently materializing behind Michael and enveloping him in a warm embrace.
The woman bore a striking resemblance to Michael, except for being female, with the only notable difference being her red eyes. Her hair was the same silvery shade, and her posture exuded unshakable confidence.
Ciel was one of Michael's greatest creations, a living AI forged years ago to be his perfect ally. With a body of her own that radiated confidence, she could transform into pure energy, merging with Michael's mind as an AI housed in his brain, processing and managing tasks that would demand too much time and energy even for someone with his powers.
"Why do you always have to show up like that?" Michael said, feeling the woman embracing him from behind.
"Because I like it… darling," Ciel replied with a smile, maintaining her embrace as she pressed her chest against his back. Her voice was soft and seductive, enveloping Michael in an aura of temptation.
"Aren't you afraid I might do something?" Michael questioned, probing Ciel's reaction with an intrigued look.
"No, we can do whatever we want so far, if you'd like, darling," Ciel responded promptly and seductively, without any shame, her red eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint.
"Maybe another day," Michael declared, maintaining his firm stance but leaving a hint of curiosity in the air.
"Really?" Ciel asked, a wide smile lighting up her face.
"No, now I want you to…" Michael began, but was interrupted.
"Analyze all the data from Apocalypse's body that your ability just absorbed… I know, I've already done it," Ciel finished, smiling confidently.
"Great, transfer the memories contained in his soul to me," Michael ordered.
"Alright, darling," Ciel replied, giving a light kiss on his cheek before swiftly transferring all the absorbed mind from Apocalypse's soul to Michael's.
Michael closed his eyes for a few seconds, diving into Apocalypse's memories in search of crucial information. His mind absorbed the powerful mutant's experiences and knowledge as he navigated the memories for what he needed for his next steps.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" Ciel asked curiously, watching Michael open his eyes. Her genuine interest shone in her red eyes as she eagerly awaited his response.
"Yes, I found it," Michael replied, walking to a corner of the cave and fixing his gaze on a specific wall.
Michael delivered a powerful punch to the cave wall, its echo resounding through the space, and it gave way immediately, forming a large hole. Inside the hole, he found a large metal briefcase carefully hidden.
"Well, finally, I was starting to think these things didn't exist in this timeline, and that if I wanted to get my hands on these items, I'd have to wait to return to the original timeline. But look at that, who would've thought I'd find not just one, but two of you at the same time," Michael said, a surprised smile on his face as he opened the briefcase.
Inside the briefcase were two triangular-shaped objects, carefully arranged. On the left rested a black object with purple stripes that seemed to pulse with enigmatic energy. On the opposite side was a white artifact radiating an intense orange glow, offering an equally intriguing sight.
"Hmm? What are these things? I can feel powerful energy emanating from them," Ciel said, her curiosity reflected in her gaze as she observed the two objects.
"The one on the left is called the Death Seed, and the one on the right is called the Life Seed."
They are two artifacts with immense cosmic powers, created by the cosmic gods of this multiverse, the Celestials.
When someone is infused with the powers of the Death Seed, they gain a significant boost in their abilities and even new powers related to death.
However, this great power increase comes at a cost. The minds of those infused with this power become so distorted that they begin to see death as something beautiful, making way for something new to come. They would have no issue killing millions, if not billions, of living people to achieve their goals.
Those infected by the Death Seed have the singular duty to ensure the rise of a superior species, like mutants, which could only be achieved by eliminating an inferior race, like humans. Failure to do so would mean the Celestials would eventually arrive and eradicate the entire planetary population of the failed experiment.
As for the Life Seed, it was also created by the Celestials, but with a different purpose. It was made to plant life on barren, lifeless planets.
The Life Seed also drastically enhances powers, just like the Death Seed, and can grant new abilities to those infused with it. Additionally, the Life Seed can neutralize the negative influence of the Death Seed in an individual.
"These two items are truly incredibly powerful. I never would've imagined finding both here," Michael said, looking at the Life Seed, recalling a comic book story where Nate Grey, after being infused with the Life Seed, literally transformed into a god.
"Maybe Apocalypse was coming here to use these items on himself," Ciel pondered, considering the possibilities.
"Hmm… It's a possibility," Michael replied, nodding in agreement.
"But what now? Do you plan to infuse yourself with these seeds to further increase your powers?" Ciel asked, a mix of curiosity and concern in her voice.
Michael pondered the question for a moment, reflecting on the possibilities and consequences of such a choice. His expression grew serious as he considered the ramifications of becoming even more powerful through the seeds' infusion.
"I don't think there'd be an issue with doing that, since I could probably control the Death Seed and prevent it from driving my mind insane," Michael explained.
"But I don't intend to go down that path. Instead, I plan to use my Azathoth ability to absorb both seeds. That way, I can incorporate all their power and easily neutralize any negative influence. After that, I'd like you to thoroughly analyze the structure of these items and then try to recreate them," Michael concluded, closing the briefcase and quickly transporting it to his pocket dimension.
"Can you do that?" Michael asked Ciel, seeking her opinion.
"It's possible… But it'll take many years to fully analyze those two artifacts. Maybe it'd be faster if you boosted my power," Ciel replied thoughtfully, a slight smile on her face.
"I can wait," Michael said, resolute in not increasing Ciel's power due to certain fears he harbored.
"Darling, you don't need to worry. I won't do the same as that character also named Ciel, who inspired you to create me," Ciel assured with a mischievous smile.
"You already have 20% of my powers; that's enough," Michael said, reaffirming his stance.
"Darling, I promise, if you give me more power, I won't mess with your P…" Ciel began, but was quickly interrupted by Michael.
"Ciel, we've already wasted too much time here. Let's go," Michael said, cutting her off hastily, not wanting to hear what she was about to say.
"It's about time I head back. It's been almost a month since I left, and knowing my sister, she must be pretty worried."
"And besides… today's her 15th birthday," Michael said, recalling when he came to this world and that 15 years had passed since then, even though in the timeline where he was born, only a few months had likely elapsed.
"Today's your birthday too, darling," Ciel said, appearing behind him and once again embracing him seductively.
"Well, that's true… But I was wondering what I should give her as a gift," Michael pondered, a finger on his chin.
"Maybe a new power?" Ciel suggested.
"Hmm, I thought about that too. As powerful as my sister's abilities are, incredibly strong, they're also quite limited," Michael reflected, recalling his sister's powers.
Hope Summers, the girl born on the same day as Michael, is an Omega-level mutant with a unique ability. Her power is to manipulate the abilities of other mutants near her, somewhat similar to Rogue's powers, but with crucial distinctions. Unlike Rogue, Hope's powers only work on other mutants, and she doesn't need to touch her target to copy their abilities; simply being near a mutant is enough for her to mimic their powers.
Moreover, Hope not only copies other mutants' powers but amplifies them to levels even higher than those of the original wielder. It's this capability that elevates her to Omega-level mutant status.
However, the powers Hope duplicates have limitations: they fade with time, distance, or excessive use.
This is a significant weakness of her power, as it means that, far from other mutants, she completely loses her ability to copy mutant powers and becomes essentially an ordinary person, unable to use any abilities.
"Any suggestions on what kind of power I should give her?" Michael asked.
Ciel pondered the question for a moment before responding, "A power related to telepathy, telekinesis, and fire control would be interesting," Ciel replied.
"Hmm… I thought about that too, as it would greatly improve the training I was doing with her to better control that hidden power of hers. Well… I'll think more about it when we get home… Let's go," Michael said, already preparing to leave, as Ciel quickly vanished from the scene, merging back into Michael's consciousness.
"Oh, right, I almost completely forgot about you," he said, turning his gaze to the spot where Apocalypse had died.
Michael's eyes quickly glowed purple, and then he said:
"Arise."
Suddenly, a shadow began to rapidly materialize on the ground, appearing exactly where Apocalypse had been moments before his death.
___________
>> IN A POCKET DIMENSION
In an imposing and massive white castle, surrounded by a long and beautiful green field, Michael materialized in the blink of an eye inside a reception room of the castle.
The room's walls were adorned with ancient tapestries and paintings of lush landscapes, and the floor was covered with a long, richly decorated red carpet.
An elderly man, dressed in an impeccable butler's suit, promptly approached Michael. With a respectful bow, he spoke in a calm and reverent voice, "Master Michael, you have returned."
"Hey, Albert, good to see you again," Michael greeted, his smile radiating gratitude and familiarity as he looked at the elderly man, one of the first beings he brought to life after raising this castle in what was then his small pocket dimension.
Currently, Albert was just a robot, or rather, a holographic projection of the castle's artificial intelligence. He was also one of Michael's first attempts to create a living being from scratch, but it failed because his powers hadn't yet reached that level.
So, unable to create life, Michael ended up creating an artificial intelligence to manage the castle, named Albert, inspired by the butler of a certain hero.
"Where is everyone?" Michael asked.
"Miss Hope is waiting for you in her room, sir," Albert explained with a respectful bow, his tone revealing a mix of deference and habitual serenity. "As for Mr. Nathan, he is in the workshop, busy repairing and upgrading his weapons. And finally, Layla is in the castle garden tending to the flowers."
"I see. Thank you, Albert," Michael thanked with a nod, showing his gratitude.
"I'll check on Uncle Cable. Please inform my sister and Layla about my arrival; I have something urgent to discuss with them," he requested.
"Certainly, master. I will inform Miss Hope and Miss Layla immediately," Albert replied deferentially before withdrawing to fulfill Michael's request.
Michael left the room and walked through the majestic corridors of the castle, navigating each passage with familiarity until he reached a room filled with technological machines and weaponry. Cable was there, immersed in his work, his imposing presence evident as he made precise adjustments to one of the weapons.
"You're back… Did you find what you were looking for?" Cable asked, his serious tone contrasting with the intensity of his gaze fixed on the task at hand.
"Yes, I did," Michael replied, approaching and observing Cable's work. Despite Cable's seriousness, Michael noticed a slight hint of relief in his eyes, as if a silent worry had been eased by his return after being gone for nearly a month.
"Looks like you did a great job with those weapons, even though you don't need to use them anymore," Michael commented, appreciating his uncle's technical skills.
"But… how are you feeling now, Uncle? Better?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.
A month ago, Michael had completely removed the Techno-Organic Virus from Cable's body, an insidious infection that turned his organic tissues into living technology. The removal process had been a success. However, since then, Michael hadn't had time to check on how Cable was feeling, as he had left shortly after to search for those artifacts.
"Don't worry, kid. I'm fine. Just trying to get used to not having to use my telekinesis all the time to keep that damn techno-organic virus in check," Cable explained, focused on his work. "Besides, now that I'm free of the virus, I can fully focus on honing my telekinetic and telepathic powers, setting my weapons aside a bit."
As he spoke, Cable manipulated the weapon parts floating in the air with skill, demonstrating refined control of his telekinesis. His movements were precise and fluid, indicating not only the repair of the weapon but also his constant training to strengthen his powerful telekinetic abilities. Michael watched with admiration, recognizing his uncle's effort and determination to refine his old power, reflecting on how far Cable had come since he started using his telekinesis again.
"But instead of worrying about me, you should go see your sister; she's been pretty…" Cable stopped abruptly, sensing with his telepathy the presence of a new person about to enter the room.
"Brother, you're back!" exclaimed a female voice, soon arriving and hugging Michael from behind.
It was Hope Summers, the Mutant Messiah.
"Hope, how are you?" Michael asked, smiling as he held her hands, which were wrapped around him from behind.
"Hmph… Is that all you say to me after disappearing for almost a month without telling me?" Hope replied with a slight tone of irritation, pouting.
"Sorry about that, sis. I didn't think it would take so long," Michael said, lying, as he had expected to be gone for at least three months searching for the Life and Death Seeds before returning.
"Hmph, I'll forgive you only because it's your birthday today," Hope said, giving a playful smile.
After some time of conversation, new people arrived at the scene.
"Michael, did you find what you were looking for?" asked a certain blonde girl with a strange M-shaped tattoo on her face, visibly curious.
"Yes, Layla, I found it," Michael said mysteriously, not wanting to reveal anything yet.
"Come on, brother, tell us what you were looking for; don't be so secretive," Hope said, holding onto him, while Michael just smiled, shaking his head.
"Albert said you had something urgent to tell us; what is it?" Layla asked, sitting in a chair.
"Hmm, yes, I have something to tell everyone, especially you, Uncle," Michael said with a wicked smile, which made Cable feel a slight chill at that sinister grin.
"Hmm, I hope it's something good," Cable murmured, casting a suspicious glance at Michael, not liking that wicked smile one bit.
"Yes, it's great news… That bastard is personally here in this timeline," Michael said, his tone revealing a mix of determination and disdain.
"What, that son of a bitch is here?" Hope exclaimed, her voice filled with anger, already knowing who her brother was talking about.
"Girl, watch your mouth," Cable scolded with a stern look.
"Sorry, Nathan, but you know how much I want to kill that guy," Hope said, lowering her head, her voice conveying fury and sadness as she recalled the past.
"I know that very well, Hope, but it's strange… Bishop hunted us for almost ten years, and not once was he personally in the same timeline as us," Cable said, his voice tinged with caution.
"So, if he showed up here in person, it's because he's prepared to face us or counting on something else," he concluded, pondering the possibilities with a serious expression.
"You're right, Uncle. Bishop isn't alone; he has an ally by his side, someone he believes is probably capable of killing me or at least keeping me busy, and that's why he showed up here," Michael said with a scornful smile, revealing the confidence he had in himself.
"Who's this guy?" Layla Miller asked, visibly curious. None of what was happening now was part of the future she had foreseen, which made her a little scared but also quite intrigued.
"Brother, is this guy dangerous?" Hope asked, very worried.
"Don't worry, Hope. This man definitely can't hurt me, even though he's a powerful Omega-level mutant," Michael said, trying to reassure his sister, his voice confident.
"In fact, I'd doubt this guy could even beat you," Michael said, confident in his sister's powers, as they made her nearly invincible against another mutant, especially since Michael had been teaching her how to control and use those powers since she was five years old.
"So, Uncle, this guy is someone you know very well, especially since he has the same name as you, Nathan Summers, but is better known as…" Michael said before being interrupted by Cable.
"Stryfe… Impossible, it's not him; he's dead. I saw him die with my own eyes," Cable said, his voice filled with disbelief and shock as he looked to Michael for an answer.
"Well… The X-Men also thought you were dead, Uncle, and here you are," Michael said, joking.
"Are you sure, Michael?" Cable asked, needing more confirmation. Still, he almost completely believed the information Michael had just given, as in the last 15 years they'd been together, the boy had never given them wrong information, and Cable knew Michael's powers very well.
He knew Michael was a mutant with reality-manipulation powers, one of the strongest he'd ever seen with that ability. So, he didn't doubt the boy, as it shouldn't be too hard for someone with that power to see the future.
"Yes, I'm sure, Uncle. Bishop somehow knew Stryfe was still alive. Bishop got lucky and found Apocalypse's body in a coma, which reminded him that Stryfe really wanted to kill Apocalypse. So, Bishop went to where Stryfe was to form an alliance, offering Apocalypse's location and later helping Stryfe kill him. All this, of course, in exchange for Stryfe's help in killing us," Michael explained, describing something that had happened as if he had been there himself.
"That damn Bishop," Cable growled softly after Michael's explanation.
"Oh, and of course, those two idiots only thought they killed Apocalypse," Michael said with a smile.
"He's not dead?" Cable asked, shocked, as if Apocalypse were alive, they would likely have to deal with three powerful enemies.
"He was alive until a few minutes ago when I found him out there, gravely injured from the battle he had with those two… And, well, I killed him… definitively," Michael said calmly.
"You say that so casually," Cable said, shaking his head, a mix of admiration and concern in his eyes, as the boy had just eliminated one of the greatest and most powerful enemies he'd ever faced.
"I don't know who this Apocalypse guy is, but great job killing him, brother," Hope praised, giving Michael a thumbs-up.
Seeing that Hope didn't know who Apocalypse was, Layla, at her side, explained to her.
"Apocalypse is one of the oldest and most powerful mutants in the world," Layla explained, her tone serious. "He believes in the survival of the fittest and tries to shape the world according to that philosophy, often causing chaos and destruction," Layla concluded.
"Girl, you don't even know who Apocalypse is, and you're already praising your brother for killing him?" Cable questioned Hope, shaking his head and reflecting on his choices in raising the two teenagers.
"Hmph, if my brother killed someone, it's because that person was definitely evil or tried to kill him too, and from what Layla said, this guy is definitely bad," Hope said, completely trusting her brother, knowing he wouldn't hurt an innocent person.
"Thanks for trusting me, sis. Later, I'll tell you a bit more about who Apocalypse is, beyond what Layla said," Michael said, smiling at Hope before turning his attention back to Cable.
"But now, Uncle, what do we do? We can stay here in my dimension forever, but you know that sooner or later, we'll have to go back because of what's coming… And when we do, Bishop will still be after us, no doubt about it. So, I propose we leave my dimension right now and put an end to Bishop and Stryfe once and for all before those two cause us even more trouble," Michael suggested, his voice sounding cold.
"I agree with my brother," Hope quickly affirmed, looking at Michael.
"I agree too, but you're not going anywhere, Hope. You're staying here with Layla. Michael and I will deal with those two," Cable declared, his voice heavy with authority as his gaze fixed directly on Hope, a slight trace of concern mixing with his characteristic firmness.
"No, no matter what you say, Nathan, I'm going, and I'll be the one to finish that plague that's been tormenting us for years… I know his purpose is to kill me, so let me end him," Hope said, her fists clenched with anger as a red aura, resembling fire, faintly radiated from her body, and the silhouette of a fiery bird glowed in her eyes.
"Uncle, I agree with her. Let her go," Michael intervened with a sigh, a shadow of sadness crossing his face as memories of the moment he chose to spare Bishop's life echoed in his mind again.
Michael's decision to let Bishop live was obviously a foolish one, and as expected, its consequences came crashing down more abruptly than anyone could have predicted. And those consequences weren't just bad—they were simply catastrophic.
When Cable arrived in the future with the babies Michael and Hope, everything seemed relatively peaceful. The three managed to live a tranquil life for just over a year.
But only a year later, chaos struck. All the world's nuclear bombs were mysteriously activated, forcing Cable to act quickly, grabbing the two babies and fleeing to another timeline, leaving that world almost completely destroyed behind.
In the second timeline, they managed to live in peace for a few months until something mysterious happened again: a terrible disease swept through the world, forcing Cable to flee to yet another different future.
And so it continued, an endless escape through multiple futures until the number of timelines visited easily surpassed 100.
Michael, with his knowledge of Marvel comics, obviously knew who was truly responsible for all these attacks: the man he once spared from death, Bishop.
Michael hadn't had another chance to kill Bishop because, somehow, it seemed Bishop knew that the moment he appeared in the same timeline as Michael, Michael would come for him to kill him… definitively.
Assuming this, Bishop used various Sentinels and Nano-Sentinels to do his dirty work. He sent them to the same timelines where Michael and his group were, causing mass destruction under his command.
The escapes to other timelines continued until two years ago when Michael, using nearly all his power, created a pocket dimension. Within this newly created domain, he fashioned a large territory, slightly larger than five football fields.
Here, within this dimension, the three finally found the long-sought peace.
But even before creating this pocket dimension, Michael, Hope, and Cable, during their escapes to other timelines, encountered the mutant Layla Miller in one of those timelines.
Michael knew Layla was there because she, along with Madrox, had been sent to that timeline to investigate the place. However, with the death of Madrox's duplicate, Layla ended up alone in that prison.
Recognizing that timeline, Michael quickly set out to rescue Layla. After a successful rescue, leaving a trail of destruction in the prison, Michael, Layla, Cable, and Hope decided to move to another timeline, avoiding staying there for various reasons.
"Hope, Uncle, I owe you both an apology. If I had killed that bastard, none of this would have happened. Your wife would still be alive, Uncle, and we… all of us could have lived in peace for many years," Michael said, changing the subject of the conversation, his fists clenched as he recalled Cable's wife, also named Hope, who died in one of those timelines when multiple nuclear bombs exploded in the world.
At that moment, facing the imminent explosion that threatened to consume them, Cable acted swiftly. In an instant, he made a crucial decision, grabbing the children and teleporting them away, taking them on a desperate escape to another timeline. As they fled, his anguished gaze witnessed the devastation, seeing his beloved wife, Hope, turn to dust in the nuclear explosion's shockwave.
That was the first time Michael and Cable had a tense argument. Michael wanted to stay there to protect Cable's wife, as with his powers, he could have created a force field around them that would have shielded them even from a nuclear explosion. But at that moment, Cable didn't know this and fled quickly, leaving his wife behind.
It was from that moment that Michael began to explain his power in more detail to Cable and Hope, and everything he was capable of, so that things like that would never happen again
"Hmm… Michael, neither Hope nor I blame you for this. Remember, you're a mutant with god-like powers, but you're still a mutant. You can make mistakes too," Cable said, his gaze conveying understanding as he placed a comforting hand on Michael's shoulder. He knew Michael carried the burden of his past decisions, but he also recognized the strength and responsibility he bore as a being with extraordinary abilities.
"The important thing is to learn from those mistakes and move forward."
"Brother… No one blames you for this, but we do blame that bastard," Hope said, wrapping Michael in a comforting hug from behind.
"No matter what you say, I still blame myself for this, and it's impossible for me to forget… hundreds of billions of people died because of my stupid decision. I think it's okay to remember that; it'll make me remember forever not to make that same mistake again," Michael affirmed, letting out a sigh and shaking his head.
"But enough talk about the past… Get ready now. We're leaving my dimension soon to go kill those two," Michael said firmly, instantly shifting the conversation's tone.
"Yes!" Hope exclaimed, excited.
"Layla, you coming?" Michael asked.
"I'll stay here. I won't be much help out there," Layla said, reading a gardening book.
"You want to go now?" Cable asked, standing up from the chair with a serious look.
"Yes, right now," Michael replied, also standing up from the table and positioning himself beside his sister.
"Take this, sis. This is my birthday present for you," Michael said with a warm smile, skillfully shaping a dark red object resembling a fruit in his hand and extending it to her.
Hope took the fruit with curiosity, examining it with fascination. "Thanks, brother. But what is it?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with anticipation as she looked at the dark red object, which looked like a fruit but larger.
"It's a very special fruit… Eat it now; it'll help you a bit in today's fight and with some other things in the future," Michael explained, his enigmatic smile filled with expectation. He hoped the power contained in that fruit would help fully unlock the second latent power Hope had since birth but couldn't control because it was incomplete.
Even so, it was still incredibly powerful and almost uncontrollable. Michael knew that with this power, in the future, she would use it to save the mutant race from its imminent extinction.
That's why she needed to learn to control this incomplete power soon, because if she didn't, when it fully manifested, it was very likely she wouldn't be able to handle it and would go completely insane.
Shaking his head and stopping those thoughts, he said, "Well, let's go… We need to leave soon, or Stryfe will kill our birthday 'guests,'" he warned, leaving the room with a mysterious smile, leaving everyone there curious.
"What? What guests?" Cable and Hope asked in unison, their expressions reflecting confusion and concern at the enigma Michael left behind.
"On second thought, wait here a minute; let me bring them here."
.
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