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*****
Avengers Tower was a scene of unbridled joy and laughter.
The comfort provided by the gourmet food allowed everyone to forget the exhaustion wrought by war. This wasn't an exaggeration—it was the actual physiological effect of the feast they had just shared.
Once satiated, the superheroes settled into casual conversation. The pre-prepared alcohol was finally remembered and found its way into everyone's hands. Clinking glasses, they gathered in small groups of three or five to discuss a myriad of topics.
Tony Stark and Pepper Potts stood together. With their wedding fast approaching, several heroes offered early congratulations and inquired about the preparations. Speaking of the big day, Pepper became visibly excited, unable to resist discussing the finer details in her quest for perfection. Tony stood by her side with a supportive smile, though he couldn't help but let out a soft huff when he spotted Steve Rogers gently stroking Peggy Carter's protruding belly.
He told himself they would have a child of their own soon enough.
In a quiet corner, Wanda sat chatting idly with Natasha. Wanda would occasionally point toward Bruce Banner, who was deep in discussion with Reed Richards; to Wanda's amusement, Natasha's face actually turned a rare shade of crimson. Seeing this, Wanda couldn't help but giggle. However, when she turned to see Pietro huddled in another corner, head down and obsessed with a game on his phone, she shook her head helplessly. Her brother had become increasingly addicted to gaming lately.
Suddenly, she felt a gaze lingering on her. She turned her head instinctively.
Vision immediately looked away, startled. After a brief moment of surprise, Wanda let out a soft smile. she reached out with her powers, conjuring a wisp of red mist to playfully tap Vision on the head. To her delight, Vision's face actually changed color.
Wanda and Natasha broke into low laughter, as if they had discovered something incredibly entertaining. Natasha's eyes darted between the two, a look of thoughtful calculation flashing through her gaze.
Nearby, Barton, Bucky, Rhodey, and Sam were huddled together, drinking and arm-wrestling. The loser of each round was forced to down a massive glass of liquor. Seeing the fun, Logan and several X-Men happily joined the fray. Pyro, Iceman, Sabretooth, Scott, and Logan all crowded around.
"Add some ice," Logan said, sliding his glass toward Iceman. Bobby Drake gave a helpless smile, rubbing his fingers together over the cup. Crystal-clear ice cubes tumbled into the drink with a rhythmic clink-clink-clink.
"Thanks," Logan grunted. He took a sip, then extended his hand toward Rhodey. "Come on! I'll show you what real strength feels like!"
Rhodey chuckled and locked hands with Logan.
"Go!"
At Sam's command, the two began to strain. Rhodey shouted with effort, his face turning red, while Logan remained perfectly composed. Once Rhodey's strength hit its limit, Logan calmly pinned his hand to the table.
"Not much of a challenge," Logan remarked with a dry smile. He looked provocatively at the other three. "Don't you have anyone stronger?"
Rhodey grimaced and nudged Bucky. While Rhodey was physically fit and impressive for a normal human, he was still outclassed by mutants and super-soldiers. Bucky gave a faint smile and extended his metallic arm. Logan raised an eyebrow, locking his grip onto the cold vibranium.
The crowd surged with excitement. Now this was a match worth watching.
"Go!" Sam yelled again.
The two began to exert force. Their expressions shifted from stoic calm to bulging veins and flushed faces. The power levels continued to climb until finally, the match ended with Logan gaining a slight advantage.
"Aww!" Rhodey let out a long sigh of disappointment as Bucky's hand was pressed down.
"Ha! Anyone else?" Logan looked around arrogantly.
Sabretooth let out a low growl. "I'm in."
Logan narrowed his eyes. The two brothers began their perennial contest of strength. Though they were no longer at each other's throats like they used to be, the competitive fire between them still burned bright.
As the two struggled, the crowd began to jeer and cheer. Hearing the commotion, more superheroes flocked to the table. Eventually, the gathering transformed into a full-blown superhero arm-wrestling tournament. Vision, Pietro, Hank McCoy, Scott, and Remy LeBeau all joined in the fun.
In the end, Vision emerged as the final victor—though that was only because Clark and Mike hadn't participated.
Today was a rare occasion where Mike's entire family was gathered together, so they took the opportunity to catch up. Mike, Raven, Clark, Hope, Eric, Hela, Charles, Jean, Gwen, and little Lamb...
Looking at Mike's family, the other superheroes couldn't help but shake their heads. This family was becoming increasingly terrifying.
Just then, Crystal and Daisy suddenly spoke up: "Everyone, there's something I need to tell you."
The room quieted as all eyes fell on them. Crystal looked at the group with deep gratitude. "Thank you all for taking care of us during this time." She glanced at Daisy before continuing, "It's thanks to everyone here that the Inhumans are free again. You will always be friends of the Inhuman race."
As a member of the Royal Family, Crystal certainly had the authority to make such a claim. "It is time for us to return to Attilan. Attilan needs us now more than ever." Her voice was quiet but held an unquestionable firmness.
The impact of recent events had been devastating. Ultimately, the Inhumans were victims; even Hive had been nothing more than a tool. The true mastermind behind everything... was the Kree Empire. That cosmic behemoth wanted the Inhumans, they wanted Earth, and they even wanted Planet Kent.
The Avengers offered their well-wishes as the two prepared to depart.
"What are the Inhumans' plans for the future?" Charles Xavier asked curiously. He wanted to see how they would handle the aftermath—whether they would try to integrate into the world or maintain their isolation. Given what had happened, the price and effort required for integration would be immense.
To his surprise, Crystal pondered for a moment before saying slowly, "The Inhumans plan to leave this place."
This wasn't a secret that needed keeping. The crowd was stunned. Leave? What did that mean?
"Leave? To where?" someone asked.
"Beyond Earth." Crystal looked toward the sky, her voice cold. "The Inhumans may be few, but we are not targets for anyone to bully. The Kree wanted to turn us into their tools; they must pay the price for that."
So, they were planning to take the fight to the Kree Empire. The heroes exchanged looks, understanding the gravity of her words.
"Then we wish you a safe journey. Earth will always be a home for the Inhumans," Steve Rogers said with a smile. Crystal and Daisy nodded, visibly moved.
At that moment, Mike reached into his pocket dimension and pulled out a book. "Give this to Black Bolt."
Crystal took it and froze. (｀Д)!!
Three Hundred Nursery Rhymes?
She looked at the book, then back at Mike. Mike nodded seriously. "It's the art of speaking. When he opens his mouth, it'll save him the trouble of coming up with words himself. Some of the things he says are... well, a bit awkward to hear."
The book had belonged to little Lamb, but since he no longer needed it, Mike figured he'd pass it on to Black Bolt. He hoped the Inhuman King would put it to good use.
"..."
Crystal was speechless, but she couldn't help but let out a snicker. "Sometimes, it really is like that." To be honest, she actually wanted to see the scene of Black Bolt reciting nursery rhymes.
Crystal graciously accepted the gift. After saying their final goodbyes, she and Daisy departed from Avengers Tower.
With their departure, the boisterous atmosphere gradually settled into a calm serenity. After a bit more small talk, the gathering came to an end. Mike and Raven took Gwen and little Lamb home, while Clark and the others headed back to Planet Kent or their respective apartments.
---
Back at Mike's house, the four of them stepped inside.
"I'm going to wash my face!" little Lamb cheered, rushing into the bathroom.
Gwen let out a long yawn and checked her phone. Seeing a message, her spirit surged. She sprinted upstairs, shouting back down, "Dad, I'm turning in!" The moment the door closed, she hurriedly changed into her suit and swung out the window on a web line.
"Sigh, Gwen really has too much energy," Mike said, shaking his head with a smile. He deactivated his X-ray vision, took the glass of water Raven brought him, set it aside, and pulled her into his arms. "It's been a long day..." he sighed, his voice laced with fatigue.
Raven stroked his face tenderly. "You weren't hurt today, were you?"
"No," Mike said with a smile. "Just a bit tired."
"Then you should get some rest," Raven said, looking at him with concern.
"Yeah, some 'rest'!" Mike looked down at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Hmm?" Raven paused, then rolled her eyes. As Mike's grin widened, she reached up and bit his lip playfully. Mike let out a low laugh and swept her off to their room.
A few minutes later, a freshly washed little Lamb walked out of the bathroom. Seeing the empty living room, his lip curled. He looked down and sighed, "Alas, solitude only makes me stronger! In the end, I am the only one carrying the weight of the world." Shaking his head dramatically, he wobbled back to his own room.
---
The impact of the Terrigen Mist incident was far more severe than anyone had anticipated. Beyond the heavy casualties, a vast number of new Inhumans had awakened their powers, bringing further chaos. In such a world, the need for superheroes would only grow.
Consequently, when news of the Superhero Registration Act was announced, it sparked a worldwide debate. Support, opposition... opinions were all over the spectrum. But one thing was certain: everyone was waiting for the moment the act would be signed to see what the heroes would choose.
However, none of this seemed to affect Mike's household.
The next morning, the family sat at the dining table, enjoying a breakfast Mike had meticulously prepared.
"Haha!" Mike burst out laughing at a funny news clip, tapping his finger to project the image. On the screen, a raccoon was brawling with a monkey. They were posturing and even swinging sticks; it looked ridiculous.
Raven glanced at it and chuckled. Little Lamb sighed, looking at Mike. "Dad, can't you pay attention to the big stuff?"
"Big stuff? What big stuff?" Mike winked at the boy. "Don't we already know all the big stuff? Besides, a lot of it involves us anyway!"
Little Lamb: "..."
Fine, I guess the 'big stuff' does involve us. The boy opened his mouth to argue, then went back to eating in silence. I didn't participate, so it doesn't count!
"Ha!" Gwen let out a massive yawn, rubbing her eyes.
"What? Didn't sleep again? How many people did you go out to help? Careful, or you'll turn into an old lady before your time," Mike teased.
Gwen froze. "No... no way!" She wasn't even fifteen yet; she was a budding flower! She couldn't wither before she even bloomed.
"Stop scaring her," Raven said, giving Mike a look. "With your constitution, you'll be fine... Ha!" As she spoke, Raven couldn't help but yawn herself.
Gwen blinked. "Auntie Raven, you didn't sleep well either?"
A suspicious blush crept onto Raven's face. She touched her cheek lightly and turned to Gwen. "Just eat. It's getting late, and you're going to miss your bus."
"Oh!" Gwen nodded, giving Raven a look that suggested she understood exactly why.
Raven: "..."
Feeling utterly exasperated, she reached under the table and stomped on Mike's foot. Mike didn't feel a hint of pain, but when Raven glared at him, he dutifully bared his teeth and grimaced as if he were in agony. Satisfied, Raven curled her lips into a smile and poured him a glass of milk.
As the family finished their breakfast, a sudden knock sounded at the door.
"This early? Who is it?" Raven wondered aloud, standing up and heading toward the door.
At the same time, the young man outside grew increasingly nervous as he heard the approaching footsteps.
How should I introduce myself when I see them?
What will their faces look like?
It's been so long... will they have forgotten me?
Will my sudden appearance worry them? And what should my first words be?
The youth stood at the door, muttering incessantly, his anxiety visible to the naked eye. Because he had been so nervous, he had intentionally waited until the second day to visit, but after a whole night, the tension hadn't faded. If anything, the long-held anticipation had only made it worse.
Click.
At the sound of the lock turning, the youth froze, staring blankly as the door swung open.
"And you are?"
Raven looked at the young man outside with confusion. He looked somewhat familiar, yet she was certain she had never met him.
"You... you must be Grandma Raven!"
Seeing Raven, the youth stuttered out the words with frantic excitement.
Raven: "?"
She looked the young man up and down, her lip twitching. Is this person sick? Where exactly did she look like... a grandma?
Out of politeness, she asked coolly, "Who are you?"
"I'm Oren. Oren Kent!"
"!?"
Raven's head snapped back, her sharp, icy gaze sweeping toward Mike in the living room.
(End of Chapter)