Chapter 36

"Did you send my Dad to prison?"

Susan had us move our training to what amounts to a massive, empty chamber in the middle of the Baxter Building, similar to the X-Men's Danger Room with all the training equipment turned off. Apparently the walls here are reinforced with adamantium and Reed had it built to allow Johnny and Ben to go all-out with their powers without turning New York into a smoking crater. It still isn't anywhere close to contain either me or Franklin, but it's better to do this somewhere large and empty anyway. We're currently standing in the middle of the room, facing eachother, while Susan and Ben watch from the entrance. Unsurprisingly, Franklin turns out to have a few questions not related to his powers.

"No, I didn't, I didn't have to. I just knew where some of the evidence of what he did was, so I pointed a friend in the right direction."

"It's Aunt Jen, isn't it? She's the one they showed at the trial on TV."

"'Fraid so, kid. I know she's a friend of your family, but Tony Stark did something bad to her, and your dad... well, he helped."

Franklins face scrunches up miserably "My dad's a good guy! He saves the world, he wouldn't hurt her... not-not on purpose!"

"I doubt either of them MEANT to hurt anyone, I think they both did what they thought was best for everyone, but thinking something is the best for everyone doesn't mean it actually is. And people got hurt and died because of it."

Franklin clenches his fists and his eyes flash with energy for a brief second, and the floor dips under him as his powers surge. For a moment it looks like he's about to lash out, then it fizzles out just as quickly. "...I heard him and Mom fighting once. He said more people would have died if he hadn't done what he did. He said everyone would be safer this way.... even if it wasn't perfect. Mom didn't agree..."

For a moment, I remember the old Mutant Registration Act poster "Do You Know What Your Children Are", which had Franklins picture on it with the word "Mutie" stamped over it and supress a shudder. "Your father thought appeasing people who fear anyone with powers would be enough to prevent escalating the problem, but he was wrong. It was never about safety, it was about control. They hate superheroes for upsetting their ideas of authority, they hate mutants for being the future, they hate anyone who can change the ways things are. Not to say of course that being afraid of someone who can blow up a building with a thought is irrational, but that's never been the real focus of their fear. And we can't allow someone elses fear control our lives. We will not hide or go away just to satisfy their need to own the whole world, wether your father thinks it's worth it or not."

It's a pretty heavy concept for a kid to deal with, but he's been around superhumans his whole life, not to mention some of the horrific shit he witnessed. Hell, he was present during the Mutant Massacre when Sinister wiped out most of the Morlocks. Not to mention he's one of the few survivors of the mutant race in atleast one possible future, though I'm not sure if he's aware of that or not.

One thing is for damn sure, the Days Of Future Past is not going to happen while I'm around.

I nod at him "You ready to get to work?"

After a brief pause, he nods back.

....

I don't have any teaching experience, but one advantage I have over most mutants is that my powers came with an intuitive knowledge on how to use them, which probably helped to keep me from wiping out the planet on my first day here. Despite having had them since birth, Franklin has little grasp of just how powerful he really is, the powers he can consciously access are pretty basic, and I think he might be basing them on what he's seen other heroes do. He's easily able to use telepathy, has limited precognition, and a powerful psychic energy blast, but seems a bit uncomfortable trying to focus his power beyond that. I finally end up having him scan my surface thoughts when I use my powers to give him an idea of how to access his own on a conscious level. After almost two hours, he's gotten a good grasp on how to rearrange matter in his immediate vicinity, though he's still got a long way to go to reach his full potential.

"Look, Mom!" Franklin yells, proudly showing his mother the technique I taught him, as he morphs some leftover scrap metal into different material, from steel to glass, to wood, to water, and finally settles into a gold sphere, which he holds up in triumph. Sue smiles and affectionally strokes her sons hair.

"It's lovely, Franklin. Just remember to be responsible when you use it."

"Oh, I know, Johan said I should only use it when it's necessary. Or when I'm trying to impress girls."

Sue shoots me an angry glare, and I back up a bit "In my defence, I didn't actually say that last part, it was a stray thought he picked up that I didn't supress in time! Please don't throw me through another wall."

She gives me another look, but finally relents "I think losing one wall today will be enough. Did the training go well?"

"I'd say so, Franklin already managed to tap into a good bit of his potential, though there's a lot left to cover. I'm just grateful you allowed me the chance to help him."

"One thing me and Reed always agreed on was that we love our children, and wants what's best for them." She sighs sadly "We just haven't always agreed on exactly WHAT is best for them." She watches Franklin show off his new gold sphere to Valeria, who studies it with an intense look on her face. "I'm ashamed to admit it, but part of me wishes that my children didn't have any powers, that they could grow up away from all of this, and live normal, safe lives."

"Powers or not, Miss Storm, I don't think normal was ever in the cards for the children of Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman." True, Valeria doesn't have any powers right now, but she has the potential for them, and even at 3 years old, she has a genius-level intellect that outstrips even her father. It's a little unsettling to hear someone that young speak with more logic and intelligence than most adults.

"I suppose I can't argue with that" Sue says as she begins walking back towards her family "Did you have more training in mind, or..."

"No, I need to head out for another project, but I'll be back in a week if you're alright with it. Oh, and I'd like to speak to Mr Grimm before I leave, if you know where he went?"

...

I find Ben in one of the more traditional gyms in the tower, albeit the only one that's been reinforced to allow him to use the weights and equipment without the floor collapsing under him. He's currently lying on a benchpress, lifting a set of superdense weights over his chest as I walk in, his rocky form grinding under the strain.

"Well, if it ain't the Magic Man."

"I just want it on the record, I did not pick that name myself, Twitter did."

He grunts as he pushes the weights onto the bars before sitting up "Yeh, good thing we didn't have social media back when the Four got started, god knows what I'd ended up with. You done teaching Franklin how to turn the world inside out yet?"

"Not quite, though he'll probably be able to once he's fully trained. No, I just wanted to have a talk with you before I head out."

"Look, I ain't gonna pretend I agree with what Stretcho did, but he's still my friend, and I don't have to like what you did to him, so whatever you got, I ain't buyin' it!"

Oh for crying out loud... "Again, I didn't do anything to Reed, other than helping someone else find proof of what he actually did, and I didn't even need my powers for that! You're really going to make yourself suffer over a completely imaginary issue?"

Ben crosses his arms and glares at me "It's called loyalty."

"It's called cutting off your nose to spite your face-" I cut myself off and run my hand through my mohawk "Look, I think you know what I'm about to offer, but I'll do it anyway - I can fix you so you can switch between being human and being a rock person. Yes, or no?"

"I ain't interested."

I sigh "Yes, you are, you just don't want to be. But whatever, the offer stands, and I'll be back next week. Take that time to think about wether or not your pride is worth never being able to feel another persons touch ever again."

And with that I disappear, leaving Ben Grimm alone in the gym.

...

I find myself standing in front of a door in a dingy apartment building hallway, halfway across the world. A baby is crying somewhere in the building, the noise mixing with music playing somewhere outside, and the sound of a passing train. A cat looks up briefly from it's nap on a windowsill at the end of the hall, but quickly goes back to sleep. There's no doorbell, so I simply knock on the door. There's a sound of approaching feet, and the door opens, revealing a tall, thin man with white hair in his late 50's or early 60's, though I know for a fact he's almost a hundred. His eyes widen as he recognizes me.

"Mr Lehnsherr? I think it's high time we have a talk."