chapter 295

Chapter 295:

The waves lapped against the shore as I watched my three little angels—Hilga, Sia, and Lia—laugh and squeal, attempting to master the art of body surfing. Their tiny arms flailed against the waves as they threw themselves forward, tumbling into the foamy surf, only to pop up giggling. Natasha and Andrea were nearby, teaching them how to get that perfect balance, while I hovered above the water, my 16 black wings spread wide, catching the sunlight. It felt like a perfect day.

[Incoming.]

A sudden tingling ran down my spine, there was a familiar energy approaching fast. I turned, just in time to see Carol Danvers flying through the sky, stopping inches from me with a grin as brilliant as the sun. We exchanged smiles, and she let her gaze linger over me, taking in my risque beach outfit. "You look really good in a bikini, Layla," she teased, eyes roving over me with obvious appreciation. Her eyes lingered on my breasts and thighs the longest.

"I'll never turn down Flattery from a pretty lady," I chuckled, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "When did you get back to Earth?" I asked her.

"Only a few days ago," she said casually. "I spent the past two years in space—keeping the galaxy safe, keeping tabs on the biggest Empires and the Celestials especially." Her gaze shifted to my wings, then back to me. "Looks like you've added a few feathers since I last saw you. And your little ones… they're adorable."

I felt my smile falter for a second, a pang of sadness breaking through. "Yeah," I replied quietly, glancing down at Hilga, Sia, and Lia, splashing around, blissfully unaware. "I was... trapped in a black hole for two years. Missed so much of their lives. I'm just trying to make up for it now, you know?"

Carol's eyes softened, and without a word, she closed the space between us, wrapping her arms around me in a warm, reassuring hug. Maybe the hug lingered a bit longer than it should have, but neither of us seemed to mind.

"Momma!" Lia's voice called up to us, and I pulled back, looking down to see three pairs of little hands waving up at me. 

"Come play with us!" they all shouted.

Carol glanced down at the water while chuckling. "I really should've brought a bathing suit since I knew you were at the beach."

I smirked. "That's not a problem. I've got you covered." Using Creation of All Things, I easily created a bikini that matched my own, except hers was pure white. "Now we match!"

[And now you get to ogle her wearing a bikini just as skimpy as yours…]

Carol raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "You know my size?"

She took the bikini with a grin, and since the beach was mostly deserted, she didn't hesitate to shed her uniform right there in mid-air. As she changed, I couldn't help but steal a few glances at her own bare breasts and hairless lower lips. Carol was a lot bolder than I remembered her. 

[If she's been doing nothing but fighting in space for two years, then she's down bad…]

Once Carol was dressed in her bikini, she floated back to me, a sly smile playing on her lips. We drifted down to the water, laughing and splashing as we joined Natasha, Andrea, and the girls. Hilga, Sia, and Lia immediately latched onto us, their laughter and squeals filling the air. The waves surged around us as we all played, with Carol and me helping the girls float on their tiny surfboards. Natasha and Andrea laughed as they held the girls' hands, while Carol relaxed in a way I hadn't seen before, fully joining in the fun.

After a while, Carol floated closer to me, her expression suddenly turning serious. "You know, one of the main reasons I'm back on Earth is because of the Convergence," she said, keeping her voice low. "It's drawing all sorts of energy, and some worlds might try to invade during it."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "I don't doubt it," I replied, more amused than concerned. "The Dark Elves are bound to make a move. They've probably been itching for revenge on Odin—though they don't know he's dead."

Carol raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And if they do, what do you think will happen?"

"They'll learn the hard way," I said confidently. "Under Hela's rule, Asgard is stronger than ever. And that's not counting my fallen angel siblings, who are stationed there now. If the Dark Elves try anything, it'll be their funeral."

Carol chuckled, and we spent the next few hours basking in the simple joys of sunshine, sand, and surf. Eventually, though, the girls started to get tired and hungry.

I scooped Lia up, kissing her cheek. "How about we all get some dinner? Are there any good seafood places nearby?" I asked Andrea. 

Andrea pulled out her phone. "Let's see… Jarvis, can you find us a nearby restaurant?"

"Certainly, Ms. Andrea," Jarvis's familiar voice chimed from the speaker. A second later, Andrea smiled. "There's a fish restaurant with amazing reviews just down the beach a few miles."

"Perfect," I said, and with a wave of my hand, I opened a purple portal right in front of us. One by one, we stepped through, landing on a lively beach near the restaurant.

Unlike the quiet stretch we'd just left, this beach was crowded with families, couples, and groups of friends, all frozen mid-movement as we appeared. I laughed, giving a small wave to the crowd while leading the girls toward the entrance, knowing my face was one of the most recognized on the planet.

Inside, the hostesses and waitstaff stopped dead, openly staring as we entered. Andrea took the lead, striding up to the hostess with her usual calm. "Could we rent the restaurant for the next hour? We'll pay triple your daily revenue."

One of the managers stepped forward, eyes practically shining with greed. "Absolutely, ma'am! Right this way."

We were led to the largest booth. The girls' faces all lit up in excitement as they were handed kids menus and crayons that they could use to color them with. 

Carol leaned back, watching the kids happily scribble on their papers. "Playing on the beach, a meal at a restaurant… This is a lot more mundane than I was expecting another day with you would be."

Natasha laughed, slipping her hand into mine. "What, you expected nonstop galaxy-saving action?"

Carol smirked and shrugged. "Maybe a little…"

I laughed along with them, savoring this rare moment of peace and normalcy. The waitress approached, still a bit wide-eyed, and we placed our orders. I ordered for the three girls since they were all too busy coloring to really care.

…

The night air was cool, and the city below was quiet. It was one of those rare, peaceful moments.

Carol and I sat side by side on the rooftop of my penthouse, the wind gently tousling our hair. I'd just finished filling her in on everything that had happened on Earth DXD while she was gone—the Behemoth's attack on Japan, Riser Phenex's brutal assault on New York and D.C., and the war in the underworld. The more I spoke, the more Carol's expression shifted from surprise to disbelief.

"That's… a lot, Layla," she finally managed, her tone laced with shock and just a hint of admiration.

I looked down, the unease still gnawing at me. "Carol… do you think I'm a monster? For letting my siblings wipe out the devils?" My voice was barely a whisper, but Carol heard. 

A second later, she moved closer, wrapping her arm gently around my shoulders. "Layla, you're not a monster," she said firmly, giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "If anyone would know, it's me." She hesitated, her face shifting as if debating how much to reveal. "I've done far worse things—things I've only hinted at before."

I turned to look at her, curiosity and concern blending together. "Like what?"

She took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on the horizon. "Once, I came across a planet covered entirely by a sentient fungus. It had absorbed every life form on the planet and was developing space travel to spread and infect other worlds." She paused, her voice growing quieter. "To stop it, I found the largest asteroid I could manage and hurled it at the planet. Wiped it out completely."

I watched her, feeling the weight of her words settle between us. "You… destroyed an entire world?"

She met my gaze. "Was that genocide? Maybe. But not every species can live in harmony. Some are just incompatible with others, they'd destroy everything else if given the chance." Her voice softened. "Sometimes, you have to make hard choices."

Her words lifted a weight I hadn't realized I was carrying. I leaned my head against her shoulder, and she rested her cheek on the top of my head. We sat in silence for a while, the quiet understanding between us filling the space as we gazed up at the stars.

Then, something caught my eye—a flicker in the sky, like the stars were blinking out one by one. I straightened, squinting. "What is that?"

Carol followed my gaze, her brows knitting as she noticed it too. Thousands of shapes, large and clustered, had moved into orbit, blotting out entire patches of the sky.

"It looks like a whole bunch of meteors," Carol murmured, a hint of tension creeping into her voice. "But there's no meteor shower scheduled, and none of them are… falling."

A chill ran down my spine as I kept watching the shapes overhead. Whatever was up there wasn't natural.

Just then, Natasha came running up to the roof, her steps urgent and uncharacteristically loud. "Layla! Carol! You both need to come inside—now."

I met Carol's gaze, both of us sensing the tension radiating from Natasha. We wasted no time following her back down to the living room, where she pointed at the TV. On the screen was a familiar yet unexpected figure making a dramatic introduction.

"Humans of Earth," the man on the screen announced. "I am Magneto, leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants."

I felt a flicker of anger as he launched into a tirade about all the oppression mutants are under all over the world and how he won't allow such outrageous injustices to continue. I glanced at Natasha, who shook her head slightly.

"It's not like that anymore, Layla," she contradicted his words. "While you were gone, Akeno, Jean, and Ororo formed their own hero team. Those three have become really popular online—you know, because they're all "super hot" and have "cool super powers". Mutant popularity has actually grown by a lot, and that's on top of your own support for them!"

I nodded, irritation simmering beneath the surface as Magneto continued his rant. "The world doesn't owe you anything, Magneto," I muttered, watching as he theatrically spread his arms like this was all some kind of performance to him.

Then Magneto's tone darkened. "You might have noticed some large objects in the sky," he sneered, a disturbing glint in his eye. "With a single meteorite, your so-called 'guardian angel' managed to save this world, taking out an alien menace two years ago." He spat out the words, his disdain for me seeping into every syllable. "Yes, meteors are powerful—and dangerous. Which is why I have surrounded the entire planet with thousands of them!" He raised his arms in triumph. "Earlier today, Layla of the Fallen announced that our global population would soon double. Mutants are already outnumbered! I will not allow us to become even more diluted! Layla, you have one hour to surrender to me, or I will destroy every major city on this planet! Meet me in space if you dare…"

And with that, the screen went dark.

"What the fuck?" I muttered, staring at the blank screen. The audacity—the sheer disregard for innocent lives—had me reeling. My mind was already calculating how many meteors I might be able to stop if he released them. "If I use shadow clones and cosmic Susanoo… maybe even the Power Stone… I might be able to surround the planet. But…" I trailed off, realizing the plan would exhaust everything I had.

Carol and Natasha each placed a hand on my shoulder, their expressions resolute. Carol's blue eyes met mine with fierce confidence. "I can handle him. Magneto's not the first megalomaniac I've brought down."

I nodded, knowing that if anyone could take him head-on, it would be Carol. But something about this didn't sit right. Magneto was strategic. This whole spectacle, the broadcast, the ultimatum—it felt too flashy. 

A knot of suspicion tightened in my chest. "It's not just him, I'm sure of it," I murmured. "He's got some kind of backup plan. Otherwise, why would he risk calling me out? He has to know he can't handle me whatever he tries."

Natasha's eyes sharpened as she listened. "Then we go in ready for anything. He's trying to bait you, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's hiding something bigger than what he showed on that broadcast."

I nodded, feeling my resolve harden. "Alright. we'll go. If he wants a fight in space, let's give it to him," I said, looking between Carol and Natasha. Both of them grinned at me.

My phone blew up the second Magneto's smug face disappeared from the screen. Calls, messages—at least ten people trying to reach me at once. Sighing, I swiped to answer Akeno first, and the panic in her voice hit me immediately.

"Aunt Layla, Jean is missing! Ororo and I can't find her anywhere! We think… we think Magneto kidnapped her!"

"Shit!" I muttered, my mind racing. I kept my tone steady. "We'll find her, Akeno, don't worry. Hang tight, and stay safe."

I hung up, meeting Carol's and Natasha's concerned stares. "Phoenix has been taken. Magneto must've ambushed her—probably while she was heading to class or something."

Natasha's eyes narrowed. "I'm surprised someone as powerful as Jean could be taken that easily."

"Normally, I would be too," I replied, running a hand through my hair in frustration, "but she's used to hearing the thoughts of everyone around her. With that helmet, Magneto could've walked right up to her. Hell, he might have injected her with something remotely. Jean's got a lot of power, but when she isn't channeling the Phoenix Force, she's not invincible."

Before I could catch my breath, my phone buzzed again. It was Andrea.

"Are you guys alright?" she asked, sounding both worried and ready for action. "What's the plan?"

I exhaled, laying it out quickly. "I'm going to send five shadow clones around the planet with my cosmic Susanoo. It's our best shot to contain all these damn meteors. I'll need Jarvis to find the best positions for the clones."

"On it," Andrea replied without missing a beat. 

A moment later, Jarvis's smooth voice came through, already calculating. "The optimal points for planetary coverage are as follows…"

"Perfect," I said, committing the locations to memory. Andrea kept rolling.

"Do you want Tony and me to jump in?"

"Yes, be ready," I replied, glancing at Carol and Natasha. "I have a feeling Magneto's got a backup plan. After protecting the planet, I'll be drained, so if he tries anything else, it's on you guys to stop him."

The next call was just as expected, it was Fury, and he was livid. "You've got some nerve, putting me on hold, Layla!"

"Well, Nick, the entire planet's on the line. I have to prioritize," I snapped, filling him in on the plan—only for him to cut me off with bad news.

"That bastard didn't just grab Phoenix," Fury growled. "We have reports that some of the strongest mutants on the planet went missing this morning. All at the same damn time!"

"Great," I muttered. 

Natasha spoke up. "Looks like we're dealing with possible mind control," she noted, tension obvious in her voice. We all knew just how dangerous a mind-controlled Jean could be. She was a planet killer…literally, that was her job.

I grimaced, realizing that after creating the planetary shield, I'd be tapped out. Facing Jean—or any of the other missing mutants—after would be very difficult.

"Layla, you still have the Mind Stone, don't you?" Natasha asked suddenly. Her unspoken plan was obvious, she wanted to use the stone in the event that Jean and the other mutants really were under mind control.

"I do," I admitted, "but I don't trust anyone else to use it right. The only person who's ever managed it correctly was…" I trailed off as a wild idea hit me. Reckless, insane even, but it might work.

I grinned, meeting Natasha and Carol's eyes. "I think we're going to need to break someone out of Asgardian prison real quick."

Carol raised an eyebrow, and Natasha's lips twitched in a knowing smirk. "Let me guess. The one person crazy enough to wield the Mind Stone to its fullest potential?"

"Yep. Time to pay Loki a visit…"

[I'm sure he won't try to stab you in the back…]

I couldn't argue with the system's warning about Loki—he was risky, no doubt. But I had the perfect solution for keeping him in check: sicking his own mother on him. I knew for a fact that Loki still loved Frigga deeply, no matter how much he despised Odin. If anything, he probably loved her more than in canon, especially since she despised Odin right back.

Before we left, I went to Frigga's room to fill her in and get her on board. I found her there, sitting beside Vali, who was fast asleep in her bed. Vali had his own problems that would need dealing with after this, but for now, Loki was our priority.

Frigga looked up at me as I approached. "What brings you here, Layla?" she asked.

I took a breath, knowing this was kind of a bold plan. "I need your help, Frigga. I'm planning to break Loki out of Asgardian prison…" I explained what was going on.

She let out a deep sigh, clearly weighing the risks. "You'd be entrusting him with the Mind Stone," she murmured, her voice laced with concern. But I could see the understanding in her eyes—she knew we were out of options since Magneto only gave us an hour before he was going to start dropping the asteroids in orbit and they became genuine meteors of pure destruction.

"I know, it's a huge risk," I admitted, "but you know Loki. He's too clever to get caught up in anyone else's schemes. And if anyone can keep him from backstabbing us, it's you."

Frigga rose from Vali's bedside, her stance calm yet resolute. "Very well," she said, a hint of that maternal fierceness in her eyes. "I shall accompany you and make sure that Loki doesn't betray you… And if he tries to, well, sometimes a mother has to give their unruly child a proper spanking."

XXX