CHAPTER 149

 "So what can you use your lightning to do?"

"Me? Basically anything. Well not anything as I still can't become lightning, but at this point it's just an extension of my senses."

Right now we are just walking through a random forest I teleported us to. I had first found it weird how she preferred places like these with lots of nature but I had grown to not care too much about it, even finding it tranquil. 

"I know you and everyone at Xavier's have learnt how to control their abilities but the control I'm talking about is different. What you learned back there was how to keep your abilities in check or prevent it from acting out when you are agitated, in your case. But what I'm trying to tell you is that you should forget about that. That kind of thinking is a limit on its own. Your ability should be like second nature to you, it's already a part of who you are so normally you should have no problem controlling it, so why the crutch?"

We came to a clearing by a stream and sat down on the shore with the sound of running water playing in the background. 

"I think I understand what you're trying to say. And why I understand the importance of control, I don't see how it would make me stronger."

"That's because you are looking at it in the most basic way. Okay, let's do it this way: what do you think is the maximum range of your current control over the weather? If you are actively controlling it."

"A hundred kilometers or more. I don't know. I haven't had the chance to push myself that far so what I gave you was Hank's estimate of my current ability." She said. 

"That's a lot. Like a lot. But what I am trying to say is, you are already an Omega level meta, what you need to focus on after a certain time is control. Now imagine if you could stretch that range to the entire continent. How much more powerful do you think you would be?" 

Her blue eyes lit up as if she was hit with an epiphany. Normally I would not have the chance to point this out if this had been an older version of her as Omega level metahumans grow stronger with time. But that didn't mean it was the only way they could get stronger. 

From both my and Essex's observation of the different classes of metas, what set them apart was the amount of control they had and how much said control came easier to them. 

Take Charles for example. The reason that he was said to be the most powerful telepath on earth was because of the degree of control he had as opposed to his psychic prowess. 

Just because you were an Omega didn't mean other levels of metas couldn't beat you. If it came to the same abilities between an Alpha level and an Omega, the one with the highest degree of control was more likely to win. 

"Thank you for pointing that out. Are you not going to ask why I wanted to know that?" Despite already knowing the answer to that question, she still chose to ask it. 

"It makes no difference to me."

"I knew you would say that." She laughed. 

"Then why ask?" 

"Because I wanted to hear you say it." Her laughter died down then she looked at me and spoke. "I'm leaving the States for a while to go home. I feel that there's something I should do there."

"Nothing serious is it?"

"No. It just feels as if something is calling me back. It might be nothing but I think I should at least make sure."

Hmm, this is something new. I can't be surprised by her intuition since she was, in a special way, connected to the planet as a whole, so if she has a feeling then it should be given credence. 

"How long are you going to be gone for?"

"A few weeks. A month at most." 

"That long huh. Do you want me to drop you? All you need to do is say the word." That at least got a laugh out of her. 

"I would very much love that, thank you."

She rested her head on my shoulders and we just sat there in silence and watched the running stream. 

I loved spending time with her because there was a calming effect on me anytime I was with her. 

We didn't do anything other than just sit there and walking around for a little while before we decided to go back. 

"Are you leaving today?" I followed her back to where she lived as the convenient chauffeur I was. 

"Figured I should get moving since I just got myself a free ride." 

After she was done packing what little things she needed, it took me just two tries for me to warp us to where her family lived which was across the planet. 

Admittedly, Ororo didn't know much about what it was that she felt but she deduced that there were people who would be able to help her. 

We appeared a few meters away from a tribal settlement, Ororo's ancestral home. 

It would be quite rude if we just appeared in the middle of their community without even sending word of our arrival so I figured at the gate would be acceptable. 

Our sudden arrival caused quite a stir as soon as they noticed us, with some pointing fingers at us. 

I remained as silent as Ororo went forward and started talking to them with enthusiasm which she also received, though I could see some of them looking at me with wariness. Probably the same reaction when someone you know brings a stranger home. 

She talked to them for a while before someone who I could easily identify as the eldest, was guided towards her. 

I have to say, the way she was accepted almost made it seem as if she was worshiped by them. 

'Well time to pop out of here.'

That had been my thoughts before Ororo guided them to where I was. 

Should have zapped the moment they weren't focused on me, but I guess that would have been a dick move. 

I think I should look up and learn Kenyan because I couldn't understand whatever it was that they were saying, even when they were clearly talking about me, which was kind of annoying, not at them but at myself since I couldn't understand a language that I could learn in less than a week. 

Ororo introduced us but then the elderly woman started doing some shamanic incantation which I recognized since I was well versed in the arts. 

I didn't react since what she was saying was no different than a prayer of protection. 

She was surprised when I made the symbol of a shamanic prayer that symbolized goodwill which I think made her approve(?) of me if the smile on her face and the continual nodding of her head was any indication. 

Ororo seemed pleased so I guess it wasn't that bad. 

Seeing that I was overstaying my welcome, I bid Ororo good luck on her adventure and proceeded to warp away. Well not before I left her a kiss on the lips and given the way her people reacted, I'm sure she would be pestered soon about it. 

I could have stayed with her but that would have been detrimental. 

Ororo was still young, hadn't been tempered by her leadership of the X-Men, and so far, all she could do was control the weather with Lightning manipulation being her ability with the highest proficiency.

Sure she could create storms on a scale that would devastate America, but that was just letting her powers run free. 

The reason she asked me, I think, was because she knew she was coming to a wall or maybe she was doubting her abilities. Well I did tell her about my little run-in with the Nordic gods and, yeah, finding out that A God of the sky came to earth to pick a fight with your boyfriend and he just sent them back might have put her in a thinking spiral. 

I didn't think much of it but I don't think she did the same. 

I didn't base our relationship on strength, I would be a fool if I did because only I knew about my plans for power. Finding someone who scaled equal to that would be an almost impossible task if I were to be looking for a relationship. 

What I think made her want to learn was because of what had been happening recently. First was the Sentinels, then Jean, then Christmas came, then John died due to Essex and now she's trying to save an entire race from global stigmatization only to find out that the man she was dating was busy fending off Gods. 

Yeah, that sure would do a number on one's confidence. 

But Ororo was strong. All these things would only push her forward and encourage her to grow stronger. 

While she wasn't yet as strong as some of her counterparts that I knew, the potential was still there. 

She hasn't had the time to learn how to control the wide arrays of abilities her powers gave her, but hopefully in time, she would learn. 

Ending my thoughts there, I walked down the streets while contemplating that it was time I went back to my studies. 

My runic knowledge wasn't going to just increase itself just because I suddenly had vast spatial powers. It did however increase my understanding of space and time. 

While my knowledge and experience with space had a huge increase, my runes however did not. 

'Maybe I should take up my favor with Odin. The overpowered geezer definitely owes me one.'

In my thoughts, I passed by a bank with a robbery in progress but I didn't stop. The robbers made a decision not to kill any of the hostages, and besides it was just some folks trying to earn a quick dough. 

Even if the circumstances pushed them over the edge, there was no kid and they definitely wouldn't target one, so if they did kill anybody… Well it was just one less in 7 billion. 

And yes, I am well aware that my thoughts process has been morally grey, but it's not like it's anything new. 

'Well that's enough reflections.'

And I was back in my lab. 

To be honest, being the Space Stone made me somewhat omnipresent, or at least that was the feeling that I always felt when I warped. 

My case study floated to me along with my parchments.

Being a sorcerer made me weird. Who knew I would one day be writing on parchment papers and using quills and ink? Not me. 

I already understood how to make my axe ignore the pull of space but then it would just be like Mjolnïr, being unable to ignore time. 

But I will admit that trying to bypass the time strain was way over my current paygrade. 

I think rather than going for the Norse runes, I could just enchant the axe with magic energy, space energy. If I added that with my runes then…. 

What the hell do I need the Norse runes for? 

If I created a strong spell matrix and power that shit up with too much space energy as much as I can muster… 

Holy shit! 

Right now, my body could handle a large influx of the space cosmic energy, but I don't need a very large amount. 

It seemed feasible. 

But there was the issue of if the weapon could withstand all that amount of spatial energy. 

It was an instance of marvel as the axe was one of a kind. It should be the only thing in this universe that should be similar to Steve's shield or maybe even surpassing it. 

Even if it wasn't Uru, it should be able to handle energy more than any other metals. 

What if I started making enchantments on the axe now in order to make it not just survive just one but all six Infinity Stones. 

That's an interesting thought.

And speaking of thoughts… 

I did just visit Ororo's family, didn't I? 

Oh? 

…. Ohh!! 

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