35

I stepped through the door and was greeted by the warm rays of sunlight filtering through the windows. Jean sat in a chair, her eyes trained on me as Felicia lounged in the sun's embrace. I chuckled at the thought of Felicia being solar powered, settling onto the sofa with a content sigh. "Finally, a moment to rest. How have you both been?" I asked.

Jean seemed troubled by something and I had a feeling I knew what it was. "Are you wondering why I never invited you to join the pantheon?" I asked, cutting straight to the point.

Jean nodded slowly while Felicia stretched out, making herself more comfortable. "Nope," Felicia replied nonchalantly.

"Jean, the power within you is far greater than any godhead could offer," I began, trying to explain my reasoning. "It might even take offense at such a lowly offer. Within you lies the ability to create and destroy all life within the universe. When the pantheon reaches its peak, I would be honored if you chose to ally with us. But anything less would be an insult."

Jean still seemed hesitant, questioning if she truly held such immense power. I couldn't help but grin and nod confidently. "Yes, and even more than you can imagine. Let's give it some time though. If you don't feel yourself growing stronger, I can always add you to the pantheon. You are always welcome by my side."

Though she nodded in understanding, I could sense her lingering doubts. There wasn't much I could do besides assure her that she was welcome and valued no matter what path she chose. But as Phoenix, should she accept that role, she would have a duty within the universe that extended beyond us.

"Is my suggested role not to your liking? I tried to think of things you enjoy," I said earnestly.

"Oh no, it's just with the regeneration ability, there isn't much work to do. I don't want to jinx anyone, but I could use a wound or two to heal," Jean joked.

Her words hit me like a slap in the face, my mind racing as I realized the implications. Two wounds...two portals that needed healing, connected to two different universes. I immediately connected with Lil Lilly, the AI that Lilly had created for me after she was promoted to Goddess status. She had insisted on naming it and said it served as a reminder of her presence. I gave Lil Lilly all the information I had and asked her to keep track. How foolish of me not to realize sooner, my own negligence could have dire consequences for multiple universes.

A message from Lil Lilly alerts me to the ongoing breakdown and analysis of the Sentry Serum. She requests a small gamma emitter to aid in the process, as safety is of utmost importance when dealing with such powerful substances. I agree, knowing that this serum is based on the infamous SS formula, and leave strict instructions for its use.

Natasha calls to update me on the progress of monitoring the Red Room with Lil Lilly's assistance. Our plan is to secretly save any girls who would otherwise face certain death, and ultimately shut down the facility once young Natasha has defected. It's a harsh decision, but Spider Nat believes it's worth it in order for her younger self to have a chance at a better life now that we have the ability to heal her.

While all of this is happening, Spider Nat is also setting up covert devices to locate mutants and potential agents. We brainstormed ideas and settled on orphanages as possible locations, but Natasha pointed out that some homes can be just as dangerous for these vulnerable individuals. As a result, she is planting "lil Gia's" (tiny surveillance plants) throughout various places in order to gather information and protect those in need.

Elsewhere on the Island, through the dense fog, a Strike team led by Athena moved with precision and purpose. Their mission-based tactics were evident as they navigated the treacherous terrain before them. These soldiers were not just ordinary warriors, but rather volunteers who possessed extraordinary abilities, regardless of any mutations they may have. With even a second-tier psychic among their ranks, they were capable of taking on Asgardian warriors in one-on-one combat. These were the training grounds that Gia could change at a moment's notice.

As I stood there, deep in thought, my peaceful contemplation was suddenly interrupted by Ciar's sudden appearance. The air around her seemed to ripple as she materialized beside me. Before I could even greet her, she spoke urgently, "Do you have any idea why Lilly is launching rods into space?"

I couldn't help but smile and nod knowingly. Ciar gave me a deadpan look, clearly unimpressed with my nonchalant response.

"You know that doesn't work when you're as pretty as you are," I smirked at her teasingly. "It's just nice to look into your eyes."

Ciar rolled her eyes in response, but I could have sworn I saw a hint of a smile tug at the corners of her lips. "Okay," she relented, "could you please tell me what she's doing? My student saw the lights in the sky and thought someone was attempting to break through."

"She's seeding the Solar system with multi-purpose 'Lilly Rods'," I explained with a grin. "Apparently they're easily upgradeable too." Before Ciar could try to whack me with her staff, I quickly added, "Right now they're being used for detection, exploration, and sample retrieval. But Lilly hopes to eventually turn them into a defensive network."

"That's something I wanted to discuss with you," Ciar interjected. "We have planets that could be used to set up large system-wide magical barriers while still protecting Earth. Gia suggested that if we can find larger samples of what we need, she would be able to produce them. Many students are currently out searching for these materials."

"Good to know," I nodded in approval. "And how is Mordo's research into our magic going?"

"He's finished," Ciar reported with a grin. "He's taking a few days off to see if there are any changes, but he feels confident in using it as long as we never let our guard down."

With a sly smile, I share my plans with Ciar. "I am contemplating inviting the lower caste of the moon-based Inhumans to my realm through a dream walk," I say casually. "To my realm, they are no different than mutants. Then the upper caste will no longer have to worry about their presence constantly hanging over them, like cattle waiting to be slaughtered. Of course, this means the upper caste will have to take care of everything themselves, but hey, that's just life."

Ciar raises an eyebrow, intrigued by my audacious idea. "Well, we do have the space for them," she muses, tapping a finger against her chin. "And they pose no threat to us. Do you need my assistance in any way?"

I shake my head, grinning at her excitement. "Nope, I just wanted to give you a heads-up before I contacted Charles with the news."

Ciar nods in understanding before disappearing in a burst of light and color. The possibilities for our realm are endless now that we will welcome the lower caste into our midst.

I reached out to Charles, who greeted me with his usual teasing about managing even more people and needing to vet them. 

Lil Lilly reports that Richard Salmons and Tommy were attacked by mutants in L.A., identified as Marauders. Thankfully, they are safe for now but are being pursued, this is the start and hopefully, we can keep it under wraps.

"Have Nat keep a close eye on them. They shouldn't encounter any issues since they are being used to track down the entrance to the Morlocks' base. Let Athena know her team is on standby and their mission is to protect the Morlocks. Your job is to ensure no information about the attack gets leaked, but make sure to gather any footage for future use."

Lil Lilly quickly responded with confirmation of her tasks.

In the original timeline, this attack was successful because the Morlocks were taken by surprise and hundreds of mutants lost their lives before the X-Men and X-Force could intervene.

It would take a little over five hours by plane, giving us enough time to prepare. This will be a crucial test for our Strike Team. As long as there are no unexpected surprises, we should be able to handle it smoothly.

I contract Peggy and Steve as this might overflow and impact plans they have made in regard to the new Mutant organisation. Peggy agrees to pull any strings she might and Steve is on standby in case he is needed in the field.