Chapter 99: It's Not Just a Boulder, it's a Rock!

Taking my shoes off, I flopped on the couch while the other three sat opposite of me, as they gave me inquisitive looks.

"Now, before y'all ask a whole bunch of questions, can one of you go and get Mr. Grimm? Don't feel like explaining myself for a second time if I don't have to." Remarked Pharaoh as he lightly yawned before lying on the couch and pointing at Ben's room.

"Johhny, no, Susan, can you get him, please?" Asked Reed as he glanced at Johnny before quickly shifting his attention to Susan, who nodded and approached Ben's room.

"Really, what was that about?" Said Johnny as he raised his hands in the air and gave Reed a look.

"If I had asked you, you'd say something smart, which would end up angering Ben, and that's not what we need right now." Stated Reed with furrowed brows as he eyed Johnny, who rubbed his chin before nodding.

"Eh, can't argue with that logic." Muttered Johnny as he shrugged his shoulders and finished the soda in his hand before setting his hand aflame, burning the empty can.

Seeing Johnny's hand erupt in fire, I couldn't help but raise my eyebrow since, unlike Pyro, who could only manipulate fire, he actually turned his hand into flames, which seemed far more powerful than that loser, though it also looked like people with fire powers didn't tend to be the smartest. Blowing air, I released a gust of cold breath that not only snuffed out Johnny's hand but also froze the soda can that was beginning to melt.

"W-What the?" Said Johnny with shocked eyes as he eyed the frozen can and his hand, which reverted to normal, prompting Reed to look at Pharaoh.

"Ice breath?" Muttered Reed, only to examine the frozen can after Pharaoh nodded, snatching it right out of his hand, causing him to yelp in pain since it was partially stuck to him.

"Ouch! Not cool man, nearly ripped my skin off; next time be fucking gentle." Remarked Johnny with a scowl as he glanced at Reed, who was busy examining the frozen can before looking at Pharaoh just blankly staring at him.

"Well, how about you think for a second, Johnny, you would've released toxic fumes into the air by stupidly burning that can; if you're going to do it, at least do it outside." Stated Pharaoh with furrowed brows as he glanced at Johnny, who clicked his tongue but stayed silent before glancing at Susan standing outside the door.

"Ben, c'mon, I know you don't wish to leave, but please? We've got a guest, Tut, the name on the hull of the space shuttle; he might be able to tell us something about ourselves, and he might even know how to turn you back to normal." Said Susan gently while knocking on the door, yet all she got was a deep, gruff-sounding voice.

"Haa, I appreciate you trying to cheer me up, but just leave Susan; I'd like to be alone." Replied Ben from inside his room, sitting down and leaning against the wall while staring at himself in a mirror.

Seeing how Ms. Storm was making little progress, I leaped out of the bed and floated toward her before landing beside her as I knocked on the door instead.

"Yo, rocky, c'mon, let's go; you're the one who called me, so are you going to join the conversation or just continue staring at yourself in the mirror?" Asked Pharaoh with a raised eyebrow as he folded his arms and looked directly at Ben, who frowned while eyeing the door.

"I don't know who you are, but, no, I'm staying here. Also, don't call me that." Stated Ben with an even deeper voice before shaking his head and going silent.

"Please, don't call him names, Pharaoh; he's been having difficulty adapting to his new change." Said Susan softly as she looked at Pharaoh, who nodded and gave her a thumbs-up before knocking once more.

"My nigga limestone, stoping sitting around like the rock you are and get your hard ass up; I don't have all day, Mom's making supper, and she doesn't like it when I'm late." Declared Pharaoh as he knocked even harder while Susan widened her eyes at his words; even Reed and Johnny weren't spared.

"Yo, I'm liking this kid." Muttered Johnny with a faint smirk as he rubbed his hands while Reed grabbed his face in exhaustion.

"Something's going to break; I just hope it isn't him," Said Reed softly as he looked at Pharaoh.

It seemed like my choice of words successfully antagonized him as he crushed whatever was in his hands before standing up and approaching the door, though given his large frame, he was required to walk hunched over.

"What did I just say about calling me those!" Said Ben angrily while standing just before the door, which was something Pharaoh could see.

"Not too? Now, are you going to come out or not?" Asked Pharaoh as he shook his head while eyeing Ben through the door, enveloping the entire house in his aura in preparation.

"No, now leave me alone." Replied Ben as he turned around and headed back to his spot, only to freeze in anger when Pharaoh opened his mouth.

"Okay, diorite, keep acting like this, and you'll get some coal for Christmas; they don't taste as good as shale; I'll tell you that." Stated Pharaoh as he rolled his eyes before slightly smirking when he noticed Ben practically charging at him from inside his room.

"Argh! What did I say about calling me those!" Yelled Ben angrily as he charged toward the door, ready to crash right through it, though Pharaoh had already prepared for this.

"Uh-oh, Susan, get out of the way!" Said Johnny with a frown as he heard those loud, thumping footsteps before yelling at Susan, who quickly leaped to the side, yet even after several seconds had passed, nothing emerged from the room.

"Ugh! Why won't this door open!?" Exclaimed Ben angrily after failing to crash right through the wall, and in a fit of rage started punching it after it didn't move even slightly.

"Eh, what's happening?" Asked Reed as he looked at Ben's room, feeling utterly confused, something he didn't like.

"Because you've got to turn the nob or simply use more violence, that's what my nigga Kenpachi said." Remarked Pharaoh lightly as he watched Ben continuously punch the door, which had been enveloped in his aura, and the same went for the entire house.

My words, or simply failing to bust through the door, made him finally calm down as he grabbed the nob and opened the door before exiting the room, revealing his large, bulky, rocky frame.

"So, you good or what, Mr. Grimm?" Asked Pharaoh with a raised eyebrow as he looked up at Ben, who calmed down considerably when he glanced at him.

"Haa, better." Muttered Ben with a sigh as he rubbed his rocky head before turning around and grabbing the door handle, yet Pharaoh wasn't letting that happen.

"Dawg, c'mon, I spent all that work to get your ass out of that room; you think I'm about to let you walk back in?" Remarked Pharaoh as he stepped forward and put his hand on the door, stopping Ben from opening it despite him using a substantial amount of strength.

"Ben, please." Said Susan as she grabbed Ben's arm and looked up at him, causing them to look at each other for several seconds before he eventually sighed.

"Haa, fine." Said Ben with a nod as he reluctantly released his hand on the nob and turned around, slowly walking toward the living room alongside Susan.

Seeing as I've finally got him out of his room, I sighed in relief before approaching the couch and flopped on it, using one of the pillows to prop my head up.

"Also, you can sit down without worrying about breaking the couch; it's in my aura, so it should be fine." Said Pharaoh as he glanced at Ben, who was already in the motion of sitting down.

"Hmm, it didn't break; have you been losing some weight, Ben?" Asked Johnny with a slight smirk as he looked at Ben, who huffed in annoyance and ignored him.

"Johnny, chill. Now that everyone is here, we'd like to finally ask, what the hell happened to us, Pharaoh?" Remarked Reed as he eyed Johnny before clearing his throat and looking at Pharaoh, his words causing everyone to turn serious and focus.

"What happened? Well, while in the Marvel-1, as you four call it, you flew into a cosmic radiation storm, which somehow didn't kill you; it instead changed your guys' DNA. I don't exactly how or why, but with the change of your DNA and from what I've seen, my only assumption is, it somehow awakened your-" Replied Pharaoh lightly with a nod as he glanced at the four, though he couldn't finish speaking as someone interrupted him.

"Mutant gene." Said Reed, prompting Pharaoh to give him a blank look before nodding.

"Yes, as Mr. Richards said, your mutant gene; one of my best friends is a mutant, so I've done some in-depth research on them, and apparently, everyone is born with a mutant gene, though not everyone awakens their mutant gene. It's possible the radiation somehow did that without killing you all, which, again, completely baffles me; there was enough radiation in that cloud to easily kill millions of humans, yet you four survived." Added Pharaoh lightly as he sat upright and folded his arms.

"Can we reverse the effects?" Asked Ben solemnly, only for Pharaoh to shake his head and shrug his shoulders.

"I wouldn't be surprised if it were possible, but given your guys's situation, you're a long way away from that happening. You still need to learn more about your body or just steal the information from the military." Replied Pharaoh, his words seemingly easing Ben's worries.

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Where is my diet dr. kelp!?

you call yourself a delivery boy well I ain't buying!?

Also, before any of you bother to ask, no, Susan Storm will not be a love interest; every woman doesn't need to be a love interest, they'll merely be friends. I'm look at you, you horny motherfucka 🫵🏾