Krakoa.
The Laboratory.
CLACK-CLACK-CLACK!
CLACK-CLACK-CLACK!
Hank's fingers danced rapidly across the holographic keyboard.
A floating virtual display flickered with streaming data, strange symbols, shifting graphs—
nobody else could decipher any of it,
but it looked cutting-edge enough to impress any onlooker.
Sitting in front of him was the head housekeeper, Raven, wires connected from the inhibitor collar around her neck to several glowing diagnostic modules.
"Still not done, Hank? I've been sitting here for an hour already."
Raven finally lost her patience a bit, turning her head to urge him.
"This device cos from the future," Hank replied seriously.
"So of its technology doesn't exist in our current era.
Even though the module is relatively 'simple,' it still takes ti to reverse-engineer."
"Raven, if you're tired, I can pause. We can continue after you rest."
He pushed up his glasses in that familiar professorial manner.
This—
was exactly why Alex hadn't destroyed the collars outright when he teleported everyone ho with the Infinity Gauntlet.
These collars were valuable research specins.
Suppressing X-genes alone?
Krakoa already had that capability.
But suppressing non-mutant abilities as well?
That was sothing not even Krakoan science could accomplish yet.
Definitely worth dissecting.
"No need. Keep going."
Raven waved dismissively.
She had only been complaining casually; she wasn't that fragile.
Besides, mutant physiology—even for a shapeshifter like her—was far beyond that of an ordinary human.
Sitting still for a few hours wasn't a real hardship.
Just boring.
"At most half an hour," Hank reassured her.
"I should be able to open it."
He resud typing swiftly.
And in fact—
it didn't even take half that long.
CLICK.
The collar sprang open.
Raven imdiately snatched the thing off and slamd it onto the table.
"I never want to see that thing again."
"It won't trouble you again," Hank smiled.
Then he gestured toward Arica Chavez.
"Arica, your turn."
"You're incredible, Mr. Hank!"
Arica Chavez said with sincere admiration.
Her ti in Krakoa wasn't short anymore, and she'd learned just how many miracles the nation's science rested upon Hank's shoulders.
Most of Krakoa's incredibly advanced tech, decades ahead of the world's standard,
existed because of him.
He was one of Krakoa's greatest heroes.
"I'm only doing my job," Hank said modestly as he began working on her collar.
Since he had already cracked the chanism from Raven's module, Arica's took less than five minutes.
Then the others followed one by one.
---
"This damn thing is finally off."
Wolverine exhaled a smoke ring, shaking his head.
He had co very close to slicing the collar open with his claws.
---
"Alright. Everyone, get so rest. You've had a rough few days."
Alex clapped his hands lightly.
The X-n nodded, bid him farewell, and dispersed.
---
"Lord Alex!"
Arica Chavez hurried over, eyes bright but anxious.
"You said… this whole incident wasn't my fault?"
The issue had been weighing heavily on her.
She needed Alex to confirm it—not out of ego, but out of genuine guilt.
"You… weren't just trying to make feel better, right?"
Alex smiled.
Of course not.
He explained everything:
Kingpin's particle collider,
the resulting spaceti instability,
and how it inadvertently dragged multiple people—including her—into the Quantum Realm.
Only then did Arica finally relax, exhaling in deep relief.
So Alex hadn't rely been comforting her—
She really wasn't responsible.
She had just… had spectacularly bad luck.
With that burden gone, excitent quickly filled her mind.
If this wasn't her fault…
then her X-n evaluation wouldn't be affected, right?
Did that an…
she could officially beco an X-Man now?
Her eyes sparkled in pure joy.
"Lord Alex, I'll head out first!"
She waved cheerfully and practically skipped away like an overexcited sprite.
---
Later That Afternoon
The X-n reconvened.
Magneto, Charles, and the other senior mbers all attended.
The group shared everything:
the causes of the Quantum Realm incident,
their encounters with Kang,
their observations, lessons, and reflections.
Nearly an hour later, the ergency eting concluded.
---
"Arica!"
Magneto stopped her before she could leave, his tone surprisingly gentle.
"I have good news.
Your evaluation is complete. You've passed.
From today onward, you are officially an X-Man."
"Really?!"
Arica nearly jumped straight into the air.
Her dream—
finally realized.
---
"Alex," Charles approached afterward and handed him an envelope.
Alex opened it.
A wedding invitation.
From Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four.
Charles had ntioned the upcoming wedding before.
At the ti, Alex had zero interest.
But now…
he rembered which version of Reed existed in this universe.
And if mory served—
At Reed's wedding,
a very interesting individual was destined to appear.
Soone Alex suddenly found very curious.
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