23 Chapter 22

"So… what's all the commotion about?" I asked Noriko as I stared at the gathered student body who were all vibrating with excitement.

"Oh yeah, you don't know. They say that Hope is back." Oh... so the local mutant messiah was back from the future? Not that I 'knew' about Hope.

"I am guessing you are not being philosophical." My comment earned a laugh from Noriko, the young X-Man looking incredibly amused.

"Nah, it's not like that, Hope is a mutant like us. Though I kinda forgot that the whole thing with Hope was before you so you wouldn't know." She said with a smile as she scratched the back of her head. "We told you about the whole M Day where the mutant-kind came near to extinction, about how so many mutants lost their power and no more new mutants appeared. Hope is the only mutant born since the M Day, she is the only new mutant since that disaster." She explained before looking at me.

"Well, at least she was." And then corrected herself.

"Then are we waiting for some sort of baby?"

"No the situation with Hope is... complicated. Something about a time traveling mutant named Cable taking her in and raising her in the future and then bringing her back as a teenager." Noriko tried to explain one of the weirdest backstories in all comic history as best as she could.

"That's... something alright." I said as I tried to remember anything I could about Hope Summers, and came up blank.

All I could really remember about her was her powers, the fact that she was somehow connected to the Phoenix Force, people believing that she was the reincarnation of Jean Grey and that she didn't actually look anything like the most famous host of Phoenix Force.

So yeah, I had no idea what she was supposed to be like.

"So people are excited because their messiah is back." I said with a snort, not bothering to hide my feelings about the subject, causing Noriko to frown at me.

"I guess there are a few who think like that, you don't seem to like the idea though."

"On Sakaar, people prayed for the Sakaarson to come and bring them salvation." I said with a shake of my head. "At first they claimed my father was the Sakaarson and after the whole bomb going off in the capital thing, they tried to push the role onto me and Skaar. The idea of some chosen savior is not merely ridiculous, it is also a sign of weakness." I huffed.

"The only ones who will be saved are those who are willing to save themselves, not those who just clasp their hands and pray." I said as I crossed my arms over my chest. "I can only hope that this Hope does not drown in the expectations of the weak as they try to force her into something in their image."

"You seem rather… passionate about this." Noriko said with a frown. "Did something happen on Sakaar that made you think like that?" She asked and I had to take a deep breath, realizing that I had been getting a bit too emotional.

"…the way people look at those they dub as saviors… it's not nice you know. The way they just put their expectations on you and act like the one they put the burden on should be honored to be saving them while they just sit on their asses. The reds and the shadow people on Sakaar had been quite adept at complaining while Skaar and I were saving them." I explained as I looked out of the window to see Skaar playing with Rockslide, who was basically his new best friend these days, and even that jerk Hellion.

"They taught me well on the worth of being a savior. It ain't worth shit, one should just protect their family and those they want to keep around them. If everyone properly did that, there would be no need for saviors." I said with a huff, thinking of the way that the people of Sakaar just tried to push all of their problems onto me and my brother. At least old Sam had tried to offer a helping hand now and then while trying to do that.

"And… are we also among the people you want to keep around?" Noriko asked with a smile that had a rather sad feel to it.

"…I guess you are." I said with a sigh. "It would be rather hard to find a new babysitter for Skaar after all." I continued with a smirk and Noriko's eyes widened before she lightly hit me on the shoulder with a smirk, even adding a little static shock for extra power.

"Jerk." She said before giving me a hug. It was… nice.

"How cute." So of course the moment would get ruined immediately. "Am I also a part of the group you'll protect?" Illyana said with a smirk as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back on the wall.

"Something tells me that I should be protecting people from you?"

"Smart guy." The Russian mutant said with a smirk as she walked up to me. "Now I need you to come with me, our glorious leader wants to see you."

"Why?" Noriko asked suspiciously, people really didn't trust Illyana around here.

"If you really wish to know, he's gathering all the powerhouses we have." Illyana said with a shrug. "Likely making a plan of action now that our esteemed messiah has returned. Cyclops does not trust the world to not make a move now that Hope is here, she is bit of a too tasty of a target for groups like Friends of Humanity."

"That does make sense." I said with a sigh before giving Illyana a smile and opened my arms wide. "By all means, take me to your leaders."

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