Summary: Okay…. We've got a new guy in town. And I'm in the mood to have some fun. I'm altering his history a bit, so things will make sense. Just trying to clear things up in the beginning, so no one is confused later on.
Author's Note: Yeah, I know. I have a slew of unfinished stories. Not that most of you who are reading would care, but I'm trying to complete them. Honest. I've just had a huge lack of inspiration. Rough Days, The Dream Project, Scourge of the Universe, Deleted scenes… they're all going to get updated. Uh, maybe. This is for my girls, whom I love – they know who they are.
Prologue
Let's get this started, shall we?
My name is Nate. I was born yesterday - more or less. As far as this time period is concerned, at any rate.
Actually, I've from an alternate future. In my time, Apocalypse decimated the world's population when he activated his unearthly technology, activating the X-genes in all dormant mutants. 3 billion people dead, in the blink of an eye. En Sabah Nur and his Horsemen easily subjugated humanity, and crushing mutants who opposed him directly. The Four Horsemen they were called, the first and most powerful of His lieutenants. Australia, Western Europe and a few island nations in the pacific were some of the last true havens on Earth. Though most of the major continents had been dominated, there were uprisings every so often. Most were useless, of course, but it kept hope alive for everyone. Hope that someone, someday, would rise to defeat the ancient mutant and bring salvation to the Earth.
My father was one of those who worked rigorously to personify that salvation. His name was Nathaniel Essex. In this time, he was a brilliant geneticist, whose work had focused on unlocking mutant potential. In my time, he was a genetically enhanced human, leader of the UK's superhuman contingent. He did succeed in his goal. Me.
It came as a great shock to me. Genetically engineered to unleash the full power of my telekinesis and telepathy, my power is nearly beyond measure. My age was accelerated almost seven fold to bring me to my late teens/early twenties while I perfected the use of my powers. Father didn't see much reason to stop my aging process though, since there was still a 37% failure rate, and wanted to wait until we had returned safely to London. Fortunately for me, I managed to persuade him otherwise. My father named me after himself, of course, but gave me the surname Grey, of my genetic mother. I've never met her, but I'm told she was beautiful. Pardon my lack of knowledge, but you have to understand my lineage didn't exactly take precedence over saving the world. Perhaps I should have been more insistent. Ah! I remember she was called Phoenix, if that means anything to any of you.
Where was I?
Oh, yes. Apocalypse. I annihilated him. I tore apart that tyrant with my full energy reserves, scattering his molecules over the globe. Unfortunately, my victory came at the price of full-scale war and the lives of hundreds of thousands of others. Including my father, who sacrificed himself at the hands of the Four Horsemen. They suffered greatest at my hands; it was the price they would pay for the life of my father. Upon Apocalypse's death, the Four Horsemen had been released from his mind control. They immediately proclaimed innocence. The circumstances of their allegiance mattered little to me at that point in time. I hadn't even bothered to glean the truth from their minds before turning their bodies inside out.
With my only known family dead, I no longer had reason to exist. However, instead of ending my life, I chose another option. I confiscated Apocalypse's futuristic vessel. Operation of the craft was much easier than I had initially thought. It responded to thought, actually; my psionic training became an immediate advantage. Not enough to master the craft, but enough to get where I wanted.
And so, I navigated the time stream. You would be amazed to be able to view the universe from outside of time. Theory holds that there are an infinite number of universes, each of which splits into two separate universes when any decision is made, when then has the possibility for another infinite number of universes. I could literally see time unfolding, worlds popping into existence. Even with the power at my disposal, all futures scared me. Post-apocalyptic scenarios, others where Apocalypse defeated me, or where he had ruled Earth since the time of ancient Egypt, alien invaders, demonic presences from rifts in the fabric of space, hand weaponry powerful enough to level buildings…
It was all too much for my mindset. So violent and so uncertain. I made the decision to turn to the past.
One in particular, actually.
In this timeline, Apocalypse was vanquished, and there was no shortage of people ready to play hero for the world. Mutants had just been exposed to the world, fear and hatred the most prevalent outlook on them. But I saw what the future held: complete oppression by humanity or mutants, super sentinels able to match myself in terms of power, nuclear war, and a large number of surprises… peace. Within this timeline, much of the future was dominated by a peaceful coexistence between mutants, baseline humans, and enhanced humans.
Perfect.
That is where I wanted to create a home for myself. A good Earth, one I could help guide into prosperity and enlightenment with my knowledge of things to come. Doubtless, it will be hard work. I hope I'm up to the task of changing another world.
And a family, I've always wanted one of those. Hmm. Perhaps a wife with red hair. Yes, I've always been drawn to vibrant, scarlet tresses And green eyes.
Not that I'm picky, of course.
Bayville, New York 2004, here I come.
Just let me power down the vessel, and my adventure can begin. *beep* *beep* *beep*
Odd. That's didn't sound like the power cell. Let me just-
Whoops! That's self-destruct mode.
You'd better run.
To be continued. Hopefully.