"' What strange creatures brothers are! "

- Jane Austen

(Rouen, France, 1:40 AM)

Still sleepless, Elder Carol Danvers took a break from reading her son's journal. She sat up and drank her glass of water. The stillness of the darkest night visited her along with the cicadas singing and the owls hooting. She looked at the evening sky and started counting the stars. Then, the elderly blonde turned to her sleeping son.

Suddenly, she heard a slight knock on the door and opened it. Carol got surprised to see a miniature couple on the floor which she was about to step on them. They grew up in normal size and smiled at her. The half-Kree woman recognized the two and crossed her arms.

" Hey, there! " an elderly ant faunus woman greeted her.

" We've just come by! " her wasp Faunus husband added and grinned.

" Tahu, Michelle! Can't you just two keep quiet! " she angrily shushed. " The Kid is still sleeping! We can't disturb him! "

" Sorry about that, Carol, but we have news, " Tahu lowly spoke.

" What news? "

" Not really good or bad news, " Michelle replied and shrugged. " An old blue cat almost died in Ethiopia. We have been there finding Methu-Selah, but we're not sure if the Kree-Faunus guy or that Kree Eternal is the same person. "

Carol heavily sighed and became anxious for her friend's safety. She had been thinking of him these days aside from her son. Then, she turned to the boy on the peacefully sleeping on the bed. Tahu and Michelle waited for her to speak.

" Methu-Selah has used another persona named Methuselah Belladonna, the old blue cat man, " she answered. " He has been hiding from his enemies and looking for his missing son. "

" About that..." the Wasp Faunus man added and pointed at the boy. " There is something's fishy about him. The MTF had once kept a Kree-682 hybrid clone on their turf before. I'm concluding this boy has inherited Great Methu-Selah's dominant genes than that freak of nature which they had kept and killed. "

" Tahu, how did you know? " Michelle curiously asked.

" Did you remember we followed him back in Moscow more than two decades ago? We secretly took his DNA sample. We made a DNA test out of it, thanks to Dr. Fedorov who's a former MTF scientist. "

" Oh, yeah! He joined the Rebel Forces when the invasion happened. " she snapped her fingers.

" So, this Kid is Methu-Selah's missing son? " Carol raised her voice in shock.

" Yes, " the spouses nodded in unison.

" Well, this must be interesting, " she smiled while looking at her son. " I have a good feeling about this before. Do you have evidences of this discovery? "

" As far as I know, Dr. Fedorov works with Commander Bav-Tek in Russia, " Tahu raised his hands interjection. " He might give you the DNA results once he gets here to France. You know, he's a very busy man helping the injured and the sick. "

" Don't worry, we'll let you know once we see him and Methu-Selah, " his wife added.

" Thanks! "

" So, Carol. We do wanna share our experience in Russia with one whom we called Svet. " Tahu continued. " You'll be interested to hear one. "

" It's a twin conflict tale! We have witnessed everything. " " Michelle also raised her left hand in interjection. " You might want to hear your boy's experience along with us. "

" Yes, of course. Just keep your voices down. "

Carol had let the visitors remain outside the boy's room when she offered them some seats. The couple sat down and began their conversation.

(TWENTY FOUR YEARS AGO: YURI GAGARIN COSMONAUT TRAINING CENTER, STAR CITY, MOSCOW, RUSSIA)

Several days had passed, more people had added into the compound as more vehicles kept coming and going. Bombos, Nukeo, Alexi, and Pavel were busily helping the other members of the rebel forces which they began inspecting the cargo crates for food and weaponry. Smolder busily made his correspondence with Absalom Bav-Tek and Dr. Anton Fedorov for further assistance in operating the secondary base. The Bradford brothers also studied and upgraded the premise's computers which they were working. Trifa, Shadra, and Enenra also aided the fighters's stay in the training compound. For the Kree-Lizard boy, he was still working along side with them to cooperate.

That afternoon, he and Shadra were watching a video of Yuri Gagarin in Russian at the library. They got interested how the first man in space made his way in orbit for more than an hour in riding the Vostok 1 craft above the Earth. The boy imagined himself to experience that kind of flight which he expected after his cosmonaut training.

" So, it's pretty interesting how he got there? Right? " she gave him a suggestive look.

" More like he wanted to achieve, " he replied and smiled while holding his girlfriend's right hand.

" Right, that was his dream though. "

Still watching the video, the Kree-Lizard boy was unaware of being crawled on his tail. There were two microscopic figures who instantly took his blood sample when suddenly he felt being bitten. The hybrid's face grimaced and felt irritated as he began scratching his tail. His Spider Faunus girlfriend noticed his uneasiness.

" Svet, are you okay? " she asked.

" Something bit me! " he cried. " I thought there are no bugs here! I just spent cleaning this room and moping the floor few weeks ago. "

Then, the two beings flew and grew-up into normal size as the two got surprised. They were an insect Faunus couple. The brunette wasp man with bright red wings was wearing a blue suit. His short dark-haired wife was beside him and donning her black and red suit. The boy got frightened as the couple laughed.

" Hey, we come in peace! " the wasp man chuckled.

" We don't mean to harm you, " his bullet ant wife added.

" Who are you? "

" Oh, sorry about making you scared, the name's Tahu Hellfire and this is my wife Michelle. We're just new here, thanks to Commander Ryliea. "

" You mean my father invited you? " Shadra curiously asked.

" Yes, indeed, " Michelle nodded. " How about your names? "

" I'm his daughter, Shadra and this is my boyfriend, Svet. He's a cosmonaut trainee and the one who helps us maintaining the compound. "

" Nice to meet you, both. "

" Yeah, " the Kree-Lizard boy slightly smiled and chuckled. " You two freaked me out! "

" Sorry about that, we could have been knocking on the door, instead, " Tahu made an excuse and laughed. " But thanks to Pym technology, we can shrink ourselves and spy on bad guys anywhere we go. "

" Cool! "

" So right now, we're helping the Bradford brothers and some people here, " Michelle added.

" How are they doing? " the hybrid asked.

" Well..." Tahu uneasily paused and turned to his wife, Michelle. She was wryly smiling and shrugging. The couple seemed to be uncertain of what they could possibly answer.

" Why don't you two check it out by yourselves. "

The two nodded when Shadra turned off the video. They left the library and immediately headed themselves to the hallway, seeing and hearing the twin brothers arguing. Smolder, Alexi, and the other members of the Rebel Forces became more disturbed and annoyed at their ramblings. Tahu and Michelle followed them and saw what was happening.

" You lazy scumbag! " Terry heatedly yelled at his brother. " You don't realize what you just procrastinate your job! The boss needs some results! You do nothing, but sitting there and read books! "

" Terry... I am studying all the hard copies in Russian! We can't make a move unless we're totally familiar with the tech! " Larry exclaimed in reply.

" Oh, really? You just spent chatting with that lizard boy a couple of days ago! I'm the one who's doing all the labor in upgrading the tech for security and navigations! "

" I needed his help to translate the instructions from English to Russian. What is wrong

that?! "

" You need help! Really?! " his semi-balded brother stressed his words and grabbed the collar of Larry's lab coat. " I don't think so! "

" Terry, stop this! " he cried.

" I'm gonna teach you a lesson since you have been a pain to me for almost three decades! You have done so many mistakes every time we work together! You just don't get my instructions clearly as you decided to work on your own! Now, I'm asking you to do the same thing, but you're not helping me at all! Then, I'm asking you to behave like I do, but you just don't really cooperate with me! "

" Terry, I'm trying to help you out, but you're not listening to me because of your stubborness! I'm telling what to do, but you reject it! It's all because you're more confident, smarter, and bolder than me! You're just treating me like an underrated dirt bag and telling me to behave like you do! I'm sick and tired to be your push-over twin brother! "

" SHUT UP!! "

" Stop this! " Smolder heated yelled at the brothers as Alexi joined him. Terry and Larry ceased their bitter exchange of words. Alexi crossed his arms and sternly glared at the two. " You are working under my turf! I have done hearing of your squabbling here! You're supposed to deal with your own personal problems privately or else I'll report this to you immediate superior! "

" Well, that is me, " the old Red Guardian added. " I spent 1,000 Euros each for your salary, but you don't deliver your services well. How about reducing it to 500?! How would you feel?! "

The brothers remained silent as Terry crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. Larry bowed his head in shame and sadly sighed. The Kree-Lizard boy looked concerned at the two and kept thinking how to reconcile these brothers.

" Fine, I'm going to the engineering room! If you need my help, you can call me, " he pouted. " Not my stupid and lazy brother! "

" Terry, are you calling me, stupid and lazy?! " the bearded one replied and got offended.

Terry ignored and immediately left the lobby along with the others. The Kree-Lizard boy felt sad on the other brother. That constant heated argument inside the Star City was over for the day and returned to their normal activities.

" Shadra, can I ask you something, " the boy politely spoke and asked. " Did you and Enenra have this kind of fight before I came here? "

" Sibling fights are normal, Svet, " Shadra explained. " Enenra and I argue a lot of things, either petty or major ones. At the end of the day, my parents helped us to reconcile each other. But that kind of fight was really ticking me off. "

" What do you mean? "

" Well, it's just they're berating each other everyday. Papa and Mama are very patient, but sometimes they become annoyed at those two. "

" Now, I understood why Old Smolder and Lady Trifa tend to blow their steam off. "

" Yeah, they do make so much pain and stress when you hear them arguing. "

" Hey, Shadra! " the Egyptian mutant called the spider-Faunus called her. " Enenra and I need your help in the infirmary. We got an injured escapee with us! "

" Coming, Bombos! " she raised her voice, turned to her boyfriend, and kissed his scaly cheeks. " See you later, Svet! "

" Sure! I'll go check around if someone need my help! " he smiled and waved at her.

(LATER THAT EVENING)

The Kree-Lizard thought of returning to his room after he helped washing the dishes with the other people in the compound. The training and some chores made him very tired during the whole day. A Japanese mutant, Nukeo approached him as he was about to ask some questions. The boy turned to him and got curious.

" Svet-kun, Is it alright if I can ask you something? " the Japanese one said.

" Yeah, sure. How can I help? "

" It's just I get attracted to a former Russian slave, " he blushed and answered. " I was wondering if I could..."

The boy intently smiled at his friend and got intrigued. He knew that a mutant was about to confess his feelings and interest to the girl whom Nukeo tried to interact these days. The Japanese Rebel Forces member was blushing harder when his hybrid friend waited for his response. The Kree-Lizard boy smiled as he knew what advice to give him since he remembered those days when Old Smolder helped him to connect himself to Shadra. Now, he's doing the same thing to help his friend.

" Go ahead. Do tell..."

" Her name is Irina Draganova, " Nukeo replied and described the woman. " The red-headed woman with dark purple eyes. She is taller than me, very confident and feisty. "

" So now, you have been seeing her lately, " he nodded and understood. " Right? "

" Yes. I'm so shy to talk to her. I don't know what to do. Bombos-san, Pavel-san have been teasing me these days, because I cannot make my first move to know her more. "

" Okay, I think you should be more confident to initiate, " the hybrid smiled and touched his friends arms. " You need to express yourself and show that you're interested with her. "

" You mean, I should start making friends with her? "

" Yeah. Secondly, just find how you and her can relate well. "

" Okay, I get it, Svet-kun. "

" That will take time before you express your true feelings for her. If she likes you, then you really have to care and treat her with respect. "

" Yes, sensei, I will follow that! "

" If I were you, you should make your first move, before it's too late! You can do it. "

" I will! Thank you, Svet-kun, " Nukeo smiled and respectfully bowed. " Goodnight! "

" Goodnight to you, too! "

" Job well done, Mr. Cupid! " a female voice echoed as she grew up into normal size along with her husband. The Kree-Lizard boy turned to the couple and got surprised to see them overhearing the conversation.

" Don't tell me, you two are listening! " he gave them a hardy laugh.

" Yep, " Tahu nodded and grinned. " Surely, you have done so much work in the entire day. We just need to remind you that someone needs your help. "

" But there's no work in the evening, right? " the hybrid shrugged. " Tell me, did our enemies bother us, again? "

" No, " Michelle smiled.

" What? Who's in trouble? "

" The blonde bearded guy with a lab coat, " she seriously spoke.

" You mean, Mar-Vell? "

" Are you joking, Svet? " Tahu sarcastically chuckled. " Or you're just forgetting what's the guy's name? "

" Oh, I'm sorry. I have been mistaken him as my beloved Kree friend, " he apologized. " His looks reminded me of him though. "

" Why don't you go find him? He's sleepless. "

" Sure, I will. Thanks! "

The Kree-Lizard boy headed back to the hallway as he kept finding for Larry elsewhere. It took him more minutes in searching for him, until he saw the former CIA Agent working at the computer. Larry Bradford had no appetite and spent analyzing his works. The boy thought of giving him something to eat and returned to the dining and kitchen area, looking for food.

Returning to the mission control station, he found the man tirelessly working around. The hybrid boy placed him a plate of vegetable dumplings which it was a left-over from supper and a glass of milk. Larry never realized a Kree-Lizard man like him thoughtfully giving him to ingest.

" Thanks, Svet, " he slightly smiled. " I'm not even hungry nor thirsty. "

" Mar-Vell, you have been working for several hours without food or drink. I understood how it's difficult to work without taking them first. "

" Cheese, Svet! You call me that name all over again! " Larry laughed. " On the first day, I met you, I got annoyed calling me that. "

" Oh, I'm sorry. It's just you really look like him. I can't forget my fondest memories with him. "

" Yeah, I understood that. Anyways, you really miss your dear old chum, don't you? "

" He was my first best friend after I got escaped from the MTF facility in California. The old Kree man was funny, brave, and a kind person. He never gave up on me before his last breath. "

" I'm so sorry for that loss, " Larry sadly sighed. " He must be the one who initiated your life beyond MTF. Am I right? "

" Yes, how did you know I was once a..."

" An SCP-682 clone? Well, I have heard rumors about it and read the files about a boy who escaped the facility. Yep, Terry and I came to know how to find you, but the Kree-Lizard invasion had hindered us to do so. Instead, we went hiding in Europe for almost 3 decades. Boss Alexi found and recruited us into the Rebel Forces. We met Commander Bav-Tek and initiated our investigations and conspiracies against our enemies. "

" Same here, " the boy nodded. " I joined the Rebel Forces in Alaska to resist them. Then, I confronted the MTF troopers and told them not to chase after me, anymore. "

" Good thing, you can stand on your own feet and make your fate, Svet. Probably, those guys think you can harm anyone, but you're totally different from that monster. You easily make friends and get along with them. You have a big pure heart which I have observed these days, while conversing with you. You sounded more human than my brother, Terry. He's a total monster to me. "

" Why did you say that? " the boy curiously asked.

" Well, it's just..." Larry sighed and changed the topic as he refused continuing. Then, he thought of eating and took a bite of his food. " Nevermind. Anyways, I just want to share something, Svet. You might get interested while I'm eating these dumplings. "

" Yes, go ahead, " the boy nodded and intently listened.

" Terry and I have encountered the Kree Eternal a month ago, " Larry continued. " Before, we reached Moscow, we spent hiding in the caves of the Ural Mountains. My brother and I were waiting for Boss Alexi to arrive, but a gang of blue-skinned and reptilian troops found us. We were about to get captured and killed when a bright blue streak of light flashed at them. The enemies were challenged to fight that strange anomaly, but it overpowered them. Terry and I got frightened to see what it was, but it revealed to be a blue Kree man with a long silvery white hair who claimed to be living more than a thousand years. "

" I see. Did you ever have a chance to talk to him? "

" Yeah, he warned us to avoid any troublemakers who planned to kill us. Then, he mentioned about his missing son. But we told him, we haven't seen his boy living on Earth. "

" Well, that must be a tough mission, " the hybrid seriously spoke. " Possibly, he's still not giving up in finding him. "

" True. How about you? Are you on the search for him, too? "

The Kree-Lizard boy deeply thought on what the engineer-hacker had mentioned. Searching for the Kree Eternal was still his objective. He was waiting for the right timing in leaving Russia to France by any means of transportation. Even it would risk his life, he would do it. But upon hearing Larry's testimony, he wondered if Methu-Selah has a son looking for him too. The boy kept pondering of who that Kree was.

" Well, I'm still waiting for a confirmation, " he broke his silence. " If I could leave Russia on a journey to France. I don't know where exactly I could find him, but I will do my best to meet him. "

" So, you and him will be crossing paths? " Larry queried and took a last bite of his dumpling.

" In a way, yes. "

" Okay, " the blonde bearded man smiled and began to work on the computer. " Let me check if I can track him on Low Earth Orbit or anywhere else on planet Earth. It will take more time for me to make any results. By the way, Svet. I need your help too as my Russian translator and guide for these controls. My Russian language skills are rusty. "

" Got it, " he nodded and aided Larry on the computers.

The two men spent more than three hours in tracking and loading on the computer screen. They tried changing the codes and coordinates of every place on planet Earth. Countless numbers and Cyrllic alphabets are flashing on the screen several times. The boy spent reading and translating them for him, until, they saw a new pop-up screen flashing on them.

" Can you read that, Svet? " Larry politely requested. " Please. "

" Net setevogo podklyucheniya. " he instantly answered.

" What does that mean? "

" No network connection. "

Larry loudly laughed and touched his stomach as his Kree-Lizard companion widened his eyes in shock. Instead of getting angry with the situation, he made it a laughing stock and knocked on the table. The boy waited for him to cease his laughter.

" Why are you laughing, Mar-Vell? " he asked and curiously raised his eyebrows. " What's so funny? "

" You know, what's so funny? My brother and I made a grand upgrade to these computer systems for freaking fourteen days! Yeah, I asked for your help, thanks to you, Svet. But the problem is none of the tracking systems are working, especially the GPS! I'm afraid he is so stupid, not realizing some of the communication systems have been jammed by the Kree and the Lizards! " Larry sarcastically explained and raised his right hand in interjection. " Man, he's so lame! "

" Oh, yeah! " the boy understood him and began to laugh loudly. " Now, I knew why you argue a lot! "

" Honestly, " the engineer-hacker ceased laughing and changed into a calmer tone of voice. " Commander Ryliea told us about your case. You're still on the search for the Kree Eternal. Terry was not really believing at first, because of you as 682 clone could harm anyone. But what intrigues me when the first time I met you is your blue scars and wounds. Then, I found your green irises in your humanoid eyes are exactly the same as the Kree Eternal. "

" Really? "

" We spent hours debating it, but your superior dismissed us and asked us to begin with our work here. "

" Well, " the boy sadly sighed and said as the bearded man gently patted his shoulders. " We spent hours in finding him, but nothing worked. "

" Like I said, the GPS and other systems have been jammed. Your mysterious superhero is off the grid. I'm so sorry, Svet. "

" Maybe, there is another way. We can find a solution. Perhaps, you can guide me on my way to France. "

" Good idea, " Larry nodded and crossed his arms. " I bet my brother will harshly criticize and argue with me for that. He won't listen to me. "

" I wish I could help you both. "

" I don't know if he's willing. "

" I see. You do have a tough situation, " the boy replied. " But I hope you and your brother could reconcile. It's really troublesome for you to argue a lot. Siblings are supposed to help, respect, and understand each other. He's your only family member who supports you no matter what. "

Larry drank his glass of milk, smiled, and reminded the hybrid of Methu-Selah from what he had said. He recalled that day when he and Terry got rescued by him at the Ural Mountains. Larry intently looked at the boy and placed his glass.

" You know, what? " he spoke. " That's the exact same words he told us before. "

" Why? "

" My brother and I spent arguing after we got saved by him. "

" Maybe, it was a coincidence, " the hybrid boy smiled and shrugged.

" No, you do sound exactly like him from the way he spoke. There is such wisdom and purity within you. "