Chapter 18
Harry and his soul mates were pissed when what had started as introducing the younger girls to the joys of sex that turned into a three day orgy (even Amara joined in after being unable to resist the urges through the bond) was finally interrupted by Jean and the Cuckoos being incapacitated.
Everyone was shocked when the Cuckoos and Jean began screaming in pain… and not pleasure. Blood poured from their faces and ears as Harry waved a hand dressing them and transported them down to the infirmary where he found Hank tending to every other telepath in the building as the non-telepaths brought them in.
"Harry! Thank god! We have no idea what caused this." Hank said.
"Me neither. The screaming and pain seems to have stopped so hopefully we can get some answers." Harry stood in the middle of the infirmary and sent out a wave of healing power.
Harry was about to ask for answers when Mary Jane appeared in ball of pain on the floor in front of him.
"Harry… help." She cried through her gritted teeth.
Harry knelt down and began scanning her; the problem was quickly obvious to him.
"Easy MJ, I've got this." He soothed before he knocked her out with a stunner and placed a glowing hand on her stomach. "Hank, we need some privacy for Mary Jane."
Hank simply took MJ to a nearby cubicle whilst sending out a message to Peter about what happened.
"Does anyone know what knocked out all the telepaths?" Harry asked the room at large.
"I believe I know the answer, but it would be best if we spoke in private." Xavier spoke up from where he was wiping blood from his face.
"There are no secrets here Charles." Harry said.
"There are always secrets, we just have to make the decision when to share them. I believe this particular secret should be decided on after we discuss it." Charles countered.
Harry just shrugged. "Ok, Emma, your office?"
"So the first new mutant birth." Harry smiled happily. "See, I told you. You just needed patience."
"You were right, of course, and I am truly happy. But we must see to the safety of the child, other factions will be aiming to acquire the child for their own purposes." Charles agreed.
"True. Scott, take your team and get the whole family. Has anyone been to…"
"Cooperstown, Alaska." Charles supplied.
There was a round shaking heads.
"Then you'll have to fly by jet… sorry Logan."
"We'll call when we get there and send the family straight here." Scott assured them as they filed out.
Harry clapped his hands. "Right, next up, informing the students."
"Is it really wise to bring the children into this?" Charles questioned.
"Take it from someone who was a child during a war and served as a Headmaster during many conflicts. Yes. They will trust us much more if we tell them, it pays off in the long run when we can't tell them something and we need them to trust us.
"Then we tell the rest of the world, they will cry bloody murder if anyone tries to harm an innocent baby!"
"Ok everyone, huge announcement. There has finally been a mutant birth. The X-Men are en route to pick up the baby and the family. When the news breaks it is going to cause a huge amount of reactions from various groups and you need to be aware of this.
"No one is to leave the school in less than groups of three. Break this rule and I will lock you down for a month.
"Other than that, life goes on.
"Questions?"
Cessily stood up. "How do you know it is a baby? I thought Cerebro could only detect when mutant powers awaken and that happens at puberty."
"It used to, but I do have knowledge of technology, more importantly, I have the knowledge of how to view and detect magic with technology. I thought Cerebro was pretty important, especially after you were kidnapped so I worked with Hank to upgrade it.
"But… it turns out this baby did manifest it's powers at birth."
"Do you know who else is after the baby?" Mindee asked.
"No, but I'm just going to assume: everyone."
"Will any of the New X-Men get to go on the mission?" Julian enquired.
"As of this moment: No. But the situation is very fluid. In most conflicts there is usually more than one front to fight on. That could quickly become the case here so be ready. For the time being the mansion and its students are the responsibility of the New X-Men… expect trouble."
The scene in Cooperstown was a holocaust. Men, women and children had been killed indiscriminately. There were dead bodies everywhere.
Harry was quickly called in.
"Good god this is disgusting." Harry declared before he closed his eyes and began focusing his power.
All around them the fires began to die out. Buildings were fixed. Broken bodies were healed even if they were dead.
"Can you save them?" Emma asked hopefully.
"No, most of them have moved on. There were a few that I pulled back but the rest are gone." He said sadly. "You continue your search. I'll arrange for the New X-Men to come and handle things here. Clearly I need to interview with Trish again."
What the X-Men discovered was disgusting. Emma probed the minds of the residents for information and it sickened her.
"The Purifiers came with intent to kill all the children just to find and kill the mutant baby. Then Mister Sinister's Marauders came in and a free-for-all broke out whilst both parties laid waste to the area and the people whilst trying to find the mutant baby." Emma reported.
"Damn, I guess Stryker's influence was further reaching than I thought." Harry cursed.
"At approximately 10:20pm last night, local residents were rocked by a series of explosions that some believed to be earthquakes. But as they fled their homes they realized it was much worse.
"They had come under fire by a private army, the likes of which most governments militias rarely encounter.
"Their mysterious goals in Cooperstown?
"The cold-blooded murder of nearly every child in town. An almost biblical punishment… why? I have with me here, Doctor Harry Potter who arrived on the scene soon after the battle and rendered aid were he could.
"Doctor, why would someone do this?"
"Well Trish, the important thing to remember is that this… carnage, was all over one single new-born baby. The private army is actually the group known as The Purifiers. They are the people recruited by William Stryker to eradicate mutant kind.
"This is how they went about trying to kill a mutant baby. They systematically murdered every child of every age in the hopes that they found the right one. This is what hate brings you.
"However, for unknown reasons a second group was known to be involved. They arrived soon after the Purifiers and engaged them before attempting to find the baby themselves. This was a known group of mutant terrorists. I will say that they did not engage the civilians."
"Is there any word on the identity or location of the baby?" Trish asked.
"At this time we are tracking the baby, we do not know the name as all records were destroyed."
"But you know the baby is alive."
"Yes, we do." It was clear Harry wasn't going to elaborate. He didn't feel right telling them they knew this because they found two new born baby cribs and one was empty but the charred remains were found in the other.
"What can you tell us about the survivors?"
Harry sighed. "By the time we arrived, most of the souls of the dead children had moved on. Any soul that stayed behind, I was able to heal the body and restore them. But there are a lot of dead children today because of hate."
"What are you doing now to find the murderers?"
"I can't go into details for reasons of operational security, but rest assured, there are teams in the field doing what they need to. Meanwhile, the New X-Men are working on helping the townspeople here." He said indicating behind him where Julian could be seen with Laura helping an elderly couple sit in chairs they conjured.
Whilst the New X-Men focused on Cooperstown, Cyclops had Jamie Madrox brought in for a special assignment. He sent him to Forge to make use of his time travel technology so he could send a dupe to try and gain intel from the future. For some reason Layla decided to tag along.
Two Dupes would be sent to different futures, the first went through without a problem. But Layla caused problems with the second.
Jamie Madrox and Forge watched in horror as Layla rushed into the energy stream as she and the dupe vanished.
"BRING HER BACK!" Jamie yelled grabbing Forge by the shirt.
"I can't! It was a one-way trip. She wasn't meant to do that."
"How the hell were my dupes meant to return?" Jamie demanded.
"They would kill themselves when they had the information they needed."
"Oh god!" Jamie groaned as the realisation hit him that they might have just lost Layla.
"There might be a way." Forge said cautiously.
Jamie snapped around. "What?"
"The kid, Potter. If he's as powerful as he's supposed to be then he might be able to get her back."
"Call- ARRRRHHHHGGGG!" Jamie screamed as his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed.
"What the hell possessed you to play with time travel?" Harry demanded angrily.
"We've done it before." Forge said defensively.
"Just because you can do it doesn't mean you should do it!"
"Whatever." Forge said dismissively. "Is there anything you can use to bring the girl back?"
"Possibly." Harry said without hesitation. "But I wouldn't know where to begin. I have never played with time before. I know magic can do it but… I've always considered it… outside my jurisdiction.
"I'm essentially going to be teleporting through space and time. I have never done this before myself. I also don't think I can do this on my own… at least I definitely can't go without my girls, I don't know what will happen to the soul bonds if I do."
Harry concentrated and called for his soul mates to join him.
"Hi girls. We have a special mission, probably dangerous and I don't know anything about it other than we are going into the future to find Layler Miller and bring her back here."
"Whilst you're there, try and figure out what happened to Madrox." Forge ordered.
"Alright my beauties, everyone grab a hold of me."
The sun was setting on the horizon, reaching slowly down to the ocean. On the beach a confrontation took place that was a stark contrast to the beauty of nature's gentle sunset.
Layla Miller lay in a crumpled heap in front of Scott Summers. An aged and no longer fully human Scott Summers. He didn't wear glasses or a visor, but the red destructive power could be seen glowing in his uncovered eyes. His left arm and lower leg had been replaced by monstrous robotic appendages that didn't even attempt to appear human.
"Look at me! Look what they've done to me! Look what I've become!" Scott raged as Layla just sat there.
"What, like I got off lightly?
"I knew what they were going to do to me before I set foot in Forge's time machine, Cyclops! I'd wake up screaming, shaking in my bed, knowing what was to come!"
She pulled off her blonde wig revealing her brutally shaven head and the tattooed 'M' over her right eye.
"They turned me into a piece of meat, Scott! Shaved me, labelled me, dehumanized me!
"You think if I had the power to make things not happen, I wouldn't have used it to save myself?"
Tears began to stream down her face as the usually implacable Layla Miller broke down as she realised her nightmares had come true. It wasn't what she knew would happen that scared her; it was what she didn't know would happen. She was now like everyone else on the planet. In the dark and unaware of what the future held for the most part.
"YOU THINK I WANTED THIS?!" She screamed at him.
"Oh my god, I just want to go home! I want this never to have happened!
"You want to kill me? DO IT!"
Scott just stood there as Layla began pounding on his chest as the myriad of emotions tore through her.
As she screamed and begged him to kill her he knelt down, the whirring of his mechanical limbs the only other sound as he gently hugged and comforted her.
"Dammit Layla, do you know how worried Jamie is?"
Scott and Layla tensed at the new male voice before Ruby, Scott's red skinned daughter unleashed crimson beams from her eyes knocking the owner of the voice back into the other women standing behind him.
"What are you doing here Harry?" Layla demanded angrily.
"Errgh, that was not nice." Harry groaned as he disentangled himself from Amara and Dani.
"Who is he?" Scott demanded.
"It's Harry, you know… Harry Potter? Claims to be Death and the Master of Magic. Had all these notions and plans of bringing equality to mutants." Layla said snidely.
"Doesn't seem to have followed through very well." Ruby remarked.
"So what happened, Harry? Not as powerful as you think or are you just revealing your true colours?" Layla asked mockingly.
"Didn't you pay attention to what Forge was telling Jamie before you decided to go for a kamikaze mission into the future?" Lorna snapped back. "He was sending both Jamies into possible futures. Clearly, in this future Harry didn't come to save it."
"Why don't I know anything about him then? He isn't in any of the stuff I know."
"If you tell me how you know that 'stuff' I might be able to answer your question." Harry said.
Layla just folded her arms stubbornly.
"She told herself." Mindee said suddenly.
"She survives this journey into the future." Celeste continued.
"When she returns to our time she tells her younger self all she knows." Phoebe said.
Then they spoke as one. "And the cycle repeats."
"STOP READING MY MIND!" Layla screamed angrily.
The Cuckoos were unrepentant.
"The answer to your question is very simple." Harry smiled as he conjured chair shocking Ruby and Scott. "This is the beginning of a new cycle. The initial iteration."
"So every time she goes through this cycle now, you will be involved?" Dani asked as his girls joined him in the chairs.
"Yep. But if she's smart she will use her knowledge to improve things." Harry said.
"If she does that she will keep changing the future and she won't be able to predict things." Ruby argued.
"How much easier would it have been if she had told the X-Men in the past what she knew, or if she had come through the time machine with knowledge of where supplies were? How about if she had created a stash of supplies like time capsule."
"If I did that I might change things so I can't return home." Layla countered.
"Well, if you're next incarnation is stupid enough to do this again then at least warn them that I can bring them home."
"I need to stay here for a few years."
"Why?"
The Three-In-One suddenly piped up. "Mrs. Layla Madrox." They said with a dreamy tone.
"Really? That's the only reason?" Harry asked with a sigh. "You could just go back and wait till you are older then."
"If I wait here then we will be the right age for each other when I go back."
"What are you, fourteen, fifteen?" Harry asked.
"Nearly fifteen."
"In just over a year you will be heading into the age of consent and can start a relationship with Jamie, come back with us and we will see about chaperoning you and making sure no one objects."
It was clear Layla was tempted. She had just spent a good minute crying her eyes out over what had happened to her.
"What about my mission here?"
"What is your mission?" Lorna asked.
"To bring about the rebellion and freedom for mutants." Celeste answered.
"And to grow up so she can be with Jamie." Phoebe finished.
"I have nothing to add." Mindee pouted causing the other soul mates to laugh.
"Alright, first things first." Harry said as he stood up and walked over to a still standing Scott. "Let's put you back together, shall we?"
"Wait, what do you mean?" Scott asked as he began backing away.
"You telling me you want to be a cyborg?" Harry asked. "Because it didn't sound like it earlier."
"Of course I don't."
"Then just relax, this will only take a few seconds to minutes."
But Scott backed away a step further. "What are you going to do?"
"I was going to re-grow your limbs for you… you keep treating me like I have cooties and I might change my mind."
"You're serious aren't you?"
"Scott, you remember us, don't you?" Amara asked.
"Of course. He's the only one I don't recognise." Scott pointed a slightly accusing finger at Harry.
"Let him help you. It will definitely be worth it."
Scott scowled but held his ground and gave Harry a nod.
Harry placed a hand on Scott's shoulder immobilizing him. There was the sound of several clanks as his robotic arm and leg fell away from his body leaving him standing on one leg with only Harry keeping him upright.
What happened next shocked and amazed Scott and his daughter as his limbs began to re-grow. Once Scott was standing on his own two flesh feet Harry caused the other implants to fall out or disintegrate before he rebuilt the original organs.
Finally he began pumping magic into him and working his cells to rejuvenate, a method he had learnt many thousands of years after Hermione and Daphne had passed on. It negated the need for the Elixir of Life potion that required the Philosopher's Stone.
Within the space of a minute the elderly cyborg was replaced with a young man in his early thirties.
Scott just stood there staring at his new limbs.
"Told you." Amara declared happily.
"Focus on that feeling of power flowing into you. Try and make it create a light in your hand. Dani, teach him for me." Harry said before heading over to a speechless Ruby.
"Just like your mother. A precious gem." Harry said with a fond smile.
"You knew my mother?" She asked in surprise.
"Erm… sort of. I knew a version of your mother from a timeline. This particular future doesn't line up with the past we are from."
"How will you get back then?"
"Easy, I will just focus on the version of your mother I know. Should take me straight to her."
"Could you de-age me like you did Dad?"
"Yes, but I don't really see the need to." Harry shrugged.
"If I revert back to my human form I might age seventy years."
Harry just laughed. "Doesn't work like that. Every time you switch back and forth it refreshes your cells. As long as you switch back and forth regularly, like once a day to once a week, you will likely never get old."
"Are you sure?" She asked eagerly.
"Take it from someone who can read souls and cells and power. I watched it happen with your mother and Amara."
For the first time in decades, Ruby Summers relaxed her powers and triggered the change.
"Definitely Emma Frost's daughter." Harry smiled as he took in the sight of the white blonde haired young woman who could definitely pass as the triplet's older sister. "Excuse my hands, but you need an upgrade." Harry said as he placed a hand on Ruby's pale white chest.
"Hey!"
"Relax, I'm just giving you the power to do magic. You'll love it."
"What is it with you and the Fidelius?" Lorna laughed as Harry outlined his plan for helping this timeline.
"It's so useful for what I wind up doing, strangely enough I'm also the only one who can modify it. Anyone can copy my modifications but no one can add to them. Drove Hermione nuts." He smiled.
"Can you place the charm on a single moveable object?" Celeste asked.
"You mean like a car?"
"A book." She corrected.
"Definitely. Used to use it on documentation of dangerous spells and state secrets."
"I thought you didn't keep secrets from your people?" Dani asked.
"No, I didn't lie to them. Or make promises I couldn't keep."
"We will work with Layla to create a book she can give to herself when she goes back to the past." Celeste indicated herself and her sisters.
"Good plan. Include references to me and suggestions on how to best make changes."
"So you are just going to set up this Fidelius and leave us to fend for ourselves again?" An annoyed Ruby asked.
"Of course not. We'll stay for a few years, I need to make other people into magicals after all!"
Layla Miller had not been idle when she first arrived in the future, she had travelled with a relative stranger to Atlantic City. She had used the opportunity to plant the seeds of mistrust of the Government in the citizens of this dystopian future.
The technological advances of the timeline meant that every citizen had an implant in their skull that connected them to the equivalent of the web they called the 'Ethernet'.
Fear began to spread amongst the populous but the idea inspired the government culminating in a boiling point.
A well-known government figure addressed his countrymen as he appeared on televisions and billboards around the country. In Time Square the people stopped to listen, fear making them wary.
"My fellow Americans… we at the Department of Internal Protection are aware of your fears. We are unsure of how word of Operation Purity became public before we were prepared to discuss it with you… but since it has, we wish to make it clear that it is not the doomsday scenario that so many on the Ethernet are making it out to be.
"Simply because the mutant menace has been contained, that does not mean it can be discounted. We must look to the next level of safety for our citizenry because, I can assure you… we are not going to let mutants win.
"We must make difficult decisions. The sorts of decisions you have entrusted your elected officials to make.
"Testing centres are being set up even as we speak. All citizens will be required to report for genetic testing… immediately."
Gasps ran through the crowd. All their fears had come to pass.
"And for those who believe that they are exempt from the law… incentive will be provided."
Screams erupted and panic set in as two looming Sentinels appeared either side of the vid screens in Time Square. Many people began to try and flee causing a stampede, some tried to instigate rebellion against the government.
The rest of the speech was mostly drowned out.
"Understand that these steps are being taken, not out of hostility, but out of love for all of you. Do not let cruel, hostile words from agitators frighten you.
"War is Peace. Acceptance is hatred."
The image fizzled out and the head of one of the Sentinels exploded as it was struck by a powerful beam of red energy.
A new voice spoke out over the speakers.
"And up is down! And down is where you are going!"
The image of a red skinned woman appeared on the screen as a blast of blue plasma took out the second Sentinel.
"Ladies and gentlemen! I am Ruby Summers! I'm a mutant! Most of you are not!
"But today we stand together and say 'ENOUGH'!
"Enough of our rights being trampled!
"Enough of imprisonment for the sake of freedom!
"Enough of sin in the name of redemption!
"Today… WE REBEL!"
And thus began the Summers Rebellion. As Ruby and the young non-mutant who had driven Layla to Atlantic City defended the crowd from the Sentinels, the people of America saw that mutants weren't against them. Later they would discover that mutants had the same considerations for non-mutants as they did for them.
They didn't.
They were like every other creature on the planet. They cared primarily for themselves. They made friends, had families enjoyed sports, food and drink. Occasionally there would be a mutant who wanted to harm. But they would be taught that those few individuals were outnumbered by the non-mutants who thought the same way.
The day the Summer's Rebellion began Atlantic City vanished. It was removed from all maps, records and minds.
Harry had cast his largest Fidelius to date… he hid an entire city.
He didn't stop at the borders though. Once a month he extended the area covered by a minimum of one hundred miles.
Meanwhile his girls worked to close the mutant internment camps and bring the mutants to Atlantic city. Scott was installed as the Governor at Harry's insistence and he and his girls worked on making sure the peace was kept.
Three years after they arrived in the future their mission was capable of sustaining itself and Harry declared it was time they got back to their own world.
His final act had been to erect inverted Fidelius charms around the major cities that were part of the mutant oppression. Anyone trapped in the city couldn't leave but people entering the city could enter and exit.
Only Ruby was given the ability and knowledge to bring down the charms. When she was satisfied that the people in the cities posed no threat she would reunite the world.
It was a tearful group that gathered to say goodbye to Layla, Harry and the girls.
"I can't believe I'm never going to see you guys again!" Ruby cried from the middle of a group hug with the girls.
Tears were flowing down the cheeks of anything with two X chromosomes.
"You sure you won't be able to make it back?" Scott asked Harry quietly.
"I honestly don't know. 'Hilde says I should be able to go where I want, but I will need to practice. I'm just hoping I can get everyone back to where they need to be. So… I guess you can hope we see each other again… but don't hold your breath."
Harry stepped forward from where he was standing with Scott. "Come on girls. We do still have some issues to deal with… back home."
Reluctantly the girls separated and moved to grab a handful of Harry.
"I'll do my best to come back." Harry promised before they vanished into time and space.
"Harry, are we in the right time?" Dani asked nervously.
Harry had teleported them straight to the mansion. But it was in ruins. There was barely anything left except rubble.
"Yes, I can sense the Fidelius charm on the underground complex, but there aren't any souls left in the building or below." He frowned. "Fawkes!" He called.
There was a flash of fire and the red and gold bird materialised before them.
Fawkes began squawking agitatedly and the triplets gasped as Harry sighed.
"We came back several days too late." Phoebe translated.
"Several people are dead from our side." Celeste continued.
"The X-Men are trying to retrieve the baby from Sinister." Mindee finished.
"But what about the children? Where are they?" Dani asked.
Fawkes began squawking again.
"On the Hulk's planet." The girls announced.
"Whoever came up with that idea gets a gold star." Harry said with an approving nod. "Right, so it sounds like we need to go find Scott. Everybody phase out and go invisible before we teleport. Chances are we are jumping into a battle."
Harry and the girls teleported into a scene of mass carnage as more than a third of the remaining mutants on the planet were engaged in mortal combat.
Harry instantly transformed into his dragon form.
"CEASE YOUR FIGHTING!" He roared.
Even the dumbest or most focused fighter will pause at the sight of a towering dragon. Especially one that has liquid fire dripping from its large fanged mouth with wings flared so wide it blocked out most of the light.
Unfortunately, the X-Men's opponents eventually overcame their shock and began attacking Harry.
Harry just stood there as everything from raw energy to fists impacted his thick dragon hide. Often his hide was pierced and occasionally his internal organs would slip out.
But Harry just stood there.
The reason why soon became apparent as their numbers were picked off from behind by the X-Men, who were largely ignored.
It soon became apparent to the last few standing Marauders that they weren't having any effect on the Dragon who just stood there watching them hack away at him.
"Are you finished?" The dragon asked.
A few of the remaining conscious Marauders took the opportunity to teleport out whilst the others cursed their comrades for abandoning them. The New X-Men sent a barrage of stunners at them.
"Harry! You have to help HG!" Cessily begged as she came running up.
"HG?"
"My dog, the other Predator X turned up and HG and X-Force are fighting it!"
"Your dog?" Laura asked. "That little silver puppy is fighting Predator X?"
Cessily looked at the dark haired young woman. "Who are- Laura?! What happened to you?" Cessily demanded as she realised whom the young woman in her early twenties was.
"I grew up!" Laura grinned cheekily.
"We all did, but maybe we should focus on Predator X." Celeste pointed out.
"Right, I'll just go-" Harry didn't bother finishing he sentence as he teleported out.
"Layla, what possessed you to follow Jamie into the future?" Scott demanded.
"I thought I was supposed to." She shrugged. "Still need to go back in time to deliver my packages to… myself." She pointed out to Lorna.
"I believe the All-Father will grant me leave to handle this mission for you, young Layla." Brunhilde offered as she took the book from Layla's arms.
"But I'm sup-"
"-supposed to remember that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is madness." Laura frowned. "Go on Hilde, we'll let Harry know where you went."
"I shall return forth with." She declared before heading off.
"Where's my little Welshling?" Harry asked as he suddenly reappeared with two silver puppies playing at his feet and Illyana at his side.
"Here Professor." Megan said as she flew over.
"Here, I don't know why, but I feel you should have HG's brother." He said as he picked up one of the puppies and handed it over.
The squeal of happiness caused shrieks of pain from Beast, Laura and Wolverine and the other mutants with super senses.
"God, Pixie, any chance you're related to Syren or Banshee?" Laura groaned.
"When did you develop a sense of humour?" Cessily asked Laura with a wry smirk.
"About three years ago." Phoebe answered.
"It took a lot of work." Celeste sighed.
"But we got to watch lots of Abbot and Costello." Mindee grinned.
"Who's on first!" Laura laughed with the others.
"What?" Cessily queried.
"No, he's on second." Scott responded with a smile.
"O-ho! A fellow fan." Harry laughed. "I can see what we'll be doing this weekend."
"Not a Stooges fan?" Logan asked as he and the rest of X-Force walked up.
"They have their moments, but we prefer the verbal quippage, as my dad put it."
"How did that little thing take on the big Predator X you showed us?" Dani asked.
"I put a similar charm on it as I did on Cessily. If it or she is in danger it transforms into it's old form, it just keeps its current personality." Harry explained.
"What are we going to do about the baby?" Rogue asked where she had a firm grip on white haired man with a metal arm. Gambit was cooing over the tyke in question.
"That is one cute little girl." Harry smiled as he took the baby from Gambit who pouted playfully. "Does anyone know her name?"
"Hope."
Everyone looked to the twenty year old Layla Miller.
"Is this part of the stuff you know?" Scott asked.
"No… it just seems fitting."
"Sounds good to me."
"I need to take her from here. She's not safe here." The white haired man growled.
"Harry, this is my son, Nathan AKA Cable." Scott said with a tired yet proud smile.
"You can let him up Rogue." Harry told the stripe haired woman before turning to address Cable, her captive. "She'll always be in danger. If she were to die then the next new baby mutant would be in danger… hiding her away won't make the world safer for them, we have to confront the issue and make the world change."
"At least I can take her away so she can grow up and face the world with experience." Cable argued.
"But what about the next baby?" Lorna asked.
"I'll bring her back as soon as she is old enough, she will always be the 'chosen one', but at least I can train her away from the fight first. Give her the chance to face this mess with some age and wisdom at her back."
"And you think you can do this all on your own?" Amara asked.
"It will be safer this way."
"We will take her to her Aunty Ruby." Celeste stated.
"I can't believe I'm going to actually say this… but… we're going back to the future?" Harry asked causing most of them to groan.
"She can learn how to change the world in safety from those who are actually doing so." Phoebe added.
Everyone turned to Mindee, expecting her to add something as was the habit of the Three In One.
Mindee just shrugged. "Don't eat yellow snow."
"Laura, stop supplying Mindee with bad jokes." Harry sighed.
"Actually that was me." Dani admitted sheepishly.
"I swear… bonding with me has severely damaged your sanity! All of you!" Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, I guess we'll see you in a few hours to a few days… wait… where's Hilde?"
"She's delivering Layla's book to… Layla." Laura shrugged.
"NO! IT HAS TO DIE!"
There was a huge commotion as Bishop suddenly pushed his way past the other members of X-Force and raised his gun at Harry and Hope and fired before anyone but Harry could move.
Harry simply turned his back, shielding Hope and allowing the weapon to destroy his back. Meanwhile both HG and his puppy brother had transformed and were now pinning down Bishop as the other mutants finally began to move.
"What the hell is his problem?" Dani demanded angrily.
"He believes Hope is responsible for all the trouble that happened to the mutants we saw in the future." Layla explained. "Jamie and I met Bishop as a boy, he was very angry and very focused on revenge."
"What an idiot." Harry growled. He stepped forward and placed a glowing hand on Bishop's shoulder stripping away his powers. "I'm taking him back to his future with us. He can serve out his sentence there."
Harry and his bonded vanished along with Cable, Bishop and Hope leaving Layla and the X-Men standing there.
"I wish he would discuss things with the rest of us first." Scott sighed.
"I've watched him work for nearly seven years." Layla shrugged. "He does usually discuss things, it's only when the solution is obvious to him that he goes off and does them without discussion."
"Where are Harry and the girls?" Hilde asked as she reappeared.
"Taking the baby back to Ruby in the future. How come you didn't take so long?" Layla asked.
"I didn't need to spend more than an hour or so with your younger self so the time I was absent from the present was shorter. I gave her strict instructions to find Harry as soon as he arrived. Hopefully he will be able to help her improve things for the next iteration."
Layla just nodded. Over the years she spent in the future Harry and Hilde had been pounding into her head that simply doing the same thing over and over again and not trying to improve things was pointless. The book they created was magical with moving pictures and space for it to be updated. Eventually it would contain a near perfect solution for every iteration.
"Hi-Ho!"
Everyone turned to look at Pixie.
"Sorry, I just thought of a name for my puppy." She grinned.
"Hi-Ho?" Scott asked. "As in-"
"Hi Ho Silver! Away!" She cried out happily.
"What is it with you two?" Rogue asked Cessily and Pixie. "You couldn't call them Spike and Rover?"
"Why would they call them 'HG' and 'Hi-Ho'?" Brunhilde asked.
"'HG' is the chemical symbol for mercury." Laura explained. "And 'Hi Ho Silver! Away!' is the catch phrase of an old TV cowboy."
"Perhaps 'Hermes' and 'Epimelios' would be more appropriate." Brunhilde offered.
"Who are they?" Pixie asked.
"Alternative names for the Greek god who is also known as 'Mercury' in the Roman Pantheon." Scott explained.
"I like 'Hermes'." Cessily smiled.
Pixie just scrunched up her face. "Epi-whatsit is so long. I'll stick with Hi-Ho."
Once again, the sanity of the Welsh was brought into question.