Ed POV
"Okay, if it's a boy, let's call him Edward Jr.," I said with a smirk.
"No," Richard and Mary said at the exact same time.
I laughed. "Worth a shot."
We were all sitting in the cafeteria—me, Richard, Mary, Peter, and May—just enjoying lunch and tossing around baby names. Well, they were taking it seriously. I was just throwing in joke suggestions to mess with them. Peter had taken the news of becoming a big brother really well. Honestly, he was more excited than anyone.
"What about Jolene for a girl?" May suggested.
Mary scrunched her nose. "I'd rather not. That makes her sound… I don't know, like she's already 75 and owns six cats."
"Okay, okay," I said, raising my hands. "How about this—if it's a boy, name him Ben, after your brother. And if it's a girl… name her May."
They all paused, really thinking about it for a second.
Richard nodded. "You know… I actually like that."
Mary smiled softly and looked over at May, who was already tearing up.
"Me too," she said, dabbing at her eyes. "I'd be honored."
Peter grinned wide. "Little Ben or baby May… Either way, I'm gonna be the best big brother."
I leaned back in my chair, smiling at the scene. For once, everything felt normal. Peaceful. Like a real family moment.
And honestly?
Those are the moments worth protecting.
Cal walked in with Daisy beside him. He looked a little tense, while Daisy seemed excited—though I could tell she was a bit nervous too. They came up to where I was sitting.
"Hey, Cal. Hey, Daisy. What's up?" I asked.
"It's Jiaying," Cal said. "She finally responded to my message. She wants to meet."
"All right, that's good news. When and where?" I asked.
"She said ten minutes… under an old, abandoned bridge in Chicago."
"Damn, that's short notice," I muttered. "Okay. Just tell Church which specific bridge."
"Got it," Cal nodded.
I stood up and teleported straight to my room. Time to suit up.
After I finished suiting up, I teleported back to where Cal and Daisy were waiting.
"You two ready?" I asked.
Cal nodded, a mix of excitement and nerves in his eyes. "I've been waiting for this moment a very long time. I'm more than ready."
"Me too," Daisy added. "More than anything, I want to finally meet my mom."
I grabbed both of them, and we teleported to the abandoned bridge in Chicago. I already knew the exact location—Church had sent the coordinates straight to my helmet.
We waited in silence for a while, tension building in the air. Then, without warning, a bright blue flash illuminated the area. Two figures appeared out of thin air.
Jiaying... and Gordon.
Just as I expected. Gordon, the Inhuman teleporter, stood at Jiaying's side. Both of them looked startled when they saw me—guess they weren't expecting a hero to be here.
Jiaying's expression shifted quickly when Cal stepped forward.
"It's okay," Cal said gently. "Arsenal helped me find our daughter."
Jiaying blinked, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. Then her eyes met Daisy's.
She stepped closer, scanning Daisy's face. A soft smile crept onto her lips.
"You've got your father's eyes," she said warmly.
Daisy smiled back. "He says I've got your looks."
Jiaying didn't wait another second. She pulled Daisy into a hug, and Daisy wrapped her arms around her mother without hesitation.
After all this time, Daisy was finally reunited with both of her parents. Watching them together, I silently hoped I could change their fates. She deserved this — a chance to have her family whole again. And if this meeting went well… maybe she will have a chance to meet her half-sister. I wondered how she'd take that news.
Jiaying finally pulled away from the hug, her eyes wet but steady as she turned to face me.
"Thank you. You don't know how long I've waited for this moment," she said softly.
"You're welcome," I replied. "And while I'd love to let the family time continue, I'd like to talk to you — it's important."
Her expression shifted. Suspicion. Understandable, really. She didn't know me. Not truly.
"All right," she said cautiously, "but I'd prefer we not speak here. Let's go to my home. It's safer."
"You sure you want me to come there?" I asked, raising a brow.
"Yes. You helped me reunite with my family. I don't think your intentions are malicious. And besides… I want to show my daughter her new home."
"Fair enough," I said, giving her a slight nod.
Truthfully, I knew she still didn't fully trust me—not yet. She might want me to come to afterlife because it's filled with a lot of inhumans with a bunch of powers, so if I'm a threat, she has her whole Community helping her take me down. That made sense. She had to be cautious.
We walked toward Gordon, and with a flash of blue light, we were in Afterlife.
It was beautiful.
We appeared outside, near the center of the community. Dozens of Inhumans were gathered, all stopping to look at me. I could feel their eyes. A mix of curiosity and concern. Made sense — I was Arsenal. People talked, even in places this remote.
"Gordon, take Cal and Daisy to one of the guest rooms. I need to speak with Arsenal," Jiaying said.
He nodded, but before leaving, Jiaying gently grabbed Daisy's hand.
"As soon as I'm done, I'll come to you. I want to get to know my daughter."
"And I want to get to know my mom," Daisy smiled. "I have so many questions for both of you."
"We'll answer every single one," Jiaying promised.
After they walked off, she turned to me.
"Follow me, please."
I did as asked. As I followed her through the village, I took it all in — the structures, the people, the peace. She had built something special here. A sanctuary for her kind. I respected that. And with the right push… maybe we could build something even greater.
We entered her office. It was decorated with small personal items and had a desk set up with books and relics. Just like the show. She sat behind her desk. I sat across from her. We stared at each other for a moment.
"I'm grateful you found my daughter," she began. "But I have to ask — how do you know about me? Or even Daisy?"
I leaned back in the chair. "I have my ways. Complicated ones. Let's just say I know a lot. But that's not why I asked to speak with you. I want us to be allies."
"...Allies?" she repeated, surprised. Clearly not what she expected.
"Yes. I'm preparing to take over a country — one that enslaves and exploits mutants. My kind. After that, I want to build something bigger. I want mutants and Inhumans to live together in peace. I plan to rebuild Genosha… and I want you on my council."
She studied me, measuring the offer. "You want Inhumans to join your war?"
"No. My team and I will handle the war. I'm asking you and your people to join us afterward. To help build a home. A true home — not just a sanctuary in hiding. A real city. A nation."
She was quiet, intrigued but skeptical.
"That sounds idealistic," she said finally. "But the humans won't leave us in peace."
"I know. That's why I've been gathering evidence of the atrocities being committed in that country. I'll expose it globally. The world governments won't dare move against us — not without backlash. Even Superman would back us once he sees the truth."
"Maybe," she said cautiously. "But that kind of peace doesn't last. Humans will always fear us. They'll find new ways to come after us."
She leaned forward.
"I suggest something else. Let's make them fear us first. Show them our power. Make them think twice before ever raising a hand against us."
I shook my head. "I understand why you'd say that. But I can't agree. I want coexistence, not domination. We don't need to rule over them… we just need to show we're not prey."
She crossed her arms, frowning. "That's naive."
"No," I said quietly. "It's hope."
She looked like she was about to speak again, but I cut in first.
"I understand your hatred. Truly, I do."
"And how could you possibly understand what I've been through?"
"Because I know what Hydra did to you."
Her eyes widened.
"I know about Whitehall. I know how he tortured you… experimented on you. Cut you apart. I know that pain, that betrayal, is what fuels your anger."
She didn't deny it.
"But Hydra doesn't represent all of humanity. I'm not asking you to forgive. I'm asking you to aim your vengeance at the guilty, not the innocent."
She looked down, silent.
"Hydra is still alive," I continued. "Thriving in the shadows. And I intend to wipe them out. I want to offer you a chance to help me. To take revenge on the ones who truly hurt you."
"In exchange for being your ally?" she asked softly.
"Yes."
She didn't speak. But I saw it — the way her expression shifted. The storm of emotions behind her eyes. This was no longer just a political decision for her.
It was personal.
And I might've just given her something she thought she'd never have again: a real choice.
She finally spoke after a long, heavy silence.
"You promise me my people will be safe in this new country you're building?" Jiaying asked, her eyes fixed on mine.
"Yes," I replied without hesitation.
"And you're truly willing to hand over the man who hurt me?" Her voice was low, tight with restrained pain.
"Yes," I said again.
"Then I'll join your council," she said, slowly, but firmly.
I nodded. "Good. You'll have a voice for the Inhumans. My intention has always been to protect both mutants and Inhumans — equally."
She looked at me for a long moment, her expression unreadable, then finally gave a short nod. "Then you have yourself a deal."
A wave of relief passed through me, but I kept it contained. "Thank you. I was really hoping you'd say that."
"Don't misunderstand me," she said, her voice still sharp, but now steadier. "My hatred for humans is still there. It's not something I can turn off. But I see what you mean. I want to try — try not to hate all of them. It'll be a slow process… but I'm thinking about the future. About what's best for my people."
"And I promise you," I said firmly, "our people will never again be put in a situation like the one you endured. Not while I'm alive."
She looked down at her hands for a moment… then back at me.
"Then we begin."
"Good, but there's one more thing I need to talk to you about," I said.
Jiaying looked at me with curiosity. "What is it?"
"It's about your daughter."
She tilted her head slightly. "Daisy?"
I shook my head. "No... your other daughter."
Her eyes widened instantly, filling with both shock and disbelief. "How do you know about Kora?"
"It's complicated," I said calmly. "Let's just say... it's tied to my power. The point is—I have an item that allows me to travel through time. And I believe I can save her."
Jiaying stared at me like I'd just spoken in riddles. "What? That's impossible."
"Seriously? In the world we live in, time travel is where you draw the line?" I asked, half-joking.
She exhaled, clearly overwhelmed. "I suppose... you're right."
"All I need is the exact date when she died. I can go back, prevent it from happening. I'll replace her body with something believable, maybe even cause a small explosion to mimic the aftermath."
Jiaying looked down, her voice soft and haunted. "After she… after she pulled the trigger, her body self-destructed. There wasn't much left."
"That actually makes it easier," I said gently. "I'll do it today. Just tell me exactly when and where."
She nodded and led me out of the office. It didn't take us long to reach the place—just outside of Sanctuary, in a large, barren field. Jagged rocks and gravel blanketed the ground.
"This is where it happened," Jiaying said, her voice heavy. "It used to be a meadow... filled with wildflowers. After Kora's death, nothing has grown here since."
She looked at me then, eyes glistening, her voice trembling.
"Can you really bring her back to me?"
I didn't promise. I never do.
"I'm sure as hell going to try."
She noticed I wasn't making any promises, but still nodded.
I reached into my inventory and pulled out the pocket watch.
"When exactly did she die?" I asked.
"1983," Jiaying replied softly.
I focused on that year, thumbed the small button on top of the watch, and reality began to shift. Numbers and gears flickered across my vision like ghostly clockwork. The air shimmered—and then I was gone.
Seconds later, I appeared in the same field… but the world around me had changed. No longer a dead, rocky wasteland, it had returned to the meadow it once was—lush grass swayed in the breeze, and wildflowers bloomed under a warm sun.
"Should've asked for the time too," I muttered. "No idea when exactly she's going to show up."
I flew up into the trees nearby and kept my presence hidden. It only took twenty minutes before I saw her.
Kora.
She looked terrified—disheveled, her breathing shaky. A gun trembled in her hand. She walked slowly into the meadow, her eyes darting around like she expected someone to stop her. Then she raised the weapon.
Before she could pull the trigger, I used my telekinesis to yank it from her grip and toss it far into the field.
"Let's not do that," I said, stepping out from behind the trees.
She spun toward me, startled, fear etched into her face. "Who are you?!"
"I'm a friend of your mother. I'm here to help you."
"Please… don't take me back," she said quickly, voice cracking. "I'm dangerous. I don't want to hurt anyone else."
"I know you're scared," I said, keeping my tone calm. "And I know you think your powers are out of control. But I promise you—there's a way to help. You don't have to be alone in this."
"No one can help me," she whispered, backing away.
I stepped forward slowly, hands raised in peace.
"Stay back! I don't want to hurt you!" Her eyes glowed yellow, and sparks of energy pulsed in her palms.
"You won't," I said, still approaching. "I'm not here to fight."
She screamed and unleashed a blast of yellow energy toward me. I quickly stashed the pocket watch away and let the energy hit me—absorbing it with ease.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Told you. You can't hurt me," I said gently.
I stood in front of her now. Calm. Close. I held out both hands.
She hesitated, still trembling… but eventually, she placed her hands in mine.
"It's okay," I said softly. "Just focus on your energy. You can control it."
"I can't…" Kora's voice cracked again.
"Yes, you can. You're not a monster. You're not broken. You're just afraid—and that's okay. But you don't have to let fear control you anymore. Breathe. Feel it. Focus."
She closed her eyes. Her body shook slightly as she inhaled, then exhaled. Slowly, the glow in her hands faded. When she opened her eyes again, they were calm. Steady. Normal.
"There they are," I said with a smile. "Those beautiful eyes."
Kora let out a small laugh—half embarrassed, half relieved—and even blushed a little.
"I think I'm ready to go back now," she said.
"Good," I said, gently taking her hand again. "But first, I've got one last thing to do."
I gently took one of her hands and guided her away from the field where it all would've ended.
Once we were a safe distance away, I turned to face the spot. My hand lit up with green energy as I focused.
"HAA-MEE-NA… HAA-MEE-NA… HAA-MEE-NA!" I shouted, firing a concentrated green blast at the field.
The energy hit with explosive force, obliterating the area and leaving behind a deep smoking crater.
Kora stared at the destruction, stunned. "Why did you do that?"
"It's... complicated," I replied, shaking the energy from my fingers. "Let's just say I know better than to mess with time too much."
"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.
I gave her a small smile. "I'll let your mother explain that part."
I reached into my inventory, pulled out the pocket watch again, and clicked the top button.
Time twisted around us—numbers spiraling, gears spinning, and the light around us shifting like glass shattering in reverse.
And just like that, we were back. Same field. Same space. But now it was the present—rocky and barren as it had been before.