C.C.'s Problem.

The droids cleaned up the table as we finished eating while I activated the instant sterilization beam cleaning us all in an flash of blue-white light.

Ah, technology!

Such a blessing for the lazy.

"I can never get used to a beam cleaning my body. It doesn't even ....I can't even feel it being cleaned but I blink and my hands are just clean. I feel clean....but also dirty." Wanda mused.

"You can always just rewash for comfort. I've got more water than Earth on this ship and it's many microverses. No scarcity to worry about."

Pietro blurred and reappeared, with a towel, rubbing his hair clean.

"I already took a bath." He grinned.

"Show off." Riley snorted amused.

"Why not show off when there is something to show?" Pietro laughed, turning to Star.

"Star, want to play CS:GO?"

"Yeah! Let's go!" Star jumped from his seat and ran after him to the couch, as they booted up the game.

I looked at the two bonding and smiled. Maybe after this talk is done, I'll join in. Can't have Pietro raise my kid, now can I?

"Now, onto other matters. Does anyone have anything they would like to bring up? Talk about?" I offered.

"I smell like lavender for some reason." Wanda noted, sniffing her palm.

"Now that you mention it!" Ace realised that too.

"Oh, right." I scratched my head.

"I haven't changed the setting since my wife passed. She liked lavender. So it was just set to that for everyone. Want me to change it to something else or..?"

"No. That's fine. I like it." Wanda smiled, "And for the other thing, no. I don't have anything to talk about."

"How about that raid you two went on. How did that go? Save any kids?"

At that Wanda's eyes glazed over and she retreated within, giving a mechanical answer.

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"Okay. Just, know that if you ever want to... I'm all ears." I assured her.

"Wanda's just sad she couldn't save them all." Pietro interjected, "It was an accident Wanda. Not your fault they were smuggling explosives together with the kids. We saved as many as we could. Next time we will be prepared and save all of them."

I smiled.

What a great brother.

"Yup. You can't save everyone Wanda. You've already done more than most will ever do in their whole lives!" I praised.

"Thanks." Wanda blushed, as a small smile bloomed on her face.

I nodded and turned to C.C. or maybe I should call her Snow.

I could see her carefully eyeing everything around us, even the dress she was wearing, one that I had instantly printed on her body with a hard light material projector.

She looked at my children, and I could spot a flash of envy in her eyes as we ate earlier.

Maybe she was going to try something and get herself killed for real this time?

Though if she went after my kids...

I doubt she'll have a painless death, if any death at all.

"So....." I trailed off, tapping my fingers on the table.

"Yes. Let's talk..." C.C. said, " ... But...I don't know where to begin..."

"Well that's easy. How about what happened when you died? Is there afterlife? A limbo? A cigar lounge to wait out the reformation of the body?"

"Uh....no. It's ... you're just there. It's dark. You feel everything. And it hurts.....every time." She recanted as I noted it down with mild surprise.

"So pain is still a thing huh? Is it at least dulled?" I asked.

"No. It hurts just as much if not more." She replied, "Which makes a sudden death by vaporization even worse."

"Oopsie~" I chuckled.

"No. That doesn't cut it, not by half!

You lied to me!" Snow fumed.

"I might have flubbed my words a bit." I admitted.

"A bit? It was a three word promise. And you flubbed two of them? It wasn't painless! It wasn't permanent. It wasn't death. It hurt, so bad. Worse than it has ever hurt before. It felt like I was being torn apart bit by bit, forced into a million pieces! And I could feel everything!"

"That's because you were. Torn apart that is. Sublimated into particulate matter. It's the 'particle' in the particle beam. Not my fault you didn't die. How was I supposed to know that would happen?"

"Oh really? Somehow I don't believe that! You knew this was going to happen!"

I whistled, looking away.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I smiled cheekily.

"On the plus side, at least we know I won't die from disintegration! Immortality is truly great, isn't it?"

"Wait! You took the code? From Charles? Did you become immortal too?!"

I shrugged.

"Why? Why would you ever do that? All I want to do is die! Existence is pain! And yet....and yet! All you mortals are always looking to become immortal! Don't you realize? All you love will die bef-"

"Let me stop you right there." I raised a hand.

"My son there is a three quarters celestial being. His lifespan is in the millions of years. And he turned four this year. Not four million. Just four. I'm half convinced that the sun will burn out of the sky before Star's natural lifespan expires.

Riley here, is biokinetic without limits. She can make herself immortal and she can adapt to anything. Even the void of space.

Ace over there, is a reality warper, so if she learns to control her power, she can become functionally immortal. And even if she doesn't, she's my daughter. The daughter of the smartest man in the multiverse. No way I'm letting her die that easy. Just with my tech, her lifespan can be extended by a couple dozen million years.

Same goes for me, given you know, I built this tech.

It's just not the most pleasant life extension method, in the long term that is. Hence the search for your code of immortality.

And viola. I'm immortal too now!"

"I understand what yo-"

"Atatatat! Let me get to the point!" I waged my finger at her.

"The point is, come up with a better excuse for dying than 'Existence is pain.' You sound like a delusional eighth grade atheist who's too into goth punk culture and has read exactly one page of Neitzche. Do they even have goth punk in your world?"

"They do." Snow sighed.

"Hmmmm.....I wonder how that came to be, what with Britannia cracking down on free expression and all that."

"It wasn't always like this...." She muttered.

"As in Britannia wasn't always an oppressive regime or you didn't always want to die?"

"Both. A little of both." Snow answered, "We had noble goals."

"Mind controlling everyone into loving you more than life itself? I'd hardly call that a noble goal."

"So you know! You know why I want to die! You have your family! A family that will never leave you. Someone to lov-"

I raised my hand silently and shot out a particle beam, as she leapt off her chair and tumbled to the floor dogding it before the beam disappeared into a portal.

"What's wrong with you?!" She cried out.

"I am allergic to cringe." I deadpanned rubbing my nose, "Besides, you want to die, don't you?"

"I survived that beam! Why would you try that again?!"

"Oh, right. I forgot." I smirked.

"You're really enjoying this aren't you?"

"What? Noooo....never." I waved off her concerns.

"And here I was opening up to you...." Snow pouted.

"Were you? Or were you trying kill me with all that sap. Seriously, didn't I already tell you? If you can't live at least find a better reason to die. Not that stupid shit."

"Stupid?! Do you know what it's like to live for 800 years, loveless, alone!

You have your children, I can't even have any!"

"Good." I clapped.

"Excuse me?" Wanda glared at me.

"That's rude Papa!" Riley huffed.

"What? She had a kid. And when he became too clingy, too loving, she just abandoned him and ran! If that's how she treats her kids, abandoning them when they need her then I say it's good she can't have any!"

"What?" Riley frowned, looking at Snow.

"I had my reasons! He couldn't filfill his contract." Snow muttered.

"And there we have it. Even when you had someone, all you wanted to do was die. He could fulfill your contract? Mao loved you like a mother. And you wanted him to kill you, suffer that trauma and then live on forever or worse, inflict the same trauma onto someone else?! Truly, Snow, you are a horrible person." I scoffed.

"I just....I just wanted ...." She stuttered.

"And oh, as for that love part. Don't even get me started on that! You have lived for 800 years. Maybe more.

And don't take this the wrong way, but you are a very attractive woman. Very very attractive. I know for a fact wars have been fought over you."

"I didn't want to start those wars. I told them that but they didn't listen! I just wanted to be loved by someone, anyone." She excused.

"You mean to tell me, that in all your 800 years, not once did you find someone who would love you? No partners? No flings? Even after your curse of beauty waned off with your immortality?"

"I was a witch. Hunted down by everyone. No one would want to be with a witch! And anyone I stayed with would be in danger! I couldn't risk it!"

"You mean to tell me you couldn't just find a nice quiet hovel hidden in the countryside and live a full, loving life with a farmer's boy? Don't tell me they didn't want you. No one's going to believe that crap.

Let me tell you what your problem is. Your problem, Snow is that a farmer's boy just won't do. Oh no no!

Once kings fought to have you. Of course you weren't going to settle for a farmer. Because you didn't want to be loved Snow. You wanted a prince to sweep you off your goddamn feet and you wanted a life full of adventure and spice and everything nice forever and ever, and that is a fucking impossible standard for anyone to fulfill.

All those things you said, excuses. You aren't some miserable victim. No.

You are the cause of your own problems with your stupid unrealistic standards and your constant desire for something to make you tingle." I took a breath, and watched her just stand there, shell shocked, before she sat down on the floor, clutching her head.

"That is harsh, boss." Pietro said from across the room.

I scoffed and turned to my daughters.

"Ace, Riley. Take this as a lesson. Don't end up like her. When you find a decent guy you like, there's no problem with settling down and living a simple, happy life. When you find something you want chase after it with all your power. Don't just sit around and expect anyone to just come up to you and hand you your perfect life. Because remember. Only that which you earn with your own two hands-"

"- is valuable. Yes. We know. You just said it two hours ago." Ace finished my sentence.

I smiled and patted her head, as she looked away hiding her smile like a baby.

Cute!

Now that I think about it, Ace has been locked up since she was three. She hasn't been socialized or taught how to handle her emotions.

And now she's a reality warper.

That could be bad. Maybe get her a therapist too, sooner rather than later.

"Good girl. Remember that and you'll do just fine. You don't want to end up like her now do you?"

They both shook their heads and Wanda just looked lost in thought.

I smiled.

It'd be good if they followed my advice.

And if they didn't, my doors were always open to my kids. And I have drugs so strongly anti depressant they won't even know what it means to be sad for the rest of their lives.

I turned back to Snow and knelt down beside her.

"I'm sorry." She muttered softly.

"For what? You didn't do anything wrong."

"What? But you-"

"I was just pointing out the problem with you because you seemed blind to it. I'm not angry with you. Or upset." Snow slowly lifted her head, a small bit of light creeping back into her eyes as I continued.

"To be upset or angry, I'd actually need to give a fuck about you. Which I don't."

The light in Snow's eyes immediately died out as she let out a throaty self deprecating chuckle.

"Wow. You really know how to win over a girl's heart...." She said, sarcastically.

"Why, thank you! I wasn't even trying." I smiled.

"You're just an asshole aren't you?" She snorted.

"Well I don't go around doling my sympathy like penny bread if that's what you mean. I care about my family and everyone else can go die in a ditch for all I care. But back to the point....

As far as I am concerned, I have fulfilled my part of the contact. So, I don't know what you want with me....but!" I raised a hand to stop her from interrupting.

"I have a proposal for you!" I raised a finger.

"Oh my! How forward of you! But we just met...." Snow teased.

I smiled.

She's learning. That's a good sign if any.

"Well, m'lady, I am a very progressive man for a very progressive time. Not a second to waste in the modern world after all!" I played along, puffing up my chest.

Snow and Ace giggled, while Riley just smiled at my antics.

She was getting used to it now.

"But this proposal, it's a very generous one. I am willing to make you mortal again.

On one condition."

Snow frowned.

"Go on."

"You work for me for a while as a test dummy in return."

"A test dummy?"

"A test dummy. You know, when I have a new device to test, I use you for target practice. Or when one of the many monsters in the holding cells act up, you get cleaning duty."

"Wait there are monsters on the ship?!" Wanda exclaimed.

I pulled up a holoscreen and displayed the holding cells in the lower decks.

Wanda's face paled, her eyes wide in horror, as she covered her mouth.

"I think I'm going to puke." She groaned.

"Papa, why are there monsters on the ship?" Ace asked, curious.

"For testing an experimentation of course. Unless you'd prefer I use human subjects." I pulled up the cloning vats with hundreds upon hundreds of bodies floating in hyperbaric fluid.

"I've got about a couple thousand clones ready to go any moment."

"That is horrifying." Wanda muttered.

"Oh pish posh. The ship can withstand a black hole and walk away without a scratch. Monsters in the lower decks are the least of your worries."

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

"What? The clones? Don't worry about them. They don't even have souls.... Yet." I said.

Wanda raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"What do you think I'm saying?" I teased, wriggling my eyebrows.

"You're going to be messing with souls!?" She asked.

"Tsk tsk tsk tsk!" I wagged my finger at her.

"Messing makes it sound like I'm just playing around. No, Wanda. I'm not going to be messing around with souls. I'm going to be studying them. Learning how to make new ones, preserve old ones and transfer them between bodies." I explained.

"Souls are sacred! They're the domain of a god-" She stopped herself as she realised something and I smiled, bringing up a picture of the microverses.

"Of course. You're a god. You've created universes. Why wouldn't you create souls....." She sighed, and deflated.

"Is there anything you can't do?" She asked.

"Magic. For now at least. I intend on having you solve that problem for me soon enough.

Though that reaction tells me I need to have a stern talk with the Ancient One. I specifically remember asking her not to fill your head with that unscientific mumbo jumbo. But what was I expecting...."

"Um....can I give my answer now or do you plan on tarrying further." Snow interjected, raising a hand.

"Tarrying? Who even uses such archaic words anymore, grandma?"

"You just said 'pish posh'...." She pointed out.

"Touche." I relented, "So what do you say, Snow? Wanna be my test dummy?"

"Aww, when you ask like that I just can't refuse." Snow batted her eyelashes and answered.

I chuckled.

Yeah. She'll definitely be fun to have around.

"Great!" I clapped, "Now let's get you settled for the day. Riley will show you to your room. You too Ace. Breakfast is whenever you wake up. I'll just add you to the system registry so you can ask the droids for it.... just a minute..."

A beam shot out from ceiling and scanned C.C. and Ace before my contacts beeped in alert.

"And done. Go get some rest now. I'll explain your duties tomorrow. Good night!" I waved her off, as Riley gave me a hug.

"Good night Papa." She said.

I patted her back.

"Good night Riley. Now show them to their rooms. It's getting late."

"Okay!" Riley nodded, and gestured at the two to follow.

But only C.C. did. Ace instead ran up to me, twiddling her thumbs.

"Um.....Papa....." She muttered.

"Yes Ace?" I asked, confused.

Was there a problem? She didn't have allergies to the food did she?

"....uh.....Can I get a hug too?" She asked, softly, blushing.

I sighed in relief.

For that goth aesthetic, Ace is still such a cinammon roll!

"Of course you can!" I said, kneeling down to her level, and pulled her into a hug.

"Good night Ace."

"Good night Papa." She whispered, happily, and sniffled.

"Ace...are you okay?"

"Yes!" She nodded, wiping her tears.

"I'm so okay!"

It was only then that I realised.

She has never been hugged has she?

Man that is depressing.

I lightly shook my head.

No. No more!

I'm going to make sure to give her as many hugs as she needs!

I'm going to make my daughter the happiest little girl in the multiverse.

Or die trying!

I nodded with determination and kissed her forehead.

"It's okay, Ace. I know." I said, as an idea struck me.

She always complained in the show that her new gang never played with her even after she gave them their powers.

So much so that it was her dying regret.

Well, let's remedy that today!

"Say, do you want to play a game with us before you go to sleep?"

"Yesh!" She nodded, sucking in a deep breath.

I smiled, gestured at Riley to go on and she understood.

With a nod she took C.C. by the hand and led her away.

"Alright. Come on." I picked her up and walked over to the couch.

"Pietro scooch over." I pushed him to the side, and hopped in. "Players three and four are joining in!"

____________________

MC tears C.C. down to her fundamentals and gets another intern.

Ace is a sad little cinammon roll. But with a little love, she can soon be a happy little cinammon roll!

And everything is going just fine.

Which means it's probably not going to last, but meh, enjoy it while you can right?

Thanks for reading!

This is the extra chappy for 600 powerstones.

Next extra chapter at 800 powerstones.

If you think the chaoter has any problems or the series should go a different direction or any criticism, please do tell me in the comments okay?

Bye!

Also, if you want to support me buy me a cup of coffee or read ahead go to,

www.pat.reon.com/goldenfingers