Chapter 125: Expansion

Another grove.

Cypher liked groves.

A massive round table sat over top of it, surrounded by a circular woodland with eyes and a beating pulse running through vines as thick as elephant tusks. Boars with glowing backsides rummaged in the shadows.

Mutants took their seats.

Emma Frost, the White Queen and information extractor for Mutantkind.

Mystique. Legendary theif and spy for Mutantkind.

Magneto's Sword. A once reclusive family harboring ultimate power, now joined with their goals pushed onward by every soul seated at the table.

The last vestiges of the summer's-grey bloodline. Hope and Cable.

Brontë, his sister, nephew and his Wind-Riders.

And few others. Very few considering the large undertaking that was seconds away. Everything they'd done, every sacrifice made and mutant lost in the last four months went to what was underway.

Bronte stood at the head of the table. Gabbie and Ilyana at his sides. Ororo at his back.

"I called the Phoenix Council here today for one reason. Y'all know why I'm here. I know why you're here. Four months ago we fought a war. We won. We saved the world—"

"And then they spit in our faces." Gabbie said. Her eyes and lips shadowed by berry makeup derivatives gave her a darker tone. It was a phase.

Bronte pulled her closer. "They did. They're scared. So am I….. I almost lost it out there. We almost lost more. Kurt told me to have hope, though. If he can say that— and mean it as he dies, we can do the same as we live. Hope carried us this far, but now it's time to get active, you feel me?"

Hope giggled with excitement.

"Emma has the cure to a number of global ailments." Bronte started.

"Bargaining power." Magneto surmised.

"Mystique's raided Stark tech across eight different black sites and dark web trading forums with Cypher's help. Also with Toad's help, they were able to get an old prototype Stark started. It's called cerebro— back when he was the merchant of death, he made the tool to locate mutants. But for telepaths, it's a cognitive power boost. Lucky mistake. We can broadcast our demands to the world without ever stepping foot off this island and find our people all at the same time." Bronte explained.

"As Queen of Wakanda, I can enhance cerebro with Vibranium and some of the finest minds on this very planet." Ororo added.

Bronte nodded. "But that aint it. We can't afford to take a step at a time when we're meant to fly. I'm splitting us. There's the Phoenix Council, a team led by an adept telepath and stealth operatives to locate The Five—"

"Why do we still not know what The Five is?" Mystique questioned.

Brontë looked to his fellow wind-rider seated at the table with her feet up.

"The Five are a team of sacred mutants with the combined power to revive us all. Technically we only need to find four, though. You already have one of The Five. Me." Hope explained.

"And that's how everyone comes back." Wanda whispered.

"What's the other team?" Pietro asked from beside her.

"The Expansion Unit." Bronte explained.

Magneto smiled passively.

"We still have gateway flowers. That's an advantage we need. Instant mutant only travel to anywhere in the world. No cost, no drawback. I'll need our most durable and combat efficient mutants each equipped with a small team and seed to plant at key points across the globe. That way when cerebro is active and we find our people, there's no stress when it's time to come home."

"Quick and efficient." Magneto nodded in agreement.

"Not bad for a dropout." Gabbie whispered.

"Thanks." Bronte whispered back.

"Do you already have the teams in mind?" Wanda questioned, "If so, I request to be among your ranks."

"You're too strong. You need to lead your own team."

Wanda nodded, "I understand."

He wished he could have more conversation with her, but time was of the essence.

He fired off the teams, as he discussed with Ilyana and Emma, each team was comprised of threes and fours.

One omega, and two technical mutants with a applicable skill.

Mystique would join Wanda and Pietro in the major cities for example. One for subterfuge, two for enhanced subterfuge and three for overwhelming magical firepower.

The Wind-Riders— minus Hope, would head to some place called Camelot. Emma said it would benefit Bronte to build a sort of myth around himself and the mutants.

Suddenly the island was up and moving as teams lined up and took their gateway flower.

Bronte stood with Ilyana and Gabbie, warming up in his Storm-Wolf suit. The threads have him anxiety. Each tear and scratch held a memory he'd rather forget. The sheaths his claws ripped out of were practically still warm from the friction of his claws popping.

"Relax." Ilyana was at his side.

"Give me some drumsticks."

"You're better on guitar." Ilyana replied.

"Don't disrespect me like that." Bronte laughed before pulling her in for a kiss.

"The king and the queen. How beautiful."

Brontë spun around and found his mother and father walking across the grove in front of him.

He didn't have room for words, simply walking over to meet them in a big hug.

He was surprised to find himself swallowing down the lump in his throat, "What are y'all doing here?"

"Wakanda is allied with the nation of Krakoa. And it's king is my son. Even if he doesn't call." Wakabi explained.

"My fault, dad. I'm….. I been busy."

"So I've heard."

"And so have we." Aneka added.

From the tone in her voice, Bronte disconnected from his dad to face his mother. She looked older. Stressed. New lines formed in her previously spotless dark skin.

Out from behind her, Junior emerged. He looked older too. Now almost as tall as Gabbie and sporting a curly mop of red hair.

"Jr? What's good, man?"

"Hey, Tay." Junior smiled, but it wasn't the same.

"Guys, what's the matter?" Bronte asked.

Aneka stood up straighter, "I'm experiencing life as your birth-mother once did. My child changes before me." She referred to Junior. "And Wakanda is not yet the home for mutants it should be. The home for mutants is here. With you."

Brontë shook his head, "What's going on?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Magneto said as he walked over to them. "Junior's mutant gene is in overdrive."

"This isn't the time— no offense, Junior. I want you to be here, but this place has to get right first."

"Bronte, there was an assasination attempt."

Brontë went dead silent.

Mutants continued to shuffle and move around the grove, some even beginning to plant their seeds before heading off to their specified locations.

"I almost lost you, I can't….. not with you. Not with him. Not with anyone." Aneka explained.

"I understand." Bronte put his arm around Junior. Gabbie held his hand. "I'll have to stay for this one then—"

"No." Magneto announced.

Brontë looked at the old omega, "What?"

"Take him with you."

"You want me to take my little brother to the Savage Lands?" Bronte asked, "Are you—"

"Who could protect this young man better than you?"

Brontë didn't have an answer for that.

"Plus, all of our strongest mutants who don't have strict jobs will be elsewhere. Building the gateways." Magneto said.

Brontë sat in silence for a moment before finally speaking.

"You like dinosaurs, Junior?"

Junior dropped his eyes, "I think I am one…."