"I wasn't expecting you at this hour," Magneto said. "I thought you'd still be with the humans, coordinating the rescue effort."
It was hard not to note the distaste in his voice.
"I could say the same about you. I'm surprised that you've chosen to retreat after such a public victory."
He should've been bathing in the praise, angling to replace Charles in the public eye. Or at least that would've been my move if I were in his shoes. But that was assuming I could read him accurately. Magneto's thoughts remained impenetrable with that helmet of his.
"We saved the city from ruin. That is glory enough. Nothing we contribute further will change how humans see us."
I agreed on some level. Power certainly had the side effect of dehumanizing you.
"Did Rin relay my message as I asked?"
Magneto's eyes flared slightly, then he looked at Wanda, who had been standing there this entire time. "Get him to safety."
Wanda spared me a complicated look, then nodded at Magneto, levitating the unconscious Sabertooth in a small cloak of reddish choas magic and floating away.
"She doesn't like me much, that one," I muttered.
"What the alien showed her would've been enough to shake any mutant's resolve."
"But not yours?" I asked.
"All that depends on your offer," he said, face neutral.
Huh.
He should've been chomping at the bit. I was missing something, but I started nonetheless.
"The earth needs more protection than ever after what happened today," I began. "And I've been raising a few of my own, but the truth is they don't hold a candle to you, even enhanced."
"And you would do the same for me?" Magneto raised a brow. "You understand my methods. You know my goals. Will Jean approve?"
"Probably not. But she understands, and so do I," I said, stuffing my hands into my pockets and looking up at the stars. "You want the same thing you've wanted for the last 50 years. That is a mutant Promised Land, somewhere your kind can be safe from harm and persecution. With the power I'm about to give you, you'll probably be strong enough to get it by leveraging future services in situations like today?"
Magneto's face hardened somewhat. "You mean to shackle me to the United States Government?"
"The world council, actually," I corrected. "In exchange, they can set you up on an Island like Krakoa and declare you a country. You get to decide your foreign policy, immigration terms, and your exports. And so on."
When I looked down, Magneto's expression had turned thoughtful. He wasn't a hard puzzle to figure out. Now the real question was whether he'd let his ego get in the way or agree to my terms.
"And what do you get out of this?" he asked, and I contemplated lying, but I figured it would be another weapon Shin could leverage against me.
"A chunk of my soul back," I said. "What I have planned for you isn't just regular biological reconfiguration and some heat-generation powers. You'd be on equal footing with me. You'd be another agent of Shin."
"You mean to pass your burden to me," he said plainly. My lips twitched. I couldn't guess what direction he was leaning in. 50 years of freedom fighting gave you a hell of a poker face.
"You're the second person who tried to feed me to that Glutton of a God today?"
My eyes went wide. "What!"
"The woman. Lauren," Magneto said, "she was here earlier, but she didn't play to my desires like you did, nor was she plain about the costs of such an agreement."
That bitch.
My face went steely. She was already trying to replace the agents that she had lost. God damn it.
"I know better than to trust promises of easy power," Magneto continued, "or trust the government." He spun around, cloak whipping. "If that's all you've come to say, then I bid you good night."
"Wait," I called out. I was disappointed about the answer and pissed at Lauren, but wasn't really surprise by Magneto's answer. It was a race to gather allies and rip each other apart, and she had one hell of a lead.
She'd probably where Kaecilius vanished off to, but just because we'd both failed to make him an Agent of the Glutton god doesn't mean I couldn't recruit him to a personal one.
Magneto was an Omega-level mutant restrained by his limited body. If I were to supercharge him, bet he could reach the levels Bobby and Scott did.
My eagerness didn't blind me to his faults though.
Erik looked out for Erik first, and mutant kind second, but he's not above fighting alongside me when sufficiently motivated.
"If you won't take his power, then what about mine?" I said. That got him to stop. "Whether I succeed or fail to unlatch myself from this asshole of a god, one thing is plain. He's still coming for this planet and its resources. I'm not clear on what he's after yet, but best believe he's nowhere done with us. Neither are the demons. Or the other greater threats of the Universe. Earth is vulnerable, mutants especially so."
"What are you offering me exactly?" he asked, voice whisper-thin.
"What I already did," I said. "I get that the World Council is not your favorite people, but the plan is worth considering, even if it means working with another country to gain land and sovereignty."
"I think you underestimate the human fear of us," Magneto said, shaking his head. "The strongest of my kind are living weapons. The World will not like seeing us congregate. There will be bloodshed on the level that dwarfs the atrocities of the demons."
"There could be," I admitted, "yet something has to change. The mutants in the United States have better prospects than most, yet not too long ago, the government was flirting with the idea of widespread mutant registration and suppression programs. Admittedly, some of their fears are founded, but I think the smarter play is segregation, at least for those who are interested. It takes the pressure off and allows young mutants to grow up around their kind."
"And you're willing to stake whatever limited political capital you have on this?" he asked.
I shrugged. "I can always get more, and you won't be the only one running things. I'm sure Jean, the Morlocks, and other mutant factions will be interested."
Magneto gave me a strange and long look. "It would have to be quiet," he began, "at least in the beginning, and I will not be going through the World Council. They have a vested interest in turning us into weapons. It would have to be a foreign ally."
I blinked. "You're being very forthright."
Magneto waved. "I'm merely showing the same respect as you showed me."
"Don't get into bed with anyone I wouldn't," I said. "You don't want to trade one overlord for another."
"Grant me some credit, boy," he made a slight noise with his nose.
I drew in a sharp breath, the weight of my action slowly coming down on me. Creating Krakoa early was a great step forward. Right? I mean, it's certainly better than the alternative: allowing the government and other private entities to decide the mutant's fate.
"We are really doing this, huh?" I asked.
"It would seem that way," Magneto looked similarly burdened. "We would need to set meeting points and check in as the situation develops. I'll come up with a rough draft on how best to proceed."
"You do that," I nodded, "and tell me what you need."
"I suppose it would be too early to ask for the enhancement?"
"No, not yet," I said, folding my arms behind my back. "I'm not about to create a super mutant without doing my due diligence first."
"You spared the children that level of scrutiny," Magneto pointed out, no malice in his voice.
"You'd think I did," I smirked, "but I didn't." I don't leave much to chance. Not when I could be absolutely sure.
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