Moonlight filtered through the treetops, painting the forest floor in silver patches. Zack slid his visor off, tucking it into his belt, while Laura pulled her mask free, shaking out her hair as the two of them walked side by side. The only sounds were their boots crunching against leaves and the occasional owl hooting in the distance.
Laura glanced at him, her sharp eyes narrowing in curiosity.
Laura: So you mean heroes in your world are different from mine? No wonder you're so different from my Cyclops. He's strict as fuck.
Zack gave a sheepish laugh, rubbing the back of his neck.
Zack: Oh, is that so? Guess I don't measure up to your guy's "sergeant of the year" routine.
They walked a few more steps before Zack shifted awkwardly, playing with his fingers like he wasn't sure how to start.
Zack: So umm… can I ask a favor?
Laura sighed, already bracing herself.
Laura: What kind of favor you wanna say?
Zack avoided her stare, looking down at his hands as if his fingers held the answer.
Zack: I wanna… uh… know what this "X-Men" you mentioned earlier is. While we walk here.
Laura froze mid-step, staring at him like he'd just confessed to never hearing of gravity.
Laura: …You don't know what X-Men means? Are you fucking kidding me?!
Her claws "snikt" out with a metallic gleam, and in one swift motion she slashed through a tree trunk. The massive tree groaned before toppling over with a heavy crash, scattering birds into the night sky.
Laura: Mutants possess an extra power… one which ordinary humans do not!! That's what the X-Men fight for, to protect both sides from tearing each other apart.
Zack held up both hands defensively, stepping back from the rage-filled demonstration.
Zack: Awhh okay, okay! I understand now! No need to redecorate the whole forest.
Laura sheathed her claws with a frustrated huff, glaring at him one last time before continuing down the path. Zack hurried to catch up, a small grin tugging at his lips despite her temper.
The wind whispered through the pines, carrying the smell of damp earth. Zack trudged ahead, boots sinking softly into the moss, visor tilted up so he could see her face in the moonlight. He glanced at Laura with a crooked grin, trying to break the silence.
Zack: Also… why is your codename Wolverine? Is that animal name because you know me? Not the type of hella person I am, in this strangest way?
Laura stopped mid-step. Her jaw tightened; she closed her eyes and exhaled through her nose. When she looked back at him, her glare could've cut steel.
Laura: Shut up. You're far worse than the original. I'd rather die with a strict Cyclops than deal with an annoying one.
Zack pressed a hand dramatically to his chest, staggering as if wounded.
Zack: Hey, that's rude, you know!
Laura turned and leaned her shoulder against a tree, folding her arms. She tilted her head, a half-smirk creeping in.
Laura: Oh really? Prove it.
Zack stopped a few paces away, blinking at her.
Zack: …What prove it?
She shifted her weight, crossing one boot over the other, eyes glinting under the moon.
Laura: Prove you're better than my Cyclops that you have something he never had.
Zack straightened, finger tapping his chin as if thinking hard. Then his face lit up.
Zack: Animal friends!
Laura's brow shot up; she pushed off the tree and took a step closer, claws not yet out but fingers twitching.
Laura: …What?!
Zack threw both arms wide, grinning.
Zack: Yes! Animal friends!
Laura raised two fingers in a lazy peace sign, her mouth twisting into disbelief.
Laura: Should I even believe you with that nonsense? Got any photos of your so-called animal friends?
Zack's grin widened; he slapped his forehead.
Zack: Right! Hold on!
He crouched, pulling open his belt pouches with exaggerated motions. Out came a half-squeezed tube of toothpaste, which he tossed behind him. Then a packet of condoms, which he flicked aside without looking. A lollipop spun into the air and landed at her feet. Lens cleaner, eye drops, a tiny hammer, sewing needle, two old mixtapes, dental floss, tea bags, and finally with a flourish an autographed picture of Bruce Wayne.
Laura's eyes followed every item, her expression shifting from annoyance to sheer disbelief. She stepped back when a tea bag drifted too close to her boot.
Laura: …Are you kidding me right now?
Zack, still kneeling, dug out one last object his phone and held it up high like a trophy.
Zack: Here it is!
Laura ran a hand down her face, then looked at the phone, then at the mess around them. Her shoulders shook with a laugh she was trying not to let out.
Laura: ...How the hell did you even fit all that in there?
Zack (mumble): You don't wanna know...
Zack tapped his phone, the screen glowing against the dark forest. He turned it toward Laura with a wide grin.
Zack: Boom! Animal friends.
The photo scrolled as he swiped first was Detective Chimp, holding a magnifying glass and wearing his little fedora. Then Krypto the Super-Dog, tail wagging proudly in a red cape. Next, Streaky the Super-Cat mid-leap, followed by Beppo the Super-Monkey dangling upside down with a mischievous grin.
Zack swiped faster, excited like a kid showing off trading cards. Comet the Super-Horse galloped across the screen, Whizzy the Super-Cat zipped in a blur, Proty II bounced like a gelatinous blob, Jumpa the kangaroo flexed, Hoppy posed with fists up, Bd'g the squirrel Green Lanterns hovered, and finally Bat-Cow, standing in a pasture with a tiny bat-symbol around her neck.
Zack: See? Told you. Best animal crew in the multiverse.
Laura leaned closer, her eyes narrowing with every swipe. Her arms dropped to her sides, claws twitching as if she couldn't process what she was seeing. Finally, she dragged her hand down her face and groaned.
Laura: …I'm not even sure if those are "Animal Friends."
Her gaze sharpened, lips parting in disbelief as she jabbed a finger at the screen.
Laura: And hold up are those the fucking "Wonder Pets?!"
Zack nearly doubled over laughing, clutching the phone to his chest like it was precious.
Zack: Oh, c'mon! Don't disrespect my squad like that!
Laura shook her head, pacing a short circle, muttering under her breath before looking back at him with an exasperated glare.
Laura: You're insane. Strict Cyclops never had this problem.
Zack smirked, shoving the phone back in his pouch.
Zack: Guess that means I win, then.
Laura crossed her arms, but a tiny laugh slipped out before she could stop it.
Rusted gates lay bent, scorched by old battles, and the faint glow of green Hydra insignias pulsed on cracked monitors inside. The air smelled of oil, metal, and rot.
Zack slowed his steps, visor tucked under his arm, staring up at the structure.Zack: Sooo… what is this place?
Laura pulled her cowl back over her head, claws flexing as she glared at the building.Laura: Hydra.
Zack slid his visor back on, the red glow returning across his faceplate. He cracked his knuckles, smirking.
Zack: Okay… Laura no, Wolverine. Let me show you how aggressive I am towards my enemies over the years.
Laura tilted her head, giving him a skeptical look as her claws "snikt" out.
Laura: Aggressive to your enemies? Alright, hotshot what kind of names do your villains even have?
Zack puffed up a little, counting on his fingers like he was listing trophies.
Zack: There's a devil bitch name Meru who happen to be my first imaginary friend, Joker the freakiest clown, Cheetah, some flying demons from another world… and finally, Steppenwolf. But I kinda don't remember how I defeated him last time?
Laura blinked, then gave a slow, reluctant nod.
Laura: …Okay, okay. That's a solid lineup. But one of your enemies sounds like one of those hentai freaks.
Zack froze mid-step, turning to her, confused.
Zack: …What is hentai?
Laura actually choked, staring at him as if he'd just sprouted another head.
Laura: You're telling me you're this annoying, talkative, multiverse-hopping Cyclops and you don't even know what hentai is?!
Zack raised both hands, defensive, visor glinting under the dim Hydra light.
Zack: Hey! Don't judge me, alright! We don't exactly have a "Hentai 101" back in my world!
Laura dragged a claw down the stone wall, carving a deep groove while muttering.
Laura: Oh my god… strict Cyclops was uptight, but at least he wasn't this clueless.
Zack shrugged, walking past her toward the Hydra base doors.
Zack: Guess that makes me… refreshingly original.
Laura pinched the bridge of her nose under the cowl.
Laura: …I should've let Hydra deal with you.
Inside the Hydra compound, alarms blared and red lights strobed against the walls. Agents poured out of every hallway, rifles snapping up.
Zack smirked, visor humming as a thin red glow pulsed across the lenses.
Zack: This a Temu version of the Court of Owls… or the League of Shadows?
A squad charged. Zack dropped into a crouch, then snapped his head up a concentrated optic beam lanced out, striking the lead Hydra soldier. The blast ricocheted from his armor to the next, then the next, bouncing like a pinball through seven agents at once. Each impact detonated in a crimson flash, knocking them across the room.Zack: Boom!
Laura ducked under a stray shot, spinning into a low kick that shattered a guard's knee. Her claws slid out with a "snikt" and she slammed an elbow into another agent's chest, flipping him into the wall. She shot Zack a glance through her cowl.
Laura: Now this is how you fight, huh?
Zack grinned, loosing another pulse as he strode forward.
Zack: Yeah?
He tried to fire again nothing but a fizz of heat. His visor sputtered, warning icons flashing across the "HUD".
Zack: …I'm getting an overheating state…
Laura's eyes widened, claws dripping Hydra-green as she pivoted.
Laura: Wait, what?!
Without answering, Zack dashed forward in a blur of red light, scooping an arm around Laura's waist to pull her clear of a hail of bullets. He pivoted on one heel, dragging in a deep breath as his visor charged to full. The lenses glowed so bright they turned white at the edges.
Zack: Quartz Laser full release!
He planted his feet, holding Laura tight against his side as six block-sized bursts of energy erupted from his visor in rapid succession, hammering into the remaining Hydra agents like a storm of meteors. The blasts lit up the corridor, shredding armor and knocking bodies across the floor like ragdolls.
Smoke rolled through the hall when the final shot faded. Zack staggered, visor steaming, still shielding Laura with his body.
Laura glanced at him, claws retracting, a rare flicker of surprise in her eyes.
Laura: …Okay. That was… actually impressive.
Zack exhaled, grinning weakly.
Zack: Told you. Aggressive.
The Hydra hall had gone eerily quiet except for the crackle of burning consoles and Zack's visor hissing as it cooled. Smoke hung low, curling around their boots. Zack stood still, shoulders squared, his voice dropping to a cold, flat register.
Zack: …Now what?
Laura's nostrils flared as she sniffed the air, claws half-unsheathed. She pointed silently at the floor beneath them.
Laura: Below.
Zack followed her finger, then a slow smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. Without warning he scooped her up bridal-style and jumped back, his visor humming like a jet engine.
Zack: Hold on.
He landed hard, knees bent, visor blazing to full power. Twin beams erupted downward from his eyes and swept across each other, forming a gigantic crimson X that burned into the steel floor. Sparks flew; metal shrieked as the cut deepened.
The ground gave way with a groan and then a roar, collapsing inward to reveal a vast chamber hidden beneath. Rows of weapons gleamed in the gloom racks of rifles, missiles, and in the far corner, the unmistakable silhouettes of nuclear warheads.
Zack grimaced, shaking his head.
Zack: …Nope.
He set Laura down gently, then stepped to the edge of the pit, clenching his right fist. A faint golden flame licked up his forearm, then brightened into a burning aura. He whispered under his breath:
Zack: Ever-Burning Bond…
Laura's eyes went wide as she felt the heat roll off him. The glow was no longer just red but streaked with molten gold, his right arm wreathed in fire like living wings.
Laura: Phoenix Force! You have a Phoenix Force?!
Zack looked back over his shoulder, his expression calm but tight.
Zack: Don't worry. I can only use a fifteen percent boost from the Phoenix.
He raised his burning arm, and a tidal wave of incandescent fire rolled off his body, plunging into the weapon bunker below. Warheads, rifles, and Hydra tech melted and dissolved under the searing power. The air vibrated with the sound of the Phoenix's cry echoing faintly in the flames.
Laura shaded her eyes with one clawed hand, watching him with a mixture of awe and alarm. The entire hidden arsenal turned into molten slag as Zack stood at the edge, heat shimmering around him.