A green lantern ring. A piece of powerful technology that allows the user to be strong enough to even rival the gods from their sheer willpower alone. A weapon which across universes some have used to build and raze galactic empires.
Something of such power was not only given to me but eternally bonded to my soul. One of the most powerful weapons in the known DC universe which has been further modified capable of manifesting and imposing its user's will onto reality given to a 14-year-old unstable teenage girl. I knew myself well enough to know ever since my reincarnation, even if I still had my memories I was still a child physically and it also affected my mentality.
This was supposed to be my second chance. A chance to experience a loving family, a chance to make better decisions from my prior experience, and live a happy life. Instead, ever since before yesterday I lived in fear pushing myself forward so that I could survive an extra day to get a chance of exiting that hellhole called the red room. Fear that the organization would find me wanting and dispose of me, fear that the organization might discover my bond with my sisters and force me once more to kill one of them again to get rid of my weakness called emotions. Fear of me becoming less of a functioning human and more of a monster they want me to become. The guilt of remembering the looks of horror and betrayal I saw in their eyes as I broke their necks. The fear of ending up as another voiceless agent trapped in a massive organization like Shield as they won't let me go alive knowing the danger I could potentially cause. The fear of being powerless or not being powerful enough to control my fate and end up as just another victim of the cruel fate of this universe when some super-powered person's carelessness or unexpected casualty in an alien invasion.
After getting the ring and figuring out it has potential and all this power you would think I would be confident but the sudden weight of responsibility felt very oppressive. I knew for a fact how unpredictable this universe could be at times. So right now I just came from being fearful of normal people stuff to being afraid of uncontrollable circumstances.
This was a universe that is common for all types of bullshit on a cosmic level it wasn't even funny anymore. From the birth possibility of mentally unstable reality warpers, the stupidity of humanity for mutant oppression not considering the fact more than fifty percent had an x gene that could potentially activate at any minute, unstable mad geniuses who could potentially cause armageddon due to their carelessness and the seemingly unrealistic circumstances of nearly all cosmic beings finding earth to be an amusing interesting place to visit. This wasn't the DC universe, I know it's better but I would highly appreciate having Superman as Earth's resident than having a being who is the physical embodiment of rage and can potentially cause the end of all reality if he gets too angry. I know I was overthinking things but I prayed this wasn't the Marvel Universe 616.
The knowledge of all the dangers in the universe along with the fact I have a weapon that could potentially make me a god or if the power was possibly destroyed would be the very reason for the end of several solar systems in a catastrophic black hole is frightening. I read many fantasy books before but as a once normal man when you end up in this reincarnation stuff all you want to do is go back to living a rather safe life although that can't be the case now. Although that was the case, I knew I would never get that opportunity once again ever since I came to realize I was in the Marvel Universe and it seemed reality agreed with me because just from Destiny's precognition, I came to realize there are probably more powerful probably hostile beings who might be waiting for their chance to strike at me from the shadows.
Was I overthinking things, probably that I knew but it didn't help with my unexpected panic attack. I curse my wild active imagination as well as the pesimism I had obtained over my two lives cause it only made my mental state worse. All those years of shoving my mental problems aside to be a man in a society that only values your productivity and does not consider a male's mental health along with handling my problems in the same toxic way in this life was not doing well for me.
I was currently hyperventilating struggling to get myself back under control as my difficulty to breathe grew by the second. This was bad very bad, I tried franticly stopping my unexpected panic attack because it seems all the stress and crippling anxiety were finally getting to me as everything was a bit much to handle but I couldn't. I need a drink or something strong enough to help me drown my thoughts. I was slowly losing control of my body as I began trembling in frustration at the crippling helplessness of my despairing thoughts which had begun turning darker by the second as my vision began getting blurry as time slowly progressed. My body wasn't responding to my commands and I fucking hated it. My pajamas were now beginning to get drenched in sweat as the feeling of dread continued intensifying and I felt nauseous of myself.
It had been a long while since I experienced one of these attacks and I needed to stop panicking and get my head out of the gutter. The tightening of my chest along with the pain wasn't helping in trying to forcefully calm my breathing as I lay curled up on the big bed. Suddenly I felt two soft yet tough arms wrap around me and a calm reassuring voice with a slight russian accent soouthingly address me.
"Irene Lissen to me, everything is going to be alright so calm down and take a deep breath with me. Just listen to my voice and follow what I say okay?"
What was Natasha doing here right now? I can't show her this disgusting side of me. I tried to snap myself out of my hysteria but I was paralysed in helplessness. I hated every second of this feeling thus I focused on Natasha's voice to help me out of my spiraling thoughts following all her words.
"come on take a slow deep breath in with me and gently let it out don't think about anything else and focus on me only.'
"Again, breathe in ... and now let it out just like that..."
I followed every one of her words as I stared into her green eyes getting lost in the concern I saw in them. Slowly, I felt the anxiety disappear and my muscles relax along with the progressive decrease of my chest pain. I was finally free but this brought about the day's worth of fatigue I had been mentally pushing back and ignoring to continue moving forward like an unshakable mountain but I had marvelously failed as was now nothing but a helpless young girl.
"Thanks for all you have done to help us escape so rest for now I have your back so there's no need to worry." Natahsa's words brought me out of my musings just before she placed a kiss on my forehead. I barely had time to register this as my eyes had already begun drooping. I really need to see a therapist and finally get all my shit together this was my last thought as my consciousness slept away into the realm of Morpheus.
———
I had finally woken up from the most enjoyable and relaxing sleep of my entire life. The mattress was soft enough making me lose myself but the fact that I was being spooned by Natasha in my sleep made it hard for my embarrassment to let me go back to sleep.
I was the older one of us two for crying out loud but it seemed my genes weren't favorable in this life either therefore I was slightly shorter. This wasn't fair and I would have to figure a way to fix that later.
On the other hand, I had to make Natasha swear to never tell a soul of my embarrassing moment yesterday, I can't bear to lose face among my younger sisters and I wanted to continue as their badass reliable big sister. This got Nat laughing her ass off and a lot of teasing out of me but I somehow got bribed into promising to take her out to fly with her.
Strongest weapon in the universe and you can't help me fight my anxiety and my way out of an embarrassing situation. Otherwise, I finally got back full control over my emotions and now that my consciousness wasn't clouded by fatigue I decided to take on all my problems and this universe one at a time.
Even in situations like the civil wars took a while to happen not a single day. It was around eleven when we decided to go down for breakfast after freshening up and the orphanage was lively than when we originally arrived.
Along the way, I could spot some of my widow sisters interacting with the other children. Many of the kids were teens with a few younger kids here and there but I barely recognized any one of them. Some had physical mutations and all that jazz but none discriminated against each other they only thought it was cool or a general curiosity.
The comics and animated series never focused much on Emma when they were showing the mutants as it mainly showed Xavier and Magneto's group although this explains where she gets her group of loyal competent mutant subordinates. Honestly, I couldn't complain cause at least the government and Magneto wouldn't be sniffing around or blowing the place up like every Tuesday.
After getting our breakfast at the cafeteria we went separate ways with me being led by a teenager to the headmaster's office and Nat going to check on the others. The kid was uncomfortable, seems he was afraid of starting a conversation with me, well thats expected cause of my cold unapproachable aura. It was finally time for my meeting and I was excited who wouldn't be excited to meet one of your childhood idols more so if they were three hot women. I had to remind myself to keep my inner fan down and confirm that my mental shield was still up cause I didn't want anyone in my chaotic head.
We finally arrived before the kid knocked and opened the large wooden door for me. What a gentleman although unlucky for you I'm only into girls, he should probably try his luck elsewhere. He's a good kid. I gave him a smile and a slight nod to show my appreciation as I walked into the room and closed the door ignoring the blashing guy. I know I'm beautiful no need to tell me though although I still need new clothes and a hairdresser to fix this mess.
At long last we finally meet, the first three people who decided to show me a modicum of help even though they might have ulterior motives. The three hot women who I couldn't get my head off since I woke up. The blue skin beautiful dangerous and playful Mystique in a pair of baggy jeans and a white crop top rocking the 80s fashion perfectly standing by the window on the left side of the office smiling devilishly her playful smile teasing my weak heart, a beautiful mature woman with her long brown hair cascading onto her simple blue dress who seems to hold an air of gentleness around her sited by the left visitor's seat by the office table enjoying her cup of tea and finally the blond bombshell of a beauty whose beautiful blue eyes have been following my every move since I entered the room analyzing me. Her white trench coat along with the dress underneath made the view more mesmerizing while her very presence and elegance seemed to command authority from a single look.
I had already psyched myself for this meeting since morning so I tried my very best to suppress my emotions and approached the office table with my game face a slight smile on my lips to begin hopefully a long-lasting relationship with these three beautiful ladies. I made eye contact with Emma and held it as I elegantly sat on the opposite seat to Destiny. Were we playing mind games again, yes. I had to show them I was confident and not to be taken as one of their subordinates. I was here willingly after all and there is no way I would be under anyone but only working with them or else I could leave to go begin my group elsewhere.
"It's a pleasure to meet you three lovely ladies on this fine afternoon, the name is Irene Ivanova your soon-to-be business partner or even more depending on the circumstance." I flashed a more genuine smile this time as I offered my hand to Emma for a handshake.