Henry stepped into the bathroom, the warm shower a welcome respite from the day's events. As he dried off, he wrapped a towel around his waist and approached the mirror. The reflection staring back was unfamiliar, yet somehow familiar.
"Who the hell... Of course!" he exclaimed as he looked himself in the mirror. "I hadn't even noticed i wasn't in my previous body anymore, but i think i like this one better." Henry smirked, just recognizing the fact he was in a new body, as he had been too busy running for his new life since he woke.
His eyes scanned his face, taking in the sharp jawlines, prominent cheekbones, and piercing brown eyes with a hint of amber around the iris. Ink black hair framed his oval-shaped face, messy and curved. His face sharp with a touch of ruggedness. He was no doubt above average
"Yeah, i definitely prefer this face, i am smoking..." he continued to stare at his face, admiring his profound beauty
Henry's gaze roamed lower, inspecting his physique. Standing 180cm tall, his lean, athletic build spoke of a life of activity, with broad shoulders and a toned upper body. Along with the chiseled definition of his abs. Strong, muscular arms and legs completed the picture.
"Oh my, could this get any better, I'm fucking jacked!" he exclaimed, "Hahaha! I literally don't have to do any workout. Now this is what I call a perfect beginning." henry said feeling his abs, basically fawning over himself.
"Hmm, no wonder jane kept treating me well, she really couldn't resist my charms," he thought, a huge smile on his face
"Damn I'm hot!" he said out loud, flexing his muscles
"Yeah, i wouldn't be so sure," A familiar soothing voice drifted into his ears from behind.
Henry immediately turned to face the owner of the voice, and there was jane standing in front of him, smiling and a bit surprised. He quickly covered what little of his chest he could with his arms, an embarrassed look plastered on his face.
"Ahh... How did you get in?" he asked in a shocked expression, his face red from embarrassment
"I have a master keycard, I knocked and you didn't answer so I came in," she responded
"How long have you been..." henry said, his head down looking like a lost puppy
"Oh I've been here long enough, you were to busy... doing your stuff, to even notice me. I must say, I'm quite surprised with your sudden... conduct, guess you're not so innocent as I thought," she said, with an almost seductive smile
Henry couldn't say a word, he looked for what to say but he just couldn't find, he just hung his head low, red and ashamed
"Hahaha, relax henry, i have a kid your age," she said, laughing at Henry's cuteness
"Wait, what," henry said, the embarrassed look completely replaced with a suprised expression.
"That's right, i do, so you don't have to hide anything or be embarrassed of what i haven't already seen, or know," she said
"Hold up, what did she mean by 'haven't already seen," he thought 'But damn, i still can't believe she even has a kid at all, she doesn't even look 30." henry exclaimed in his mind, quickly discarding whatever 'crazy' thought he had cooked up earlier.
"I know i don't look it, but I'm quite old, but still capable and plenty strong," she continued, and winked at henry
Poor henry was already traumatized at this point. 'What the hell does she mean by 'capable!' he screamed in his head, his faced completely red once again
Jane noticed this and giggled "Ara, look at you, weren't you the one who claimed to be smoking" she seemed to enjoy teasing the little kid
"Uhm..i..uhm" henry stuttered, out of words, his wings had been clipped. 'Damn it' he thought, 'why I'm i acting like this, she's old enough to be my mother, and nobody teases me this easily, I'm supposed to be immune'
"Hahahaha, i can't believe it, you really are innocent afterall," she sighed "Alright I won't tease you any longer, big sis is sorry k,"
"Wait, did she do all that just to see me back to my innocent, submissive, babyish manner?, that is just cruel!" henry cried in his mind. He had discovered a weakness today, one strong enough to make he 'The one who taunts others' vulnerable to teasing.
"Can i even call you that anymore?" he asked
"You can call me whatever you want, darling," she smiled, with yet another wink
Henry just stood there with a defeated look 'At this point, there is no use resisting," he sighed
"Then I'll stick with, aunt jane," henry replied
"Good boy, now get dressed, I'll be waiting outside," she said and left the room before henry could even reply
"Yikes, that was officially one of the most embarrassing moments of my life, i can't let that happen again," he thought recalling the earlier moments with jane
"I need to find a way to understand the ladies," he thought, as he began to put on the clothes reserved for him on the table
In his previous life, he never talked to girls much, not to talk of having a girlfriend, even with all the courage he had, he was still a little bit scared of making a move with the ladies, or even the 'guys' . He just never paid attention to romance or anything like that, he preferred straight up harem.
"But still, she is much more terrifying, who knew she could even have a flirtatious side," he thought, staring at the door. Realizing that Jane didn't just like people or kids to act all meek and let her treat them like babies, she demanded it.
Shaking off the thoughts, Henry dressed in the provided attire – a fitted white shirt, dark trousers, and sleek black boots. The clothes fit perfectly, accentuating his athletic build. His eyes locked onto the mirror once more. He ran a hand through his damp hair, styling it messily. A small, enigmatic smile played on his lips.
The door swung open, and henry stepped out, a warm smile on his face. "I'm ready,"
So, you've been in the forest since morning, I thought you might be hungry."
Henry's stomach growled at the mention of food. "Starving," he admitted.
"Great! Let's head down to the guild's common area. We've got a fantastic chef, and everyone's usually there this time of evening."
Henry nodded, following Jane out of the quarters and into the bustling corridors of the guild.
As they walked, Jane pointed out various features of the guild, from the training rooms to the library. Henry listened intently, fascinated by the scope of the guild's operations. A few times they passed by guild members who would slightly bow with respect for jane as they walked.
It made henry wonder "What exactly is her identity,"
They arrived at a spacious lobby, filled with comfortable couches, tables, and laughter. The air was thick with the aroma of roasting meats and freshly baked bread.
"Welcome to the Heartfire Lounge," Jane said, gesturing grandly. "This is where we unwind and socialize."
Henry's eyes widened as he took in the lively atmosphere. Guild members of all ages mingled, sharing stories and jokes. Some played board games or cards, while others enjoyed the live music.
Jane led Henry to the buffet, where they loaded plates with an assortment of dishes. Henry's taste buds danced as he sampled the flavors. He had almost forgotten the sweet sweet taste of food
As they ate, Jane introduced Henry to various guild members, each with their unique stories and abilities. There was Marcus, a burly techsmith with a talent for crafting beast weapons; Lila, a petite woman with healing abilities, and Jax, a charming rogue with an uncanny ability to become invisible.
Henry laughed and chatted, feeling a sense of belonging he hadn't experienced in... well, as long as he could remember.
As the evening wore on, Jane suggested a game of cards. Henry hesitated, unsure of his skills, but Jane reassured him. "Don't worry, we'll teach you."
The game was a riotous affair, with Henry's lack of skill providing ample amusement for the others. Despite his losses, he grinned from ear to ear, enjoying the camaraderie.
As the night drew to a close, with hours past, people began to leave the lounge one after the other. Henry was still engaged in a game of cards with jax.
"Nah kid, you won't be winning again," jax said in a hoarse voice
"Haha old man, you're finished," henry said, dropping the last deck of cards with him, winning and ending the game
"Darn it kid, you win again," jax said with a hearty laugh
"That's right old man, let's go again and make it 7-0, what do you say huh," henry said with a grin
"I think not kid," Xavier suddenly approached, "I promised jane, I'll get you back to your room safe, let's go," he said trying to sound as stern as possible
Henry had a smug look on his face, he had just gotten started, beating the asses of this old geezers brought him joy. Jane had left about an hour ago, claiming she had to be with her kid. It made henry a bit sad.
"Wow, i didn't think i could miss mum so much...after all this time," he thought, as memories of his mother from his past life replayed in his mind, as he tried to hold back his tears. Afterall he was really just a teenage kid, who lost his mother at the age of 10.
Jax noticed his depressed look, "Hey kid, cheer up, we'll play next time, and probably even have an arm wrestling competition. Hahaha," he tried to cheer henry up
"Yeah, of course, thanks, he said, as he stood up bid farewell to the group, and left with xavier.
"Hey kid, you seemed lost and a bit sad back there, i can tell that was a look of pain from loss," xavier asked on their way to the quarters.
"Uhm...yeah I think I felt something like that, it was related to a warm feeling, one that can only be gotten from a...."
"Parent," xavier finished Henry's statement
Henry nodded, not revealing much, still keeping up his memory loss, Oscar winning role.
Xavier sighed, "I can relate, i lost mine at a young age too," he continued, his voice wavering
Henry looked up to his face, it was filled with pure agony and he thought "I lost both my parents too, so why is he like this?"
And as if hearing Henry's thoughts, he continued, "Jane didn't tell you the entire story, i lost my family, yes, but she didn't tell you which one,"
"Huh, what does he mean by that...but come to think of it, shouldn't he also be married and have kids. He does look that age," henry wondered
"I lost my both my parents to the first mutant strike, i was the only child and had no other rekatives, so i grieved alone. I was taken in by Jane's mother, i grew up with her family, and she was like...no, she was my elder sister. I trained and grew loyal to their family even to today and swore to follow jane till my last breath, that is the only reason I'm still here." xavier continued
"Huh that explains a lot, i think," henry said
"Hmm," xavier smiled at Henry's remark, as they both decided to pause their jour and remain on a bridge passageway. They stayed by the side, staring at the moon, continuing their conversation
"Even with the death of my parents, i never held any grudges with mutants, i thought it wasn't their fault and they were the victims but I was wrong. Years later, i has grown to be strong and independent, so I broke my vow and left the country where I was trained.
I made a life of my own, got married and even had a kid, and then...it had to happen," his voice now filled with sorrow, regret and rage.
"It was the time the mutants were reappearing on the planet, my wife was...a target, she held an important position in the world, so she was taken out...killed in cold blood, and my daughter...gone," this time xavier's voice was full of regret and only regret
"Yo, this dude's definitely got it hard, i can't imagine losing two families in one life, i would have become a mad psychotic villain," henry thought now looking at xavier with pity
"It hurts not knowing what happened to her, if she's dead or...mutated, i just wish I were there that day!" he said clenching his fist
"Since that day, i recommitted to jane and her family, who once again took me in, and promised to never spare a mutant, and also not rest until I find my daughter, alive or..." he couldn't complete his words, he suddenly smiled and looked at henry
"Huh, perhaps I was wrong, he might just be going psycho already," henry thought getting at alert
"So whatever it is the world throws at us, we'll always combat it, as long as we live. Just make sure you have something living for." xavier said and began walking
Henry stood on the spot for a moment, lost in thought "Something living for huh, I don't think I want to stress myself with that yet, who cares I'll just live this new life to the fullest, yeah that's worth living for," he made his resolve. "Heyy, wait up!" he said, running to catch up with xavier.