Obligatory Disclaimer : I do not own anything (except maybe OC characters) all characters, places, worlds, universes…etc mentioned here belong to their respective owners and/or companies.

This is purely a work of fiction. Not meant to offend or incite, but to entertain and maybe inspire.

DISHES BEST SERVED COLD

“You know slim, there are better ways to handle kids. Hitting them isn't one,” Wolverine took a deep puff of his cigar, he then started straight at the wounded man with the visor “You're lucky, that kid could've killed you ten times over in a sec if he wanted to. Heh, but I'd say your injuries are a good compromise”

Scott took in a sharp breath as pain shot through his body, his face was numb and swollen, a few teeth were loose in his mouth, some were actually punched out, a fractured arm that constantly ached and the hole in his calf where he could've sworn his life seeped through.

He lay on the hospital bed, staring up at the ceiling.

Most of the X-Men refused to properly acknowledge him since after his altercation with one of his ex students. To cyclops, he was just trying to put a boy who barely even knew about the real world into his rightful place. He might have used a bit of force, but he believed in his ideals and he knew they were right. After all he was the leader for a reason.

“I...did...say…I…..was...sorry...didn't...I?” Scott spoke slowly, biting back the pain that came with moving his jaw and the one from pushing down his pride.

Wolverine shook his head, “Sorry? Slim, you think sorry’s gonna cut it? He won't come back, not now. You wanna know why, because we did nothing but watch him leave. We trusted in your decision, we stood by you cause of all the history we have, this wasn't our first rodeo. But you messed up, now half our colleagues don't trust you like they used to, hell the kids don't want to stay in a place where they could be assaulted by teachers.”

He made his way to the exit of the infirmary, “Get well soon tough guy, we all need to have a serious chat” leaving his remark, Wolverine walked out the door.

*. *. *. *. *.

“Drake, aren't we changing jobs too fast? Going from normal X-Men to super-space-spies?” Mindee joked, as we walked along the hull of the large spaceship.

“What can I say, our skills are highly sought after.” I replied in turn. She's taking this way better than I expected her to. It's been Twelve hours since we boarded the S.W.O.R.D warship. Y’know the department next to SHIELD that keeps earth safe from extraterrestrial threats. And I've had time to drool over their tech and the fact that I, moi, me, was actually in Space. Holysh¡t, my life keeps getting more exciting. Did I mention that Lockheed; miss pryde’s pet dragon was actually a secret agent of sword? And he also drinks whiskey. Mindee was so shocked she thought we might have just been hallucinating. Can't wait to see how Kitty Pryde reacts when I tell…no one. Yeah, I almost forgot that I just left the X-Men ...What a time to be alive.

We entered a silver tiled room where massive screens morphed on the walls and Agent Brand stood over a semi-spherical table. She was in her themed deep green tactical suit, her trademark shades that matched her dark emerald hair.

“I take it you're both well rested, suited up and ready for briefing,” she then turned to Mindee “and You're not working for us, he is”

“For now, I'm just repaying a favor, Brand. I'm still considering my work options. And thanks for the tactical suits, they fit quite nice”

“I hope you're also considering giving me an answer soon and stop trying to dodge my questions” Mindee added next to me, ignoring agent Brand's words.

I rubbed my head in slight shame, we just haven't had the time to properly talk about what happened back in the mansion, I'm trying to find the right words to use while also trying to give it more thought. I don't want to fuck it up like I do most things in my life.

“I'll begin,” Agent Brand started, an image of planet popped up on the screens around us. The planet was like a red Earth with pink oceans and glaring blood colored clouds. “This is Breakworld and we are on a sub-light course for it that cannot be changed. Why? Well the Breakworld psychics—called the Augurs. Have been hunting for the mutant destined to destroy their planet, and exactly twelve hours ago they got their target, this guy”

The picture on the screen changed to that of the metallic man, colossus.

“Colossus? Mr. Rasputin would never harm a fly” Mindee said with a tone of disbelief.

“Well, they'd beg to differ.”

“Agent Brand, so why isn't colossus here with us instead?” I asked.

“I for one don't buy into the whole prophecy lot, no one's going to tell me how my life will play out, but if it concerns the safety of our planet, it becomes my business. Let's skip to why you're here. We've seen some of what you're capable of, our Research section says you're a one man army, nothing short of a walking WMD, when you want to be, possibly more.

“We'll need all the firepower we can get because Breakworld has launched an armada towards Earth after pinpointing their target. Some hours ago, before his recapture Ord was able to ‘escape’ from his cell and notify Breakworld of our approach. That armada is now headed towards us now” She explained. I let her attempt to not specifically answer the question slide. Because I understood what she was saying. This was war and we, we are our planet's first line of defense and attack.

The foreshadowing didn't go unnoticed.

“I guess that was the plan” Mindee said.

She nodded, “I needed to draw them away from Earth, the best way to keep them from blowing this ship to fragments is to get to Breakworld before they do. At the current speed, we should just make it.”

“We're heading right into the jaws of the Beast? Everyone in that planet will gun for us” I raised a brow.

“You think I haven't thought of that?” she questioned.

“She's terrified of something, Drake. It's as bright as day from over here” Mindee frowned.

“Not of you lot. This is Powerlord Kruun,” an image of a pale green skinned alien, with thin arching eyebrows and canines appeared on the screen. The alien looked exactly like Ord, except her was larger and meaner.

“Powerlord Kruun of the open hand is the global ruler of Breakworld. His rise to power as you've probably guessed wasn't through democracy. Breakworld is governed by one principle: Domination, total domination by violence, war and extermination. No, he is not what terrifies me.

“Somewhere, possibly on their smallest moon is a weapon built as a failsafe. A missile with enough power to crack the earth in half, is hidden somewhere out there. We have to get on the planet and takeover the control center, we have to gather enough intelligence to find the exact location of that weapon and shut it off.

The Earth can't mount an attack on a superior military force, and we can't defend against theirs.”

She paused and took her shades off. Her bright green eyes looked right at ours. I noticed the bags and black lines under her eyes. This woman was honestly trying her very best, and I respect that.

“I don't know why they chose Rasputin, must be a lucky draw. But I didn't bring you here for the company or the time I could buy.” She took a deep breath and poured out her heart “I need you, your world needs you to stand for it. I did this because I need superheroes, I need your strength.”

“You had me when you took your shades off Agent Brand. I'm in (gorgeous eyes by-the-way)”

“Who's going to keep this blockhead from wrecking things without me here? I'm in (will you stop flirting)”

By the way the corners of her mouth pleasantly rose, I'd say she was happy. Meaning, it was time for something to happen. And right on cue, another agent ran in with a smart panel in his hands. A holograph of countless red dots catching up to a blue one was being displayed on the panel.

“Agent Brand, the armada has caught up to us”

She put on her glasses took a deep breath and went back to her default setting.

“Dammit” she sighed. As the ship began dangerously rocking side to side accompanied by the sounds of explosions.

I gripped Mindee’s subtly shaking hand in mine, earning me a nod and blooming smile. “We're going to be okay, I promise”

Agent Brand took out two silver packs and handed them to both of us. Inside the packs were various gadgets.

She held out the gadgets and pointed out their uses. “Slot the breathers behind your teeth, they'll filter out impurities and the capsules will release supplementary oxygen. The earwigs are translators.” she then handed out weapons, an honest to God blaster.

“Listen, the Augurs have a good track record with their prophecies, the breakworlders believe someone from Earth is a threat to their existence, meaning Earth is now a threat to them. We either convince them that the prophecy is wrong, if we can't, we'll we go through with it and show them just how deadly Earth can be.

“Well, children. It's time.” Agent Brand said with a smile that had crazy intent behind it.

*. *. *. *. *. *. *

The resplendent stars blinked with their unique lights and native colors in the boundless expanse of weightless space.

A vast armada of gray space faring vehicles shot bolts of plasma and metallic beams at the large silver ship that tried its best to evade. In the vacuum, sounds could did not travel, but light did. The colorful explosions rocked the silver ship, ripping apart its pristine body into metal fragments.

Inside the ship, the various personnel ran about, running last minute routines or getting themselves equipped for their eventual departure.

On the exterior of the ship, a crystal mass began to slowly coalesce. The mass evaporated, then condensed again. The crystals bloated and exploded, but still coalesced again. The mass was constantly trying to condense into a form. It was learning and improving, each condensation lasting longer than the last. Over and over and over again, this loop of failure continued for countless times, but each failure brought it closer to success.

The crystal mass took on a darker bluish hue which then turn brighter over time into a bright sea blue, and when it did, it no longer evaporated nor sublimated.

The mass condensed, piece by piece, it clumped into a ball and then grew into the form humanoid, its features gradually defined as it was becoming more refined. It became a mirror image of the cryokinetic teenager, Robert Drake. With a smile of triumph and excitement on its face, crystal wings sprouted from the crystalline figure’s back.

It tested itself, righting its motion by expelling cold gasses that propelled it through the vast expanse. Utilizing expansions and contractions of supercooled particles, and waves of cold energy.

The enemy ships noticed the figure as it swam in the zero gravity environment and fired upon it. The vicious plasma blast sent the crystal being careening through the expanse, severely damaging its form and obliterating parts of it. Until the figure slowed to a stop and began to reform. Another mass of crystal began to coalesce next to the figure, it condensed into another being that was nothing short of a mirror image of the first one.

That was the first of many crystal masses that appeared in the expanse. An army of winged crystal beings were born in the darkness amongst the light of stars, like angels created from drops of light.

The army shared the same expressions across their faces, excitement.

The crystal army faced the Armada. Massive structures of ice crystals rammed into the vulnerable parts of the various spaceships, causing breaks, tears and explosions. Colossal ice spikes skewered through the metal hulls of ships, the spikes themselves further branching out with spines that completely ruined the space faring vessels of destruction.

Beams of cold energy shot from their hands froze the exhaust ports and boosters of many ships, impairing their ability to move and then encasing them in frozen prisons that froze the life out whatever lifeforms were onboard. Ice crept into delicate parts of complex machinery and destroyed essential equipment of the enemy armada. The endless army of angels fought against the metal ships. The battlefield was one of an exotic sight, that held a certain amount of mesmerization, a hypnotic wonder to it.

It was as though the Icemen were the ones native to this serene expanse, guardians pushing back the invasive hoard of metal vessels.

The occupants of the enemy vessels could not comprehend such a strange situation. While the occupants of the silver vessel were much more joyful.

Making use of the distraction provided by the crystal beings, they boarded their escape vessels and launched off.

The enemy being too occupied with the strange crystal beings to properly respond to the situation. The more of these things they killed, the more these things were remade. The armada was already beginning to lose ships to this new enemy. Glinting ice crystals that covered entire ships whole, floating metal fragments and flash frozen bodies of pale green aliens now littered the expanse.

In a smaller streamlined ship that held four occupants shooting for the red world behind the battlezone.

“I guess they were right about you” The lady with emerald hair said to the teenager who bore resemblance to all the crystal beings as she piloted the vessel.

“I try to please” he answered.

“Show-off” The girl that sat beside the boy remarked with a smile.

Unnoticed to all of them, streaks of hair on the boy's head began to slowly turn white, as did the hemoglobin inside of him. It was as though he was advancing on a path of evolution. His body was slowly adapting to accommodate these changes, this mutation. His powers were advancing to new heights, steadily breaking past limits. This was just the chilling start of a glorious legend that spanned through countless galaxies and multiple universes. This was the beginning of the one who came to be known as ICEMAN, the King of Cold.

Whoop Whoop! Bonjour mon amigos, that's French for : hello you awesome people!!!

Another arc begins. Space, teenage love, aliens, icemen and even more aliens! What more could you ask for!!! I'll tell you what, pure unfiltered, awesomeness.

Heh, whoo. I love you all, yes, I done did said it. I love you all. Why am I getting so emotional today? I just can't silence my feelings for you guys anymore. You don't know how happy it makes me feel, seeing all of you reading my stories and encouraging me on. How happy it makes me feel when you tell me you enjoyed it, when you take time out of your busy day to let me know of your satisfaction (even you silent ones, by just hitting that fave and follow and like) it makes me really happy. It makes this all worthwhile, I won't lie. I enjoy writing these stories, it makes it even more rewarding to find that you all enjoy it so, too.

Look how far this story has come. Remember the days of chapter one?? Hah. (^0^)Oh lord, I was so stoked. I couldn't have come this far without you, no, I'm proud of YOU ALL, I am really grateful for all you've done for me and my stories. I really didn't think it'd come this far.

I know, I know, I'm talking a lot but I just had to get this off my chest. It may not be professional, but when was it ever? It's always been me and you all. One tight knit group of people who share the same love and enthusiasm for good works of fiction.

Yeah, that's all I wanted to say.

So from the depths of my heart,

THANK YOU,

FROM YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR,

RAIN!

I wish you all a wonderful, blessed day. Full of love and more RAIN! Muahahahaha. (I'm sorry, sometimes he goes berserk)

You can come find me,

ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RainReider

On PAT RE ON: https://www.patreon.com/ReidR41n

On YOUTUBE, yes youtube, come check out my sexy voice as I narrate stuff: https://is.gd/RaiNation

BOMBASTIC SHOUTOUT TO ZA PATRONS OF MINE, (Secret lovers on the low low..hah!) SKULLY(the silent death giver).

BIGTOFU(the Goliath king slayer),

JEP148(The vibranium ninja) and

KEVIN J ROSARIO (The mandalorian of durasteel).

THE BREAKER (The forger of End Times)

Once again, I Wanna say a big thank you for your immense support, I am grateful and I can't express it enough. You have my gratitude. All of you.

Till we meet again,

Rain away!