A New God's life in Marvel

Chapter 112: An Ice-cream Truck and a Kidnapping

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"A place where someone still thinks about you is a place you can call home."

—Jiraiya, (Naruto)

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"You guys are still alive?" Kurt Wagner was the first one to approach them with an unsure face.

"Yeah seems so," Rudeus said as he turned towards him.

Jean wasn't saying anything because she was ashamed of all the destruction caused by her 'evil personality'. She just stared at the ground with a downcast expression unable to face anyone.

"Turns out a really evil, all-life-hating entity had possessed Jean and controlled her to cause all this destruction. All I needed was to just reach out to Jean and remind her that she still had a family, that she still had people that cared for her here, didn't she?" Rudeus said with a raised voice making sure everybody nearby was able to hear him.

He understood what Jean was thinking and so he was making sure that people didn't blame her for the destruction caused here or make it awkward for her. Of course, some people would still be unable to completely forget and forgive but he at least wanted the people closest to her to be cool with her.

Normally he wouldn't go to this length to try to make Jean friends with everyone here again but the school and most of its students and faculty were most or less his followers and faction. After the influence of the Professor diminished in the school, his reached a new high. The newly named 'Arcane Institute' has unofficially become an asset for his metahuman program directly connected to his current metahuman capital of Genosha. So maintaining a good relationship among his own faction members was for his own benefit.

"Really? So she is back to normal now? Thank god Jean. We were really worried about you. It's good that you are okay now." Kurt who is one of the kindest and most gullible of the bunch easily believed Rudeus' words and exclaimed happily.

Hearing Rudeus' explanation, seeing Jean's sad guilty face, and Kurt's forgiving attitude a lot of people also brought their guard down as they went near them. Many like Pietro, Piotr, and Ororo directly forgave Jean after Rudeus healed all their injuries with his skill. But there were certain people like Anna, Wanda, and Lorna who maintained their distance from Jean and didn't interact with her enough showing their disapproval of Jean's presence.

However, all this did not dissuade Jean at all. She knew what she had indirectly done and the damage she had caused. She didn't blame anyone for being afraid or angry at her nor did she hate anyone for ignoring her. In her mind, she was determined to one day win back their respect and friendship by proving herself worthy of being Atem's follower in the future.

"Jean, I am glad you are back. I always hoped that you would return one day. We all thought that we had lost you. I am happy to see that we were all wrong." Professor Charles Xavier said as he came rolling in his wheelchair. He was looking really weak with deep sunken eyes and a thin body. He looked to have aged a couple of decades from when Rudeus saw him last. He was even having a little trouble breathing properly.

"Aah Professor. It's good to see you too. I am glad to see that you are still alive after all that. Your survival ability is almost like a cockroach, isn't it? And it seems you also haven't changed much even after all this time, have you? Still keeping... secrets in that mind of yours." Jean said in an almost threatening manner as she ominously stared down the Professor with a knowing relaxed smile.

Rudeus wondered what she was talking about but after a gesture from Jean indicating that she would tell him everything later, he kept quiet.

*Honk Honk Hoooonnnk*