X-MEN- CH-79. Catching up with Girlfriends

Martin smiled and wrapped his arm around Raven as they flew together into the starry expanse. Ahead, a massive blue planet gleamed against the darkness of space — Earth, their home. Behind them, the moon's surface churned, shifting as if alive. After admiring the view for a moment, Martin glanced back to see the ground below transform into a deep, flat pit.

With Raven still in his arms, Martin manipulated the metal elements within the lunar soil, forming sturdy metal plates to line the walls of the pit. Then, with a flick of his mind, *Phoenix One* vanished, teleporting into the newly constructed underground chamber.

To finalize the work, Martin sealed the space with another layer of metal, covering it with lunar soil, "The alarm system for *Phoenix One* is activated. If anyone discovers this place, I'll know immediately."

Raven, indifferent, replied, "I only care about when you're taking me home."

Martin chuckled at her sharp tone and, looking at her, grinned, "Soon."

Meanwhile, the shapeshifter ship lacked any stealth technology, so when it re-entered Earth's atmosphere, the space agencies of several major nations detected it immediately, setting off alarms. After landing on their designated helipad, Wendy was already waiting for them outside.

As soon as Martin stepped out, she rushed toward him, throwing herself into his arms, "I missed you so much!"

"Me too." Martin replied warmly.

Back at home, Martin decided to test a new ability. For the first time, he created two clones of himself, "I'm going to check on Jean and Emma." He said.

One clone appeared in Emma's office at the company, where Yuriko was also present. The other clone materialized at MIT, where Jean was engrossed in a genetics book in the library. Jean was so absorbed in her reading that she didn't even notice Martin sitting next to her.

As one of MIT's brightest students, Jean often kept to herself, rarely socializing with others. The seat next to her was always empty, despite the library being packed.

"When did you get interested in genetics?" Martin asked softly, breaking the silence.

Jean, startled, looked up and smiled brightly, "Martin! When did you get back?" She instinctively leaned in and hugged him tightly, causing some heads to turn in the library.

"A few minutes ago." Martin replied, still holding her close.

Jean smiled happily, "Come on, let's go for a walk."

The library wasn't the best place to chat, so after gathering her books and returning them to their shelves, Jean took Martin's hand and led him out. As they left, the students began to murmur amongst themselves. Jean was a well-known figure on campus, and it wasn't often she was seen with anyone, much less a man.

Once outside, Jean spoke excitedly about her life over the past month, clearly full of longing for Martin, "What's it like out there in the universe?" She asked curiously.

"It's incredible." Martin replied, "I've seen all kinds of cultures and met a few alien friends. I even filmed parts of the journey. You can watch the videos with Riven if you'd like."

Jean smiled and teased, "Or I can just read your mind."

Martin chuckled, "Go ahead."

The two sat down on a nearby bench, and Jean placed her hand gently on Martin's forehead, diving into his recent memories. Her eyes widened as she experienced the vastness of space, the alien worlds, and most astonishingly, Ego, the living planet.

"Life can grow into the form of a planet?" She marveled.

Martin nodded, "The universe is full of possibilities. Earth itself might even be nurturing a similar form of life beneath our feet."

Jean grinned but didn't press further. Being with Martin made her feel secure, knowing that whatever happened, they would face it together, "Do you want to see more of the campus?" She asked.

"Sure." Martin replied, smiling, "I've never been to college before, so I'd love to see your world."

Jean excitedly guided him around the university, explaining the significance of different buildings and sharing stories of her experiences. Though MIT was vast, the two took their time, strolling arm in arm as Jean continued chatting.

Eventually, it was lunchtime, and they left the campus to visit a nearby restaurant they'd been to before. The small eatery was popular with students, and Martin and Jean had fond memories of eating there.

After placing their orders and waiting for the food, Martin turned to Jean, "Has anyone been trying to chase after you here at school?"

Jean smirked, "Yes, and if you stayed away much longer, they might have succeeded."

Martin laughed, "If anyone tries, I'll break their legs."

Jean playfully snorted but couldn't hide her smile, "Don't worry, no one here can hurt me."

As their food arrived, Jean asked what Martin planned to do now that he was back, "Have you thought about how to spend your time?"

Martin grinned, "How about starting a farm?"

Jean raised an eyebrow in surprise. "A farm?"

"Yeah," Martin said, "I've been thinking about it. Maybe something like Yellowstone Farm. I could recruit some interesting people to join. Logan's been in hiding lately; we could invite him. He's getting bored living in isolation anyway."

Jean chuckled at the thought, "Sounds like an adventure."

Martin's mind was already racing with possibilities. With his newfound cloning ability, he could split his time, one version of himself handling life on Earth, while the other explored the universe. The dual perspectives were confusing at first, but his psychic abilities helped him manage it.

At that moment, while enjoying lunch with Jean, one clone was at home with Raven and Wendy, while another was with Emma and Yuriko at the company. The sensation of being in multiple places at once was disorienting, but Martin was determined to master it.

Still, he couldn't help but feel a little strange when he saw himself spending time with different women. Even with his clones, the connection between them all was inescapable.

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