Wanda and Pietro had just lost everything.
Their home was gone, their family wiped out, and the trauma of the destruction still lingered fresh in their minds. The fear, the helplessness—it hadn't even begun to fade. Their emotions were fragile, teetering on the edge, and Locke's words were enough to break through the last bit of restraint they had.
Tears streamed down their faces almost instantly.
"I'll live," Wanda said through clenched teeth, her small fists tightening as her body trembled. "I'll get stronger… and then I'll take revenge."
Pietro's eyes were red, his jaw locked as he nodded. "Yeah. We'll make them pay. Stark Industries… they won't get away with this."
Locke's expression darkened slightly.
So it still came back to that missile.
Because the weapon bore Stark's name, they had instinctively directed all their hatred toward Stark Industries. It was understandable, but it was wrong.
And that mistake needed to be corrected now.
"No," Locke said firmly, his voice cutting through their anger. "Your enemies aren't Stark Industries."
The two siblings froze, confusion replacing their fury as they looked up at him.
"The people who destroyed your town—the ones who killed your family—are the Ten Rings," he continued, his tone calm but unwavering. "They're the ones who pulled the trigger."
"The Ten Rings…?" Wanda repeated, her brows knitting together.
"They're the terrorist group that attacked your home," Locke explained. "Remember this—your enemy is the one who uses the weapon, not the one who builds it."
He held their gaze, making sure they understood every word.
Hatred wasn't something to leave unchecked, especially not for children like them. If it was misdirected now, it would only lead them down the wrong path later.
Wanda and Pietro exchanged a glance.
After a moment, they both nodded.
"…We understand," Wanda said quietly.
They were still young. The world wasn't clear to them yet, and the line between cause and responsibility was easy to blur. But with someone guiding them, they could still choose the right direction.
And Locke had no intention of letting the real culprits escape.
"I've already marked everyone responsible for what happened," he added. "Once you're strong enough, you can go after them yourselves."
Pietro's fists tightened again, but this time there was focus behind it. "We will."
Wanda nodded as well, her expression resolute. "We'll get stronger first."
"Good," Locke said with a faint smile. "It's late. Go get some rest."
The two siblings obeyed without hesitation, leaving the infirmary together.
As the door closed behind them, Polaris finally spoke.
"Why not just take revenge for them?" she asked, her brows furrowed in confusion. "It wouldn't be hard for you."
To her, this was simple. If something could be solved immediately, why delay it?
Locke chuckled softly. "Because that's not the point."
Polaris tilted her head slightly.
"I'm giving them something to live for," he explained. "A goal."
Understanding dawned on her almost instantly.
Without something to hold onto, the weight of loss could crush them completely. But with a clear objective—a purpose—they had a reason to keep moving forward.
Polaris looked at him for a long moment, her gaze softening.
"Weiss…"
There was something in her expression now, something more complicated than before. The man standing in front of her always seemed to be thinking ten steps ahead, quietly setting things in place before anyone else even realized it.
It made her feel… conflicted.
"Yeah?" Locke asked, glancing at her.
Polaris stepped closer, a faint smile forming at the corner of her lips. "Want to come to my room tonight?"
Locke paused, then coughed lightly as he took a step back. "I'm used to sleeping alone."
There was no hesitation in his answer.
Polaris didn't look surprised.
She simply shrugged, her expression returning to something casual. "Alright then. Good night."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.
Locke stood there for a second, blinking slightly.
"…Huh."
He hadn't expected her to just leave like that.
After a moment, he shook his head and let it go. "Whatever. Time to get some rest."
Lately, though, something felt off.
His energy levels had been unusually high, his body constantly feeling restless. It was probably a side effect of his ongoing evolution, but it made sleep less appealing than usual.
Maybe he should just stay up and play something instead.
…
The next morning, Locke arrived at the classroom as usual.
But the atmosphere felt different.
It was loud.
Far louder than usual.
"Hey, did you hear? The school's holding a power ranking tournament!"
"Yeah! Top ten get ten thousand dollars!"
"That's nothing—I heard the top three get even more!"
"And have you seen the gym? They upgraded everything!"
"I heard all that money came from Weiss!"
"No way… how is he that rich?"
Conversations buzzed throughout the room, excitement practically overflowing. The upcoming competition had clearly ignited everyone's enthusiasm.
Locke couldn't help but smile slightly.
Looks like the upgrades and the tournament had the exact effect he wanted.
Just as he stepped fully into the classroom—
"Boss!"
A loud voice cut through the noise.
Locke paused, turning toward the source.
Bobby Drake—better known as Iceman—was standing up with an exaggerated grin on his face.
The rest of the class went quiet, all eyes shifting between the two of them in confusion.
"…What?" Locke raised an eyebrow.
"Boss!" Bobby repeated enthusiastically, as if that explained everything.
Locke blinked once. "Uh…?"
"Hey, you said it yourself back then," Bobby continued, completely unfazed. "After you beat John, you told him to call you boss. So from now on, I'm doing the same."
Locke stared at him for a second, then exhaled slowly. "Alright. What do you want?"
He wasn't buying this act for a second.
Bobby scratched his head, putting on an innocent expression. "Nothing, really. I just think you're amazing, boss. Being your little brother? That's an honor."
That only made Locke more suspicious.
Before, Bobby had always treated him like a rival, refusing to back down. But now?
This was a complete shift.
Of course, the reason wasn't hard to figure out.
There was a difference between someone slightly stronger than you—and someone so far ahead that catching up was impossible. The former was a competitor.
The latter?
Something closer to an idol.
And after hearing everything Locke had done recently, Bobby had clearly made his choice.
Still, Locke didn't relax.
Someone like Bobby didn't suddenly become this enthusiastic without a reason.
There was definitely something he wanted.
....
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