บท 6: Mutation limits
"Now, how about we take it up a notch? Try to transfer multiple powers to someone else," Storm said as she walked up to me. "If you can transfer more than one power, it could open up endless possibilities."
Psylocke stepped forward. "I'll be your volunteer."
Colossus stepped forward, "Let me. If things go wrong, it could be dangerous. Let me be the one to test it. My body is strong enough to withstand the blow if something happens."
I wasn't sure how to feel about that. The idea of experimenting on someone, especially with powers as unpredictable as mine, made me uneasy. But at the same time, Colossus had a point—his body was far sturdier than most, and if something went wrong, he had a better chance of walking away unscathed.
Psylocke nodded in agreement, "He has a point."
Storm nodded and gestured to Colossus, "Go ahead Aron, try to transfer multiple powers to him."
I placed my hand on Colossus's shoulder, "Ready?"
Colossus nodded, "Ready."
The transfer was always easy; I had done it with Psylocke and even with Storm before. I decided to start with Bobby's ice manipulation. I focused my thoughts, transferring the ability to Colossus. The familiar jolt ran through my body. I watched as frost began to creep up his arm, coating his metallic skin in a layer of shimmering ice. He flexed his fist, and I could see the cold energy responding to his will.
"Good," Colossus said, nodding in approval. "I can feel it."
"Alright, here comes the next one," I said, my voice slightly tense. I focused on Kitty's phasing ability, trying to channel it into Colossus. This was the real test—transferring a second power while the first was still active.
For a moment, it seemed like everything was going smoothly. Colossus's form flickered slightly, and I could sense the phasing power starting to settle into his body. Then, suddenly, everything went wrong. I felt a sudden surge of resistance from the energy. The two powers seemed to clash inside him, their opposing natures fighting for control. Then there was his own mutation.
"Uh, Aron—" Colossus started, but before he could finish, there was a loud boom.
A burst of energy exploded outward from Colossus, knocking us all off our feet. I was fast. I used organic metal armor around me as I hit the ground hard, sliding across the smooth metal floor until I finally came to a stop against the wall. If not for the absorbed powers earlier, I would have suffered a concussion or worse.
Psylocke was quick to react as she created psionic shields around the others, preventing injuries. But Colossus, unfortunately, was not so lucky. The explosion was far more powerful than any of us expected, and it threw Colossus into the wall with incredible force. When he fell to the ground. Cold smoke began to rise from his body and he was flickering. His own mutation was shifting over his body, changing to human form and metal form, and back again rapidly.
Psylocke rushed to him, "Piotr!"
Storm was by his side in an instant. She knelt down beside him.
Shit! I dashed to him and grabbed his arm, absorbing the power back. His mutation stabilized instantly. I sighed in relief.
Psylocke helped him sit up. "Are you ok, Piotr?"
Colossus groaned, rubbing his head, "I... My ears are ringing, but other than that, I'm fine." He stood up, rubbing his head.
"Well, it seems only one power can be transferred at a time," Storm said, standing up and brushing herself off. "But it looks like you retained the power even after transferring to another person. That's a good thing."
"Yeah, seems like it," I said as I clenched my metal fist, and then reverted to my regular form. Now, this is fun. It's like All For One Quirk from MHA! I wonder if there is a limit to how many mutations I can absorb, but more importantly, does this power only work on mutants or other superhumans like Captain Marvel or Hulk? What if I use it on Dr. Strange? Will I get his magic abilities? Too many questions... I'll find out eventually, for now, I'll absorb as many mutant abilities as I can...
Storm glanced at Colossus who reverted back to his human form, "Was that explosion strong enough to make you turn to your human form?"
He nodded, "Yes. It was very powerful. I'm glad, I was here or else one of you would have suffered a massive injury"
"Damn, I hope this doesn't happen when I absorb too many powers at once," I said as I scratched the back of my head.
"It's something we'll need to keep an eye on," Storm agreed, crossing her arms thoughtfully. "That's it for today. And the rest of you, better keep his power a secret from others. We don't want unnecessary rumors spreading around."
Kitty and the others nodded, "Understood."
Storm turned to me, "Good job today, Aron. You did well." She patted my shoulder gently.
I nodded and gave her a small smile, "Thanks."
...
[3rd person POV] [Xavier's office]
Storm told Xavier everything about Aron's situation and the tests they had been performing over the week.
Professor Xavier frowned, leaning forward slightly. "That's troubling, but not entirely unexpected. The nature of Aron's powers is still largely unknown. It's dangerous to push the limits too far, too soon."
Storm nodded. "I agree. But there's something else. His abilities are more complicated than we thought. He retained the powers he transferred, even after giving them to Colossus. That means he's still holding onto every mutation he's absorbed."
Xavier rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I see... This ability of his can become very powerful but the risk..."
"Exactly. If Magneto finds out about this, there's no telling what he might do. Aron's power is dangerous in the wrong hands. He could be swayed... or worse, Magneto might try to take him by force," Storm clenched her fist tightly.
There was a long pause as Professor Xavier considered her words. "With his mind like a blank canvas without any past memories, manipulating him would be easy for Eric," He nodded in agreement. "Besides, I'm worried that the people behind the cloning project might come for him too. They created him for a reason, and if they know what he's capable of now, they won't let him go easily. He's not just a clone—they'll see him as a weapon."
"Erase the memories..." Storm said quietly, glancing at Xavier. "Everyone related to that mission and everyone who knows that he is a clone... Replace it with something else. I'm sure you can think of something. Then, you can talk with Aron, and tell him about the dangers around him. That should be enough to delay the inevitable. And I've already made sure to erase all the tracks related to that mission."
Xavier leaned back in his chair.
...
[3 days later] [Aron's First person POV]
The professor and I had a little chat. Turns out those bastards who were involved in the cloning project might come after my ass. So, he replaced everyone's memories with a fake one. My new past... I'm an orphan and Professor Xavier found me after I accidentally froze the orphanage when my mutation first awakened. Due to my unstable power burst, I ended up hurting myself, resulting in an amnesia. As for my mutation, since I still have Bobby's power, he decided to go with Ice manipulation. Well, that should be a good enough excuse.
As for who else knows about my real identity other than the Professor was Jean. And since he can't get into my head, I still remember my old life outside the Marvel world. For now, things should be stable. And I must get stronger as fast as possible. Just absorbing powers isn't enough, I must master them properly. Oh, as for who's in charge of training me now that he replaced others' memories, well, it's Jean.
Storm and Psylocke still remember our training sessions, with a tiny change. Instead of power absorption and transfer, they know it as ice control.
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