The night was particularly calm.
The Lancer Family's family eting ran deep into the night, where they preliminarily decided on a basic social dia promotion strategy. Wanda would start an account operated by both Wanda and Jarvis, showcasing their daily life as a couple, while Polaris and Pietro would start another account capturing scenes of the Androda Galaxy and the daily activities of mutants working there.
Despite the siblings not getting along, they were still young and always found common ground in such matters. After Magneto left, they continued to discuss for a few more hours until dawn was almost breaking.
Once Magneto Erik returned to his room, he stripped off his stiff battle gear, disregarded his sowhat unkempt white hair, and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Then, unsurprisingly, he saw those blue eyes again.
"You could just reminisce about your younger days in your own dreams instead of having to co here," the older Erik said to the younger Charles.
The younger Charles, appearing lively as in his youth, crossed his arms and chuckled, "Am I reminiscing our shared youth, or do you think you were already past your youth at that ti?"
Erik didn't respond. He simply lifted his hand, and stacks of docunts flew into it. Charles skimd through them and imdiately knew they contained information about recent biological upheavals in the Androda Galaxy.
"You shouldn't tire yourself out like this. These things you see in your dreams would soon be forgotten. Why not spend the ti having sweet dreams instead?"
"I'm just doing what I can."
"You should know my presence here is not a coincidence," Charles moved behind Erik, "Professor X hasn't co to find you; I only exist in your consciousness. Whenever I appear, it ans you're in trouble."
"If you know you're not the real Professor X, then save your words."
"It's quite the opposite of why you created , isn't it? Wasn't it because the real Professor X ignored you that you needed my company? And now you complain I talk too much?"
"You don't actually exist; you're just a fignt of mory."
"If that were true, you wouldn't have endowed with the real Charles's abilities when creating . You hate him reading your mind, yet you like that he could always alleviate your worries with his mind-reading ability when needed. Isn't that why I exist?"
Magneto's hand paused, he said, "I am neither a pity-filled escapee from concentration camps nor a terrorist on the run; nothing in this world challenges anymore."
"I'll say it again, if that were true, I wouldn't be appearing here now," the young Charles blinked, "I only appear in your dreams when you feel anxiety, pressure, and fear."
"Do you think I would fear these things?" Magneto disdainfully lifted the docunts, "Would these mutated animals and plants be a match for if not to find the behind-the-scenes manipulator?"
"Of course, that's not what's bothering you, otherwise I would have appeared sooner. The fact that you dreamt of tonight ans sothing happened this evening. You and your children had a eting."
"Yes, and the real Charles thought I could never sit down and talk with them, but I managed it."
"From my perspective, it's not that he thought you couldn't sit down and talk with them, but that he thought you shouldn't."
"No, he always hoped I would maintain a good relationship with my children."
"Is that what he told you?" Charles smiled again, then continued, "It doesn't seem he was that charitable. He didn't want you to disperse your attention on others. Otherwise, why wouldn't he diate, knowing exactly the kind of person you are? Yet he still let you confront them directly."
"Maybe that was true in the past, but at least now..."
"Now, communicating with them hasn't done you any good. You feel a panic of being left behind by the tis. You find that you're completely lost when they talk about internet trends and influencer accounts."
"How could I not understand?" Magneto dropped his gaze, "I am very aware of the power of public opinion; what have I been doing all these years?"
"The principles stay the sa, but how they manifest has radically changed. Didn't you notice? The patterns of how public opinion spreads in the information age and what people focus on have completely shifted. Don't you find that confusing?"
"Maybe, but Wanda and the others can manage."
"You can't participate, and that leaves you feeling powerless as if things are beyond your control."
"I'm hoping they'd surpass my control; then mutants will have successors."
"But what if one day you're not needed at all? Would you willingly retire, register at a senior university with your pension?"
"I don't have a pension."
"That's even sadder, because Professor X does, and you can only watch him register."
"He can't go either; senior universities don't take the disabled."
"Do you think he would still pretend to be disabled by then, staying to keep you company?" Charles circled around and then stood in front of Magneto again, "He's playing these gas with you now because you're useful. If one day mutants no longer need you, would he still care if your attention was focused on him?"
"He would. Even if soone surpasses , it doesn't an I'm worthless, does it?"
"You know, you're not worried about Wanda and the others," Charles expressed, "Even though the emotional shift happened tonight, the pressure has been building up inside. You know who brought this change."
"Are you referring to Legion?"
"Charles has been watching his son recently, hasn't he?" The young Charles continued with a casual tone, smiling, "He thinks Legion might be the future hope for mutants and has been trying to nurture him. He will use him to replace you."
"What of it? I will always die soday."
"Will Charles die with you?"
Magneto fell silent, tapping the surface of the docunts in his hand lightly with his fingertips, resembling an old, dusty clock.
"Either you all live together, striving for the future of mutants, or you all die, leaving the future in the hands of others, instead of one of you dying and the other seeking soone else to take your place."
"This is unimaginable horror," Magneto said.
"Then you should do sothing about it."
"I won't." Magneto took a slight breath and exhaled, then said, "I've told you, I'm no longer that pitiable little kid who escaped from the concentration camp, nor am I a universally despised terrorist anymore."
"What's the difference? You think you have more concerns and responsibilities, but aren't these still stemming from Charles?"
"Helping mutants out of their plight is my cause, which has nothing to do with Charles."
"So, given the choice between the two, you would still choose the forr and give up the latter."
"No one can make make such a choice."
"Yes, that's all the progress you've made over these years; you finally don't have to face such a dilemma anymore because Charles chooses to stand by your side."
"He's always been on my side."
"Okay, I misspoke. He chooses to openly stand by your side, and so far, it has been this way."
"What do you an?"
"You know that another person has been distracting him, the incorporeal Queen of the Shi'ar Empire, Lilandra. Charles has also been focusing so of his attention on her; maybe he's about to find his own love."
"He won't. Lilandra is a fraud, a foolish woman who can't be relied on, and Charles knows this better than I do."
"But they've been publicly together longer than you."
"That's Charles' personal matter."
"You've been part of Charles' personal affairs much longer than she has."
"What do you think I should do? Go crazy dealing with Charles' son and ex-wife like a madman?"
"Didn't he deal with you in the sa way?" Charles' blue eyes stared into Erik's murky ones, "He took away every one of your children, making them close to him instead of you. He did nothing to your ex-wives only because he knew they weren't important enough to you. If you had true love, how would you know he wouldn't do sothing to her?"
Charles tilted his head and moved closer to Erik, continuing, "Even if he really did sothing, would you know?"
"I don't care."
"Yes, you've always been uncaring, which is why you've almost alienated everyone around you, except for him. anwhile, he has good relations, now with a son and a wife. Do you think this is fair?"
"Daylight has co; you should leave."
Charles' figure slowly faded, but he continued to speak, "You should make him focus all his attention on you, only then would it be fair."
Magneto opened his eyes, sunlight already filling the room, he sat up, redressed, and quickly walked out the door.
He did not see another person standing in the corner of the room, appearing ethereal in the sunlight.
Dream Power Doctor Strange had co to Shiller's room, just as Shiller had gotten up and was washing when he looked up and saw another person standing behind him in the mirror, causing him to startle.
"Can't you not appear like a ghost?" Shiller said sowhat helplessly.
"My true body is still in the dream; this is just a projection. I have been to Magneto's dreams."
"How was it?"
"Honestly, I can't understand his relationship with Professor X," Doctor Strange's tone carried a hint of confusion.
He relayed to Shiller what he had seen and heard in Magneto's dreams, but Shiller showed no sign of surprise, just squeezed toothpaste onto his toothbrush and said.
"So it is. It seems Charles' concerns are justified, no wonder he asked to intervene and see what's been happening with Erik lately."
"What's been happening with him?"
"His recent state hasn't been very good," Shiller shrugged lightly, "A bit neglectful and lazy, which isn't like him."
"So what exactly is going on with him?"
Shiller thought for a mont and then said, "If you say Tony Stark's childhood lasted for decades, then Magneto's childhood has probably lasted over half a century; precisely speaking, as long as his age."
"From his own dreams, it seems that Professor X has been a bit busy lately, slightly neglecting him, so he threw a tantrum."
Doctor Strange recalled the words spoken by Magneto in the dream to the blue-eyed young man, still shocked by their complex and unclear relationship.
"Alright, my task is completed. I'll call Professor X shortly to inform him. When do you plan to et Eternity?"
"The sooner, the better."
"Then let's leave now."
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