In her absence, the world hadnât just flipped upside down â it had inverted. She walked the streets of New York and people still looked at her as if she had an extra head if they associated her with the person on the X-Factor advertisement posters, but there was a layer of respect there now that hadnât been before, a layer of fear that humans never had the good sense to maintain before. They were protected by their sheer numbers before, and now mutants had a land all of their own, a place where they could grow and multiply. Thatâs where they were sitting now, where Terry invited Shatterstar to meet for the first time since she returned from Ireland. They had a lot to talk about, and it started in a newly constructed diner in Genosha.
âThis is a pretty swanky place, huh?â Terry commented, glancing around. She could see mutants with blue skin and horns moving freely through the place, teenagers shooting fireworks from the palms of their hands as they gathered in the parking lot outside. âGotta say, itâs kind of messing with my head a little. We went from hiding in the shadows to this.â She returned her attention to the milkshake in front of her and Shatterstar, too, her teammate now. âWhat made ya finally decide to join our esteemed crowd?â she asked. âX-Factorâs real prestigious, but I never say no to hearing compliments firsthand.â
Shatterstar never thought about being a private investigator after first showing up on Earth. He hardly knew what the meaning of it had been, focused mainly on X-Force for many years. He told himself that he would follow Cable anywhere. It wasnât until flipping through the many channels in their headquarters that he discovered what a detective is. The concept fascinated him so embrace would seek out getting to see films they showcase such a profession. He finally found something unusual enough to capture his attention. No more flipping through several channels every few seconds. Everyone had been thankful because Star did it for hours.
He was a lot more civilized since back then and Shatterstar isnât as lost. He never thought that leaving X-Force would have ever happened but becoming part of X-Factor Investigations was like joining another family. âItâs a very fancy place and nobody is staring at us. I quite like that part about it. Jamie took me to this bar in Las Vegas once and I got in a fight with someone there for looking at me weird.â He laughs at the memory and it feels nice to have somewhere that they belong. âI often dreamt of what freedom would feel like but it brings great joy seeing the children getting to be themselves in public, isnât it?â This is what peace looked like? This is what the universe has kept from him? He lifts the milkshake closer to his lips, the straw placed in his mouth to take a sip of the treat.
âItâs an interesting story. I was being controlled by someone else to hurt anyone they wanted me to but Julio talked me out of the mind control. I missed my best friend so it was easy for him to convince me to join the team. I didnât think that Iâd enjoy it but I do. There is never a dull day. My dog eats everyoneâs shoes or tries to. Usually theyâre Jamieâs.â