Here's the fully rewritten and polished
Polaris sighed as she took another bite of her burger, her expression a blend of resignation and quiet exhaustion. It was obvious she wasn't thrilled with the state of her life.
Meanwhile, across from her, Henry also munched on a burger, chewing thoughtfully as they both sat on the couch in the living room. He glanced at her, then asked casually, "So, what's your plan after the three months are up? Gonna keep hiding?"
Polaris didn't answer right away. She understood what he meant perfectly. Sure, their current arrangement wasn't ideal—Henry letting her live and work here as a form of housekeeper "punishment"—but it was still a roof over her head, food on the table, and relative safety.
Once those three months were up, she'd have nowhere to go again.
"My identity doesn't exactly give me many options," she finally replied, her tone quiet but firm.
Henry shook his head, brushing crumbs from his fingers. "I wouldn't say that. You've got options—you could always go to Professor X. Join the X-Men. It's better than living off burgers and dodging arrest warrants."
But Polaris immediately shook her head, her expression hardening. "No. I'm not going back to them. Never again. The Mutant Association… they killed a lot of my friends. I can't be a part of that."
Henry looked at her curiously. "The Association? You mean the government branch handling mutant affairs?"
"That's what they say," Polaris scoffed. "But it's not about regulation. It's about control. The X-Men pretend they're better, that they're just peacekeepers, but they still answer to the government. They're all just different flavors of the same poison. And I'm done drinking."
Henry studied her quietly. Her eyes were sharp, burning with passion. It wasn't just anger—it was a conviction formed through personal loss. Her power, still emotionally tied to her state of mind, flared subtly in the room. The crystal chandelier above them began to tremble, each fixture swaying as if caught in a wind.
The metal in the room responded to her emotions—an unconscious reaction.
Henry pointed upward with a calm expression. "You break that chandelier, I'll have to bill you."
That one word—bill—worked like magic. Polaris' expression changed instantly.
"Oh crap. I can't afford to pay for any of this."
The chandelier stilled. The magnetic field around them calmed down.
"Right," she muttered, sitting back down, burger in hand once more. "Thanks for the reminder…"
Henry leaned forward and asked, "So, what's your endgame, then? Are you planning to fight the Mutant Association directly someday?"
Polaris didn't even hesitate. "Yes. I know I can't beat them now. I know I'm not strong enough. But I will be. I'll keep training, learning, and one day, I'll lead the charge to take back our dignity. At the very least, I'll make sure mutants aren't treated like garbage anymore."
She punctuated her statement with a defiant bite of her burger, as if to chew through oppression itself.
Henry smiled faintly.
Still the same, he thought. Even meeting her earlier than in the original timeline hasn't changed her fire. That's good.
Polaris had leadership in her blood. A rebellious nature, yes—but also the heart to fight for something bigger than herself. She was going to walk the same path regardless of circumstance.
And she was right about one thing: the Mutant Association had gone too far.
If their goal was just regulation, there'd be less resistance. But their methods—oppressive, dehumanizing, and exploitative—only created more chaos. History had taught that oppression always bred resistance. That was a truth that echoed across all eras.
As Henry drifted in his thoughts, Polaris suddenly turned to him, curiosity lighting her face. "Why are you asking me all this anyway?"
"Hm?" he looked up mid-bite.
"These questions—about my future, my goals. What's with the sudden interest? They don't really have anything to do with you. Not exactly part of the housekeeping job description either."
Henry shrugged. "Just chatting."
But Polaris tilted her head and grinned, as if she saw through him.
"Wait... are you concerned about my future, Henry?"
He froze, burger halfway to his mouth.
Before he could answer, Polaris leaned in a little closer, clearly enjoying herself now. "I'm surprised. I always thought you were the serious, aloof type. I didn't expect you to care."
Henry scratched his head awkwardly. "I mean, yeah, but don't read too much into it."
He thought about denying it outright but decided against it. That would've just made him seem cold. Instead, he went the half-joking route. "Am I really that serious?"
Polaris raised an eyebrow. "Well, when someone accuses you of being a thief five minutes into meeting you, it does leave an impression."
"Can you blame me?" Henry shot back. "Most people don't just break into homes and call it an introduction."
"That's fair," she admitted with a chuckle.
Just then, the television's tone shifted to breaking news.
A reporter's voice cut through the living room: "Big news out of New York today—a green giant appeared on the streets, causing massive panic. Law enforcement quickly evacuated civilians. In a surprising twist, the creature was subdued… by a mysterious young man."
Polaris barely glanced at the TV at first. She didn't usually follow news like this. But when she looked up—and saw the footage—her expression changed instantly.
There, next to the towering form of the Hulk, was a young man in casual clothes.
The same one currently eating a burger on her couch.
She pointed at the screen, eyes wide. "Wait… is that you?!"
Henry looked at the screen.
Clear as day—him standing face-to-face with the Hulk, calm as ever. The moment of his soul-palm technique had been captured in HD.
"Well… guess I got caught on camera," Henry muttered.
"So while I was out buying groceries," Polaris said slowly, "you were out there fighting the Hulk?!"
Henry shrugged. "It wasn't a big deal. Just a bit of a… situation."
Polaris gawked at him. "Not a big deal?! You slapped the Hulk's soul out of his body!"
As if on cue, the news replayed that very moment in slow motion.
The palm strike. The glowing light. Hulk collapsing while a ghostly form floated up from him.
Polaris dropped her burger.
"OH. MY. GOD. This is the news! They don't use CGI! You actually did that?! With one hand?!"
Henry nodded casually. "It's just a basic control spell. It only works on people with low resistance to magic."
"Basic?! That's basic?!"
She stared at him like he was an alien. "Remind me never to make you mad again."
Henry didn't say much. He knew from experience that explaining the nuances of magic to someone unfamiliar with it would just lead to more confusion.
He reached for the remote and turned down the volume.
Still, he couldn't help but reflect on what just happened.
He had gone viral.
The internet was flooded with footage, theories, and heated debates. Some called him a superhuman. Others were convinced he was a time-traveling monk. But the prevailing theory was this: he was a mage.
And not just any mage.
A new nickname had begun to circulate: The Soul Mage.
Henry stared at the trending tag on his phone.
"…Soul Mage?" he muttered. "Couldn't they have picked something cooler? 'Supreme Mage' sounds way better."
Polaris leaned over. "Soul Mage? Supreme Mage? What are you talking about?"
"Nothing," Henry replied, waving it off. "Just netizens being netizens."
But in his heart, he felt the weight of it.
Fame was a double-edged sword.
On one hand, it gave him presence, leverage, and maybe even deterrence. But on the other… it drew attention.
And in this world, there were far too many people he'd rather not be noticed by—be it rogue sorcerers, multiverse beings, or secret organizations.
If he wanted to stay ahead, he'd have to keep growing stronger.
Quickly.
He finished the last bite of his burger and stood up.
"I'm heading to the study. I need to keep training. If anyone comes by with deliveries, let them in for me."
Polaris blinked. "Deliveries? You expecting something?"
Henry walked away, tossing the wrapper into the trash. "Just some pocket change from S.H.I.E.L.D. And maybe a few magical components."
Polaris whistled. "Living large, huh?"
Henry didn't respond. He just smiled faintly and vanished into the study.
Because when the world starts watching you?
You don't get to relax.
You prepare.
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