Chapter 6: X-men? (2)
—
"Professor Charles Xavier?” Enrique held back a sigh and rather smiled politely, walking over to shake Bald-X's hand. “Never thought I would meet a living legend like you in my humble home."
"Oh, you are over-praising me, Mr. Nova." Charles chuckled sheepishly. "Since you know me already, let me introduce my two students. This is Professor Scott, and this is Professor Jean. Both of them, including me, teach at a school made for ‘Mutants’, a term you might already be familiar with. We teach Mutants, our own kind, how to control their powers so that they can return to their usual lives someday."
A somewhat noble intention, if Enrique ignored the part where all the Professors of that school were low-key racist towards Humans, and only do Heroism to avoid getting nuked. Watching them struggle in movies was pitiful and sad, true, but now that Enrique – who's technically a human– stood in front of them, he felt no pity.
He rather frowned upon the fact that Xavier knew his name, which he learned either by doing a background check –and given the timeframe of his arrival in this world that was highly unlikely– or by mind-rapeing Anna.
Nonetheless, Enrique Nova was actually expecting this visit, though not this early, so he had a plan in mind already.
“Ah, professors from the famous Xavier’s school?” Enrique smiled at them. "Glad to meet you two.”
Getting a nod from Scott and Jean, Enrique turned back to Charles. “Now professor, going by the fact that you already know my name, and henceforth supposing you read Anna’s mind, you probably know my ‘job’ demands me to be quite busy, so I would appreciate it if we finalise whatever matter you are here for as soon as possible.”
Scott and Jean blinked at his words, probably the fact that he knew about Charles’ power surprised them. Enrique knew why, because although Charles was known as a Telepathic Mutant to the public, his powers were only said to allow him to communicate with others via telepathy, to create a more friendly image of himself to the public. So for Enrique –a random superhero who appeared literally yesterday– to know about his actual power… yes, their astonishment was justified.
Enrique was trying to create a well-informed facade, and it was working. It was better to pretend he had a secret information source than to pretend he knew nothing.
Enrique was also sure both Charles and Jean couldn't read his thoughts at all, let alone his memories. If not, they should have already noticed the countless curses he had thrown at them in his mind. As a test, of course.
"Right. You are indeed quite busy.” Charles replied. “Sorry, I had to make sure you are not dangerous, so I went over her recent memories. But your identity is safe with me, don't worry. In any case, I am here for this girl, Mr. Nova." Charles said, pointing his nose at Anna as Enrique walked over to her side.
His identity was safe with nobody. Because he didn't have an identity, to begin with. He wasn't going to play double life, he was planning to let his identity go public by himself anyway. So he could care less. About his last words though, Enrique smiled inside his head.
“I could guess you are here for her, but why?” Enrique asked.
"She's a mutant, as you might know already." Charles replied. "Her power hurts anybody she touches, or is touched by. You are somehow immune to her, I wouldn't pry to your powers and ask why, but in any case it is unhealthy for her to stay with you for too long since she will grow overly attached to you.”
“Yeah, I can see that happening.” Enrique nodded. “Though I never said I mind that.”
Rogue’s eyes widened before she blushed softly. Scott scoffed while Jean merely sighed, muttering something about 'men'.
Charles Xavier just smiled. “I suppose. However, her power needs a teacher like us to guide it. Otherwise, she would forever be separated from society. Nobody deserves that.” he watched Enrique’s indifferent expression. “I have talked to her parents already and they have accepted my offer to allow us to lend Anna a helping hand, so I actually find discussing this with you futile, as you are not her guardian. However, this girl fancies you somewhat, so I decided to humour you until now. But I think it is time to leave.”
Enrique raised an eyebrow, “Don't you need the mutant in question’s permission?” He turned to Anna. “You wanna go?”
“Umm…” Rogue shifted from her position. “Are they legit? Do you know about them?”
“As I said, I do.” Enrique nodded. “Professor Charles is a certified expert in genetics and mutants. His school, by this point, has helped thousands of mutants return to their daily lives. There are obviously failed cases of students, but they can be counted by a hand, at least to my knowledge. They might be hiding information, I can't be sure.” he said, eyeing Charles who looked back in surprise. “In short he would probably be able to help you, a lot.”
Anna went silent as she started to think, and even though Enrique didn't have telepathy he could tell she was hesitant to speak.
He put a hand in her head, ruffling her soft brown hair. “Or, you can stay with me. I can possibly teach you how to control your powers as well. If you don't wanna go, they wouldn't be able to. Not with me around.” he said as he eyed Jean in particular, whose eyes widened at his next words, “Even if they have a Phoenix with them.”
Losing Rogue would be a huge mess. Her power was too great to let her go permanently, let alone to people who wouldn't even use her properly.
Scott’s fist clenched while Jean and Charles looked at him in shock. “You… know about the Phoenix?”
Enrique smiled. “I know about things that would break your mind, Professor. That's why I had to go as far as protecting this handsome head of mine from mind readers like you, since you would surely try to read my mind and your death wouldn’t benefit me in any way.”
The room grew cold at that statement. Enrique knew how dangerous he seemed to them at the moment. Someone who knew about the Phoenix, and said his mind held secrets that would kill people if let out, and to make things worse they really couldn't read his mind at all. For all they knew, he might be onto something.
“...Are you a government spy?” Charles asked before shaking his head. “No… That wouldn't make sense.”
Enrique ignored them and turned to Rogue. “So, have you decided yet?”
“I…” she looked at the X-men. “C-can I go with them?”
"..."
Enrique watched as she hesitated to look into his eyes.
—-
A few seconds later, Anna heard her superhero sigh. “What do you mean ‘can I’? You make it sound as if I am your guardian. As Professor Charles said, I am not. I am just a guy you met yesterday, and you can do whatever you want.”
“I-I don't mean to be rude, sugah!” she tried, turning to him. “Just that… You said they're experts on this. I don't wanna just stay like this, only being able to touch a single person, even if it's you. They'd surely be able to help me on this matter… On the contrary, you aren't even a Mutant.”
When she said her last line Enrique blinked before he looked at her in disappointment. She flinched.
“You're already being affected by them?” he said, shaking his head as he leaned over to put a hand on her shoulder. “Anna Marie, you are a human, just a mutated one. Remember that. Don't let anyone tell you that you and I are of different races, as if you're some kind of an alien. You and I are the same, you just happen to have a small mutation. Got that?"
Anna looked at him with wide eyes that soon shrank in guilt as she bit her lip. “Sorry…” He helped her uncaring of her mutation, fighting a dangerous enemy for her, and even let her stay in his home. Yet, here she was being racist with him.
All the recent frustration in her life took a turn as Anna couldn't help but feel angry at herself.
“Forget it." Enrique shrugged, sighing softly. He then slipped his hand in his pockets, watching Scott put a finger beside his visor but Charles put up a hand to stop him. Enrique scoffed at that and simply took out a brand new smartphone from his pocket, handing it over to her. “Here, take this. It's an iPhone 4S, it just came out on the market. I thought I would get one for you since teenagers like these things.”
Anna looked down at the phone and her guilt only increased. “I-I can't take this. Please, I don't deserve-”
“It has my number saved on it. You can call me anytime you wish.” he said, now smiling. “Any time you wanna talk, hang out… Or if you need some lightning support, just give me a call and I will be there in a blitz. Keep it safe, okay?”
She accepted the phone and watched his gentle smile with tears bubbling up in her eyes. Soon, she left with Charles and his students in a black limo.
—-
Once she reached [Xavier’s School for the Gifted], she was asked to hand over her phone.
“We will give it back to you, Anna.” Charles said as he asked for her phone. “As you saw, he is a dangerous man who knows things that even most Superheroes don't and shouldn't know. We have to make sure he didn't put anything suspicious on the phone.”
Anna frowned at him. “He just bought this for me in the morning. How could he have put something suspicious on it? I am not handing it over.”
She already had a bad first impression of this school.
…Just as Enrique planned.
——
‘By now, she must have reached the school and was asked to hand over her phone.’ Enrique thought as he sat on top of a skyscraper in his Super Suit, eating a burger. ‘She probably wouldn't hand over her phone, and if she does hand it over, they would find nothing since there actually is nothing. When that happens, her impression of that school will only drop further.’
Enrique’s plan had always been to let Rogue go to Xavier’s, he just didn't expect Charles to come to him so early. His plan was to let Rogue realise that nobody would be able to help her, nobody except for “probably” him. If things play out as they did in many comics or in the movie (and Enrique knew it would since Sabretooth’s presence already confirmed the Brotherhood’s interest in Rogue) Mystique will put the last nail that would make Rogue flee from Xavier’s school. Enrique would just have to step in to calm the poor little girl when that time comes.
He gave it two… no, one week to play out.
'Of course, this is purely business. I just need a power-stealing teammate who I can trust my back to. I don't take fancy in playing with little girls' hearts.' Enrique made it clear to any possible cosmic entity who might be looking at him with disdain.
He wiped his lips as he finished his burger before jumping down from the building, falling fast before he landed softly on the ground, his suit now that of a casual businessman's. Ignoring the surprised looks he got from people in the streets, he walked inside the [IT Shop] in the distance.
While waiting for Rogue to return, Enrique Nova decided to earn some big big bucks.
**
**
**
Useless Fact: The iPhone 4S is of the 64GB variant, and it even came with a charger. But Mr. Nova kept the charger for himself. Because.
-—-
If you want to read the next 15+ chapters ahead or support me, go to: patreon.com/Master4thWall
Chapter 6: X-men? (2)
—
"Professor Charles Xavier?” Enrique held back a sigh and rather smiled politely, walking over to shake Bald-X's hand. “Never thought I would meet a living legend like you in my humble home."
"Oh, you are over-praising me, Mr. Nova." Charles chuckled sheepishly. "Since you know me already, let me introduce my two students. This is Professor Scott, and this is Professor Jean. Both of them, including me, teach at a school made for ‘Mutants’, a term you might already be familiar with. We teach Mutants, our own kind, how to control their powers so that they can return to their usual lives someday."
A somewhat noble intention, if Enrique ignored the part where all the Professors of that school were low-key racist towards Humans, and only do Heroism to avoid getting nuked. Watching them struggle in movies was pitiful and sad, true, but now that Enrique – who's technically a human– stood in front of them, he felt no pity.
He rather frowned upon the fact that Xavier knew his name, which he learned either by doing a background check –and given the timeframe of his arrival in this world that was highly unlikely– or by mind-rapeing Anna.
Nonetheless, Enrique Nova was actually expecting this visit, though not this early, so he had a plan in mind already.
“Ah, professors from the famous Xavier’s school?” Enrique smiled at them. "Glad to meet you two.”
Getting a nod from Scott and Jean, Enrique turned back to Charles. “Now professor, going by the fact that you already know my name, and henceforth supposing you read Anna’s mind, you probably know my ‘job’ demands me to be quite busy, so I would appreciate it if we finalise whatever matter you are here for as soon as possible.”
Scott and Jean blinked at his words, probably the fact that he knew about Charles’ power surprised them. Enrique knew why, because although Charles was known as a Telepathic Mutant to the public, his powers were only said to allow him to communicate with others via telepathy, to create a more friendly image of himself to the public. So for Enrique –a random superhero who appeared literally yesterday– to know about his actual power… yes, their astonishment was justified.
Enrique was trying to create a well-informed facade, and it was working. It was better to pretend he had a secret information source than to pretend he knew nothing.
Enrique was also sure both Charles and Jean couldn't read his thoughts at all, let alone his memories. If not, they should have already noticed the countless curses he had thrown at them in his mind. As a test, of course.
"Right. You are indeed quite busy.” Charles replied. “Sorry, I had to make sure you are not dangerous, so I went over her recent memories. But your identity is safe with me, don't worry. In any case, I am here for this girl, Mr. Nova." Charles said, pointing his nose at Anna as Enrique walked over to her side.
His identity was safe with nobody. Because he didn't have an identity, to begin with. He wasn't going to play double life, he was planning to let his identity go public by himself anyway. So he could care less. About his last words though, Enrique smiled inside his head.
“I could guess you are here for her, but why?” Enrique asked.
"She's a mutant, as you might know already." Charles replied. "Her power hurts anybody she touches, or is touched by. You are somehow immune to her, I wouldn't pry to your powers and ask why, but in any case it is unhealthy for her to stay with you for too long since she will grow overly attached to you.”
“Yeah, I can see that happening.” Enrique nodded. “Though I never said I mind that.”
Rogue’s eyes widened before she blushed softly. Scott scoffed while Jean merely sighed, muttering something about 'men'.
Charles Xavier just smiled. “I suppose. However, her power needs a teacher like us to guide it. Otherwise, she would forever be separated from society. Nobody deserves that.” he watched Enrique’s indifferent expression. “I have talked to her parents already and they have accepted my offer to allow us to lend Anna a helping hand, so I actually find discussing this with you futile, as you are not her guardian. However, this girl fancies you somewhat, so I decided to humour you until now. But I think it is time to leave.”
Enrique raised an eyebrow, “Don't you need the mutant in question’s permission?” He turned to Anna. “You wanna go?”
“Umm…” Rogue shifted from her position. “Are they legit? Do you know about them?”
“As I said, I do.” Enrique nodded. “Professor Charles is a certified expert in genetics and mutants. His school, by this point, has helped thousands of mutants return to their daily lives. There are obviously failed cases of students, but they can be counted by a hand, at least to my knowledge. They might be hiding information, I can't be sure.” he said, eyeing Charles who looked back in surprise. “In short he would probably be able to help you, a lot.”
Anna went silent as she started to think, and even though Enrique didn't have telepathy he could tell she was hesitant to speak.
He put a hand in her head, ruffling her soft brown hair. “Or, you can stay with me. I can possibly teach you how to control your powers as well. If you don't wanna go, they wouldn't be able to. Not with me around.” he said as he eyed Jean in particular, whose eyes widened at his next words, “Even if they have a Phoenix with them.”
Losing Rogue would be a huge mess. Her power was too great to let her go permanently, let alone to people who wouldn't even use her properly.
Scott’s fist clenched while Jean and Charles looked at him in shock. “You… know about the Phoenix?”
Enrique smiled. “I know about things that would break your mind, Professor. That's why I had to go as far as protecting this handsome head of mine from mind readers like you, since you would surely try to read my mind and your death wouldn’t benefit me in any way.”
The room grew cold at that statement. Enrique knew how dangerous he seemed to them at the moment. Someone who knew about the Phoenix, and said his mind held secrets that would kill people if let out, and to make things worse they really couldn't read his mind at all. For all they knew, he might be onto something.
“...Are you a government spy?” Charles asked before shaking his head. “No… That wouldn't make sense.”
Enrique ignored them and turned to Rogue. “So, have you decided yet?”
“I…” she looked at the X-men. “C-can I go with them?”
"..."
Enrique watched as she hesitated to look into his eyes.
—-
A few seconds later, Anna heard her superhero sigh. “What do you mean ‘can I’? You make it sound as if I am your guardian. As Professor Charles said, I am not. I am just a guy you met yesterday, and you can do whatever you want.”
“I-I don't mean to be rude, sugah!” she tried, turning to him. “Just that… You said they're experts on this. I don't wanna just stay like this, only being able to touch a single person, even if it's you. They'd surely be able to help me on this matter… On the contrary, you aren't even a Mutant.”
When she said her last line Enrique blinked before he looked at her in disappointment. She flinched.
“You're already being affected by them?” he said, shaking his head as he leaned over to put a hand on her shoulder. “Anna Marie, you are a human, just a mutated one. Remember that. Don't let anyone tell you that you and I are of different races, as if you're some kind of an alien. You and I are the same, you just happen to have a small mutation. Got that?"
Anna looked at him with wide eyes that soon shrank in guilt as she bit her lip. “Sorry…” He helped her uncaring of her mutation, fighting a dangerous enemy for her, and even let her stay in his home. Yet, here she was being racist with him.
All the recent frustration in her life took a turn as Anna couldn't help but feel angry at herself.
“Forget it." Enrique shrugged, sighing softly. He then slipped his hand in his pockets, watching Scott put a finger beside his visor but Charles put up a hand to stop him. Enrique scoffed at that and simply took out a brand new smartphone from his pocket, handing it over to her. “Here, take this. It's an iPhone 4S, it just came out on the market. I thought I would get one for you since teenagers like these things.”
Anna looked down at the phone and her guilt only increased. “I-I can't take this. Please, I don't deserve-”
“It has my number saved on it. You can call me anytime you wish.” he said, now smiling. “Any time you wanna talk, hang out… Or if you need some lightning support, just give me a call and I will be there in a blitz. Keep it safe, okay?”
She accepted the phone and watched his gentle smile with tears bubbling up in her eyes. Soon, she left with Charles and his students in a black limo.
—-
Once she reached [Xavier’s School for the Gifted], she was asked to hand over her phone.
“We will give it back to you, Anna.” Charles said as he asked for her phone. “As you saw, he is a dangerous man who knows things that even most Superheroes don't and shouldn't know. We have to make sure he didn't put anything suspicious on the phone.”
Anna frowned at him. “He just bought this for me in the morning. How could he have put something suspicious on it? I am not handing it over.”
She already had a bad first impression of this school.
…Just as Enrique planned.
——
‘By now, she must have reached the school and was asked to hand over her phone.’ Enrique thought as he sat on top of a skyscraper in his Super Suit, eating a burger. ‘She probably wouldn't hand over her phone, and if she does hand it over, they would find nothing since there actually is nothing. When that happens, her impression of that school will only drop further.’
Enrique’s plan had always been to let Rogue go to Xavier’s, he just didn't expect Charles to come to him so early. His plan was to let Rogue realise that nobody would be able to help her, nobody except for “probably” him. If things play out as they did in many comics or in the movie (and Enrique knew it would since Sabretooth’s presence already confirmed the Brotherhood’s interest in Rogue) Mystique will put the last nail that would make Rogue flee from Xavier’s school. Enrique would just have to step in to calm the poor little girl when that time comes.
He gave it two… no, one week to play out.
'Of course, this is purely business. I just need a power-stealing teammate who I can trust my back to. I don't take fancy in playing with little girls' hearts.' Enrique made it clear to any possible cosmic entity who might be looking at him with disdain.
He wiped his lips as he finished his burger before jumping down from the building, falling fast before he landed softly on the ground, his suit now that of a casual businessman's. Ignoring the surprised looks he got from people in the streets, he walked inside the [IT Shop] in the distance.
While waiting for Rogue to return, Enrique Nova decided to earn some big big bucks.
**
**
**
Useless Fact: The iPhone 4S is of the 64GB variant, and it even came with a charger. But Mr. Nova kept the charger for himself. Because.
-—-
If you want to read the next 15+ chapters ahead or support me, go to: patreon.com/Master4thWall
