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  ~~~~~

  Jack let out a deep sigh, stretg his arms as he stood alone in the middle of the road, the city's neon lights still flickering behind him.

  His lips curled slightly. "So, there is a Charles in this world, huh?"

  He tilted his head in thought. "Well, that makes things more iing."

  Then his smile dropped.

  His golden eyes narrowed, irritation creeping in. "But how dare he snoop around in my head?"

  His fiwitched, as if resisting the urge to go bad sp the man bald—more bald than he already was.

  Then, just as quickly, Jack's mood shifted again, his griurning.

  "But I chased him out, so I guess we're even."

  His brows furrowed.

  Then, his grin faded once more. "No… it's not even."

  A sharp gre crossed his face. "I o snoop back."

  Without another word, he leapt onto the edge of the building and vaulted onto another rooftop, his feet silent against the stone.

  But as he moved, his irritation slowly faded, repced by something else—an urge to reflect.

  So he sat.

  Cross-legged, eyes closed.

  His body stilled, his breathing slowed, and his mind drifted inward.

  When Jack first learned how to meditate, his mind had been ay void—a dark, endless abyss.

  But now?

  Now, he saw a vast mountain rising before him.

  Huaguo Mountain.

  His inner world had ged over time, growing, evolving—flourishing.

  At its peak, a temple stood proudly, a yet well-maintained, a refle of his spiritual growth.

  And it was no longer alone.

  Four structures now dotted the mountain.

  Jack exhaled slowly, realizatioling in. Each temple marked a leap in his power.

  The first, when he had learned trol over his body.The sed, when he had mastered his staff.The third, when he had unlocked his es.The fourth…

  His eyes drifted to it.

  The fourth was still f, its shape still unclear.

  Meaning his growth was not yet plete.

  Jack smiled to himself. "Good. It'd be b if I peaked already."

  With a slow, measured inhale—he let himself sink deeper into the stillness.

  And he remaihere.

  Until the first light of dawn kissed his skin.

  "Good m."

  A voice—calm, steady, aged yet brimming with power.

  Jack's breath left him in a slow exhale as he opened his eyes.

  The first thing he saw was an old man standing a few feet behind him, his long beard ly bed, his robes pristine, his expression posed.

  His eyes held an unfathomable depth, the kind that came only with turies of knowledge.

  Jack studied him for a moment before speaking.

  "You're borrowing a power you shouldn't have, old man."

  His tone was casual, but his gaze sharpened like a bde.

  "They'll e to collect it, like the IRS."

  The old man didn't flinch.

  Instead, he smiled lightly. "Good m. I am Yao. Pleased to meet you, Monkey Sage."

  Jack blihen he grinned. "Oh, you're the A One. Weird. You're supposed to be a woman."

  Yao chuckled softly. "Well, there are many universes out there."

  He walked forward, and with a flick of his wrist, a tea set and a low table materialized between them.

  He sat down, p tea with precise movements.

  "I'm sure there exists a universe where you do ."

  Jack's smile didn't waver, but his golden eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "Is that a threat?"

  Yao simply shook his head, him a cup. "No. It is an appreciation."

  Jack accepted the tea, iing the surface as it swirled gently within the cup.

  Yao took a sip before tinuing. "Appreciation that my universe has ane to guide it."

  Jack chuckled, blowing on his tea before taking a slow sip. "You don't know if I'll guide you into enlighte or into oblivion."

  Yao set his cup down, a small, knowing smile on his lips. "The universe has its own way of telling stories."

  Jack leaned back, rolling his shoulders. "Cryptic. I like it."

  The m breeze rolled past them, filling the sileh a fortable weight.

  And so, the Monkey Sage and the Sorcerer Supreme sat, drinking tea beh the rising sun.

  Jack rambled, spilling his usual profound nonsense, while Yao sat patiently, trying—and failing—to find meaning within his words.

  And somewhere, far across the city, Charles Xavier was still trying to make sense of what had happehe night before.

  The sterile white lights of the Xavier Institute's medbay cast a sharp glow over the room.

  Charles Xavier y on a medical bed, his fausually pale, his brow furrowed ihought.

  Beside him, Henry "Beast" McCoy stood, sing the professor's vitals for the third time, his rge, blue-furred hands carefully adjusting the medical equipment.

  At the foot of the bed, Logan—Wolveriood with his arms crossed, eyes narrowed, watg Charles like a predator waiting for an excuse to be pissed.

  Hank exhaled through his nose, double-cheg the readings before speaking. "There's nothing physically wrong with you, Charles."

  Logan's brow twitched. "You sure, bub? 'Cause when I saw him ing out of Cerebro, he looked like he saw the damn abyss staring back."

  Hank frowned but nodded. "Yes. I raests three times just to be certain."

  Logan grunted, unvinced. "Yeah, well, he aily lookin' chipper."

  Charles offered a tired smile. "I appreciate the , Logan. But I assure you, I am fine. I suppose I simply o rest and… not push myself too hard.

  He gave a soft chuckle. "It seems age has finally caught up with me."

  Logan scoffed, stepping forward. ", Chuck. Let's get you back to your room before I gotta carry your ass."

  Charles sighed, allowing Logan to push his wheelchair toward the door.

  Hank nodded as they left, already switg gears mentally to his responsibility. He had studeh examinations to oversee today.

  And a new kid was arriving.

  Another young mutant. Another lost soul needing guidance.

  With o g the medical monitors, he sighed and began preparing for the day ahead.

  …

  Oop floor of Stark Tower, Tony Stark sat alone in his penthouse, his fingers steepled in front of his face as he repyed the footage for the tenth time.

  The holographic proje flickered, dispying the exaent it happened.

  There he was—Iron Man, in full flight, repulsors primed—a goddamn force of teological perfe.

  And there was the uy.

  Running on walls like an anime protagonist, dressed like he came straight out of a ese historical drama, smiling like a lunatic.

  Tony scrubbed forward. The moment of impact.

  One sed, he was in trol.

  The ?

  His middle finger was gone.

  Tony leaned ba his chair, rubbing his temples.

  The worst part?

  It wasn't even his middle finger—just the armored pting of his Iron Man suit.

  But that wasn't the problem.

  The problem was—he had been caught off guard.

  Tony hated being caught off guard.

  He narrowed his eyes, fiwitg as he pulled up another s—design schematics, battle analysis, recorded energy readings.

  "JARVIS."

  "Yes, sir?"

  "Enhance termeasures in the Mark VI."

  "Any specific parameters?"

  Tony exhaled, rubbing his . "Make sure nobody—not ninjas, not speedsters, not anime cospyers— rip a damn finger off my suit again."

  JARVIS paused.

  "Uood, sir."

  Tony leaned back, staring at the s o time.

  His eyes lingered on the man in the footage, still running, still ughing like a madman.

  A slow smirk tugged at Tony's lips.

  "Alright, mystery ma's see who the hell you are."

  …

  The X-Jet's nding gear hissed, steam rolling across the nding strip as the aircraft powered down. The sleek bck jet had barely cooled when Ororo Muorm—desded first, followed closely by Scott Summers and their arrival.

  A bald young boy, barely a teenager, stepped out in a thick winter monk's outfit, his movements cautious, his wide eyes sing everything with quiet awe.

  Scott walked beside him, speakily but firmly.

  "Wele to the Xavier Institute," he said, pausing slightly as he waited for the small transtor devi his ear to catch up.

  Tenzin blinked as the Tibetan transtion came a sed ter, then nodded, his expression a mix of curiosity and nervousness.

  "Is… this a monastery?" he asked, his voice soft but uain.

  Scott shook his head. "ly. But here, you'll be safe."

  Tenziated, then nodded slowly.

  As the two boys spoke, Ororo approached Hank McCoy—Beast—who was already waiting at the edge of the nding pad.

  She tapped the small devi her ear.

  "Thanks for the transtor, Hank. Works wonders."

  Hank smiled, adjusting his gsses. "Of course. Half of our lives is built on unication."

  Ororo chuckled. "Just don't say that to Logan."

  Hank smirked. "Oh, I'd love to. Just to see his rea."

  They shared a brief ugh before turning back to Scott and Tenzin.

  Scott was still trying to reassure the boy, his patieeady despite the slight dey in transtion.

  "What happeo you today—it's not a curse," Scott said firmly. "It's called the X-gene. And everyone here has one."

  Tenzin g him, hesitant. "Everyone?"

  Scott nodded. "Kids. Adults. Teachers. We all have something different. Some lift cars. Some heal fast. Some…" he hesitated before adding, "shoot sers from their eyes."

  Tenzin's gaze flickered to Scott's visor.

  Scott smiled slightly. "Yeah. Me."

  Tenzin studied him carefully, as if gauging his hoy. Then, finally, he gave a small nod.

  Scott gestured toward the mansion. "e on. Hank—our doctor—wants to make sure you're okay."

  Tenziated before taking a small step forward. "Alright."

  The medbay was quiet, save for the steady beeping of maes and the faint hum of fluorest lights.

  Tenzin sat on the medical bed, his legs dangling slightly. His posture was tense, shoulders stiff.

  Hank gave a reassuring smile as he adjusted his gsses and began sing the boy with his handheld device.

  Scott stood nearby, arms crossed, watg.

  "Nothing to be nervous about," Hank said gently. "Just a routine check-up."

  Tenzin nodded slightly but didn't rex.

  Hank ran the ser over his arm, cheg biometric readings, heartbeat, energy signatures.

  The readings came baal—except for ohing.

  His energy signature wasn't just geic—it was… moving.

  Like a current. A flow.

  Hank frowned slightly but didn't say anythi.

  He adjusted the ser and spoke versationally. "So, Tenzin, what happened when your powers first emerged?"

  Tenziated, then slowly said, "The air… ged around me."

  Scott and Hank exged a look.

  Hank nodded. " you show me?"

  Tenzin swallowed, his small hands g into fists.

  For a moment, nothing happened.

  Then—the air around him shifted.

  A soft breeze stirred within the room, despite the fact that there were no windows, s open.

  Scott felt it first—a cool wind brushing against his arm.

  Hank's papers fluttered slightly on the desk.

  The overhead lights flickered, as if sensing the sudden shift in atmosphere.

  Tenzin's breath grew slightly uhe wind around him began to swirl, growing stronger, stirring his robes.

  Then—a metal tray on a nearby table lifted slightly, h for a moment before cttering back down.

  Tenzin gasped, hands snapping to his p as if he had done something wrong. The wind stopped immediately.

  The medbay fell bato silence.

  Scott was the first to break it.

  "That was incredible."

  Tenzin looked at him, fused. "I… lost trol."

  Scott shook his head. "You didn't. You stopped it, didn't you?"

  Tenziated. "I… guess."

  Hank tapped his , intrigued. "Air manipution."

  Tenzin looked worried. "I never wao hurt anyone."

  Scott pced a hand on his shoulder. "You won't. That's why you're here. To learn."

  Tenzin stared at him for a long moment.

  Then, finally, he nodded.

  And for the first time since arriving—he didn't look afraid.