The sleek black Rolls-Royce Phantom glided through the wrought-iron gates of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, sunlight rippling across its polished surface. The car moved with quiet weight, drawing stares from the parents and students crowded along the drive.
Nova Ashbourne sat in the backseat, straightening his blazer as he watched the scene outside. Families clustered around aging sedans and SUVs, clinging to their children with a mix of pride and fear. Some kids looked excited, others terrified. More than a few carried the look of resignation, victims of the Mutant Department's mandatory enrollment laws.
Beside him, Elara didn't look up from her tablet. "Do you know how many people have been asking for you these past few weeks?" she asked, her voice sharper than usual. "You roll out a training potion, pull Stark out of a desert and then vanish. Everyone from reporters to professors has been chasing me down for answers."
Nova's eyes lingered on a tearful goodbye near a rust-stained Toyota. "I had things to take care of," he said simply. "Important things. When you see it, your mind would be blown."
Elara finally glanced over the rim of her glasses. "You'd better make it worth the trouble."
The Phantom slowed near the front entrance, where teachers moved among the crowd with practiced ease. Nova picked out familiar faces from his research: Storm, luminous white hair gleaming as she soothed nervous parents; Logan leaning against a stone pillar, arms folded, scanning the crowd with a soldier's weariness; Hank McCoy animatedly describing academics to skeptical families; Kitty Pryde casually phasing through a wall to grab a dropped duffel bag, earning gasps from students.
His gaze drifted across the grounds. By the fountain stood Jean Grey with several younger students—Bobby Drake shaping ice sculptures for children, Kurt Wagner teleporting back and forth with bags in puffs of sulfur-scented smoke, Rogue keeping to herself but watching with interest, Scott Summers overseeing them all with ruby lenses.
On the dormitory steps, Wanda Maximoff sat on a bench, her eyes dark and steady, while her brother Pietro paced nearby, restless energy practically vibrating off him. Even stationary, he seemed to blur slightly at the edges.
Further across the lawn, Warren Worthington's magnificent wings were tucked tight against his back as he argued quietly with his wealthy parents near a pristine Mercedes. The tension between them was obvious even from a distance.
Near the library, Alex Summers demonstrated controlled bursts of energy for wide-eyed newcomers, while Betsy Braddock scanned the crowd with the cool focus of someone trained to see weakness and opportunity in equal measure.
Nova looked at each of them and smiled. *This is gonna be epic.* Usually he wasn't excited for school, but a school filled with mutants? He was pretty damn crazy about it. After all, despite having similar and more powerful abilities, seeing an entire school filled with students with superpowers was something else entirely. Especially since he'd watched the movies and read dozens of fanfictions about this exact place.
Shaking his head, Nova turned to Elara. " You can do whatever you want for a few weeks. Treat it as a paid vacation. See ya."
Nova opened the door and stepped out. Conversations shifted around him. Parents glanced his way, students whispered among themselves. The weight of attention settled on his shoulders like a familiar coat.
Storm approached with Alex Summers at her side. According to his information, both were official X-Men members and teachers at Xavier's school.
"Mr. Ashbourne," Storm said warmly, extending her hand. "Welcome to Xavier's. I'm Ororo Munroe—most call me Storm."
Nova shook her hand, noting the slight electrical charge that danced around her fingers. "Professor Munroe. Thank you for fitting me into your schedule."
"Your reputation precedes you," she said with the kind of smile that balanced courtesy with caution. "The regeneration serum, then the training enhancement, and lately rumors of your rescue of Stark... it's been hard to ignore, especially since you're a mutant with such a versatile ability. Though I admit, we don't often get students arriving with such... flair."
The Phantom rolled away with Elara inside, already deep in conversation on her phone. Parents followed the car with mixed expressions—impressed, envious, irritated.
"People tend to remember style," Nova said lightly. "Though I suspect I won't have trouble being remembered here regardless."
Alex stepped forward, offering his own handshake. "Alex Summers. I teach energy manipulation and practical applications. Heard you've got quite the analytical mind—should be interesting to see how that translates in our classes."
"Looking forward to it," Nova replied. "I imagine there's always something new to learn when you're dealing with the physics of superhuman abilities."
"More than you might expect," Alex said with a slight grin. "Wait until you see what some of these kids can do. Makes you realize how much we still don't understand about mutation."
Storm gestured toward the entrance. "Shall we begin the tour? I think you'll find Xavier's quite different from traditional institutions."
As they moved through the crowd, Nova caught fragments of conversations around them:
"—heard he's the one who saved Tony Stark—"
"—regeneration serum made him millions—"
"—only twenty and already more successful than most adults—"
"—wonder what his actual power is, the reports are so vague—"
They passed close to Jean Grey's group, and Nova offered a polite nod. She smiled back, though her green eyes held curiosity. Scott adjusted his sunglasses and gave a brief nod of acknowledgment.
"That's quite the welcoming committee," Nova observed quietly to Storm.
"Word travels fast here," she replied. "When someone your age makes headlines for both scientific innovation and heroics, it tends to generate interest. Don't worry—the novelty will wear off once classes start and they realize you still have to do homework like everyone else."
"Somehow I doubt it'll be that simple," Alex added with a chuckle. "Especially once they see you demonstrate that ability of yours. 'Applied Knowledge Manifestation'—that's quite the broad description."
Nova's smile was carefully neutral. "I find specificity can be... limiting. Better to keep people guessing."
They climbed the stone steps toward the massive oak doors. As they reached the entrance, Nova looked back one last time at the bustling grounds. Families were still hugging goodbye, students gradually separating into small groups, teachers moving among them with practiced ease.
Wanda had risen to stand beside her brother, her hand on Pietro's arm in what looked like a calming gesture. Logan was helping a small boy carry an oversized suitcase, his gruff exterior hiding obvious patience. Kurt Wagner teleported past them in a cloud of sulfur, arms full of luggage, earning delighted laughter from younger students.
Near the fountain, Bobby was creating an elaborate ice sculpture of the school's logo while explaining crystallization principles to fascinated onlookers. Rogue stood at a careful distance, but Nova could see the longing in her posture—wanting to join but unable to risk physical contact.
"It's quite something, isn't it?" Storm said, following his gaze. "When Charles first envisioned this place, I don't think even he imagined it would become what it is today."
"A school, a sanctuary, a symbol," Alex added. "Sometimes a political statement, whether we want it to be or not."
"And sometimes," Nova said thoughtfully, "exactly what someone needs to become who they're meant to be."
Storm's expression warmed. "I have a feeling you're going to fit in just fine here, Mr. Ashbourne."
As they stepped through the oak doors into the grand foyer, Nova felt a familiar thrill of anticipation. The game was about to begin in earnest, and for the first time in weeks, he felt like he was exactly where he needed to be.
The halls of Xavier's stretched before him, filled with the promise of new challenges, unexpected allies, and the kind of education that couldn't be found anywhere else in the world.
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:- HELLO READER'S, HOW ARE YOU ALL? SORRY I WASN'T ABLE TO POST LAST NIGHT. BUT DONT WORRY, I WILL POST THE CHAPTER ON FRIDAY.
→ 30 REVIEWS= 3 BONUS CHAPTER's
→ 200 POWER STONES= 1 BONUS CHAPTER
→ 400 POWER STONES= 2 BONUS CHAPTER's
CURRENT PROGRESS:↓
– FIRST OBJECTIVE:- 25/30 REVIEWS
– SECOND OBJECTIVE- 83/200 P.S
– THIRD OBJECTIVE- /400 P.S
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CHAPTER:- [93 - A GHOST IN THE ROOM] IS AVAILABLE ON MY P@TREON