Chapter 27 – Jean Grey's Loss of Control
After carefully avoiding the police along the way, Jean Grey finally found, after several days, the house from her childhood that lingered in her memory.
Looking at the familiar streets around her, fragments of memories about this home began to resurface. Yes, the familiar building in front of her was indeed her home.
Charles had always told Jean that her parents were dead—but in reality, her father was still living here. The hazy memories in her mind left Jean uncertain: had she stayed away all these years because of the accident, or because of her own fear?
She pushed open the worn wooden door. Inside the living room sat a man with a haggard, dusty face, looking desolate. The moment Jean saw that familiar face, her memories flooded back like a dam bursting.
Tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.
With her face wet with tears, Jean couldn't help but demand:
"Why didn't you ever come looking for your daughter all these years? If you were still alive—how could someone like you even call yourself my father?"
The man looked up at the sound of her voice, as though he had just seen the most terrifying creature in the world.
"Don't you remember what you did back then? Don't you remember your mother? Or have you already forgotten how she died?"
The false memories Charles had implanted slowly dissolved, and Jean finally remembered—on that day she had awakened her mutant abilities, invaded her parents' minds, and caused their car to lose control. Her mother had died in the crash.
The pain tore at her heart, and her psychic power surged outward. The entire house began to tremble.
Jean felt she could no longer control the violent force of her mind.
"That's right," her father said, fear and regret flashing across his face, along with the resolve of someone who had already lost everything. "Are you going to send me to join your mother too? I've imagined this day countless times."
"Go on then, monster—send me to your mother!"
His words drove Jean further into hysteria. Houses within a hundred-meter radius began to shake violently, alarming the nearby residents, who thought an earthquake was about to strike.
"Jean! Don't lose control!" Raven finally arrived, and her voice managed to calm Jean just slightly.
"Go! I don't want to see any of you! Especially you, Charles—you've been lying to me! Lying to me and hiding the truth!" Jean screamed, nearly hysterical.
"Jean, listen to me—I only wanted to protect you. I didn't mean to deceive you. I was afraid your mother's death would leave you with unbearable trauma. I never meant to deceive you!"
Charles tried to explain, but his words only fueled the fire. The house and the ground trembled harder. His attempt at persuasion had backfired.
Seeing Jean's worsening state, Raven rushed forward—but even her speed was no match for Jean's psychic power. With a wave, Jean hurled Raven aside. Kurt the Nightcrawler and the others tried to restrain Jean, but they too were instantly knocked down.
"Jean, we only want to save you! Your attack on the police is already exposed—the authorities are searching everywhere for you. Come home with us. Once you're back, everything will be okay!"
Mystique stretched out her hand, showing she was on Jean's side, trying to awaken her with bonds of emotion.
"No!"
Jean finally lost all control. Her psychic power blasted the X-Men away indiscriminately. Only Uchiha Akira and his two companions, prepared in advance, managed to evade instantly.
When the chaos subsided, Jean opened her eyes—only to see Raven impaled by a massive wooden spike.
"Jean… hurry… run…" Raven's life was slipping away like a drying lake; death was at her doorstep. What would happen to Jean after this?
"No!"
Hank and Scott rushed forward. Hank lunged at Jean with his claws, while Scott shielded her.
"Get out of the way!" Hank shouted.
"Calm down, Hank! Jean's lost control—it wasn't intentional!" Scott retorted.
"Scott, move!"
"Killing Jean won't solve anything!" As Jean's boyfriend, Scott refused to abandon her.
"What are you arguing about? Move, or Mystique really will die!"
Finally, Uchiha Akira spoke up—if he didn't, Mystique would die for sure. Since this was their first mission, saving her would give them a reason to demand payment from Charles later.
"Mr. Uchiha, can you save Raven?" Despair turned into hope on everyone's faces.
"Yes. Move aside, or she really won't make it. Mikoto, she's yours."
Akira signaled for Mikoto to begin treatment.
Mikoto nodded, then forcefully yanked Raven off the wooden spike. Blood gushed out like a fountain.
The brutal method enraged Jean. Her psychic wave swept out again—only to be stopped as a gigantic golden hand seized her.
The hand easily enveloped her body, no matter how hard she resisted.
"Clan leader, your Susanoo is golden? That's so cool!" Uchiha Inaho shouted, now fully a little fanboy. If their leader could even summon Susanoo, there was nothing to fear.
Though he didn't quite understand Jean's power (since the shinobi world had no equivalent to telekinesis—magnet release was the closest), under Susanoo, all were equal.
"Don't disturb Mikoto's healing. Charles, what do you want done with this girl named Jean?"
Charles was overjoyed at Akira's intervention.
"How long can you restrain her?"
"With this level of resistance? A whole day, no problem."
Akira was confident. Young Jean wasn't at full strength yet. Even though fragments of the Phoenix Force lurked within her, his Susanoo could be constantly replenished with chakra.
In truth, Akira was surprised himself—this was his first time using Susanoo, and not only was its golden glow striking, but its burden was far lighter than he had imagined.
"That's good. Let's wait until Raven is healed." Charles breathed a sigh of relief. Hiring Akira had been the right decision.
Mikoto's hands glowed with vibrant green light as she worked. Raven's gaping abdominal wound slowly knit together, new tissue sprouting and fusing before their eyes.
But from blood loss, Raven's powers slipped, and she reverted to her natural blue form.
Curiously, Akira observed the scales on Mystique's body. Oddly enough, he found them quite beautiful—even if her overall form didn't match conventional aesthetics, her scales themselves were striking.
He remembered people saying Mystique was the perfect girlfriend: because she could shapeshift, marrying her was like marrying every beautiful woman in the world—though of course, if one liked unattractive women, she could become those too.
Akira even sneaked a glance between Raven's legs before quickly averting his eyes.
Only one question lingered in his mind: "How?"
Charles and the others watched in awe as Raven's wounds closed as if stitched together, new flesh growing in real time.
None of them had ever seen Wolverine yet, so this level of regeneration was unprecedented to them. Mikoto's healing jutsu appeared nothing short of a miracle.
By contrast, Akira's Susanoo drew less attention. Though its golden hand was massive, powerful, and dazzling, to mutants it lacked the same shock value.
Half an hour later, Raven finally woke—her face pale and weak from blood loss, but alive.