Xavier Mansion – Morning
Shigeo trailed quietly beside Jean down the long hallway of the mansion, his eyes darting from the stained-glass windows to the rows of lockers and classrooms. He kept his arms close to his chest, walking with a hunched posture, like he was trying to make himself smaller.
Jean slowed her pace so he wouldn't feel rushed. "This is the Xavier Institute," she said gently. "A school for young people like you mutants with gifts. You'll have classes, training, and… most importantly, friends."
At that word, Shigeo flinched slightly. His mind flashed back to Kitty calling him one. A fragile smile tugged at his lips, but it vanished just as quickly.
They turned a corner, and a cluster of students came into view.
"Yo, Jean!" Bobby Drake called, leaning against the wall with a grin. A chill ran through the air, and he flicked a tiny snowball at Jean, who batted it away with a psychic shield without breaking stride. "Who's the new guy?"
Jean gestured to Shigeo, who was standing stiffly at her side. "This is Shigeo. He's new here, and he's still getting used to everything, so be nice."
Bobby smirked and gave a little salute. "No problem. Welcome to the madhouse, man."
Next to him, a tall figure loomed named Piotr Rasputin, Colossus. His metal form shimmered faintly in the light as he extended a massive hand. "Добро пожаловать. Welcome, Shigeo. You will like it here."
Shigeo stared at the hand, then gave the smallest nod and pressed his much smaller hand against Piotr's. The size difference was comical, but Colossus shook carefully, with surprising gentleness.
"Ah! New friend?" Nightcrawler bamfed into existence in a puff of smoke right behind Shigeo, startling him. The boy staggered back, wide-eyed, while Kurt bowed theatrically. "I am Kurt Wagner. But you may call me Nightcrawler."
Shigeo blinked, still trying to process, but managed a small nod.
Kitty phased through the wall beside him, grinning. "You're still in one piece, Mob. Good to see you outside the lounge."
"Mob?" Bobby raised a brow.
"Nickname," Kitty said, shooting Shigeo a wink.
His cheeks pinked, and for once he didn't look down at his shoes.
Further down the hall, Jubilee popped her gum and shot a tiny burst of fireworks from her fingers. "He doesn't talk much, huh? That's okay. I'll do enough talking for both of us."
Spike chuckled from the bench he was sitting on, arms crossed. "Trust me, man, you'll get used to it here. Weird is kinda our normal."
Magik leaned against the wall a little apart from the group, her piercing eyes studying Shigeo with quiet curiosity. She didn't speak, but when his gaze flickered nervously to hers, she gave him the slightest nod that is a sign of acknowledgement he wasn't expecting.
Jean placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "See? You're not alone here, Shigeo. Everyone here has been where you are. This place is about finding family, not fear."
Shigeo looked around at the faces, the noise, the warmth. It was overwhelming, but not in the way he was used to. For the first time in his life, the crowd didn't seem cruel.
Quietly, almost to himself, he whispered, "…Family."
And Jean smiled, proud that he had said it out loud.
Timeskip
The classroom was bright and quiet, with the soft hum of the ceiling fans mixing with the scratch of pencils and occasional whispered conversations. Shigeo sat stiffly at his desk, hands folded in front of him, eyes flicking nervously between the blackboard and the other students.
Ms. Monroe aka Storm, a kindly but attentive teacher, called on him. "Shigeo, can you solve this problem for us?" She wrote a series of numbers on the board, a simple math question by normal standards but Shigeo's stomach tightened.
His mind went blank. The numbers swirled, the room felt heavier, and his pulse thudded in his ears. He felt it that creeping fear that he'd be laughed at again, that he'd embarrass himself like he always had.
"I… I don't know," he muttered quietly, almost inaudible.
A faint stir rippled through the classroom, and Shigeo shrank in his seat, expecting some of the students to snicker but before that could happen, Kitty leaned over, whispering just loud enough for him to hear.
"Don't worry, Mob. You've got this. Just try this step…"
Her words were gentle, patient. Shigeo followed her guidance carefully, tracing the steps in his notebook with trembling fingers. He glanced up at the board, then back at Kitty, and then tried the calculation on his own.
"…Is this right?" he asked softly.
Ms. Monroe smiled encouragingly. "Yes, that's correct, Shigeo. Very good."
A small cheer rose from the few nearby students who had been watching, but more importantly, Shigeo felt something new: a tiny spark of pride. He had done it.
Kitty grinned at him from across the desk. "See? I knew you could do it."
Shigeo's lips curved into a hesitant smile, and for the first time in a long while, he felt… like he might actually belong somewhere.
Xavier Institute – Cafeteria
Shigeo picked up his tray, eyes flicking nervously across the crowded cafeteria. His hands trembled slightly as he balanced his food, unconsciously scanning for someone who might trip him, steal his lunch, or make fun of him.
Seeing a mostly empty table in the corner, he hesitated, then quietly made his way over and sat down. He kept his gaze low, heart racing, almost expecting trouble.
But to his surprise, the empty seats didn't stay empty for long.
"Mind if we join you?" Kitty asked with a warm smile, sliding into the bench beside him.
Shigeo blinked, unsure how to respond, then nodded.
Bobby Drake plopped down next to him, making a small snowball in his hand for fun. "Looks like you could use some company."
Peter Rasputin, towering in his metal form, gave a gentle nod as he sat across from Shigeo. "You're welcome to join us. Don't worry we're all friends here."
Kurt phasing onto the other side gave a friendly wave. "Wouldn't let you eat alone, Mob."
Spike leaned casually against the table, smirking. "Yeah, I've seen your kind of nervous. Don't worry, we won't bite."
Magik perched herself on the corner of the table, observing him carefully, then gave a small approving nod.
For the first time since arriving at the mansion, Shigeo felt a flicker of relief. These people weren't looking to hurt him but they wanted to be near him.
As they all began chatting, laughing softly, and teasing each other playfully, Shigeo started to relax, slowly letting his guard down.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed her: a black-haired girl sitting alone at a table across the cafeteria. Her gaze met his.
He froze. Her piercing eyes seemed to look straight through him. Shigeo's hand lifted almost unconsciously, and he gave a shy wave.
The girl smirked, a small, knowing smile, and waved back.
Shigeo's chest warmed slightly, a strange flutter he hadn't felt before. Even as he returned to the laughter of his new friends, he found his eyes drifting back to her, curiosity and something like hope in his chest.
Xavier Institute – Danger Room
The Danger Room hummed softly as Mob stood in the center, eyes downcast, fists clenched. Jean Grey floated before him, her psychic aura shimmering faintly.
"Mob," she said gently, "I'm going to help you learn to control your powers. It's okay to feel… anger, frustration, sadness. It's normal. But we need to channel it."
Shigeo's stomach twisted. "I… I don't want to hurt anyone."
Jean nodded, understanding. "That's why I'm here. Trust me."
She lightly touched his forehead with her hand, sending subtle psychic waves into his mind, guiding him to focus on the emotions he usually tried to suppress. Memories of teasing, neglect, fear, and shame floated through his consciousness. His heart pounded.
At first, it was manageable. His aura flickered faintly, a soft glow around him. But the deeper Jean pushed, the stronger the emotions became. Mob's chest rose and fell rapidly. His small frame began to tremble.
Suddenly, the glow exploded into a blinding white light. Objects in the Danger Room lifted, spinning violently. The walls cracked. Training bots were thrown across the room like toys.
"Mob! Focus!" Jean's voice pierced the chaos, but he couldn't. His body floated above the floor, hair standing on end, psychic energy radiating like a storm.
The Danger Room shuddered, alarms blaring. Mob's breathing became ragged as tears streaked his glowing face. "I… I can't…" he muttered, voice trembling. "I… I don't want to…!"
Jean immediately released her hold, but the room continued to spiral out of control. Finally, Mob's aura collapsed in on itself, sending him crashing to the floor, shaking and sobbing quietly.
Beast rushed in, examining the damage. "Remarkable… but far too dangerous if left unchecked." He crouched beside Mob, adjusting his glasses. "You have an extraordinary level of psychic power, but it is tightly bound to your emotions. Even minor surges could have catastrophic results."
Shigeo hugged his knees, voice barely a whisper. "I… I don't want to use my powers anymore. Ever."
Hank's expression softened, and he reached into a bag, pulling out a sleek, silver watch. He handed it to Mob. "This is a control device I designed. It monitors your emotional output. If your emotions rise above sixty percent intensity, the watch will alert you. Anything above that, your powers remain manageable. Think of it as a safety net."
Mob looked at it, hesitant. Jean placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to face this alone. You can still be Mob, even if you don't use your powers yet. But this… this can help you learn to control them when you're ready."
Shigeo took the watch, sliding it onto his wrist. For the first time, he felt a small spark of hope. "…Okay," he whispered. "I'll try."
Beast nodded. "Good. Remember, even a little control is progress. And Jean will help guide you every step of the way."
Mob clenched his fists but this time, not in fear, but determination. His powers were still dangerous, yes, but maybe, just maybe, he could learn to be in control.