The combined group moved deeper into Aurawood Preserve, the air cooling as they entered a mountainous section. Towering pine trees, thick with needles, lined the winding paths. Strange, colorful fungi dotted the forest floor, casting a soft glow.
Jubilee, her eyes catching a flock of Pidgey with feathers like painted sunsets, felt a spark of inspiration. She extended her hands, tiny, harmless bursts of pink and gold plasma crackling between her fingers.
"Hey, little guys," Jubilee called out, her voice bright. "Think you can fly through these? It's like a light show!"
A few Pidgey tilted their heads, curious but still wary, before flapping their wings and soaring away. Jubilee shrugged, a small grin on her face.
Bobby Drake watched a gurgling stream rush over smooth stones. He considered the possibilities, his mind already sketching out a perfect, glassy slide. He wondered how fast he could get down it.
A mischievous grin spread across his face.
A large, metallic hand gently touched Bobby's shoulder. Piotr Rasputin stood beside him, his expression calm and steady.
"Bobby," Colossus said, his deep voice a soft rumble. "We are here to observe, to learn. Not to turn nature into our playground."
Bobby sighed, the thought of the ice slide melting away.
"Yeah, yeah, Peter, I know," Bobby said. "Just thinking of ways to spice up the hike. A little fun never hurt anyone."
Kamala Khan pointed with a careful finger. Her Eevee trotted beside her, its tail twitching as it scanned the tall grass.
"Look, Eevee, a Bounsweet!" Kamala whispered, her voice soft. "It's so cute, but it looks shy."
The little Grass-type Pokémon, shaped like a mangosteen, peeked from behind a cluster of leaves, its small eyes wide.
Doreen Green, with Tippy-Toe chittering affirmations from her shoulder, leaned in.
"Okay, Kamala, here's a pro tip for shy Pokémon," Doreen said. "You gotta use your sweet voice, like you're telling a baby squirrel it's okay to have another nut. Think gentle, think reassuring."
Kamala nodded, trying a softer tone with the Bounsweet. Eevee let out a quiet "vee" sound, a comforting presence beside her.
Rogue observed the group from a slight distance. Her gloved hands were clasped in front of her, a familiar posture of caution. The playful energy of the others was a refreshing change, but her eyes never stopped moving, subtly scanning the edges of the forest.
She noticed the way the tree branches swayed, the rustle of leaves, and the occasional snap of a twig. Her enhanced senses picked up faint scents, too, a mix of pine, damp earth, and something else, something metallic and out of place.
Kitty Pryde and Espurr walked closer to Piotr and Rogue. Espurr's wide eyes seemed to take everything in, its psychic energy a quiet hum.
"It's really beautiful here," Kitty said to Piotr, her voice thoughtful. "Professor X would love to paint this. He finds such peace in nature."
Piotr nodded, his gaze sweeping over the scene.
"Indeed," Piotr said. "There is much beauty here. And much strength."
Rogue's eyes lingered on the distant mountain peaks, a frown almost imperceptible on her lips. She didn't like how quiet some parts of the preserve were. It felt too still, like the calm before a storm.
As they climbed higher, the cheerful greenery of Aurawood began to fade. The soft earth turned to jagged rock, and the colorful wildflowers gave way to sparse, tough bushes clinging to cracks in the stone. The air grew thinner and colder, carrying fewer sounds of chittering Pokémon or rustling leaves.
Espurr, usually a quiet observer on Kitty's shoulder, twitched its ears, its wide, pale violet eyes fixed on something far ahead. A faint, almost unheard hum began to make its way through the crisp air, too low for human ears to easily catch.
Their winding path finally opened into a wide clearing. There, squatting like a forgotten monster, was an old, abandoned power plant. Its metal shell was a patchwork of rust and peeling paint, with thick, tenacious vines starting to reclaim its structure. The low hum grew a little louder here, a steady mechanical pulse beneath the natural quiet.
Kitty felt Espurr's little body tense, a subtle shift in its psychic presence.
"Espurr, what do you feel?" Kitty asked, a small line forming between her eyebrows.
Espurr's unblinking gaze remained on the plant, and a clear thought formed in Kitty's mind: Energy. Strong. Inside. A singular, powerful signature pulsed from deep within the decaying structure.
Kamala remembered Valeria's report about strange energy spikes in this section of Aurawood. That information, combined with Espurr's reading, painted a clearer picture. This wasn't just a deserted building; it was a puzzle waiting to be solved.
Piotr stepped forward, his large frame subtly straightening. He transformed into his organic steel form, the familiar SHINK of shifting metal echoing in the silent clearing. He always felt more at ease when ready for trouble.
"A power plant here?" Kamala whispered to Doreen. "That's not exactly eco-friendly."
"Totally," Doreen agreed, her voice hushed. "And look at those vines. Nature is really trying to take it back. I wonder what kind of environmental damage it's doing."
Kitty closed her eyes for a moment, focusing on Espurr's input. The powerful, singular energy signature still pulsed, a beacon of something unknown deep inside the plant. It wasn't a dispersed field; it was a point source.
Kurt felt a prickling sensation along his fur, a subtle warning from his own heightened senses. An ancient, wild power, older than technology, seemed to emanate from the structure, a contrast to the mechanical hum. He shifted, his tail giving a nervous flick.
The X-Men exchanged glances. They had come to Aurawood to learn, to help, and this certainly fit the bill for an unexpected mystery. A silent agreement passed between them. Piotr led the way, his heavy metal boots crunching on the rocky ground. The rhythmic hum from the abandoned power plant grew louder with each step, pulling them closer to its hidden core.
***
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Advance chapters in P@T0n Najicablitz.