Unlike Tony's supercar, Banner's ride was pretty normal—nothing flashy—as he drove us across the city toward Xavier's Academy for the Gifted… or, as I liked to call it, freak academy. Honestly, I'd probably fit right in.
"So, how've you been adjusting to life over here, Bill?" Bruce asked, making an effort at small talk while I paused mid-channel surf on the radio.
"Like a really bad trip," I said, thinking back to my first experience with cannabis-laced brownies.
We'd been at a party that night. Freddy told me it was chocolate fruit cake—said we could each have two pieces. I didn't even make it halfway through the second before this weird buzzing sensation started crawling through my body.
Everything after that was kind of a blur, but Freddy? Yeah, he thought the whole thing was hilarious when I started tripping. Both experiences felt quite surreal.
"Adjustments like that take time," Bruce said, turning the wheel as we took a left. "Don't push yourself."
Then he nodded toward the dashboard. "Tell you what—check in there and find something to keep yourself occupied. This might take a while."
"Comic books?"
Not just any comics—X-Men comics.
"Thought it might help you get a little familiar with some of them," he added, glancing briefly at me before returning his focus to the road. "Just don't go full fanboy after reading about all their heroics."
"I'm only saying that because it'd be really embarrassing for me," he tacked on.
"They've got their own comics? These guys just keep getting cooler by the day." The thought barely settled before another popped up. "Wait, do the Avengers have comics too?"
Bruce had been sneaking quick glances at me while I skimmed through the pages, trying to pick where to start, but at that question, he immediately looked back at the road—almost too quickly—his expression tightening into something close to nervous.
"Oh… hmm. None that I'm aware of." He tried to sound casual, but yeah—he definitely knew something. Maybe he sucks in the comics.
No way, though. There's no universe where big green gets written as lame. Yeah, that's what I call his other guy. We haven't really talked about it, and I haven't seen him transform since that first time—but I've caught his eyes flashing green here and there when he gets worked up.
As I kept reading, it hit me just how legit these guys were as a superhero team. Their frontline leader literally shoots lasers out of his eyes. That's insane.
Cyclops. I mean, come on—the name alone, plus that visor? Dude looks like he's farming aura 24/7.
And then there's Xavier—a full-on psychic mutant. The comics never really spelled out the full extent of his psychic powers—wheather it was telekinesis or telepathy, but he was always shown in a wheelchair.
Wait… is it even okay for all their abilities and the team's secrets to be just… out in the open like this?
What about the villains they keep beating, though? I can't help but wonder how they feel getting portrayed as nothing but walking punching bags—catching absolute belt-to-ass in every single issue. Then again, they kind of deserve it. Maybe a little public humiliation will get them to rethink their life choices and quit the whole evil gig.
Wait—they've got a blue sasquatch too. Beast. Okay, their naming game is on point. Now I'm curious if his mutation just permanently has him looking like that, or if he can switch back to a normal human form like Bruce does.
So far, out of everyone on the X-Men roster, the one who really caught my attention was the lady who could control the weather.
Storm.
Yeah… she could easily be co-captain to my Captain Marvel. Honestly, I wouldn't even mind making her the "S" in Shazam—she fits that goddess vibe perfectly.
Man, I really hope I get to meet her.
Somewhere along the line, still flipping through the comics, I ended up falling asleep during the drive.
And it was a solid nap too… right up until Bruce ruined it.
"Wake up, Billy. We're here." He gave me a light tap, and I cracked my eyes open to what looked like the gates of some massive estate.
The gates parted, and as we drove in, my attention caught the corner post stamped with "Xavier Academy." I'd already imagined something big and fancy—but as we rolled further down the driveway, I realized reality was way better than anything I'd pictured.
Then a thought hit me—something I'd been meaning to ask Bruce for a while now, especially after going through those comics.
"Hey, Bruce," I called out as he pulled into a parking spot.
"Yes, Billy," he replied, easing the car into place before shutting off the engine.
"I've been wondering… are they the X-Men because they're Xavier's men, or are they Xavier's men because they're the X-Men?"
He blinked. Once. Twice. Just kind of… froze on that.
He thought about it for a second while unbuckling his seatbelt, clearly coming up empty. "Uh… I don't know, Billy. I really don't."
We stepped out of the car and started toward the building. Waiting at the entrance was a blue, furry guy in a waistcoat, already there to greet us.
Yeah… that was definitely Beast from the comics. Guess his mutant gene really does keep him like this all the time, or he just really likes this form.
"Bruce, it's been a while," he said, walking up to us.
"Quite a while, Hank," Bruce replied, and the two of them clasped hands in a firm handshake.
"And this is…?" he asked, adjusting his glasses as his eyes landed on me.
"I'm Billy." I reached out, and he shook my hand.
'Wow… he really is like Bigfoot. Just blue.'
"Hank," he introduced himself. "This way." He motioned for us to follow as he turned and started leading us into the manor-like building.
I leaned a bit closer to Bruce as we walked. "You didn't mention your friend was a Sasquatch."
"..."
Bruce went quiet for a second, like he didn't even know how to respond.
"Oh, Hank's human. He looks like that because of his mutant gene," he finally said.
I thought about that, already about to ask another question when Bruce leaned slightly toward me again. Right as Hank started to turn back in our direction.
"How about you save the questions for later," Bruce murmured, giving my shoulder a couple of light pats.
"Welcome to Xavier's Academy for Gifted Students," Hank said, gesturing around as he led us through what looked like the main hall.
- - -
Billy Batson had barely stepped through the doors of the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters before his attention started bouncing in every direction at once, searching for anything that might catch his interest.
After going through those comics Bruce had handed him—stories filled with their heroics and their mission to help mutants and regular humans coexist—being here in person felt less like a visit and more like stepping right into one of those pages.
While Banner and Hank were already deep in conversation—something about magical energy signatures and gamma readings, since Bruce was handling things from the scientific angle while Doctor Strange took the mystical route—Billy's focus drifted elsewhere entirely.
Curiosity.
He knew he probably wasn't supposed to wander off—he was a guest, after all—but honestly, how was he supposed to just stand still? The place practically screamed adventure.
A long corridor stretched out ahead of him, sunlight pouring in through tall windows that overlooked the massive school grounds. Students moved freely through the open hall—some floating a few inches off the ground, others surrounded by faint, flickering auras, and a few who looked completely normal… right up until they did something that definitely wasn't.
Billy slowed near a small group.
One boy had his hands lit up with a soft blue glow, fingers moving like he was drawing something in midair. A translucent shield shimmered into existence around him, rippling and shifting with each motion. The boy glanced over at Billy, gave him a quick wink—
—and vanished in a sudden flash of light.
Billy's jaw dropped. "Whoa… teleporting? That's… that's amazing," he muttered under his breath, half-expecting the guy to pop back in just to hear him.
A grin spread across his face, that same rush of excitement bubbling up—similar to how he usually felt when he shouted Shazam.
Only this time, he was just Billy.
Just a kid standing in the middle of something incredibly cool. Something that didn't openly exist in his universe.
Making his way down a wide staircase to the lower floor, Billy's sneakers squeaked softly against the polished stone. The walls were lined with paintings—figures who looked like they could've been past X-Men.
Leaders, heroes, scientists, maybe even rebels… all staring out from their frames like they had stories to tell. Billy barely spared them a second thought. At the far end of the hall, though, one portrait stood out—larger than the rest. It showed a bald man in a suit, seated in a wheelchair.
"Hmmm."
He turned a corner—
—and stopped dead in his tracks.
A girl floated in the center of what looked like a training room, lightning dancing across her fingertips. Her hair whipped around her face as clouds gathered above her, swirling like a living storm. For a moment, she didn't notice him, and Billy just… stared.
Her eyes glowed pure white, a sharp contrast to her pale hair. That's exactly what she looks like. The comics had made her seem impressive, sure—but they didn't even come close to doing her justice. She looked to be in her mid twenties but could early pass of to be quite younger.
'Yeah… if I were Shazam, she'd easily be the perfect partner.' He thought.
Her gaze snapped to him, the glow in her eyes fading back to normal as she raised an eyebrow. "Are you lost?" she asked, her voice calm but edged with authority, carrying the faint crackle of static.
Billy swallowed, forcing a nervous grin. "Uh… no! Just… exploring. I'm, uh… new here." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Billy. Just a visitor."
She tilted her head slightly, studying him, then gave a faint smirk. "Visitors don't usually wander these halls alone."
'I can't believe this is actually happening.' In the comics, she'd come off way more intense—but in person, she felt… different. Calmer. Either she'd mellowed out, or whoever wrote those stories was just working off secondhand impressions.
Billy shrugged, trying to look casual. "I'm just… curious. There's a lot to see." His eyes drifted back to the storm swirling above her. "I mean—wow. You're actually controlling the weather. That's insane."
Her smile grew just a little. "Storm," she said simply. "You can call me Storm."
Billy's brain nearly shorted out. "Storm… is that your real name?" he asked, doing his best to sound natural—like he wasn't internally freaking out over the fact that he already knew she was some thunder goddess who was the perfect contrast to him, a lighhtning wielder. "Because honestly… it fits you perfectly." He added.
'Damn… I really just went and said that, didn't I?' Billy mentally groaned, cringing at himself and hoping his attempt at flirting didn't come off as completely embarrassing.
Her lips curved into a small smile, like she actually found it a little amusing.
"..."
Before he could scramble for something—anything—to save face, the floor beneath them gave a light rumble. Somewhere down the hall, one of the younger students was clearly practicing seismic powers. Plates on nearby tables rattled, and Billy flinched back slightly before letting out a nervous laugh.
"Okay… yeah, this place is very alive. No way could possibly get bored here."
"If you'll excuse me…" he added quickly, turning on his heel and heading for the exit before he could embarrass himself any further—or worse, before she decided to bring up the whole obvious age gap thing.
"It's Ororo."
Her voice stopped him mid-step. Billy glanced back to see her watching him, her expression retaining what seem to be it's usual calm.
"You told me your name. It's only fair I tell you mine."
A smile spread across his face, cheeks lifting as he gave a small nod before continuing out into the halls.
He wandered deeper into the academy, passing classrooms and labs. One room buzzed with strange machinery, drawing his attention. Billy peeked inside.
A girl with electric-blue skin stood at a floating holographic interface, running what looked like some kind of advanced simulation. Sparks crackled off his fingertips every now and then, making Billy instinctively duck—but the girl didn't even react.
Billy grinned to himself, lowering his voice. "So… this is what school would've been like if I went somewhere everyone had powers. Man… I wish I could show them Shazam…"
He turned another corner—
—and almost walked straight into someone.
Billy stumbled back slightly, realizing he'd nearly collided with a man in a wheelchair. The guy was bald, carrying himself with this calm, almost regal presence, a clipboard resting in his hands as he observed the students.
"Ah," the man said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You must be the guest Banner mentioned. Billy, was it?"
Billy straightened quickly, trying not to look like some lost kid who'd wandered into where he did not belong. "Y-yeah! That's me. Nice to meet you!"
The man's eyes seemed to gleam with quiet understanding.
"Charles Xavier," he introduced himself. "Professor. Headmaster."
Billy's eyes widened, but he forced himself to stay composed. "Professor Xavier," he said, careful to sound respectful. The comics had never gone into detail about Xavier's psychic abilities, but they made it clear he was the ultimate authority among the X-Men.
"Your school… it's amazing!" Billy added, his excitement barely contained as he nervously wondered if he was reading his mind that very moment.
He tried to clear his thoughts when the Professor gave a polite nod, his gaze briefly scanning Billy as if he could sense more than he let on. "It is a special place. But I would advise caution. Even in moments of curiosity, accidents can happen," he said, a subtle reference to Billy nearly colliding with him earlier.
Billy's grin widened, tinged with a rush of thrill. "Accidents are kinda my specialty," he muttered under his breath. "But I'll do my best not to cause trouble for you or your school, Professor X. Can I call you Professor X? Sounds… fitting. Mysterious, too."
"Sure," Xavier replied, chuckling softly. "I'm no stranger to it anyway. Very well—enjoy your exploration. But be mindful, and stay out of the Danger Room unless invited."
"Thanks for the heads-up… and the free rein," Billy said, spinning on his heel and bounding down the hallway before the professor could change his mind. 'Danger Room… check. Totally cool. Maybe later.' Billy thought.
He rounded another corridor and stopped short. Outside, in the courtyard, a group of students were practicing their powers. One boy had anchored himself to the ground with solid chains. A vibrant aura enveloped him as he zipped around in dizzying circles, sometimes streaking across the ground in fiery arcs, moving faster than the eye could follow.
Nearby, another student levitated metal objects, orchestrating them in a flawless, precise dance. Billy crouched behind a column, utterly mesmerized.
'This is… incredible,' he thought. 'This is exactly the kind of place I'd want to be Shazam. Not that Banner or Beast would approve if they knew I snuck off… but hey. What a chance! It's not like I'm new to getting into trouble with supervisors.
He pivoted toward the other side of the courtyard, eyes scanning eagerly. 'Now… where's the Danger Room I'm definitely not supposed to enter?'