They left Scott sleeping peacefully on the grass and walked inside the large, busy school building.
Logan was waiting for them just inside the doors. He looked down at the unconscious Scott, and then his sharp eyes locked onto Sam.
As a mutant with animal senses, Logan's instincts were screaming at him. His nose picked up a scent of power so heavy and ancient that it made the hair on his arms stand up.
He knew instantly that Sam was incredibly dangerous—more dangerous than anyone he had ever met.
But Logan also looked at Jean and Ororo. They weren't scared. They were glowing, happy, and standing very close to Sam.
Logan relaxed his shoulders and let out a gruff sigh.
"I'll carry Slim down to the medical bay,"
Logan grunted, effortlessly tossing Scott over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"I'll let Hank check his head, just in case."
Before Logan walked away, he looked back at Sam. He noticed the way Jean was holding Sam's arm, and the deep, respectful connection between Sam and Ororo.
A slow, knowing smirk appeared on Logan's rough face.
"The school belle and the weather goddess at the same time?"
Logan chuckled softly, shaking his head.
"What a man."
Sam just gave a polite, calm smile as Logan walked down the hall.
Sam, Jean, and Ororo continued walking toward Professor Xavier's office.
But before they could reach the stairs, a young girl with brown hair and a white streak ran up to them. It was Anna Marie.
"Jean! Ororo!"
Anna Marie said, her voice full of relief. She kept her hands safely tucked inside the pockets of her jacket.
"I was so worried. You were gone all weekend!"
"I am fine, Anna,"
Jean smiled warmly.
"I was just getting some training."
Jean looked at her friend. Anna Marie lived a very lonely life.
Because of her mutant power, if her bare skin touched anyone, she would absorb their life energy, their memories, and their powers. She could hurt or even kill people just by holding their hands.
She hadn't felt human touch in years.
Jean suddenly remembered what Natasha had told them about Qi acting as the ultimate shield.
"Anna,"
Jean said, her eyes lighting up with hope. She turned to Sam.
"Sam... Can your energy help her? Can cultivation stop her from draining people?"
Sam looked at Anna Marie. He could see the sad, lonely energy swirling around her body.
"Let's find out,"
Sam said gently.
Sam raised his hand. He didn't build a hard wall. Instead, he coated his skin with a thick, flowing layer of his pure pink Qi.
"Take your glove off,"
Sam told her softly.
"Touch my hand."
Anna Marie took a step back, looking terrified.
"No! I can't! If I touch you, I will hurt you. It happens every time!"
"You won't hurt me,"
Sam promised. His deep, steady voice made her feel strangely safe.
"Trust me."
With a trembling hand, Anna slowly took off her glove. She reached out, closing her eyes, preparing for the terrible rush of stealing someone's life.
Her bare fingers touched Sam's palm.
Anna gasped.
There was no pain. There was no overwhelming flood of memories or stolen energy. She just felt the warm, solid, comforting feeling of another person's hand.
She opened her eyes, tears instantly filling them. She grabbed his hand with both of hers, holding on as tightly as she could.
"I can touch you,"
Anna cried happily, a huge smile breaking across her face.
"I'm really touching you!"
Sam smiled, letting her hold his hand. He could feel the suction of her mutant power trying to pull his energy away.
But it was incredibly weak against his Golden Core.
Because Sam's Qi was so thick and massive, her power couldn't break through the layer. It was like she was trying to suck thick honey from a giant, endless tank using a tiny needle for a straw. She couldn't drain him even if she held his hand for a hundred years.
Seeing this, Jean and Ororo wanted to try, too. They focused and coated their own hands with their new Qi.
"Try me, Anna,"
Jean offered happily.
Anna touched Jean's hand. For the first time, the two friends could actually feel each other's skin.
But because Jean hadn't fully stepped onto the path of cultivation yet, her Qi was very thin. After a few seconds, Jean felt her energy slipping away, and they had to let go.
Then, Anna touched Ororo's hand. Because Ororo was at the Qi Gathering Stage, her energy was much stronger.
Anna and Ororo held hands tightly, laughing together for a few minutes before Ororo's shield finally started to crack.
Anna put her glove back on, but she was crying tears of pure joy. She wasn't cursed to be completely alone forever.
"Thank you,"
Anna whispered, wiping her eyes and looking at Sam like he was an angel.
"Thank you so much."
"Keep practicing your breathing, Jean,"
Sam smiled, looking at his girlfriend.
"Soon, you will be strong enough to hold her hand all day."
Jean nodded with fierce determination. She had another reason to get stronger now.
"Come,"
Ororo said gently, wiping a happy tear from her own eye.
"Charles is waiting for us."
As Ororo and Sam started walking down the hall, Anna gently pulled Jean's sleeve.
"Jean, wait,"
Anna whispered. Her eyes were still looking at Sam's back.
"Who is he? How did he do that? Is it a new mutation?"
Jean smiled. She saw a perfect opportunity.
"It is not a mutation, Anna. It is called cultivation,"
Jean explained softly.
"He uses natural energy called Qi to make his body and mind stronger. He is teaching Ororo and me how to do it."
Anna looked down at her bare hands. For the first time in her life, she had real hope.
"If I learn this... if my energy gets stronger like Ororo's..."
Anna started, her voice shaking with excitement.
"Could I hold people without wearing gloves? Could I be normal?"
"Yes,"
Jean nodded confidently.
"If you train hard enough, your Qi can act as a permanent shield. You could touch anyone."
Anna didn't hesitate for a single second.
"Can I join you? Can he teach me too?"
Jean's smile grew wider. She felt a wave of absolute success.
She remembered the heavy, burning Yang energy inside Sam's Golden Core.
He needed a strong array of women to cool his fire.
Natasha, Ororo, herself, and now Anna. Four women with unique, powerful energies.
That should be more than enough to keep him safe and help him reach the next stage.
"I think that is a wonderful idea,"
Jean said happily.
"I will talk to Natasha about it tonight. She will be very pleased."
Jean and Anna hurried down the hall and caught up with Sam and
Ororo just as they reached the heavy wooden doors of the headmaster's office.
Ororo opened the doors.
Sitting behind a large wooden desk was Professor Charles Xavier. He was in his wheelchair, his hands folded neatly on his lap.
He looked calm, wise, and welcoming.
"Welcome back, Ororo, Jean,"
Professor Xavier said kindly. Then, his eyes moved to Sam.
"And welcome to our school..."
Before Charles even finished his sentence, Sam felt a sudden, invisible wave of energy try to enter his brain.
It was a telepathic probe. Charles was trying to read his surface thoughts.
With his Golden Core, Sam didn't even need to blink.
The pink Qi around his brain was as solid as a diamond mountain.
The Professor's mental probe hit the shield and instantly bounced off, completely unable to pass through.
Sam's eyes turned cold for a fraction of a second. He looked straight into Charles's mind.
"You should be careful where you send your mind, Professor,"
Sam said. His voice was perfectly polite, but it carried a very heavy, dangerous weight.
"If you were trying to do more than just take a quick peek, I would have destroyed your inner mind."
Charles blinked. He looked genuinely surprised.
The invisible pressure pushing back against his telepathy was terrifying.
It felt like standing in front of a massive, ancient dragon.
He quickly pulled all of his mental energy back.
Then, slowly, a warm, respectful smile spread across Charles's face.
He didn't look angry; he looked fascinated.
"I apologize,"
Charles said, bowing his head slightly.
"It is a bad habit of mine to knock on doors when I meet new people. But your door is unlike anything I have ever felt."
Charles wheeled himself out from behind the desk, looking at Sam with deep interest.
"I have traveled the world and read many ancient texts,"
Charles explained, his eyes bright.
"I have studied the old legends of Qi and the flow of the universe. But the books always described them as myths or lost arts. I must admit, this is the very first time I have ever met a real Cultivator."
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