#The Cerebro Files

[newx-menfan]

Thoughts on Cerebro Podcast:

Readers paying attention to nothing except X-Men is kind of brutally true 😂🤣 (I do read other comics…but X-Men is the only book I consistently read…)

Apparently one of the writers cats is very vicious! (I think it’s Jackson’s )🙀😾😹

Was kind of apprehensive when the podcaster mentioned not being a fan of NYX or NXM:AX- NYX I at least get…but I kind of am surprised they weren’t a big fan of NXM…honestly this is the same problem with “Xavier Files” for me; they write it off as “gimmicky” or “commercialization” or “a Harry Potter knockoff”, instead of admitting that NXM really was a great predecessor of Gen X and NM and fit really well with what Morrison had developed. I would say NXM was the only x-book that ever fully “felt” like a true blue “school” book and that the characters felt more realistic because they were flawed and more nuanced than a lot of previous teen characters 😒

Don’t agree that all the NXM should necessarily “break bad”- it makes sense more for someone like Hellion, (who went through bodily harm repeatedly, was heavily “shunned” by adults or labeled as a proto-villain, and was already pretty naturally rebellious) than a lot of the other NXM characters. Like I don’t envision Indra or even modern day Elixir turning because of their personalities…MAYBE Pixie because of Limbo influence? Even Surge, for example, as angry as she is…I can’t picture it working narratively as well.

Agree with the Podcaster that in a lot of ways these characters work in a new title because they feel “college age”- they’re not too young that you have to write a YA/highschool book and can feature broader themes…but they’re also still a “hip” and “young” age…

Brought up what I have been saying for years- that the NXM represented cultural crisis like climate change, 9/11, recession, ect… basically general disenfranchisement caused by modernity…and that they still work for that feeling and are basically the “millennials” of X-books

Kamala WAS editorially mandated 

I feel better hearing it described as “older Bendis” kind of book- as negative as I feel about Bendis, I did really enjoy his “street vibe” with Jessica Jones and Miles and miss those kinds of books. I miss books like “X-Factor Investigations” or the original “NYX”…

Really thrilled to hear Hellion is their favorite lol! (Although Hellion is pretty much EVERYONE’S favorite lol😜)

Really agree with the note that Hellion’s BIGGEST flaw isn’t that he’s wrong, but that he’s arrogant and condescending about it (it’s also TOTALLY why I think he’s an ♈️ and not a ♌️ )

Same with the “he’s not a BAD kid, he just comes off as bad”…

Agree that Laurie Collin’s COULD have made a really cool villian…although I really liked that despite her power set, Laurie WASN’T evil….also objectively…I’m more excited about it being Empath, because as everyone KNOWS, I REALLY wanted the Hellion v. Empath smackdown 😂🤣🤣

F***…. Might need to go back and read “Hellions” now 😂🤣🤣

The writers are obviously going to address the Sophie-Prodigy moment and Laura and Kamala (I have said this with Surge/Dust AX storyline…but again…there’s a difference with writing a problematic scene to explore a real problem vs. being racist/sexist/ect…) 

Really sad to hear the Surge hate ☹️, especially since the writers are obviously doing the same “learning moment” with Sophie and David….again, I would ARGUE the whole point of that original story WAS that Surge was wrong…but whatevs

The “shippers” commentary made me laugh 😂🤣

Liked the conversation around the local feel/geography (I was actually really excited when the “Vessel” at Hudson Yards popped up in issue #1)

I actually DIDN’T think about how Sophie MISSED Decimation…which actually makes it even MORE interesting!… Hellion AND Prodigy are definitely going to give Sophie a piece of their minds though lol

Sophie and Kamala being in the same boat (both didn’t experience THE BAD ERA of X-Men) and learning from one another sounds like it will be really interesting! I am actually MORE excited about Sophie than I was previously after listening to this podcast episode!

The statement about Empath being “Emma’s greatest failure” because you can’t really humble or nudge that character was an interesting way to look at Manuel and I am interested in seeing more of this play out

Sounds like Anole is going to be the one that gets arrested (1:11.45)

The idea of Emma constantly talking shit about Carol Danvers cracked me up 

Dante, David’s boyfriend will be heavily featured in issue #6; also I really appreciated the discussion around Dante, in general 

It does sound like no one should get super attached to any ship from this podcast ep lol

Not sure I care for “Kamala= Superman, Laura=Batman”….but whatevs

Feel super empathetic to Kelly needing to get off the call for his wife- it was super nice of him to do this podcast interview and congratulations on the new addition to his family!! ❤️

Everyone already knows this by now but QQ was originally meant to be “The Krakoan” in the first pitch…honestly it’s for the best because I am picky about my QQ representation…

Hellion commentary (1:27:15)- because THAT’S the most important lol

Totally agree that QQ was a million times better as an antagonist and they (cough…Aaron…cough) ruined a great Morrison character 

Kind of hope they didn’t JUST choose Julian because he’s a “white male privileged character”- Julian definitely IS that, but there’s also plenty more layers TO Julian…

This whole podcast episode is a love letter to Morrison and I LOVE it 😂🤣🤣🤣

Quentin DID steal Julian’s thunder and I am GLAD someone fucking SAID IT! 😂🤣🤣🤣🤣

Calling me out on my Hellion grievances lol - yes, yes I AM that bitter lol

Again- I actually don’t see Surge and Wallflower going evil; Wallflower because she saw how her father’s abuse of his powers affected her mother, and Surge, because I think Noriko is too loyal and dependent on others ultimately…. Julian makes sense because he’s always been a pretty independent thinker/ stood his ground when he thought he was right and always had a “damn the consequences” attitude. Julian IS loyal…but his need to do what he saw as “right” often trumped that loyalty- remember him turning on Emma to defend Laura! (might do a bigger write up on this later!)

Hellion got his hands back…but it sounds like they’re going to tackle THAT story on page possibly

I agree that Hellion TOTALLY would have gone through the Crucible as well- while I LIKED Julian’s prosthetics and what they represented…the truth is Julian more or less SAID he wanted them HEALED in “X-Men: Legacy”…it wouldn’t narratively make sense for him to pull a “Karma” and keep them

Kind of do hope we see Julian MAKING telekinetic floating hands as a fight move…

I agree that Hellion would be angry over the loss of Krakoa…but I actually think, after years of Hellion “wanting fame and glory”…after years and years of trauma and abandonment…receding into the background, having his friends alive and back…might have been a relief to him. While Hellion DEFINITELY IS arrogant…I do think he learned his lesson that there’s a negative to “fame and glory”…

Really pleased to hear Lanzing say he wants Hellion to be a bigger character and kind of push back on the “Hellion is just taking QQ’s original role’s place”- I know I am going to get flack for saying this from QQ fans… but; Hellion is more interesting than just being the ANGRY REBELLIOUS FASCHIST KID. QQ’s original anger didn’t have the layers Hellion does. While there’s definitely some egotism and arrogance there….Hellion WENT through a lot of trauma and isn’t entirely WRONG to be angry at the X-Men….Hellion I would argue ALWAYS had a complexity that QQ never did, because Julian was more emotionally intelligent than QQ (and that WAS kind of the point of Kid Omega…his intellect didn’t match his emotional intelligence! He WAS a more realistic take on the kid who is too smart for his own good!)

Glad to hear him mention Laura specifically!

the 7 train IS objectively terrible lol

This *might* be the book where Kamala’s family finds out she’s a superhero…

I agree with the writers and liked the Aamir moment- I think it does highlight that it IS easy to play into stereotypes and discriminate…especially when there’s propaganda actively reinforcing it…

Kamala is apparently going to get an X-verse version of “the Trumper relative” 😳🤣🤣🤣

G Willow Wilson run shoutout ✊✊

Couldn’t say much about the new “Quiet Council”….but they’re all “failed, used, and taught by Emma Frost”…

“Emma is the educator that matters”- truth!…although this DOESN’T highlight her legacy in a particularly nice way or bode well for the new generation of students 🤣🤣🤣

“Why would we STOP” commentary about Krakoa and the freedom they once had is great!

Calling attention to Hellion AND Esme not having the Empath power effect over them in the art (although the cuckoos powers often show up as pink as well)- won’t confirm or deny Empath controlling them

There isn’t a “Cut and Dry” villain in the book apparently (Ooooohhh! I love that! I really DO hope we get Magneto levels of ambiguity with all these characters!)

Agree that the artist did a great job with Empath’s character design and harkening back to the 80’s! (Technically Empath’s hair color changed depending on the artist- sometimes it was a dirty blonde, sometimes brown…also I could totally see Manuel dyeing his hair to match Emma…so…)

Kind of wonder if Firestar OR Magma will pop up… one of my FAV issues of Uncanny X-Men WAS the one where Empath and Roulette manipulated Warpath’s grief over Thunderbird and Firestar…

The commentary ON Empath and the relationship of psychology to power sets was really excellent!! (1:52:05) [I ADMIT IT NOW- I MIGHT NEED to EAT CROW and read “Hellions” 😂🤣🤣] 

Possibly WILL be in conversation with Eve Ewing’s Emma book… (I really WOULD like to see a dive into Emma constantly trying to “undo” the past with new students, and how it’s NEVER about Emma trying to do “right” by these kids…as much as Emma USES her students as martyrdom…the truth is, much like Xavier, it’s ALWAYS ABOUT her ego…that’s why she does it…) [I KNOW people hated KYOST’s take on Emma back in the day…but I would argue that they weren’t entirely WRONG that Emma’s actions are complex and not ALWAYS altruistic…]

….It KIND OF IS Emma’s fault, people 😂🤣

Not sure I love the idea of the cast growing…but we will see…

Lanzing and Kelly MIGHT be on again! 

Thought about making a Greg land joke with the Spider-Man plug…but I won’t be petty….

Overall- I feel better about this book; it DOES seem like the writers are putting A LOT of thought into this book and aren’t just doing things without thinking about it deeply first! I definitely think this is going to be one of the strongest X-book we’ve gotten in a long time and I am PUMPED! 

(Also I may have to listen to CEREBRO Files more- the commentary was really great 😂🤣🤣)

I know I may regret it…but I am REALLY feeling optimistic about this book!!

[ortegadorra]

What Is Your True Role in the Story? → LINK

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀closed.

 the  antihero.    “  ah  sim,  oi  edge  lord!  que  graça  poder  te  ver  novamente.  você,  meu  querido,  é  a  encarnação  da  dualidade,  e  talvez  pense  em  garras  e  venenos  misturados  com  graciosidade,  mas  que  pena. . . não  é  nada  tão  poético  assim. 

[ . . . ]  você  não  deseja  ser  amado  como  algo  amável,  mas  como  um  monstro.  pois  não  somos  todos  apenas  bestas  em  pele  humana?   

[ . . . ]   você  não  é  o  vilão,  às  vezes  até  desempenha  o  papel  um  pouco  bem  demais,  mas  também  não  é  o  herói.  você  se  coloca  em  primeiro  lugar,  mas  se  alguém  ganhar  sua  confiança,  então  que  os  deuses  tenham  misericórdia  daqueles  que  podem  prejudicá-los.  você  deseja  ser  uma  espécie  de  bagunça  poética  e,  bom,  se  a  tinta  secar  por  tempo  suficiente,  poderá  se  tornar  isso  mais  cedo  ou  mais  tarde. . .  mas  para  alguém  que  está  tão  determinado  na  verdade,  com  certeza  você  esconde  muito,  não  é?  por  favor,  saia  das  sombras.  há  diferença  em  não  tornar  sua  falha  visível  e  simplesmente  agir  como  se  você  fosse  a  pessoa  mais  desprezível  de  todos  os  reinos.   

[ . . . ]   você  diz  que  deseja  ficar  sozinho  por  toda  a  eternidade,  mas  por  que  procura  uma  conexão?  você  deseja  ser  conhecido  e  compreendido  verdadeiramente,  mas  rosna  e  afasta  aqueles  que  podem  estar  tentando.  por  favor,  lobinho,  aceite  que  é  adorável.  você  não  é  uma  fera  voraz  que  aterroriza  multidões  -  com  certeza,  você  não  é  para  os  fracos  de  coração  [ . . .] ”

completo: 

the  antihero.    ah  sim,  oi  edge  lord!  que  graça  poder  te  ver  novamente.  você,  meu  querido,  é  a  encarnação  da  dualidade,  e  talvez  pense  em  garras  e  venenos  misturados  com  graciosidade,  mas  que  pena. . . não  é  nada  tão  poético  assim.  você,  meu  amigo,  é  uma  mistura  do  que  é  visto  como  certo  e  o  questionável,  e  segue  o  caminho  com  seus  próprios  pés.  se  me  permite  dizer,  conhece  as  reviravoltas  e  curvas  da  floresta  da  vida  muito  bem.  e  sabe  como  serpentear  entre  eles  maravilhosamente. você  se  esforça para  se  manter  verdadeiro  à  certo  senso  de  princípios  que  chama  de  seu  código,  mas  que  na  verdade  seriam  sua  moral. 

as  pessoas  tendem  a  ver  você  como  estranho.  afiado  e  brilhante,  se  esconde  atrás  de  uma  capa  de  cota  de  malha,  mas  na  verdade  você  prefere  mostrar  suas  imperfeições  primeiro.  ao  contrário  de  muitos  que  lutam  para  fazer  como  se  suas  falhas  nunca  existissem,  você  orgulhosamente  levanta  as  suas  dizendo  “  este  sou  eu.  este  é  o  pior  de  mim,  agora  você  sabe  o  que  esperar  ”  e  devo  dizer,  é  uma  mentalidade  bastante  intrigante,  pois  verdade  seja  dita:  aqueles  que  amam  seus  picos  e  crateras,  são  os  que  mais  apreciam  a  sua  delicadeza.  você  não  deseja  ser  amado  como  algo  amável,  mas  como  um  monstro.  pois  não  somos  todos  apenas  bestas  em  pele  humana?  é  corajoso,  mas  é  sozinho.  você  sabe  muito  bem  como  assustar  a  maioria,  fazendo  até  mesmo  os  heróis  mais  bravos  se  arrastarem  com  o  rabo  entre  as  pernas.

você  não  é  o  vilão,  às  vezes  até  desempenha  o  papel  um  pouco  bem  demais,  mas  também  não  é  o  herói.  você  se  coloca  em  primeiro  lugar,  mas  se  alguém  ganhar  sua  confiança,  então  que  os  deuses  tenham  misericórdia  daqueles  que  podem  prejudicá-los.  você  deseja  ser  uma  espécie  de  bagunça  poética  e,  bom,  se  a  tinta  secar  por  tempo  suficiente,  poderá  se  tornar  isso  mais  cedo  ou  mais  tarde. . .  mas  para  alguém  que  está  tão  determinado  na  verdade,  com  certeza  você  esconde  muito,  não  é?  por  favor,  saia  das  sombras.  há  diferença  em  não  tornar  sua  falha  visível  e  simplesmente  agir  como  se  você  fosse  a  pessoa  mais  desprezível  de  todos  os  reinos.  é  porque  você  tem  medo  do  apego,  não  é?  bem,  deixe-me  contar  um  segredo:  todo  mundo  é  assim.  você  diz  que  deseja  ficar  sozinho  por  toda  a  eternidade,  mas  por  que  procura  uma  conexão?  você  deseja  ser  conhecido  e  compreendido  verdadeiramente,  mas  rosna  e  afasta  aqueles  que  podem  estar  tentando.  por  favor,  lobinho,  aceite  que  é  adorável.  você  não  é  uma  fera  voraz  que  aterroriza  multidões,  com  certeza,  você  não  é  para  os  fracos  de  coração,  mas  isso  não  o  torna  nem  um  pouco  menos  perfeito  do  que  é.  jovem  anti-herói,  pise  no  sol.  faria  melhor  alcançando  as  coisas  que  deseja,  em  vez  de  ansiar  por  elas  na  escuridão.

original.  

[hidden-behind-the-fourth-wall]

Chains of Destiny - Eva (Ch.1)

Summary: X-men including Logan, are being sent to retrieve a young mutant woman from a experiment facility. However, not everything goes as planned.

Content Warning: mean Logan, like he's actually a jerk here. Hurt, pain, angst (hell a lot of it), mentions of torture, experiments, violence, mentiones of suicide/wanting to die,

Author's note: So I actually planned on this series for a while. Not gonna lie Deadpool and Wolverine gave me a bit of a push to finally publish this series. Keep in mind that this does not take place during Deadpool 3 timeline. This series will have lots of angst so brace yourselves and I really hope you will all love it the same way I love writing it ❤️

Word count: 8 326

The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of technology from the giant monitor hanging on the wall. Around the long, metallic table sat the core members of the X-Men—Scott Summers, Ororo Munroe, Jean Grey, Hank McCoy, and Logan, who sat at the far end, his arms crossed over his chest, eyes narrowed as he stared at the screen.

Charles Xavier sat at the head of the table, his hands folded in front of him. The image on the screen showed a grainy surveillance feed from the inside of the lab they were about to raid. It was dark, but even through the low-quality footage, they could see her—Eva. Curled up in a glass cell, arms wrapped around her knees, staring blankly ahead. Her small frame seemed fragile, but the readings from Cerebro painted a different picture entirely.

“She’s been in there for years,” Charles began, his voice calm and measured. “A captive, used as an experiment by a faction of scientists attempting to create new, enhanced mutants.”

Jean’s brow furrowed, her eyes full of concern. “They’ve been adding mutations to her, manipulating her DNA. That’s… unethical doesn’t even begin to describe it. How has she survived this long?”

“Barely,” Charles answered softly. “She’s had to endure unimaginable pain. Not just from the mutations, but from the emotional and psychological torment. One of her powers allows her to absorb the pain and injuries of others, healing them at her own expense. But it’s more than that. It’s not just physical. She absorbs their emotional damage too. She’s a living conduit for others’ suffering.”

Ororo closed her eyes for a moment, her voice thick with empathy. “No one should have to endure that. We have to help her.”

Scott nodded. “She’s a mutant, and she’s in danger. That makes it our responsibility to get her out of there.” 

Logan leaned forward in his chair, his face twisting into a scowl. “Hold on a second.” His voice was rough, laced with irritation. “You’ve read her file, Chuck. You know what she’s capable of. That kind of power? You really think it’s a good idea to bring her here? She’s a damn walking nuke. You touch her, and she’s in your head, messing with your emotions, maybe worse. That’s if she doesn’t blast you halfway across the room with her force repulsion or whatever the hell it is.”

Jean glanced at Logan, her brow creasing with concern. “She’s been through hell, Logan. She didn’t ask for any of this.”

“I get that,” Logan shot back, his voice sharp, “but it doesn’t change the fact that she’s dangerous. You saw what happened in the last raid when we tried to bring in that mutant with the volatile powers. He almost brought the whole damn building down.”

“Eva isn’t a threat by choice,” Charles interjected, his tone steady, though there was a quiet firmness to it. “She’s been conditioned, pushed to her limits. The trauma she’s endured has caused her to lose control. But she is not beyond saving.”

Logan leaned back in his chair, a growl rumbling low in his throat. “That’s the thing, though, ain’t it? Control. She’s got none. We storm that lab, and she could go off on us just like that,” he snapped his fingers, “and you know it. You’re askin’ us to walk into a situation where we don’t know if we’ll be able to handle her if she flips out.”

“Her powers make her volatile, yes,” Hank spoke up, his deep, thoughtful voice cutting through the tension. “But we’ve faced dangerous powers before. If we don’t act, she will continue to suffer. And from the looks of this lab, it’s only a matter of time before they push her to the breaking point. We have to try.”

“Try?” Logan scoffed. “What if trying gets us killed? Or worse—what if she turns into something none of us can handle?” 

Scott, who had been quiet until now, leaned forward, his gaze locking onto Logan. “We know the risks. But that doesn’t change our mission. We don’t abandon our own, especially not someone who’s been tortured like this.”

“Yeah, well, maybe this time we should think about it,” Logan muttered, his eyes narrowing. “She’s not one of us. Not yet. We don’t even know who she is.” 

“Logan.” Jean’s voice was soft but firm, a note of understanding in it. “You know better than anyone what it’s like to be taken and turned into something against your will.” 

Her words hung in the air like a weight, and for a moment, Logan’s scowl deepened. His hands clenched into fists, his claws threatening to extend. He hated being reminded of what had been done to him—of the experiments, the torture, the mind games that had turned him into a weapon. He’d spent years fighting to control the rage, to stop himself from becoming the monster they tried to make him. 

But this girl… she was different. She wasn’t like him. She wasn’t hardened by battle, wasn’t tempered by a lifetime of violence. She was a raw nerve, and in Logan’s mind, that made her more dangerous than any enemy they’d faced.

“She’s not ready for this world,” Logan said, his voice lower now, but no less intense. “She’s not ready for what happens if she loses it. And we sure as hell ain’t ready for her.” 

Charles met Logan’s gaze evenly, unflinching. “I understand your hesitation, Logan. Truly. But this girl needs us. She’s been used and discarded, treated as nothing more than an experiment. If we don’t intervene, she’ll die in that lab. And if we leave her there, she may very well become the very thing you fear—a weapon. But if we bring her here, if we can reach her, she has a chance at something more. A chance to be more than what they’ve tried to make her.”

Logan grunted, looking away. He could feel the weight of the room’s eyes on him, but it didn’t change the knot of unease twisting in his gut. He didn’t trust this situation. Something about it felt wrong, and his instincts were screaming at him to walk away.

But the problem was, he couldn’t. No matter how much he wanted to turn his back, he couldn’t ignore the part of him that remembered what it was like to be the one trapped, the one without control.

Finally, after a long pause, Logan let out a rough sigh. “Fine. We go in, we get her out. But don’t expect me to play nice if she goes feral.”

Charles nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Thank you, Logan. We’ll do everything we can to make sure it doesn’t come to that.”

Logan stood up from his chair, cracking his neck as he moved toward the door. “Yeah, well, let’s just hope I don’t end up regrettin’ this.”

As Logan stalked out of the room, Ororo exchanged a glance with Scott, who sighed softly. “He’ll come around,” Scott said, though there was an edge of uncertainty in his voice.

“He always does,” Jean murmured, watching the door where Logan had disappeared. “Eventually.”

Charles sat back in his chair, his gaze drifting to the image of Eva on the screen once again. Her small, frail figure was a stark contrast to the power that resided within her.

“She will need time,” he said softly, more to himself than anyone else. “But I believe in her potential. She is more than what they’ve tried to make her.”

And with that, the plan was set. They were going to get Eva out of that lab. Whether or not she could ever be truly free from what had been done to her, though, was another question entirely.

*** 

They needed to act quickly. No one was here for now, but they didn’t when they would be back.

The sharp scent of antiseptic and cold metal filled the underground lab, the walls lined with sterile, reflective surfaces that amplified the clinical horror of the place. Logan led the way. His claws twitched within his knuckles, ready to spring at any moment. Behind him, Storm, Jean and Cyclops moved in silence, their eyes scanning the corridor for any threats. They had heard rumors of this lab—where scientists experimented on mutants—but nothing had prepared them for the twisted reality.

Then Logan's senses sharpened.

"She's close," he growled, his voice barely a whisper, yet thick with urgency.

The lab was dimly lit, sterile, and cold. The sharp scent of chemicals hung in the air, mixed with something darker—something that stank of pain and fear. The X-Men moved quietly, their boots silent against the sleek metal floors. 

“Chuck better be damn sure about this one,” he muttered under his breath, his fists clenched tight. “I ain’t buyin’ this ‘save the girl’ crap.”

Jean turned her head slightly, giving Logan a sharp look. “You know she didn’t choose this, Logan. She’s a victim.”

“Yeah? You tellin’ me she’s not dangerous?” Logan’s voice was a low growl, tinged with irritation. “Because I’ve seen plenty of ‘victims’ go off and take half a town with ‘em.”

“She’s a kid,” Storm cut in, her voice firm but calm. “She’s been tortured. She needs help.”

Logan rolled his eyes, his claws itching to come out. This whole mission felt wrong to him. Saving people? Fine. But saving a mutant who could, at any second, go berserk and tear them all apart? Not so fine.

“You’re all thinkin’ with your hearts,” he muttered, his tone harsh. “And that’s a good way to get us all killed. Just sayin’.”

Cyclops shot him a look, his jaw tightening. “We’re here to help her, Logan. If you can’t handle that, maybe you should’ve stayed at the mansion.”

Logan sneered, his lip curling. “Maybe I shoulda.”

But he didn’t. Despite every instinct telling him to turn around and walk away, he came along. Part of him didn’t know why. Maybe it was the way Charles had looked at him, that quiet conviction in his voice when he said, “She needs us, Logan.”

Logan had heard those words before. He’d been the one who needed saving once. And yeah, he’d been dangerous too. But it didn’t mean he had to like this mission—or trust this girl.

They rounded a corner and found a room that reeked of fear. Through a cracked glass wall, Logan saw her—huddled in the corner, shackled to a metal chair. Her appearance was fragile, like a broken bird too wounded to fly. Tangled hair fell over her face, and her body seemed emaciated, but the air around her pulsed with something dangerous. 

Logan’s stomach tightened as he looked at her. She was small, fragile-looking, her eyes hollow, like she hadn’t seen anything good in a long time. But that wasn’t what set him on edge. No, it was the raw power he could feel rolling off her in waves, even though the thick glass. She was a bomb. One wrong move, and she’d go off.

“Let’s get her out of there,” Cyclops said, moving toward the controls.

Logan bristled, stepping forward. “Wait. What’s the plan here, huh? We just let her loose, hope she’s all sunshine and rainbows?”

 “Logan,” Jean said, her voice steady, “we can calm her down. She’s scared. She’s not going to hurt us.”

“Yeah? Tell that to the last guy who thought he had a handle on a mutant with no control.” Logan’s voice was hard, his eyes narrowed. “That guy ended up in pieces.”

Cyclops sighed, clearly losing patience. “Logan, we didn’t come here to debate this. We came here to get her out. Stand aside.”

Logan didn’t move, his eyes locked on the girl. Something in his gut twisted, but he shoved it aside. “Fine,” he muttered. “But when this goes sideways, don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”

The glass door slid open with a low hiss, and for a moment, nothing happened. Eva didn’t move, didn’t even look up. She was still, like an animal caught in a trap, waiting for something worse to happen.

Jean stepped forward, her voice gentle. “Eva? We’re here to help you. It’s okay. You’re safe now.”

Logan snorted under his breath. Safe. Yeah, right.

Storm moved forward. "We’re here to help," she said gently, trying to project calm through her voice. Her hand moved to the console, disengaging the restraints that held the girl. The moment the locks clicked open, the girl lifted her head.

At first, Eva didn’t respond. But then her eyes flicked up, and Logan saw it—the fear, the confusion. And beneath it, a barely contained surge of raw, unchecked power..

Before anyone could say a word, Eva’s body tensed, and Logan’s instincts screamed at him. Something snapped inside her, a ripple of energy that exploded outward.

“Shit!” Logan barely had time to react before the force hit him, slamming into his chest like a freight train and sending him flying back into the wall with a grunt. The others were thrown back as well, but Jean managed to hold up a telekinetic shield just in time to soften the blow.

Logan hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of him. His head spun as he pushed himself up, his vision blurry for a moment. “Goddamn it,” he snarled.

Cyclops struggled to his feet, his visor sparking. “Jean, calm her down, now!”

“I’m trying!” Jean said, her voice strained as she reached out mentally, but Eva’s panic was overwhelming. The raw emotions she absorbed from the team—fear, frustration, Logan’s anger—were feeding her powers, making them spiral out of control.

Logan gritted his teeth, claws snapping out instinctively. His healing factor allowed him to push through the pain, but it didn’t stop the girl’s attack. The forcefield around her shimmered, pulsating with her terror. She backed into a corner, eyes wide with an animalistic rage, and her breathing was ragged, panicked.

Logan got back on his feet, his body aching from the impact, but he was pissed now. “This is what I’m talkin’ about!” he growled, stalking forward, his claws gleaming. “You can’t control her!” 

Eva’s eyes darted wildly, her chest heaving as waves of energy pulsed off her, distorting the air around her. Her hands trembled, her face twisted in terror. She was completely out of control, her powers lashing out blindly.

"Stay back!" she screamed. "I don’t—don’t come near me!"

Logan pushed himself up, panting. "We’re not here to hurt ya, kid," he said, voice gruff but calmer than before, trying to anchor her in the chaos of her mind. But her eyes had already glazed over—she was lost to the overwhelming storm inside her.

“Eva!” Jean called, her voice soothing but desperate. “Please, you need to stop!” 

But it was no use. Eva couldn’t hear her over the roar of her own panic. 

Logan moved in, fast and low, dodging another pulse of energy that nearly sent him sprawling. His patience was shot, his temper flaring hot. He’d warned them. He’d told them this was a bad idea. And now this girl was about to bring the whole lab down on top of them. 

“Enough of this!” Logan snarled, charging at her with his claws raised. 

Eva’s eyes snapped to him, her panic morphing into raw fear, and without thinking, she thrust her hands out. A blast of energy hit Logan square in the chest, sending him flying back again, slamming into a steel pillar with a bone-rattling crash.

“Dammit!” Logan spat, coughing as he got back to his feet, his ribs screaming in protest. His vision blurred for a second, rage bubbling inside him. “I told you!” he shouted at Cyclops, who was trying to keep his balance. “I told you this was a bad idea!”

Eva staggered back, her body trembling violently. She looked at Logan with wide, terrified eyes, realizing what she’d done. She hadn’t meant to. She didn’t want to hurt him. But the damage was done.

Logan’s gaze locked on hers, filled with fury and mistrust. “You’re gonna kill us all, kid,” he growled, his voice rough, dripping with venom.

“Logan, stop!” Jean shouted, stepping between them. “You’re making it worse!”

“Worse? You think it can get worse than this?” Logan barked, his eyes blazing with anger. “She’s a loose cannon, and you’re all actin’ like she’s some poor helpless kid. She’s not! She’s a damn weapon!” 

Eva’s breath hitched, her vision blurring as tears welled up in her eyes. She wasn’t a weapon. She wasn’t a monster. But that’s all they saw, wasn’t it? That’s all she’d ever be to anyone. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I didn’t mean to—” 

“Yeah?” Logan’s voice was sharp, cutting into her like a knife. “Well, you did.” 

Before Eva could respond, Storm stepped forward, her voice calm but commanding. “Logan, enough.” 

Logan’s scowl deepened, but he backed off, his claws retracting with a sharp snikt. He shot an angry glare at Eva, his eyes filled with mistrust. “If you can’t control yourself, you don’t belong out here.” 

Eva’s heart clenched, her body trembling as she took a step back. The pain in Logan’s words cut deeper than any wound. She didn’t want to be this way. She didn’t want to hurt anyone. But all she ever seemed to do was cause more pain.

A tidal wave of agony and fear threatened to consume her. Haunting recollections of torment, of relentless experimentation, surged through the maze of her mind. The harsh utterances of the man had become a ceaseless refrain since her arrival here. She was reduced to nothing more than an implement of warfare, forged for the benefit of others. Her emotions, her own inner turmoil, were inconsequential. She was bereft of care or compassion. 

Tears welled up in her eyes, a dam of pent-up emotion threatening to break. The potency of his words was such that it cleaved her to the quick, opening fresh wounds and exposing deeply buried insecurities in her already scarred heart. He needed to grasp the truth, he needed to comprehend the reality of her existence: she was no monster.  

Her presence here was not a matter of choice, but rather of necessity.

Without warning, she lunged at him. Her hand made contact with his arm, and suddenly, a flood of raw emotions poured into him. Fear. Pain. Desperation. The weight of all the suffering she had endured hit Logan like a punch to the gut. His mind reeled as her powers synced with his, letting him feel what she felt.  

The room distorted around him—her memories blurring into his thoughts. Logan saw flashes: needles piercing her skin, the cold, merciless faces of scientists, the endless nights spent in isolation. Every ounce of agony and torture she’d endured slammed into him, nearly buckling his knees. 

"Get out of my head!" Logan snarled, shaking her off. But it was too late—her power had taken hold, binding their emotions together like a knot. 

"Logan!" Cyclops shouted, firing a quick burst from his optic blast. The force knocked her back, but only momentarily. The girl screamed again, and this time her forcefield flared with blinding intensity, hurling them all across the room. 

Storm shot into the air, lightning crackling around her as she tried to contain the energy swirling around the girl. "We have to neutralize her, Logan—she can’t control it!" 

"I know!" he barked, struggling to regain his balance as another pulse of energy sent a chair crashing into the wall. His claws slid back into place. He could see it in the girl’s eyes—she wasn’t attacking them out of malice. It was terror. Pure, unbridled terror. But it didn’t matter. Right now, she was a threat. 

Logan moved toward her again, determined this time. "Listen, kid," he growled, "I know what they did to you. But we’re not them. You’ve gotta stop—" 

She didn’t. Her hand shot up, and suddenly Logan was on the floor, his ribs burning as her force slammed him again. But this time, before she could do more damage, a blinding streak of light shot through the air. Cyclops’ blast hit her square in the chest, knocking her unconscious. Her body crumpled, and the forcefield flickered out. 

The room fell silent. 

Logan dragged himself to his feet, clutching his side. "Dammit," he muttered under his breath, shaking the lingering disorientation from his head. 

Storm knelt beside the unconscious girl, her expression a mix of sympathy and concern. "She's just a kid, Logan," she whispered.

"Doesn't change what she can do," he replied, his voice low and dangerous.

Cyclops approached cautiously, his visor still glowing faintly. "We need to get her back to the mansion. Charles might be able to help her... stabilize."

Logan glanced at the girl’s fragile form, her face calm in sleep but haunted by the shadows of what she had been through. Something in him twisted. She was broken, just like him—but there was something more dangerous about her. Something darker.  

"Maybe," Logan grunted. But his eyes lingered on her longer than he intended. He couldn’t shake the feeling that no matter how much they tried to help her, she was a ticking time bomb. And no one—not Charles, not the X-Men, not even himself—would be able to stop her if she went off again. 

Cyclops looked at Logan, as though sensing his unease. "You think we’re making a mistake?"

Logan snorted. "I don’t trust her." His gaze remained hard, unyielding. "And I don’t think she trusts us either." 

They gathered the girl carefully, carrying her out of the lab. But as they left the cold steel behind, Logan couldn’t shake the nagging suspicion in his gut. Something about her still clawed at his instincts. 

And Logan always trusted his instincts.

***

The X-Men team arrived back at the school in the early hours of the morning. The sky was still dark, the stars barely visible against the approaching dawn. The mansion loomed ahead, its windows softly illuminated by the interior lights.

Eva, awake already and restrained by the power-dampening cuffs, was guided through the front entrance. Her eyes were downcast, her steps slow and hesitant. She hasn’t talked much on their way back and no one was really in a talkative mood either. The only interaction Eva had was with Logan’s constant stare. 

The team moved with purpose but with an underlying tension. Logan walked alongside her, his jaw set and his eyes wary. 

As they reached the foyer, Charles Xavier awaited them in his wheelchair, his expression a mix of concern and resolve. He had been up all night, preparing for this moment. He wheeled forward to meet them, his gaze settling on Eva with a gentle, reassuring look.

“Welcome back,” Charles said softly, his voice warm. “I’m glad to see you’re all safe.” 

Logan, his eyes still fixed on Eva, grunted. “We got her here, but I’m telling you, this one’s a liability. Her powers are way out of control.” 

Charles nodded, his eyes never leaving Eva. “I understand your concerns, Logan. Eva, we’ll be taking you to the hospital wing for now. It’s important that we manage your powers and ensure everyone’s safety while we figure things out.”

Eva met Charles’s gaze briefly, her fear evident, but his kind eyes offered a small measure of comfort. She followed him and the team down the hall, her movements slow and cautious. 

As they approached the hospital wing, Charles turned to Logan, his expression thoughtful. “Logan, I know you’re worried. Her abilities are indeed formidable, and it’s natural to be concerned.” 

Logan’s brows furrowed, his frustration palpable. “Formidable? The girl almost killed me. She’s a risk, Charles. We don’t know what she’s capable of if she loses control again.” 

Charles placed a calming hand on Logan’s arm. “I understand. But she’s also a person who’s been through unimaginable suffering. We need to balance our caution with compassion. She’s scared and alone, and that’s why we need to approach this with care.” 

Logan shrugged off Charles’s hand, his gaze still dark. “Careful or not, we’re walking a tightrope here. One slip and we could all be in trouble.” 

Charles’s tone was firm yet soothing. “Yes, we are walking a tightrope. But remember, we have the means to help her, and we must give her a chance to prove that she can find control. We’ve faced dangers before, and we’ve come through. We will handle this situation with the same resolve.” 

Logan sighed heavily, his eyes narrowing. “Just keep her in check. I don’t want anyone getting hurt.” 

“I will,” Charles said softly. “And we’ll do everything we can to ensure that doesn’t happen. But we also need to give Eva a chance to find her place here, just as we all had our own moments of struggle.” 

Logan’s gaze flickered to Eva, who was now being gently guided into the hospital wing by the staff. He didn’t say anything more, but the hardness in his eyes softened slightly.

Charles watched Eva as she was led to a bed, his concern evident. He turned back to Logan, a small, hopeful smile on his face. “Thank you for your vigilance, Logan. It’s what makes you a valuable member of this team. And it’s what will help us find the best path forward for Eva.” 

Logan nodded curtly, his expression still tense. “Yeah, well, let’s hope you’re right.” 

Charles watched him leave with a thoughtful look. He knew that Logan’s fears were not unfounded, but he also believed in the power of empathy and understanding. For now, his focus was on Eva, ensuring that she felt safe and supported as she began this new chapter in her life. 

As the door to the hospital wing closed behind him, Charles took a deep breath, preparing to meet the challenges ahead with the same determination and compassion he hoped to instill in everyone around him.

***

Logan stood at the threshold of the med bay, his silhouette casting a long shadow on the floor. The hum of machines monitoring Eva’s vitals filled the quiet, sterile air. She lay in one of the beds, hooked up to a dozen wires, her frail body looking even smaller against the white sheets. Her chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths, her face pale and sunken, with dark circles under her eyes. She looked fragile—broken, even—but Logan knew better than to trust appearances.

He clenched his fists at his sides, his knuckles white, his nails biting into his palms. Anger simmered just beneath the surface, bubbling up through his veins like molten steel, but it wasn’t the familiar kind of anger. It wasn’t the kind that came from a fight or from someone he hated. It was… different, raw and twisted, like a splinter lodged deep in his gut that he couldn’t pull out. 

Logan took a step forward, his boots heavy against the cold floor. His eyes never left the girl, even though something inside him told him to turn away, to leave. But he couldn’t. He had to face it—face her. 

“Why the hell am I still here?” he muttered under his breath, though the words tasted bitter in his mouth. He didn’t know why, but something kept pulling him back. Maybe it was that look in her eyes when she’d blasted him across the lab, that raw fear and regret that hit him like a punch to the gut. She hadn’t meant to hurt him—not really. But that didn’t change what she could do. 

*She’s dangerous,* Logan thought, his teeth grinding together. *Too dangerous.* 

The med bay door slid open with a soft hiss behind him, and Jean stepped in quietly. She glanced at Logan, her expression unreadable, then back to Eva. 

“She’s stabilized.” Jean said softly, her voice careful, as if she knew how close Logan was to snapping. “Her body’s been through a lot, but she’ll recover. Physically, at least.”

“Physically, huh?” Logan’s voice was low, a harsh rasp that betrayed the turmoil inside him. “That’s what you’re worried about?”

Jean sighed, stepping closer to him, her gaze flicking between him and the girl. “I know you’re angry, Logan.”

“Angry?!” He barked out a bitter laugh. “Hell, Jean, I’m beyond that.” His eyes locked onto Eva, who lay still and silent, oblivious to the storm brewing inside him. “She almost tore me apart. If I didn’t have my healin’, I’d be lyin’ in pieces right now. And it ain’t just me. She’s got enough power in her to wipe out this whole school if she loses it again.” 

Jean’s voice softened, but there was a firmness underneath it. “She didn’t mean to hurt you, Logan. She was scared. She still is.”

“I don’t care what she meant to do,” Logan growled, taking a step closer to Eva’s bed, his fists clenched. “What matters is what she can do. She’s outta control, Jean. And you’re tellin’ me you’re okay with keepin’ her here? Around the kids? You really want to risk that?” 

Jean didn’t respond right away, her eyes lingering on Eva’s small, fragile form. “She’s still young, Logan. A young girl who’s been tortured, experimented on. She didn’t ask for any of this.” 

“And what happens when she can’t keep it together?” Logan shot back, his voice harsh, laced with anger. “What happens when she lashes out again? You think the kids are safe with her around?” 

Jean’s silence stretched between them, heavy and uncomfortable. Finally, she turned to face him fully, her voice gentle but firm. “Logan, I know you’re worried. We all are. But we can’t just give up on her.” 

Logan’s face twisted, his jaw tight, his eyes burning with an intensity that made even Jean flinch slightly. “Maybe we should,” he muttered, his voice low, dangerous. 

The words felt like poison on his tongue, but part of him believed them. He didn’t want to hate her—hell, he didn’t even know why he did—but he couldn’t shake the feeling that keeping her here was a mistake. A big one. It wasn’t just about what she’d done to him in that lab, or even what she was capable of. It was the feeling that clung to his skin like sweat whenever he looked at her—the feeling that she was a walking disaster waiting to happen. 

“Look, I get it, Jean,” he said, his voice a little quieter now, though still rough. “She’s a victim. But you can’t tell me that doesn’t make her more dangerous, not less. All that power, all that hurt… It’s a bad mix. She’s too damn powerful, and she’s got no control over it.” 

Jean opened her mouth to respond, but Logan cut her off. “You don’t get it,” he snapped, his eyes narrowing. “I can feel it. She’s unstable. You saw what she did without even tryin’. That’s the problem, Jean. She ain’t tryin’, and she still almost killed me. You really think it’ll be any different next time?” 

Jean’s eyes softened, but Logan could see the conflict in them. “She’s not beyond help. Charles thinks—” 

“Charles is a damn optimist,” Logan spat, shaking his head. “And maybe he’s wrong this time.” 

The room fell silent after that, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife. Jean didn’t argue, but she didn’t agree either. She just stood there, her hands folded in front of her, looking at Logan like she was waiting for something—waiting for him to let go of the anger that twisted his face into something hard and unrecognizable. 

But he couldn’t. 

Logan’s eyes drifted back to Eva, lying there so still, so helpless. His gut twisted again, that strange mix of guilt and fury gnawing at him. He hated her. He hated the situation. And he hated himself for feeling this way. But every time he tried to shake it, tried to tell himself she was just another lost kid who needed help, all he could see was the blast of power that had sent him flying, the fear and confusion in her eyes as she lost control. 

*Too dangerous,* he thought again, clenching his fists. 

His mind raced. He couldn’t figure out why his anger was so fierce, why his hatred for this girl seemed so personal. Maybe it was because he’d been there—maybe not the same way, but close enough. Maybe it was because her powers were so raw, so unchecked, like his claws before he learned how to control them. Or maybe it was because he saw a reflection of himself in her—what he could have been, what he was still afraid he could become. 

Whatever the reason, it didn’t change how he felt. He didn’t trust her. He didn’t trust that she wouldn’t hurt someone again, someone who wasn’t as tough to bounce back as he was. 

“She’s too powerful,” he muttered, more to himself than to Jean. “She doesn’t belong here.” 

Jean took a step closer, her hand resting gently on his arm. “She’s scared, Logan. Just like you were once.” 

He jerked his arm away, glaring at her. “Don’t. Don’t make this about me. This is about her. She’s dangerous, and you know it.” 

Jean didn’t flinch, though her voice softened. “And so were you, Logan. But we didn’t give up on you. And I won’t give up on her.” 

Logan let out a rough sigh, turning away from her, his eyes fixed on the door now. He couldn’t stand being in that room any longer. Not with her lying there, not with all the anger boiling up inside him. His heart felt too heavy, weighed down by everything he didn’t want to feel. 

“I’m tellin’ you, Jean,” he muttered as he moved toward the door, his voice hard again, “you’re makin’ a mistake. And when it all goes wrong, don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”

With that, he stormed out of the med bay, the door hissing shut behind him. But the knot of anger and guilt stayed with him, gnawing at his insides, refusing to let him go.

 ***

Eva's eyelids fluttered open to the soft hum of medical machinery and the muted light of early morning filtering through the blinds. The room was quiet, save for the rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor and the occasional shuffle of footsteps outside. She blinked groggily, her mind struggling to piece together the events of the previous day.

The room was sterile and clinical, a stark contrast to the cold, harsh lab she’d known. Her wrists felt heavy, the power-dampening cuffs still securely fastened. As she shifted slightly, the soft rustle of the hospital bed linens reminded her of her vulnerable state. She winced, feeling the dull ache of yesterday’s emotional and physical turmoil.

She glanced around, trying to take in her surroundings. The walls were painted a soothing blue, and a small window offered a view of the gardens outside. It was a serene setting, but Eva felt anything but calm. The memories of her violent outburst and the fear in Logan's eyes replayed in her mind like a relentless loop.

Her breath quickened, and the panic spread. She tugged at the restraints, jerking her arms violently as she tried to free herself, but it was useless. The cuffs held firm, and with each tug, the fear inside her grew. Tears welled in her eyes as she remembered what had almost happened—what she’d nearly done. 

"I could’ve killed them. I almost killed them." 

Her stomach twisted, and bile rose in her throat. She didn’t want to hurt anyone. She never wanted to hurt anyone, but it didn’t matter anymore. She was too dangerous, too unstable, and the more they tried to help her, the more they were at risk. Everyone was in danger because of her. 

Her thoughts spiraled, faster and faster, and for a brief moment, she considered ripping her own wrists raw against the restraints, breaking free just to get as far away as possible. She couldn’t stay here. She didn’t belong here. She shouldn’t even be alive. 

Her body shook as the realization hit her. She didn’t want to live like this anymore. Every breath felt like a burden, every second a threat to those around her. 

"Why didn’t they just let me die?" 

Before she could spiral further, the door to the hospital wing hissed open, and heavy footsteps echoed through the sterile room. She stiffened, her eyes darting toward the figure who entered. 

It was him. Logan. 

He crossed the room with that familiar roughness, his boots heavy on the tile floor. His face was hard, expression unreadable, but the tension in his jaw and the simmering anger in his eyes told her all she needed to know. He didn’t want her here. He didn’t trust her. And she couldn’t blame him. 

Logan stopped at the foot of her bed, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared down at her. "You awake, then?" His voice was gruff, biting, as if the mere sight of her irritated him. 

Eva didn’t respond at first, her eyes still wide with fear. She could feel her heart pounding against her ribs, the weight of the handcuffs pressing into her skin. Her throat tightened, but she managed to whisper, “Why… why am I still here?” 

Logan’s eyes narrowed, his lip curling slightly. "Good question. I’ve been askin’ myself the same thing." 

The words hit her like a punch to the gut. She bit her lip, tears threatening to spill over, but she swallowed them down. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.” 

Logan’s eyes flashed, and he took a step closer. “That’s the problem, kid. You didn’t mean to, but you did. Almost tore me apart, nearly killed everyone in that damn lab. Hell, if you’d gone all the way, this whole place could’ve been rubble by now.” His voice was low, dangerous, each word dripping with the frustration he was barely holding back.  

Eva’s chest tightened, guilt flooding her system. “I don’t know how to control it,” she whispered, her voice cracking. "I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I don’t know how to stop it." 

Logan’s gaze didn’t soften. If anything, his eyes grew colder, harder. “That’s the point, isn’t it? You can’t control it. So why the hell should we trust you? Why should we risk the kids, the people in this school, just because you’re scared?” 

Tears finally spilled over, and Eva shook her head, feeling the weight of his words crush her. “I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be alive!” Her voice was desperate, her entire body trembling. “You’re right, okay? I’m a danger to everyone, and I know it. You should’ve let me die.” 

Logan’s face twitched, just for a second, and something flashed in his eyes—something almost like regret. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by that same hard, cold mask. “Maybe,” he muttered. “Maybe we should’ve.” 

His words hit her like a slap, and Eva turned her head away, unable to look at him anymore. Her chest heaved with sobs, the weight of everything pressing down on her until she couldn’t breathe. 

Just then, the door to the med bay slid open again, and Charles Xavier entered, his wheelchair moving silently across the floor. The tension in the room shifted, and Logan stepped back slightly, though his posture remained rigid.

Charles’s voice was soft, calming, as he approached the bed. “Eva,” he said gently, his eyes kind as he looked at her. “You’re safe now.” 

“Safe?” Eva’s voice was bitter, a shaky laugh escaping her lips. “How can you say that? I almost killed him.” She nodded toward Logan. “I could’ve killed all of you. I’m not safe. Not for you, not for anyone.” 

Charles’s expression remained calm, but there was a deep sadness in his eyes. “We understand that you’ve been through unimaginable pain. But you’re not beyond help, Eva. We can work with you, teach you how to control your powers. You don’t have to go through this alone.” 

But Eva shook her head violently, panic rising in her throat. “You don’t understand. They’re going to come for me. The people who did this to me, they’ll come back. And if I’m here, they’ll destroy everything in their way. You’ll all be in danger because of me. I—” Her voice broke, and she lowered her head, trembling. “Please… please just kill me. End it. I don’t want to live like this. I don’t want to hurt anyone anymore.” 

Logan’s jaw clenched at her words, his anger bubbling up again. He wanted to snap at her, to tell her how selfish it was to think death was the answer, how ridiculous she sounded. But instead, he stood there, watching her break down, and for the first time, he felt a flicker of something else. Pity, maybe. Regret. He hated it, but it was there. Deep down.

For a moment, he saw himself in her—the same lost, broken thing, unsure of his place in the world. And it twisted something inside him.

Charles leaned forward, his tone soft but firm. “We don’t give up on anyone, Eva. You have a home here, if you choose to stay. We will help you, as long as you let us.” 

Eva shook her head again, tears streaming down her face. “I’m too dangerous. You’re making a mistake.” 

Logan exhaled sharply, stepping forward. “Maybe we are,” he growled, his voice cutting through the air. “But that’s not your call to make. You wanna give up? Fine. But Charles is right—we don’t give up on people here. So you’re stuck with us, whether you like it or not.”

His words hung in the air, and Eva stared at him through tear-filled eyes. She didn’t know whether to be scared or relieved, but all she felt was the crushing weight of guilt and fear. She wanted to believe they could help her, but deep down, she wasn’t sure anyone could.

And that terrified her most of all. 

Eva’s tears soaked into the hospital pillow, and for a moment, the room was thick with silence. She couldn’t shake the terror clawing at her chest. Charles’s kind words barely registered through the haze of guilt and fear. Every instinct screamed to get away, to run before she hurt someone again. But the restraints around her wrists, humming with the suppression of her powers, kept her pinned to the bed, a prisoner to her own body.

Logan stood by the door, arms crossed, his expression dark. He had always been a difficult person to read, but right now, his anger was crystal clear. He didn’t want her here. He’d made that painfully obvious. Part of her agreed with him. She was too dangerous. Even if Charles promised help, what could they really do? 

She had almost killed them. All of them. Logan, especially, and he wasn’t going to forget that anytime soon.

Logan broke the silence first, his voice sharp and cutting. "You think just 'cause we say we’ll help, that’s some kinda ticket outta responsibility? That you can just sit back and let us fix you? You’ve gotta want it. And I don’t think you do, kid."

Eva flinched at his words, her face contorting in pain. His anger wasn’t just justified—it was expected—but it didn’t make it any easier to hear. She turned her head away, unable to look at him.

"I don’t want anything," she whispered. "I just want to disappear."

Logan’s eyes narrowed, his frustration clearly boiling over. He took a step closer to the bed, his voice rising. "You think you’re the only one who’s been through hell? You think you’re special ’cause they did some experiments on you? Join the damn club." He jabbed his thumb at his own chest, his scowl deepening. "I’ve been there. I’ve done all that, and guess what? I didn’t get a choice. So don’t you stand there askin’ us to give up on you just ‘cause you’re scared."

His words were like a punch to the gut, and Eva’s tears flowed harder. She squeezed her eyes shut. She had been through hell, yes, but she didn’t have his strength. She couldn’t fight it the way he had. Her powers were out of control, and she was too weak, too broken to even try.

“I can’t control it,” she choked, her voice breaking. “I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I don’t know how to stop it. You don’t understand. They built me to be a weapon. I’m a ticking time bomb, and sooner or later, I’ll explode again.”

Logan clenched his fists, his knuckles white as the words hit him. He hated how familiar it all sounded, hated how much of his own past he could hear in her voice. But he couldn’t let that soften him, not when the stakes were this high. Not when she could destroy everything they’d built here, everything they protected.

 “I get it, alright?” Logan growled. “You’re scared, and yeah, maybe you’ve been turned into a weapon, but that doesn’t mean you get to give up. You’re here now, and if you’re gonna stay, you better start fightin’ for somethin’ other than your damn self-pity.”

Eva trembled, her wrists pulling at the restraints as if she could somehow claw her way out of this nightmare. “I don’t want to be here! I don’t want to be anywhere. I should’ve died in that lab. It would’ve been better for everyone.”

Logan’s face tightened, a growl building in his throat. His anger, which had been simmering on the surface, was threatening to break loose. But before he could unleash another biting remark, Charles raised a hand, his voice calm but firm.

"Logan," Charles said gently, his gaze shifting from the girl to the man, “perhaps we should ease up.” 

Logan shot Charles a sharp look, but there was something in the Professor’s eyes that made him pause, though the tension in his body remained. He backed off a step, arms still crossed, but the scowl stayed firmly in place. His anger wasn’t gone—it was just barely contained. 

Charles turned his attention back to Eva, his voice soft and steady, the same calm she’d heard from him before. But this time, it pierced through her haze of fear just a little. 

"Eva," he began, "I understand why you’re afraid. I can’t pretend to know the extent of your pain, but I do know this: you are not alone. You are not the first person to feel like their powers are too much to bear, and you won’t be the last. This place, this school, is for people just like you." 

Eva shook her head, tears still streaming down her face. “You don’t get it. It’s not just me. The people who did this—they’ll come back for me. They’ll come for all of you. You’ll be in danger because of me.”

Charles’s expression didn’t waver. “We’ve faced threats before, Eva. But we believe in protecting those who cannot protect themselves. No one here will abandon you, no matter how great the risk.” 

“Maybe you should,” she muttered, her voice barely audible. “Maybe it’d be better if you did.” 

Logan scoffed from the corner, his patience thinning. "Maybe she’s got a point. You’re gambling a lot on someone who’s not even sure she wants to be saved, Charles. She could bring this whole place down." 

Eva flinched again at his words, her heart aching with the weight of them. He was right. What was the point of trying to help her if she didn’t even know if she could be helped?

But Charles, as always, remained resolute. 

“I know the risks,” Charles said, his voice calm but carrying the weight of authority. “But I also know that we must give her a chance. Eva, if you stay here, we will do everything in our power to help you gain control. You can have a life, a real life, outside of the torment they put you through.” 

Eva swallowed hard, her chest tight. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to, but the fear was too overwhelming. What if she couldn’t control it? What if Logan was right, and she was just too dangerous to be here? 

She shook her head, the tears never stopping. “I don’t know if I can. I don’t know if it’s even possible.” 

Charles leaned closer, his eyes filled with the kind of kindness she hadn’t seen in a long time. “We will help you find out. But first, you must give yourself that chance.” 

Eva’s breath caught in her throat. She stared at the Professor, searching his face for any sign of doubt, but there was none. He was offering her a lifeline, but could she trust herself to take it? 

Her eyes drifted to Logan, still standing with his arms crossed, his face hard. He looked at her like she was a threat, like she didn’t belong here. And maybe she didn’t. Maybe he was right.

But part of her wanted to fight. Just a small part, buried beneath all the pain and fear, but it was there, flickering weakly.

“I don’t… I don’t know how,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I don’t even know where to start.” 

Charles smiled gently. “You start by staying. By trusting us.” 

Logan scoffed again but said nothing, though his eyes bore into her, still filled with distrust. But for a fleeting second, something flickered in his gaze. Maybe it was pity, or maybe just the faintest trace of understanding. Either way, it didn’t last long, quickly replaced by the cold mask of doubt. 

Eva closed her eyes, the weight of the decision pressing down on her. She didn’t know if she could trust them—or herself. But for the first time in a long time, she had a choice. She could choose to run. Or she could choose to stay and try. 

It was the scariest choice she’d ever faced.

[cyber-streak-2]

Hi! I've seen you do requests, so... Can I request g1/idw/mtmte characters of your choice with a bot!reader who thought they were a cybertronian? (Maybe there were even some hints, that bot!reader was never one.) However, in reality they are a human-made robot with high-level AI with appearance modelled after a cybertronian.

After realization bot!reader is heartbroken, and they feel like a complete outsider.

Sorry if I've missed something and requested something wrong.

(IDW1/MTMTE) Red Alert, (IDW1/MTMTE) Misfire, & (G1) Optimus Prime with a Human-made Robot Reader, who was thought to be Cybertronian:

Red Alert

{After having met you for the first time, he always felt like there was just... something about you. Not bad, just something different.}

{He couldn’t ever really figure it out though. You seemed just like a normal Cybertronian in every way- minus how the medics would occasionally mention something about your frame when they worked on you.}

{When he eventually left the Lost Light with Fort Max, you joined the two of them. And that was when Red, alongside Max and Cerebros, started noticing more things about you.}

{You didn’t bleed energon—you didn’t bleed anything at all, it seemed—at least from what Red noticed. He started to mentally take notes on everything that he noticed that was a little off.}

{Eventually, some files leak out, and the four of you happen to read them. The files reveal multiple things—among them, it reveals that some unimportant humans had made Cybertronian-look-alike-robots. Pictures are in the files... with you in there.}

{It’s obviously a surprise... especially to you. All this time, you thought you were one of them—a Cybertronian—but you weren’t, you were something different. And just a ‘little test’ as words in the files put it.}

{Throughout all of this, Red, Max, and Cerebros attempt to comfort and reassure you.}

Optimus Prime

{You just kind of appeared at the base, wandering around. Nobody knew of you, you were never seen back on Cybertron. But, Optimus allowed you to join, allowed you to become an Autobot.}

{He did notice certain things about you, but didn’t care about any differences. Although, he did get some comments here and there from some of the other Autobots about you.}

{Nobody was ever really mean about it. They were simply confused and curious. “Hey, do you notice how-“ “Hey, did you see how they were-“ “Did you see when-“ is what Optimus hears a lot, but he asks them to not bother you, and to quiet down about it.}

{The reveal comes when some humans come to the Autobots base, claiming that they want you back- not wanting the Decepticons to mess with their creation, and they even show Optimus some proof for this fact.}

{You, along with the rest, are shocked- despite all of the things Optimus and the others would notice, they didn’t really expect this. Although some do end up comparing you to Nightbird.}

{While still processing this new information, also learning that they erased the whole ‘made by humans’ thing of your memory, you don’t want to go with these people- and thankfully, they leave eventually.}

{When Optimus eventually goes to speak to you, you’re gone- but he quickly manages to find you outside of the base, where you reveal all of what you’re feeling about this.}

{The Prime reassures you that, while you may not be an actual Cybertronian, he and the others still care for you, that you aren’t an outsider, and that you���ll always be an Autobot.}

Misfire

{They all ended up going to Earth, and finding an old lab, where they found you in there, alive, but not awake. And long story short, Misfire and the others took you with them.}

{When you explain yourself to the group, you explain how you’re a neutral (and they don’t force you into becoming a ‘Con thankfully), and you just have no idea how you ended up in there.}

{You enjoy your time with the Scavengers a lot- especially Misfire. There can be moments when you just need some alone time from him, but you still enjoy hanging out with him.}

{Misfire had quickly noticed weird things about you, which he would eventually tell the others. How you seemed to freeze/glitch every now and then, how you never seemed to bleed energon, etc.}

{Spinister even tells him that something feels different/wrong about your frame, but he just... has no idea. He’s only given you little checkups here and there.}

{Eventually, the truth comes out when you and Misfire are on Earth again with the others and wandering around yet another abandoned lab. You find some tapes that Misfire decides to take.}

{When the two of you leave the lab, some old humans approach, claiming that you “belong” to them, and consider that Misfire and the others must’ve stolen you. You two book it.}

{Back on the ship, while explaining the weird interaction, you two decide to watch the tapes... which reveals the process of those humans creating you- before having to hurry out, leaving you behind, when something was happening.}

{For a while, you don’t even want to talk to any of the others while processing this- so you lock yourself in your habsuite. Although Misfire manages to get himself in there, where you eventually start letting it out.}

{He tells you that all of them are kind of outsiders/outcasts too, in a way, sort of. They all just suck as Decepticons, they’re horrible. “You’re a Scavenger, I think you fit in well with us.”}

[transformers-mosaic]

Transformers: Mosaic #612 - "Truth"

Originally posted on July 25th, 2011

Story, Art - Dušan M.

deviantART | Seibertron | TFW2005

wada sez: Here’s another retro-style strip by Dušan M. It directly references his previous strip, “From The Secret Files Of Teletraan II: Multiforce-14”. Here, Bombshell (using his Diaclone color scheme separately characterised as Salvo) sneaks past a guard using his cerebro-shell. The guard’s design isn’t an exact match for Exhaust, with the green on the deco more closely resembling Wheeljack, but it’s definitely using that general body-type. Protoforms, seen in the first and last panels here, were only added to Transformers lore in Beast Wars.

[guardianasdelrpg]

✨ Búsquedas de personajes ✨

• Malyna K. Todorova busca a la persona que pueda llevar a The other victim: es la chica con la que el exnovio de Malyna le fue infiel. (Personaje femenino entre 20-21 años y Faceclaim libre). También a quien tome The pain (in my ass): Compañero de universidad de Malyna, pasaron los años de formación peleándose por ver quien obtenía la mejor calificación. Malyna lo veía como un simple niño de papá, él la veía como una cabeza hueca que gustaba más a los profesores por su aspecto que por su cerebro. (Personaje masculino, +30 años, Faceclaim libre).

Click aquí para más información.

• Hela Larsson busca a sus hermanos, uno de ellos siendo el mayor y los mellizos, hombre/mujer respectivamente. Ofrece bastante libertad a la hora de crearlos a excepción de detalles que se especifican en la búsqueda. (Entre 28 y 35 años, Faceclaims libres). También está esperando a sus dos mejores amigos, las personas más importantes en su vida luego de sus queridos hermanos. (Faceclaims y edades a total elección).

Click aquí para más información.

✨ Búsquedas de tramas ✨

• Greatest Hits por Ella Bernsten. 

• This is why por Landon N. Todorova.

• Into the rose garden por Choi Myeon Jin. 

• Case Files por James Wright.

• Invisible String por Thyra Karlsen.

• Amigos y desconocidos por Ian Odegard.

• Life is a rollercoaster por Malyna K. Todorova.

Foro || Tumblr   

[sempiternus-rpg]

✨ Búsquedas de personajes ✨

• Malyna K. Todorova busca a la persona que pueda llevar a The other victim: es la chica con la que el exnovio de Malyna le fue infiel. (Personaje femenino entre 20-21 años y Faceclaim libre). También a quien tome The pain (in my ass): Compañero de universidad de Malyna, pasaron los años de formación peleándose por ver quien obtenía la mejor calificación. Malyna lo veía como un simple niño de papá, él la veía como una cabeza hueca que gustaba más a los profesores por su aspecto que por su cerebro. (Personaje masculino, +30 años, Faceclaim libre).

Click aquí para más información.

• Hela Larsson busca a sus hermanos, uno de ellos siendo el mayor y los mellizos, hombre/mujer respectivamente. Ofrece bastante libertad a la hora de crearlos a excepción de detalles que se especifican en la búsqueda. (Entre 28 y 35 años, Faceclaims libres). También está esperando a sus dos mejores amigos, las personas más importantes en su vida luego de sus queridos hermanos. (Faceclaims y edades a total elección).

Click aquí para más información.

✨ Búsquedas de tramas ✨

• Greatest Hits por Ella Bernsten. 

• This is why por Landon N. Todorova.

• Into the rose garden por Choi Myeon Jin. 

• Case Files por James Wright.

• Invisible String por Thyra Karlsen.

• Amigos y desconocidos por Ian Odegard.

• Life is a rollercoaster por Malyna K. Todorova.

[scarlet--wiccan]

Do you have any thoughts on Wanda and Hank (McCoy’s) relationship? They seem like decent friends when they’re on the avengers together (and they both kinda dated wonder man), but idk where they stand (and have stood) post m-day.

Things are obviously even more complicated with beast being a fully blown supervillain now, but they also all-but-declared evil x-force villain Hank a different character than avengers Hank. I know it was a throw away gag, but I so wonder about that email from him to her in strange academy. What were his intentions there?

I'm going to be completely honest, Hank is one of those characters I just don't think about very often. I'd have to re-read a lot, and I mean a lot, of comics to make any kind informed statement about his relationship to Wanda prior to M-Day, so I'm not gonna do that.

I will say, though, that out of all the original X-Men, he definitely has the closest relationship to Wanda by virtue of proximity. He's certainly known her longer than most people, and we can definitely infer that they had a friendship just based on how well Wanda usually gets along with her teammates, and of course, their mutual affection for Simon. In fact, I'd say they have the potential to be great friends-- they're both people who are very good at overlooking differences, and at one point time, they were both written as very outgoing, charming individuals. She probably responds really well to his overly-genteel manner-- when Hank addressed her as "Dearest Wanda" in that email, I was like, "oh, of course this is how they talk to each other."

After the Decimation, Hank threw himself into researching the cause and trying to develop a cure. This was a big turning point in his life, as he ended up working with Dark Beast and crossing a lot of moral boundaries. His search actually led him to finding Wanda when she was living as an amnesiac in Transia, although it's not clear whether that was actually her or the Doombot. Although he certainly holds Wanda accountable for M-Day, he didn't betray her location to the X-Men, and later, during Children's Crusade, he was actually sympathetic to Wanda's circumstances and wanted to help her use the Life Force to undo the Decimation. Compared to most of the other Avengers and X-Men, I'd say he was one of her very few allies, and he's on the short list of mutants that I would expect to advocate for her, if only because he believed she'd be part of the solution, not just the problem.

Avengers: Children's Crusade #15

The thing with Hank's psychic backups is really weird, but it gestures at some of the more philosophical questions that Krakoan resurrection poses-- or at least, the questions it would pose if the writers would actually commit. If the "self" is a replicable, modifiable computer file, then the idea personhood begins to lose coherence. One of the things I find frustrating about the Krakoan era is that they don't often follow through on the bigger implications of their world-building, and this is one of those subjects where they'd clearly rather divert into cape-comic genre beats then get into the speculative philosophy. It's probably for the best.

Anyways, Beast. In Wolverine #31, we learn that Hank has built his own little clone lab and taken charge of his own resurrections. To that end, he basically stole his backup files from the Cerebro system, but, weirdly enough, he left the records of his time with the Avengers untouched. It's not clear whether or not the backups Hank is using to clone himself include that period, but we do know that if the Five wanted to resurrect him at this point, they'd be bringing back a version from before Krakoa-- which is to say, a version which hasn't yet taken the same moral downfall. If I had to guess, I'd say this is the loophole that they'll use to bring the character back without having to worry about "redeeming" him or reconciling his actions. This is a staple move for supherhero comics-- come up with an excuse to for the character to say "that wasn't really me"-- but I don't think we've seen it played straight with Krakoan resurrection yet.

Oh, and as for the e-mail-- I wrote a bit about it here, but I genuinely think he was just trying to test out whether the gates would recognize her. It came across as very sinister at the time, since this was before Trial and Wanda was still basically an enemy of the state, so inviting her to the island definitely felt like a trap. At the time, I said that this page was probably non-canon, but then the exchange between Wanda and Magneto ended up being a lot more prescient than I could have anticipated, so I guess we should take it seriously.

[the-girl-who-walks-with-mutants]

Uncanny Icon Chapter 2: Dossier

Kurt Wagner x Original Female Character (Adrian Grey)

Rating: M

Chapter Summary:

We're gathering the team!

While the Professor is out gathering new recruits, Adrian and Scott are taking a look at who their new teammates will be, with some interests questions, comments, and concerns along the way. Including a special addition: Adrian Grey's own Cerebro file!

Our last chapter pre-Giant Size X-Men 1, but references to the story, particularly the origins of the new team members.

[this is chapter is extra special thanks to fantastic art by @lazywrites of our Indelible Icon!]

‘The Professor is currently out collecting our teammates, and since your telepathy isn’t compatible with Cerebro, we’ll have to make do with the paper files,’ Scott says as he slides the pile across the dining room table towards Adrian. ‘Each was handpicked by Xavier to best help with the mission, though I will say, they are… well, you’ll see.’

‘I’m going to ignore that dig on my powers, Slim, otherwise I might be offended.’ She frowns at the files, pulling them towards herself. ‘But seriously, what’s so bad about them? They’re just mutants, how much worse than us could they possibly be?’

‘You’ll see,’ he repeats, crossing his arms.

Grabbing the first file, Adrian flips it open, ‘Okay, talk me through what we’re working with.’

File 1: NIGHTCRAWLER [Kurt Wagner, 20, Germany, teleportation]

‘Xavier got a psychic warning that Wagner will be attacked by an angry mob, so he’s the first stop,’ Scott explains as Adrian pulls the papers out of the file.

‘Angry mob? What is this, the 1800s, why would they…’ she looks down at the photo pulled from the Cerebro database. ‘Oh.’

Adrian always knew that there were mutants with more explicit mutations. Her own powers cause her eyes to change colour, Warren’s wings could only be hidden with a specific type of harness, but this?

This is something completely different.

The face that looks back at her is a dark blue, almost indigo, with heavy shadows around golden eyes, a solid colour with only the faintest sign of a pupil. Black hair curls around pointed ears. A half-open mouth reveals sharpened canines. That mouth is soft, sly, contrasting nicely with a sharp jaw and defined cheekbones, a strong brow reminding her of a classic Hollywood hero, just in different colours, of course. According to the file, he was completely blue, with hands and feet each with three digits instead of five and…

‘A tail?’ she exclaims, looking between the file and Scott.

‘Yeah, I know, it’s a bit much but…’

She holds a hand up. ‘Well, hold on, it’s not a bad thing.’ She quickly notices his disappointment. ‘Hey, I’m not calling him hot, but, you know, kinda cute, I guess.’ Another look. ‘Okay, okay, fine. Is teleportation his only non-physical mutation?’

He nods, ‘Only primary mutation. Some ability to stick to walls and hide in shadows, but also trained in acrobatics and swordsmanship. Grew up in a circus, apparently.’

‘Hm,’ she closes the file with a little smile, ‘blue Errol Flynn, sounds fun. What’s next?’

File 2: WOLVERINE [classified, unknown, Canada, healing factor*]

‘Well, great, we went from a devil to a non-entity, that’s helpful.’ Her eyes then bug wide as she reads the footnote.

*note: mutant subjected to experiments that resulted in an adamantium coating on entire skeleton, including three claws on each hand (unknown if claws present pre-operation)*

‘I’m sorry, adamantium?’

‘My reaction exactly,’ Scott confirms, pushing over the photo. ‘Apparently he was part of a project called Weapon X headed by a sector of the Canadian government, but there aren’t a lot of details.’

‘And here I thought Canadians were supposed to be nicer than us.’ Adrian looks down at the photo of the Wolverine. It’s a photo in uniform instead of civilian garb, and she immediately makes the connection between the name and the image of the man with a spiked mask. She looks up in disbelief. ‘Scott, this is the guy that fought the Hulk! We want this guy? Seriously?’

Scott shrugs. ‘Well, the Professor wants him. Though, he may technically be government properly, so I’m not sure if the Professor will be able to get him.’

‘Wait, a person is government property?’

‘His skeleton is.’

She leans back in her chair, rubbing her forehead. ‘Jesus Christ.’

File 3: BANSHEE [Sean Cassidy, 38, Ireland/USA, sonic scream]

‘Oh, okay, its Sean, that’s fine.’ She tosses the file without another word.

Scott raises an eyebrow.

‘What? I pay attention to the people we interact with on one-off missions sometimes.’ She rolls her eyes at his continued disapproving glance. ‘What? He’s a ginger Irish guy who calls himself Banshee, I think I get the gist.’

‘Well, he was also part of Interpol and –’

She waves it away, ‘No, no, I get the gist, its fine.’

File 4: STORM [Ororo Munroe, 27, Kenya, weather manipulation]

Adrian lets out a low whistle. ‘We’re recruiting goddesses now, huh? Finally giving the Avengers a run for their money?’

The woman is beautiful, probably one of the most beautiful women Adrian has ever seen. Deep skin contrasting with blue eyes and a mane of white hair. Her nose is regal, lips full, the turn of her eyes reminding Adrian of a cat. She was also naked, her top half shown in the photo only covered by her hair.

‘We’re not calling her a goddess,’ Scott says, distracting Adrian from the photo. ‘She’s worshipped by a tribe in Kenya, but she’s still just a mutant. Manipulates the weather.’

She raises an eyebrow, ‘That sounds suspiciously like a goddess, Slim. Like that’s a lot of power and if she actually has control over it enough for people to worship her? I’ll call her a goddess at that point.’

‘Well, I suppose the problem is going to be convincing her that she is really just a mutant and she should help us. But the Professor apparently met her as a child, so is convinced that he can sway her to join.’

Adrian hums, only half listening to his explanation as an idea comes to her. ‘Hey, if that’s the case,’ referring to her previous point, ‘Could Jesus have been a –’

‘No,’ he answers sternly before she can finish her question.

File 5: SUNFIRE [Shiro Yoshida, 28, Japan, solar radiation manipulation]

‘Oh, you don’t recognise this one?’

Adrian looks up at him from the photo of a Japanese nobleman that’s she’s pretty sure she’s never seen before. ‘What?’

‘Well,’ he starts, leaning back in his seat, ‘since you said you were so good at remembering people that the team has interacted with before, I just assumed…’

She throws the file at him. ‘Don’t be sarcastic,’ she retorts as she grabs the next one, ‘it doesn’t suit you.’

He laughs at her and, despite her annoyance, she’s at least glad he’s able to joke around, considering the circumstances.

File 6: COLOSSUS [Piotr Nikolayevich Rasputin, 19, Siberia, metal mimicry/super-strength]

‘Fucking hell, dude,’ she barks out as she reads the specs on the next mutant. ‘Six foot six in regular form but when mutation is activated, Rasputin’s skin turns to a form of organic steel, increasing his height up to seven foot five?’ She stares at Scott in disbelief. ‘We’re the same age, I didn’t know we even came this big!’

‘Don’t be childish, Adrian,’ Scott crosses his arms, tone sharper than before.

Adrian picks up on the switch instantly, as per the nature of her powers. With Scott being the only other person in the mansion, all she could focus on were those subtle changes in his emotional state. ‘What? You don’t like my jokes? Or you don’t like the idea of a Commie on the team?’

He shrugs, ‘I’m not against it.’

She gives him a look.

‘I’m not,’ he says with more conviction. ‘I’m just wanting to make sure we don’t have any members that could jeopardize the mission, that’s all.’

Adrian does a quick look over the files so far, ‘So what, you got a problem with… a German, a Russian, and someone from Japan? You do realize it’s not 1942, right? The Professor is bringing in mutants. It’s not like we’re getting a Nazi, a KBG officer, and an imperialist on the team.’

‘That isn’t what I meant.’

‘No, no I know what you meant.’ Scott, along with most of the original X-Men, always had a problem with full accepting that being a mutant wasn’t just the same as being different. Just like people could hate others because of their race, gender, sexuality, or religious beliefs, they could also hate mutants. But it was often forgotten by that first generation that these things could overlap. There could be black mutants, gay mutants, Soviet mutants, anything and everything. This new team is a testament to that reality. And even if they disband after this mission, it’s a step forward. Adrian has always felt the need to hide the stranger parts of herself even among her classmates, but the last thing she wants is for these new members feel the need to do the same thing just to placate Scott and the others.

She closes the file on the young man, whose face already reveals a kindness that few people can ever hope to achieve. ‘We’re mutants, Slim. Just remember that we don’t all get to have a happy little childhood and not all of us only have problems when our powers manifest. You know that, I know you do. The Professor gave us a chance, give it to someone else now.’

And then she pulls out the final file.

File 7: THUNDERBIRD [John Proudstar, 26, USA, super strength/speed/agility]

Even Adrian isn’t immune to some hypocrisy.

She frowns.

‘What’s wrong? He’s a good addition. Professor says he’s looking to prove himself, needing a cause to fight for. And since you said we deserve to give everyone a chance…’

Her eyes flash gold for a moment, his patronizing tone reminding both of them that just because they’re the only ones left, doesn’t mean they will always get along perfectly. ‘Don’t put words in my mouth, Summers.’

Scott leans forward on his elbows, gaze never wavering. ‘So what’s wrong with him?’

‘Nothing’s wrong with him. I’m just thinking logistically. This would make nine members on the team and there’s a good mix of offense and defence, good range of power sets. Is it necessary for one more who’s powers are just… improvements on natural human athleticism?’

‘You don’t want me to complain about some of the other members, you don’t complain about this one.’

She raises her eyebrows, eyes returning to brown as she smirks, ‘Why, Slim, are you compromising with me?’

He holds his out to her.

The smirk turns into a full smile and her hand finds his, shaking it.

XXX

As she stares at the files spread out across the table, the photos of soon-to-be teammates and allies, Adrian can’t help it as her face begins to sour. Her hands tug at the roots of her ginger curls, jaw tightening as stress starts to manifest. They had already lost so many people, what if it just happened again this time around. As Scott places his hand on her shoulder, she feels the wave of calm wash over her, pacifying her mind long enough for her to ask, ‘Are we sure this is a good idea?’

‘The Professor thinks so.’

‘I’m not asking about Xavier,’ she leans back in her chair, looking up at Scott, brown eyes meeting ruby quartz glasses. ‘I’m asking you. What do you think? Because I just… I just see more lives we’re just throwing away, I see more people who don’t know what they’re getting into, I see…’

‘Soldiers.’ Scott finishes for her, his hand now weighing heavy on her shoulder. He doesn’t like to question Xavier, and Adrian knows it. Scott Summers is team leader, the first mutant brought to the mansion, the perfect soldier, perfect student. He knows how to take action, carrying out the steps necessary to achieve Xavier’s dream. But now? He feels as Adrian does, that distrust gnawing at their hearts, the possibility that all they are just soldiers in a war they are too young to fight. Adrian is nineteen, Scott twenty-three. Is that meant to be enough? Old enough to go out on death missions but young enough to follow orders without question?

But they both know they’ll do it.

They always do it.

And in this case, the reward isn’t just saving humans that will hate them the next day, it’s to get their family back.

Adrian sighs. ‘You want Jean back.’

‘I want all of them back,’ he says.

She looks at him again, ‘Tell her you love her this time. You both deserve that. Don’t let her get away again because you’re scared she’ll say no. She won’t.’

He nods, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment. No matter what he says, he’s never liked how easily Adrian can read people, how easy it is for her to unknowingly pick at wounds that haven’t been properly healed.

She’s right, though. She always ends up being right.

He ruffles her hair. ‘We’ll get them back.’

She nods, staring at the files once more. ‘A second genesis of X-Men.’

‘Second genesis,’ he repeats. Then he holds out a final file for her to take. ‘Welcome back, Adri.’

She flips the file open, seeing a photo of a familiar young woman with mid-length ginger hair curling wildly around a round face with strong brows and large, expressive brown eyes. A sharp, slightly crooked nose, soft jaw and cheeks dotted with freckles, a mouth turned down in a frown, making dimples appear on her chin.

File 8:  ICON [Adrian Louise Grey, 19, USA, empathic telepathy/psychic manifestation]

BASIC PROFILE INFORMATION: IDENTIFICATION

Name: Adrian Louise Grey

Known Aliases: n/a

Known Name Derivatives: Adri, Addy

Codename: Icon

Age: 19

Birthday: 9th June

Hair: Red

Eyes: Brown

Height: 5’4”

Identifying Features (scars, tattoos, birthmarks, etc.): stab scar on right shoulder (front and back) 2 inches long; circular scar on left hip 0.5 inch diameter.

Body Modifications: two lobe piercings on each ear

Known Medical Issues: hypermobility, allergies to mangos and strawberries, extreme intolerance for alcohol

BASIC PROFILE INFORMATION: MUTATION

               Primary Mutation: Empathic Telepathy*

               Secondary Mutation: Psychic Manifestation**

               Age of Activation (Primary): 4

               Age of Activation (Secondary): 12

               Any External Cause for Activation: n/a

Identifying Features (Primary or Secondary): psychic energy and constructs manifest as a yellow-gold colour; activation of either mutation causes a change in eye colour from brown to gold.

*empathic telepathy: the ability to understand and influence the emotions of others through an initial manipulation of one’s own emotional state. Differs from empathy due to the communicative element indicative of telepathic ability. Higher levels of empathic telepaths have the ability for illusionary visions, control of masses through joined emotional state, and potential reality-altering states.

**psychic manifestation: the ability to create constructs of psychic energy, limited only by the imagination and will of the user. Constructs last only as long as user focuses on their creation. Higher levels of manifestation may have the ability to construct semi-permanent images. Currently limit of size is dependent on the strength and mental fortitude of the mutant.

PERSONAL HISTORY [notes by Professor Charles Xavier]

Adrian Louise Grey is the youngest child of John and Elaine Grey [human] (Annandale-on-Hudson, New York). Two older siblings include Sara [human] and Jean [see separate file, MARVEL GIRL]. Raised in a single income home, father being the provider as a professor at Bard College. Current 50/50 split between mutant and non-mutant children in the Grey family – potential mutant ancestors indicated by the similarity of powers of Adrian and Jean?

Powers seemed to manifest early, but naturally. According to the family, there were no traumatic events associated in Adrian’s childhood to the activation of her primary mutation. As they described in my first discussion with them, it was her fourth birthday when she suddenly burst into tears and every time another human touched her to calm her down, she transferred her emotions to them and vice versa. Since that point, Adrian has constant surges of emotional data in her mind, unable to tune it out in the same manner psychic telepaths are able to.

Due to concerns about both Jean and Adrian, I arrived to assist the Greys in understanding their daughters’ specific needs. Began with Jean for several years before I was allowed to meet with Adrian, as the family believed that her mental health was far more severely damaged than Jean’s. By age 12, when her secondary mutation had developed, parents had pulled her out of school and were considering institutionalization due her increasingly troubling and erratic behaviour. I was then given access to Adrian. Any new emotional patterns triggered her. I was able to reach her through telepathy – naturally communicates on through psychic and body languages. To provide structure in her mind, psychic blocks were placed in key areas of the brain to act as temporary scaffolding until Adrian proves herself mentally and physically able to handle the full capacity of her powers.

Originally assumed that Adrian’s primary mutation was traditional empathy, but abilities are baser, more instinctual, and thus are far more difficult to control. Her abilities lie on the primal level of the human brain, sensing the chemical changes of different emotions. The current theory for this is due to the existence of a “heart-space” in her mind separate from traditional “thought-space”, which operates on a more instinctual level and thus unable to control with typical telepathic methods. Prior to intervention, Adrian was prone to emotional outbursts, meltdowns, and periods of psychosis. With correct training and positive reinforcement, has extreme potential for power increase, control and evolution.

Brought to Xavier’s School at age 13, but not put into duty as an X-Men until age 14 and not given full membership until age 15 due to concerns over power stability. Youngest of the original class of mutants and as of current update, youngest student I have taken on. Left duty at 18 to pursue an Art History degree at Barnard College.

*note: as of latest update, only two psychic blocks have been removed. Check-ins occur every six months to adjust and remove as necessary*

*addendum: as of April, Adrian has been put on indefinite academic leave from Barnard, due to several incidents of mental trouble and poor grades*

*addendum: back in active duty*

NOTES

extreme potential but concerned about mental ability to achieve it

shows great skill in secondary mutation, only two known instances of any problems with psychic constructs due to mental distress

mental health continues to be a concern, but diagnosis proves difficult due to mutations

social anxiety in human-dominated spaces, behaviour is far improved around mutants (potential difference in emotional outputs?)

capable of co-leadership but should not be given sole leadership on any missions

currently little contact with non-mutants, no contact with parents, no known friends at college. Known human associates include:

Sara Grey-Bailey (Sister)

Peter Parker (former boyfriend, current acquaintance)

Piper Parker (Peter’s sister, roommate)

thrives in structured environments, but continues to have issues following direct orders

skill in martial arts and swordsmanship – primary weapon in battle is a psychically constructed sword (should pursue further?)

skill in sculpture and pottery (physical manifestation of secondary mutation?)

interest in musical theatre (soprano)

[see the rest and to stay on top of new updates, as well as fun facts about references and comic book lore here at my AO3!]

[fandom-friday]

Pound the Table by An_October_Daye (https://archiveofourown.org/works/32633056/chapters/80950963) X-Men. "There is an old adage among lawyers that says: If you have the facts on your side, pound the facts. If you have the law on your side, pound the law. If you have neither the facts nor the law, pound the table." – Martin A. Davis, Jr. Mutant law is an emergent filed, more or less the wild west of the legal profession. And when your list of recurring clients are the Weilder of Cerebro and the Master of Magnetism? Well… suffice to say, there is plenty of pounding the table to be done. A 90’s era Self-Insert where she is a lawyer. This is really well done and the I love how the world is fleshed out! One thing I love when I read this is to try and catch all the Marvel references. As someone who loves Marvel and grew up with the 90’s cartoons, this is great!

Look, you had me at "90's Era X-Men" because as a child of the 90's, that's just ALL OF THE NOSTALGIA. And the tag "Law & Order But With Mutants"? CHECKING A LOT OF MY BOXES hahaha. Thanks so much for sending this one in! it seems super fun!

Participate in Fandom Friday to show your favorite creators from this week some love! :)

[ka-mai]

If only you were made of metal, I might put you back together. If only, old friend...

Cerebro Sword: House of X / Powers of X edit

(it’s been lying in my wip folder since winter so I forgot the image sources for this one... and basically almost forgot Photoshop. I’ll try to add the sources later, just wanted to upload it since I remembered it existed.)

Full: 1480x1934 file, use however you like

My Marvel edits

[newx-menfan]

So the Cebero Cast did a NYX Podcast with the writers, and its pretty clear they LOVE the entire damn cast. And they talked about the story they have for Hellion is gunna take time. AND he's going to get an issue down the line.

ALSO they did talk about his hands for like 5 min or so. They said that they mostly go with what the writer draws BUT they're going with that Julian Crucibled off screen ATM. (Apparently Jackson (one of the writers) has Spina Bifida and says that the disabled rep meant a lot but he thinks it makes sense for the character to get his hands back). So there's that.

Also one issue and Manuel already making the Oedipus jokes XD

I was nervous when I heard about the “Cerebro podcast” because I got it confused with the “Xavier files” and I know the guy that runs it hates Hellion and NXM; I realized they’re different now after a Google search lol- so now I’m really excited and will definitely check them out! 😂

I really hope Jay and Miles review the book on their podcast/channel- I usually like their content and was interested what they had to say about it….

I’m kind of disappointed with Hellion getting back his hands, tbh, just because that was a big part of his depression and anger. It was kind of like Bishop’s “M” tattoo or Magneto’s Holocaust tattoo- it’s a visual signifier for just what Hellion has been through, along with representation for disability. Honestly I was surprised people were so up in arms about the name “X-23”…but not this.

I’m really excited about each character getting an “issue” and it just rotating back and forth- I think that’s a great way to do things and (hopefully!) keep it from becoming the “Laura” or “Kamala” show.

It’s good they are taking a lot of care with it though- honestly this is the only book besides Surge on X-Force that I am excited about.

I love Gail Simone…but her more recent books have been disappointing (particularly her WW runs and Plastic Man…) and I wasn’t sold on her premise OR the main X-title.

I have a feeling NYX is gonna be like Taylor’s “X-Men: Red”; the only beloved X-book of the group lol

[elfdragon12]

"Excuse me, he said no pickles!"

I went to open a new file and realized I never finished this. Fort Max, as much as he'll step up to take charge and lead, doesn't always take care of or stand for himself (at least before going through lots of therapy). Cerebros, on the other hand, absolutely will.

[fabianacastrooo]

Blog Semana #3 - Motivación y Emoción

La motivación puede originarse y presentarse en diferentes estilos. Podemos entender cómo funciona nuestro cerebro y el de pacientes a la hora de los factores que lo motivan mediante estos 3 tipos: mecanismo (instintivo), de organismo, o contextual.

Por otro lado, existen otras 3 características o teorías del proceso motivacional, caracterizada como un "proceso complejo que no es observable en sí mismo, por la activación, dirección y persistencia" (R. Ana, comunicación personal, 31 de mayo del 2023). La conversación para ejemplificar estos conceptos en clase me ayudó a relacionarlo con la vida real, ya que utilizamos el ejemplo de la conexión entre el gimnasio y la motivación. Pueden existir diferentes motivadores que incentiven el ejercicio (activación), la dirección de esa conducta y el mantenimiento.

Tambi��n, hay teorías centradas en dos realidades: subjetiva y objetiva.

Subjetiva = psicoanalítica y teoría de necesidades

Psicoanalítica: comenta que nosotros tenemos impulsos o instintos que vienen de la líbido que nos mueven para realizar las acciones, quiere decir, que la sede de la motivación es una dinámica permanente eléctrica que se ubica en nuestro inconsciente.

Teoría de las necesidades: comenta que se necesitan satisfacer todas las necesidades para llegar al equilibrio psicológico (autorrealización). Involucra al ser como un todo.

Realidad objetiva = teoría conductista

Conductista: las teorías conductistas establecen que la motivación se ubica en el plano de la interacción básica con un estímulo exterior que provoca una respuesta. Se caracteriza como objetivo ya que según Skinner (1975), no podernos anticipar lo que hará una persona mirando directamente sus sentimientos o su sistema nervioso (pág. 13), por lo cual debemos basarnos en lo tangible, o sea, comportamientos y acciones concretas.

Aprendí a reconocer y clasificar las diferentes teorías dentro de las realidades que existen, además de la importancia de tomar en cuenta el comprender al paciente desde su punto de vista, considerando sus experiencias pasadas, crianza, y creencias.

Para ustedes, ¿cuál es la teoría con la cual más tienen afinidad hasta el momento?

Imagen extraída (2023). Pinterest . Retrieved from

https://www.pinterest.es/pin/293156257003696162/

Skinner, B. F., & Ardilla, R. (1975). Sobre el conductismo (pp. 158-159). Fontanella.

https://clea.edu.mx/biblioteca/files/original/0d6969167df7b4fd8174eacff10fa0df.pdf

[fouralignments]

Q1. What inspired you to write the fic this way?

I came back to Blessed By Khonshu, My Son Comes Back to Me after the death of my dad and the loss of myself during those two years of doing care work, I did not for myself, I pushed my thoughts, my feelings downward just did what I was told.

The day of my father's death...I knew something was up, I felt something was wrong as my sister and her boyfriend was over; but nobody was telling me anything. I just went about my day as usual. I made brownies at the say so of my Aunt because my sister was deeply upset. They wouldn't even allow me to go into his room. It was until the evening that I pressed my aunt on it; but she didn't give me a straight answer; I wasn't getting her subtext, I'm actually autistic and one of my challenges is not picking up on social cues; so my mom came in and I screamed at her wanting to know WTF; she finally told me that my father was dying. Not even an hour later, my father died.

It was the worse kind of ableism; infantilization. it came from my mom. She withheld information and made a decision for me. I'd never been so angry and enraged in my life. I find myself not wanting to forgive her. It hurt and cut so deep.

I just felt like I didn't matter. Afterwards, things came out my grandmother treated my dad like shit along with her other children and fucked them big time; she just didn't care and because of my dad's dyslexia he was illiterate (this is pre-ADA). It made a lot of things make sense growing up and how my Dad barely interacted with my grandmother and grandfather; I don't blame him.

I wanted just to write a novel to vent my frustrations; so I chose this one. It started off as quick writing style not as intensive as The God and The Thief to keep people happy while I wrote that and it slowly starting becoming more and more important in my life and so the writing style became fuller.

Q2. What scene did you first put down?

The first scene that I put down was chapter 1, it OG was posted on Tumblr after an emotional breakdown that I had during my Gender & Globalization class; I was not in a good place emotionally. I had to write something dark, so I stayed up until 2 AM to write it.

Q9. Were there any alternate versions of this fic?

I would have to say there is some cross pollination between versions of En Sabah Nur in my fics.

But there are alternate versions of scenes like when Sabah Nur is connecting to the world through electronics. I was going to write a page just seeing all things he gets into like hacking all the universities in the world and getting the world's history; language files, breaking into Boeing, Raytheon and defense industry forcing them to go congress to explain what secrets got out; shutting down and causing a fire in a Trask industry production plant and shutting down a vital important part that came from Denmark so basically all his electronics and Trask industry filing for bankruptcy; shutting down pipelines in the US; shutting down trains in the Soviet Union; nearly causing black outs and watching all old documentary and broadcasts and tv shows and basically turn ALL TVs on.

Chapter 6 was OG chapter 3.

Like had planned on Erik leaving in chapter 3 (I was going to add an extra scene where he is packing up)

Charles going into Cerebro again and but unable to find Peter and going through his connection the Scotland meadows (chapter 5), however Sabah Nur laid a trap for Charles. Which makes sense with the arrow description in chapter 6. Charles's powers being de-buffed; it nearly kills him; Cerebro destroyed; Erik senses something wrong goes into rescues him and Charles wakes up that night with Erik next to him (he still DEEPLY cares about Charles).

What I have planned is more absolutely terrifying of what Sabah Nur can do. THERE Is a FUCKING reason why En Sabah Nur is considered a god. It makes him FUCKING TERRIFYING.

Charles contacting Raven on an brick phone to see if she can find Peter, waking her up in the middle of the night.

In chapter 5 that OG was Peter stirring the pot between (under Sabah Nur's control; Charles contacting him with Cerebro) Charles and Erik of one another's jealously and it was going to end with Peter losing hope and knowing no one is coming to save him. Peter needs more agency.

Then I made another twist after listening Both Reached for the Gun Chicago (Musical) ; its foreshadowed in beginning, its practically telegraphed.

@mysticillusionfox

[amagicdoctor]

gonna sound extra mean for saying this but there's 0% chance those babies will get resurrected. they got no family to return to (we saw none of them getting adopted) and the place they were at before it got nuked was a crammed up orphanage. they were less than 3 yo so cerebro can't have mind files of them (memories start at 4yo) and they weren't even documented since krakoa's got no hospital. that whole generation came to be by a ruling from the council (kurt) and now a ruling took them all out

It is mean, but don't worry because due to your explanation as to why, it's unfortunately the truth we have to deal with.

But what's beginning to bother me about the overall Krakoa situation is that conformity is the way of life. So with the resurrection policy people are paying for it more than ever.