Chapter 3: The Phoenix Force

(A/N) Note : This is my first fan fiction, so bare with me. I've had a craving for a specific kind of marvel fanfic and decided to take matters into my own hands. Any helpful suggestions are welcomed. I'll try to upload 1 chapter a day. Lastly, I do not own any of the characters in this story, except my own. This is purely for entertainment. Enjoy~

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Currently, above the school, the X-Jet hovered in place, its advanced camouflage rendering it nearly invisible to any curious eyes below.

The moment Zora's mental defenses repelled Xavier's probing, the Professor involuntarily clutched his head and groaned. The backlash from the failed telepathic attempt caused him considerable pain, making him wince.

"Professor, are you alright?" Cyclops asked, his voice steady but filled with concern as he turned to face Xavier.

"What happened?" Jean Grey added, her eyes widening slightly as she sensed the residual psychic disturbance.

Xavier took a deep breath, steadying himself. His usually calm demeanor was replaced with a flicker of vulnerability. "It's the new mutant. Their mental defenses are incredibly strong. They were able to completely reject my telepathic advances."

Wolverine raised an eyebrow, his tone gruff but with a hint of admiration. "Strong enough to block you out? That's no small feat."

"Indeed," Xavier replied, his fingers still massaging his temples. The slight tremor in his voice betrayed his anxiety. "We must proceed with caution. I don't know what this one's capable of. "

Storm's eyes narrowed with concern as she scanned the landscape below. "Do you think they'll be hostile, Professor?"

Xavier sighed, uncertain, a feeling he didn't like. "I don't know, Ororo. Their defenses were instinctual, a reaction to my intrusion. We need to approach them cautiously."

Rogue, who had been quiet until now, crossed her arms and frowned. "Ah gotta say, Professor, I don't like the fact that you tried to invade their mind without talkin' to them first. Feels wrong, ya know?"

Xavier looked at her, a mixture of regret and understanding in his eyes. "I understand your concern, Rogue. It was not my intention to cause harm. I merely wanted to understand them better to ensure their safety and ours."

Rogue nodded, though her expression remained stern. "Just seems like we should be better than that. We need to respect their privacy. I wouldn't want ya doing that to any of us."

Her speech gained a silent nod of approval from a few of the x-men.

Cyclops, who had been listening quietly, shrugged slightly, showing little care. "Alright, team. We go in peaceful, but stay alert. Anything could happen."

"Yes," Xavier echoed, his voice growing firmer as he regained his composure. "We need to earn their trust. We can't afford to make them feel cornered or threatened."

The team exchanged glances, some silently reflecting on the professor's sudden change in approach. He had just tried to invade the mutant's mind and was now talking about not making him feel cornered.

At that moment, Jean Grey felt a gentle tap on her psychic barriers. A message was trying to enter her mind, but sought permission first.

Jean's eyes widened in surprise. "Professor, I'm receiving a telepathic message, I think it's from the new mutant."

Xavier, intrigued and concerned, nodded. "Let's hear what they have to say."

Jean mentally lowered her defenses, allowing the message to come through.

"Hello, Jean Grey," the voice in her mind was calm and composed. "I assume you're with the nosy professor and his friends. Tell him I'll meet you all at the football field. And please, no more attempts to invade my mind."

Jean relayed the message out loud, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and respect. "He seems to know us. He says he'll meet us at the football field. And, Professor, he asked that there be no more attempts to invade his mind."

Xavier's face grew serious as he absorbed the information. "Very well. Let's respect his wishes and meet him there. Remember, we approach this with diplomacy." He paused, looking at each member of his team, his expression a mix of determination and concern. "We must show him that we mean no harm and that we are here to help, not to threaten."

Jean replied through the same connection that had been established, "We will meet you at the football field."

She felt the acknowledgment before the connection faded. Turning to her teammates, she could see a mixture of emotions: anticipation, curiosity, and in some cases, skepticism.

As the X-Jet began its final descent, still cloaked in its near-invisible state, Xavier continued, "This mutant has already shown remarkable strength by resisting my telepathy. We must be cautious but open. This is an opportunity to show that we are here as allies. He somehow already knows of us. This can be either be good or bad."

As the jet landed gently on the school's empty football field, and the members began preparing to disembark. Jean and Professor X both suddenly snapped their head in a certain direction.

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Back at the school, Zora had just finished asking his teacher for a bathroom break. The teacher, preoccupied with the lesson, nodded and waved him off.

Zora made his way through the hallways, weaving through clusters of students without much notice. He was heading towards the football stadium, still processing his recent conversation with Jean Grey.

As the telepathic connection faded, Zora concentrated on the lingering sensation he had felt throughout their exchange. It was a distinct, almost tangible awareness.

"Copy," he muttered under his breath. It was the second time he had said it, but this time, he understood its significance. The moment he spoke the word, he felt a new power surge within him, spreading through his body like a warm wave.

Closing his eyes, he could only revel in the pleasant sensation.

Yes, pleasant. After copying the first power, Zora instinctively knew that no matter what ability he copied, from now on, they would all perfectly merge with his body. A consequence of his Mimicry ability. The copying of Charles's abilities had just been special, since it was the first.

Zora felt his telepathic abilities surge, the new abilities increasing his mental strength significantly. The previous attack from Charles could now probably be brushed off like a fly. Alongside this, he sensed a deeper connection to the psychic forces, allowing for things such as object manipulation and flight.

Wanting to test it out, Zora cast a simple psychic illusion over himself, rendering him invisible to anyone passing by.

Afterward, he focused on controlling his psychic energy to lift himself off the ground.

Since he retained all the experience and skill level of the previous owner, Zora found these abilities easy to use. In fact, they felt instinctual, as if they had always been a part of him.

With just a thought, Zora found himself hovering a few feet above the floor, effortlessly controlling his flight.

"Now, this is dope," he thought, smirking despite the gravity of the situation. It was a common human dream to fly like a bird, and he had just made it a reality.

Brushing off the brief moment of happiness, Zora focused on the other power he sensed lying dormant within him.

He already knew what it was.

It was something he had anticipated, and the reason he had reached out to Jean specifically.

The Phoenix Force.

Jean Grey is a powerful and popular mutant in the Marvel universe, known for her extraordinary psychic abilities. However, what truly sets her apart is her role as the host of the Phoenix Force, a cosmic entity of immense power capable of feats beyond imagination. 

Zora wasn't sure if his ability would allow him to copy Jean's connection to the Force, but he decided to try anyway.

To his surprise, it had worked.

When Zora closed his eyes and focused on the power within his body, he visualized a miniature phoenix resting inside him, its fiery wings folded and its eyes closed. It radiated a subtle warmth, a presence that felt both comforting and powerful.

He realized this was the Phoenix Force lying dormant within him, mirroring Jean Grey's latent connection to the cosmic entity.

Although he couldn't access its full powers yet, Zora instinctively knew he would gradually harness its abilities as he grew stronger over time. This also allowed him to conclude that Jean had yet to bond with the force.

The miniature phoenix inside him had no consciousness—it was just a dormant manifestation of the Phoenix Force. There was no sentient connection, no whisper of the cosmic entity's will. It was pure, untapped power, waiting for him to release its potential.

His mimicry ability had created a unique copy of the Phoenix Force, one that was independent of the actual entity. Unlike Jean, who was bound to the consciousness of the Phoenix, his version was an empty vessel of power, free from the cosmic entity's influence. It was his alone to command and control.

Coming back to his senses, Zora continued flying through the hallways, his movements smooth and controlled, effortlessly weaving around corners and obstacles.

He had decided to meet with the X-Men. For one, so he could copy their abilities, increasing his own power. But also because he knew Magneto was likely on his way and didn't want to face the formidable mutant alone, especially so soon after gaining his powers.

He had no intention of joining either group. In his eyes, both were more of a detriment to mutant kind than anything.

Professor Xavier, with his passive yet paranoid approach, offered little real progress. Magneto, on the other hand, with his brutal and militant tactics, often caused more harm than good. Neither had done anything to truly help their kind or change the status quo.

As he flew, a bold thought popped into his head after remembering his new ability.

'Why don't I just take matters into my own hands?'

Before Zora could dwell on this idea, he sensed a powerful presence approaching rapidly from the skies.

Magneto had arrived.