Chapter 60: A Cross-Time Meeting of Two Professor Xs
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"This is so embarrassing," Barry couldn't help but cover his face inside the pet shop. He glanced around nervously, worried someone might see the video on the big screen, even though he had confirmed no one else could see it but him. Despite knowing this, Barry felt thoroughly humiliated by his performance on the screen.
All he was supposed to do was help Wonder Woman retrieve her sword, a task that should have been effortless for someone with the world's fastest speed. Yet, he managed to trip himself up—a monumental fail. Barry couldn't bear to look and felt his cheeks burn with shame, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into.
"Thank goodness no one else can see this," he thought, patting his chest in relief. Little did he know that his moment of social death had already been broadcasted to many important figures in the Marvel and DC universes.
But soon, Barry's embarrassment turned into excitement. He had always been without friends, not because of a solitary nature but due to various reasons that left him alone. Seeing himself fighting alongside Batman in the video was a revelation. Batman, the Dark Knight of Gotham, was a legendary figure known across America. The fact that they were comrades suggested they must have a good relationship.
The female warrior with the shield and sword wasn't ordinary either. The video seemed to promise that he would not only have friends in the future but exceptional ones at that. Barry's lips curled into an excited smile at this thought.
### X-Men Universe
In a modest van, Hank was once again driving, with Charles, Wolverine, Quicksilver, and the rescued Erik sitting in the back seats. They were heading to a nearby airstrip to catch a plane.
Suddenly, Charles and Logan both glanced at Quicksilver, their faces showing a hint of amusement.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Quicksilver, feeling uncomfortable under their gazes, waved his hands defensively. "Come on, that was The Flash, not me! I'm not a kid; I wouldn't trip over myself."
Quicksilver felt insulted. He could swear that he had never tripped over his own feet, even when he was still mastering his abilities. At most, he might have bumped into things due to his speed but never something as ridiculous as what The Flash did. He felt The Flash had single-handedly lowered the status of all speedsters.
Erik watched Charles, Logan, and Quicksilver, finding their behavior strange with their random remarks and odd actions. Slightly curious, Erik shrugged it off and didn't pursue it further. As a villain at the moment, Erik couldn't see the big screen.
### Reality
In Jiangcheng, immersed in watching short videos, he stumbled upon another Marvel video.
**Classic Scene: Professor X Meets Professor X—A Cross-Time Reunion**
In the control room, Charles picked up his helmet, blew off the dust, and noted how long it had been since he last used the Cerebro.
"I haven't stretched these muscles in a long time," Charles remarked, placing the helmet on his head. The helmet's lights flickered, indicating it was working fine. But as Charles activated his powers, the control panel's dials spun wildly and burst one after another.
Charles quickly removed the helmet, his face contorted in pain. Hank suspected an engine issue and rushed to check, but Logan realized the truth. The problem wasn't with the engine but with Charles himself, which Charles admitted.
"I can't do it; my mind… I can't take it anymore," Charles confessed, pointing to his head and heart. "My powers come from here and here. But this… it's broken, like my helpless students."
Charles then launched into complaints about everything, about the future himself and Magneto's plan to send Wolverine back in time. It was clear Charles was in a terrible mental state, unable to control his powers, which was why he couldn't use Cerebro.
"You're right. I don't know how to help you, but someone does," Logan suggested that Charles delve into his own memories to find the future Charles.
Following Logan's advice, Charles successfully entered Logan's memories, using them as a medium to travel to the future and meet his older self. The future Professor X also noticed his younger self, and the two versions of Charles, from different times, met through Wolverine's mind. As Logan had said, the older Charles successfully resolved the younger Charles's inner turmoil, helping him regain control of his abilities.
When Charles returned from the future, he was visibly transformed, as if he had become a different person.