21...

~ Third Person Pov ~

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Alex and Anna spent more time around the city. Eating various foods, and just having a generally good time with each other, nothing too fancy. Nothing friends wouldn't do with each other either. Both appreciated each other's time. However, the rift from their conversation left an awkward pang in their hearts...

Deciding it was time to head home. Alex took the initiative, "Anna, I think we spent a while here... Don't you figure It's time to head back?"

Anna nodded, smiling. She went closer beside him... "Thanks for doin' all this Alex." She added.

Alex noticing this and hearing her response, mirrored her smile. "No problem at all. That's what friends are for, right? Besides, I had a great time too." His response was laced with sincerity as they shared a moment of mutual appreciation, their laughter just blending in seamlessly.

As they strolled back toward the mansion, their conversation continued, shifting from their current hangout to plans for future meetups. Alex spoke aloud about his some of his impending tasks, intertwining the discussion with potential moments for Anna to visit so the could spend time together. (As friends lil bros, get ya'll minds out the gutter)

"Oh Anna, I'll need your numb-" 

Just as they entered past the mansion doors... "ALEX!" Both Anna, and Alex turned to see the, professor?...

Confused, Alex asked. "Uhm... What's going on here?" The professor looked distressed. Like his children had died or something... At least, that's what Alex could tell from his expression...

"I need your help, the team... They are in danger!" He shouted.

"What? Help? What happened?" Alex answered.

"There's no time to explain! They need you there, or they might get killed, or worse!" Alex was even more confused. What was an elite super-team going to get killed by? And why what would be worse than them dying?

Anna caught every word so far, her senses heightened, yet she held herself back, what could she do? She was fully aware that her lack of control over her powers could potentially complicate matters even more.

'I'm fucking useless.' She cursed at herself. Not daring to say it out-loud. So she grappled with the realization that in this instance, she might hinder, rather than help...

Meanwhile, Alex, on the cusp of inquiry, hesitated as urgency crackled around them. Despite the pressing circumstances, time was a luxury they couldn't afford. His mind, attuned to swift analysis and processing, swept over what he knew, registering the gravity of the situation even as he refrained from interrupting the current flow of events...

Not liking how things were looking, he listed what he knew, and he only knew two things. The team was in danger, and the professor obviously needed his aid to help them. However, that was the weird part...

'Why the hell would he send a kid who doesn't have such training? If the team can't handle it, what would sending one kid would do? Isn't that just spelling potential danger for me?' Alex thought to himself.

'This doesn't add up.' Alex contemplated, the irrationality of the situation conflicting with his logical reasoning. This was a risky move, entrusting a mission of this magnitude to someone unseasoned.

Despite his skepticism, Alex acknowledged the professor's implicit trust in him. His confidence in his own abilities made him willing to step into the unknown, despite the slight unconventional nature of the request...

With a sigh, "Alright, I'll do what I can. Just tell me what's needed," Alex answered. Readying himself to face whoever, or whatever the X-Men were fighting against...

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~ Third person Pov, Back with the X-Men ~

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In the stillness of the forest, the X-Men continued facing off against a hulking green behemoth. His muscles bulged, veins snaking beneath the emerald skin as he roared, the ground trembling beneath his colossal feet.

Grunting with displeasure, wolverine lunged ahead, his adamantium claws glinting, aiming for the beast's side. Storm, cloaked in crackling electricity, unleashed a tempest, gashing bolts raining down. Cyclops, eyes shielded by ruby-quartz lenses, fired precise optic blasts, aiming to disorient the creature.

Beast, with his agility and acrobatic movements, bounded and flipped around the chaos, seeking an opening, but as time went by, the openings he was searching for got scarcer and scarcer. Jean hovered, her telekinetic shield deflecting the brute's strikes, as best as she could manage.

"I can't hold out for much longer!!!" She shouted.

The emerald titan swung with growing ferocity, smashing the ground, sending shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. Nightcrawler teleported in and out, aiming swift strikes before evading the monster's wrath.

"I'm trying to distract him, but he wont budge!" Kurt shouted.

Despite their coordinated efforts, the beast seemed relentless, shrugging off attacks with primal fury. With each blow exchanged, the X-Men strategized, and attempted to exploit weaknesses they could find, searching for the pivotal moment to bring the it down.

However, nothing was working, and they were practically at their wit's end, not to mention their exhaustion beginning to catch up, and fast at that.

As the fight continued both Hank, and Wolverine Backed away quickly. Giving themselves some time to think about what was going to happen from now on, because what they were doing now was not working.

"It's no use... We'll never put this thing down. We've only managed to annoy it as time passes..." Storm said.

"Logan, I know we asked you to call for help, but who did you call for?" The beast grunted tiredly. There were no one else really equipped for such a task at the mansion. 

However, Logan remained silent...

Getting suspicious as hank was ready to ask, the hulking beast charged towards them, ignoring Jean.

"SHIT!! DODGE!" Wolverine shouted. Causing all three of them to scatter. But beast, he wasnt letting up. "Tell us Logan, who did you send for!" He shouted.

Logan hearing the question grunted. "Does it matter!? We'll get the help we need!" He shouted back. However, after years of knowing Logan, hank knew his friend called for someone he wasn't supposed to...

Connecting the dots in the midst of danger, he came to only one conclusion...

"It was Alex, wasn't it!" Beast shouted irate, this time, Ororo's interest, was piqued. 

"Logan! You better pray to whatever god that brought you here that Hank is wrong!" Storm shouted angrily.

Logan didn't respond, but his expression was painting a different picture... Rather, the picture no one wanted to see.

"You called for Alex!? He's just a child-" As hank responded, The hulk rushed towards him with increased ferocity. His speed increasing to levels that were now utterly ridiculous for his stature.

Hank not having time to finish, quickly braced himself firmly, knowing that he couldn't move fast enough to dodge the strike cleanly. Leaving his only option to guard against it with the best of his capabilities... The emerald giant then swung-

*BAM!!!*

Causing hank to fly across the forestry as if he were a toy, landing in trees.

"HANK!!!" Logan shouted angrily.

A large thump could be heard as hank's body dropped to the dirt beneath... "ARGGHHH!!!" He shouted, blood pouring from his lips. 

'I-I c-can't move!' He thought fearfully. From his years of fighting, he could tell his liver was compromised from that singular hit. Not to mention his ribs fracturing on top of that. 

The beast roared violently, his green skin glowing as his rage continued to boil over... If one paid close enough attention, its size and mass increased ever so slightly. It looked over towards hank's incapacitated visage...

Noticing this, Cyclops shouted, "It's aiming for Hank! Don't let it get to him!" The team focused there efforts once again. However, the hulking figure charged towards hank, ready to final swat the fly that angered him.

With speeds that increased even further, the beast dashed towards Hank's body. Jean placed multiple shields in front of the charging beast to halt him, but he charged right threw them with ease, shouting-

"HULK!!! SMASSSHHHH!!!!!" 

Witnessing the impending doom, Beast's countenance darkened, a grim acceptance settling upon him. Time seemed to stretch as he glimpsed his friends in the distance, a silent plea echoing within him to continue his legacy of creation and innovation.

"Perhaps this is where it ends... My apologies, my friends. It appears my journey, concludes here..." he ruminated, reflecting on his life's journey, his tenure at the mansion, his vision blurring as he embraced the inevitable...

Just as the green beast poised for its fatal strike, a sudden blur tore across the battlefield, an unstoppable force moving with a velocity beyond comprehension. The figure moved with such speeds that no one among them could react in time...

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!*

A massive shockwave erupted. Causing the surroundings to scatter and dust to rise up...

The team, seeing their friend meet his doom... Logan, felt his heart sinking into his stomach. Not just him, but everyone who saw. They all stopped moving, stunned from what they saw. Especially curt, he was unfamiliar with this kind of thing...

As the dust began to settle, they all looked forward. Seeing a figure towards the right...

"A-Alex!? HANK!!!? H-HE'S SAFE!" Kurt shouted. The team looked up too. Seeing Alex holding Hanks body gently...

Alex looked at Hanks figure, his expression near unreadable...

Unknown to everyone else, for mere moments, just for a mere millisecond. He could see all of Hank's physiology in terrifying detail, but only in scraps... He ignored his new ability, and assessed his injured companion...

'He's in critical condition... He breathing is shaky, slightly punctured lungs, slightly fractured skull, and he's battered and bruised all over. He's alive, but barely...' Alex thought. Seeing Hanks body like this triggered something in him...

Alex remembered how him and hank got along somewhat well, with Hank's curiosity, personality and ingenuity, they managed to form a small bond, even in the small time Alex was there. And to see someone he could call a friend in a state. like this? He clenched his teeth...

He then instantly dashed towards the X-Men, at speeds nearly incomprehensible. "He's injured... But he'll survive." Alex said, gently placing beast beside a tree... He then started walking off...

"Wait! Where are you going Alex? Don't tell me you are going to face that thing?" Ororo asked.

Alex stood for a moment. "Yes... I will. None of you intervene..." Alex added. His tone and aura not demanding another answer either. The team could say one thing though...

Alex, was angry...

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END