Disonance

From the start, we didn't plan to stay long. Xavier looked like he wanted to talk a lot, he had questions for me and Jean too, but we had to go. Even though it was the weekend, I had to leave Jean at her place as I promised her parents. 

I looked to the side, in a corner, Raven was talking with some girl who had brown hair and white strands, it seemed as if they had a heated argument, they came to terms and shared some sort of awkward air hug, they didn't touch each other. 

Raven would later tell me that the girl was her adoptive daughter, Rogue, who had been missing. Raven didn't even know her daughter was here. 

...

"Will we see each other again?".

This girl had grown somewhat attached to me. The result of psychological trauma... I was her saviour, but I didn't save them intentionally. I destroyed those places because they belonged to Shaw, not because I wanted to save them. 

And so, even if I wanted to... I couldn't pour feelings in when patting this girl's head. I hope she will just forget me soon. 

"I will come later, Alana. I hope you will be good and you will study... and you will make something out of yourself in the future".

"Can't I be with you in the future?".

"I don't even know if I will be around in the future. Don't mind me, live for yourself–" I said, but this girl wasn't giving up any time soon.

"I won't give up".

She pulled my sleeve, lightning sparks reflected in her eyes as she openly challenged Jean. Her mutation allows her to produce electrical discharges. Although she doesn't have much experience using it. I sighed and knelt, held her head and kissed her forehead, "If that's what you want to do... you're free now, Alana. Do whatever you want".

Finally, she smiled and ran back to the group where the rest of the kids were waiting for her.

"Thanks, Mr Ray and Mrs Raven, really!".

"Thanks for everything!".

We bid our farewells just like that. Who knows? perhaps in the future, those kids are going to give me a surprise, as of now. It feels good... people's gratitude. 

**

**

"How are you feeling?" Raven asked me, together with Jean and Emma we were walking back to the car. Ororo, Xavier and Cyclops were escorting us. 

"A bit moved. I changed people's lives, didn't I?".

"You have been changing lives from the moment you involved yourself in that bank incident. For good and for bad. But at least, the time you have done something good intentionally" Emma said, holding my hand.

"I thought you said good or bad doesn't matter" Jean told her and I recalled a conversation we once had. For her, and for me too, everything was about money and power. 

But even then we could reach a compromise. Emma contemplated for a few seconds and exhaled with a smile, "I guess it feels better to do something good once in a while..."

"You didn't do anything though, you just came along~" Raven jabbed, totally unnecessarily, but I still felt like laughing.

"Shut up..." Emma groaned, she then looked at me as if I wasn't defending her and released my hand, it seemed she recalled once again that she was upset with me. Fuck, Raven... why did you remind her?

...

"Stay safe, Ray," The old man said and stretched his hand.

"You too, Xavier. Sorry about the other geezer" I shook it, I would have pulled him in for a hug but it looked like an inconvenience.

"Don't worry about Logan, he may just bear a small grudge. We may have to fight for our ideals eventually" He said with a solemn voice. We stared at each other for a few seconds before I came to my verdict. 

"If that were to happen... I would let you go".

"I may not be able to let you go–" He began.

"And that's fair. The one responsible for this academy is you, not me. As it stands, your life is more valuable than mine".

"There are no lives more valuable than others, Ray... you're young and strong, I'm sure you can make this world a better place," The black-skinned beauty said, I have to admit, she was utterly gorgeous. Jean and Emma both pinched my waist hard, but even that didn't stop me from looking at her. 

"Thanks, Ororo" I stretched my hand but she instead pulled me into a hug... which for some reason made Jean and Emma pinch me harder, I guess they recognised Ororo as a threat. 

"Stay safe, in the future, if we are to fight... I will bring you to our side" She smiled and caressed my cheek, "You look like a boy who has suffered and has managed to overcome it, you deserve the best in the world".

She's very kind and soothing, but her words aren't soothing this pain, seriously my waist is starting to hurt.

I pulled Jean and Emma and hugged them both, "I already have the best, thank you~"

"Before you go, I have a question" Cyclops stopped us. I waited, thinking he was referring to me, but unexpectedly, he spoke towards Jean. 

"Have we met before? I feel like we have seen each other".

I frowned and stared at the two of them, there was this deep-meaning gaze that they were sharing that I didn't quite like and ended up pulling Jean towards me. 

"Jean has never left the surroundings of Manhattan, so you more than likely haven't met before".

"I used to live around–"

"I have met you before" Emma suddenly said towards Cyclops with a smile, "At least that's what I feel, but I can't recall... we were likely enemies".

"More than likely..."

"Sorry, but I can't remember from anywhere, though, just as Emma said... I too can feel... like we have seen each other".

"Could we exchange contacts–"

"Are you off your head?" I frowned, "You're asking my girlfriend's phone number in front of me".

Let alone this man should be in his thirties, why the fuck are you asking a teenage girl for contact info? Even if Jean doesn't look like a teenager, especially in that black dress. 

Cyclops gasped, there was this hurt expression in his face as he looked at Jean, seemingly questioning my words. 

Jean hooked her arm around mine tighter, "Ray is my boyfriend, asking for my number is a bit inappropriate, sorry".

"I apologise" He must have felt Ororo and Xavier's glare on his spine, still... this bastard dared to look at my blonde with the same questioning gaze. 

"Don't look at me cutie pie, I'm his girlfriend too~" Emma hooked my other arm.

!!!

I felt the urge to laugh at their reactions. Xavier rubbed his temples as if cursing my generation for the wrongdoings of a single individual. Ororo was blushing, I don't know what she was thinking... as for Cyclops, there was just raw jealousy in his eyes.

"I'm his girl too, by the way~" Raven hooked her arms on me from the back.

"No one asked you" Emma groaned.

I sighed, pulling my three human-sized problems into the car and driving off, it would be a long journey back... I'd say hopefully a pleasurable one... but as it stands, all the girls fell asleep ten minutes after the journey started, they were all wasted. So I enjoyed it all on my own, in peace.

Life is good, but for how long?

VROOMMM!

**

**

Back in New York, Manhattan. In the main hall of the Hellfire Club, a man sat clutching a piece of paper. A report of losses... millions of dollars of losses. Hundreds of mutant loses. Hundreds of kilograms of drugs in losses. 

Business hadn't been going well.

Private life hadn't been going well. 

The paper sheet seemingly shattered in millions of pieces under the pressure, he tapped his finger on the table and in doing so, recharged himself. 

He dialled a phone number.

"..."

"..."

No answer. 

He dialled another phone number.

"..."

"..."

Again no answer. 

His finger tapping became more frantic until his patience was no more. He tapped too hard. 

BOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!

The table exploded into pieces together with the ground beneath, the destructive energy nearly phased down the bottom floor as debris exploded everywhere. 

The man stood up, lit up a tobacco and picked up his jacket. 

"I will kill you all whores, and that little bitch too, I'll torture him in front of you all first".