Charles, hearing this, really wanted to tell him, "You don't need to be in such a hurry. Even if you aren't tired, Kitty, who's constantly helping you time travel, must be exhausted."
Saiki Kusuo wheeled him out, and they happened to run into Raven, who was looking for Charles.
Raven seemed to be in a bad mood. Her face was sullen the entire way, and upon seeing Saiki, she said habitually, "You're here again?"
Her tone was full of impatience. Charles felt the atmosphere turn awkward and forced a laugh, trying to smooth things over. "Don't mind her, Saiki. Raven doesn't mean anything by it."
Saiki thought for a moment. Although he felt he shouldn't interfere in other people's family affairs, considering Charles had helped him, he decided to offer a hint about why Raven was upset.
"I believe Miss Raven is angry because your old flame came to see you, Professor Charles."
Charles: "???"
Raven: "…"
Saiki continued, "I believe that a responsible man should handle such awkward and messy relationships."
"When did I…" Before Charles could even defend himself, Raven, as if her secret thoughts had been exposed, snapped angrily.
"Saiki, can you not be as disgusting as Charles and read people's minds?"
Charles, completely bewildered as to how he'd set her off, heard Saiki say in a serious tone, "I apologize, Miss Raven. My telepathy is a passive ability, unlike Professor Charles's active ability. I also dislike hearing other people's thoughts, especially when I want to watch a movie, only to be spoiled and end up disappointed. But I can't control it."
This was true in the past, but now that he possessed the Mind Stone, it was a blatant lie. However, neither Raven nor Charles had time to dwell on it. Charles had already guessed who it was, and he carefully glanced at Raven's expression, seeking Saiki's opinion.
"Kitty will take another half hour to arrive anyway. Do you mind if I go see an old friend first?"
Saiki nodded. After all, Charles had helped him 3651 times; even if Charles refused to help, it wouldn't be unreasonable.
Raven, on the other hand, let out a cold snort, her tone laced with sarcasm. "So eager? You're never this proactive about anything else."
Charles's wheelchair was stuck in the doorway, neither able to advance nor retreat. He offered a strained explanation. "If she's come to see me, it must be something important. I just want to get it over with quickly, don't I?"
Raven, however, wasn't buying it. She scoffed, clearly unsatisfied with Charles's explanation. Charles had no doubt that after he saw Moira, Raven would beat him half to death.
Saiki thought the scene before him – you listen to me explain, I'm not listening, I'm not listening – looked remarkably like those melodramatic, third-rate Korean dramas his mother was obsessed with back in the day.
Feeling that things couldn't be delayed any longer, he had to interrupt their entangled mess of love and hate. "Excuse me, can we get to the matter at hand? If we drag this out any longer, we'll have wasted another chapter. And, I believe, in Professor Charles's heart, you are more important, Miss Raven."
As soon as these words left his mouth, the entire X-Mansion was filled with the sour stench of romance.
Finally, the three of them went to see Moira together.
Moira, whose memory had been erased by Charles, naturally wasn't there to reminisce. As a CIA agent, she brought bad news.
Moira glanced at Raven and Saiki, who had entered with them. "I'm sorry, this is highly classified information. I'd like to speak with you alone, Professor Charles."
"Hmph." The moment she said this, Raven let out a cold snort beside him. Charles's strong survival instincts kicked in, and he quickly explained.
"It's alright, Miss Moira. They are both trusted allies. Besides, if the CIA needs the X-Men's help, they should be fully informed."
Since he'd put it that way, Moira didn't hold back and told the three of them everything she knew.
After listening, Charles fell into deep thought.
He couldn't help but recall the nightmare Jean had mentioned a few days ago, filled with darkness and unease. Could this be a premonition of this so-called first mutant in the world?
After seeing Moira off, Charles asked Raven, "Where's Erik?"
Raven replied, "His wife is due to give birth soon. Didn't you give him two months of paternity leave to be with her?"
"I'm very sorry, but I don't think he can continue his leave. Raven, tell Erik the situation and have him come back immediately."
"Yes, I'll go right away."
After giving Raven instructions, Charles and Saiki went to the X-Mansion's secret chamber. He first used Cerebro to search for Stryker.
On their way to the secret chamber, they ran into Hank and Alex, who were welcoming new students.
The new student was Scott, who was also Alex's brother.
This guy's temper hadn't changed in twenty years. His encounter with Jean was so melodramatic it was like watching a soap opera.
However, as soon as he heard that Jean could read minds and had telepathy, he immediately pulled a face and distastefully told Jean to stay away from him.
With such a fierce and intimidating demeanor, it's no wonder he chased after Jean so desperately without ever winning her over.
Kitty and Jean had gone to the office together to get some files. Kitty comforted Jean a few times and was about to leave with her when she turned around and saw Saiki pushing Charles. She immediately became flustered.
"You… you're here."
Saiki: "…"
Saiki thought Kitty might be a masochist because every time he asked Kitty to time travel, even though she looked disgusted, her affection level for him increased slightly. And now, after 3562 time travels, Kitty's affection level for him could only be described as "off the charts."
Even if he deliberately did things that annoyed her to lower her affection, as long as he went to see her afterward, the affection level would always increase.
This was Saiki's first time seeing Jean from ten years in the future. She, of course, with her telepathy, knew that Kitty harbored affection for Saiki.
Kitty was beautiful and, coupled with her good personality, quite popular among the students. Many people pursued her, but she coldly rejected them all.
Jean knew Kitty had someone she liked, but she'd never had the chance to see who it was. Now that she finally saw him, after sizing him up, she thought… he's very ordinary.
(I also think I'm very ordinary. I don't know what she sees in me, so if you have the chance, please help me persuade her to give up on me.)
The sudden voice in her head startled Jean, and she felt a pang of shame, as if she'd been caught badmouthing someone behind their back. But then, realizing that the other person was also a telepath, her eyes lit up.
[Kitty is a nice girl. Aren't you going to consider her?]
(She's very nice, I'm very ordinary, so I'm not good enough for her.)
Saiki's self-deprecation made Jean burst out laughing.
Kitty asked curiously, "Jean, what's wrong?"
Being stared at by Kitty, Jean felt a strange sensation, as if she were secretly flirting with her best friend's boyfriend right in front of her.
Something felt a little off.
Saiki: "…"
He couldn't help but retort.
(Your imagination really runs wild.)
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