章節 27: The Arrival

**Earth-10005, 1983**

Peter, Jean, Kurt, Scott, and Jubilee spent the day at Galleria Mall—one of the largest shopping centers of the era, complete with neon lights, crowded arcades, and retro music playing over the speakers.

The group wandered the halls, surrounded by storefronts showcasing the latest in 1980s fashion, electronics, and vinyl records.

"Wow, this place is amazing!" Kurt exclaimed with his eyes widened as he glanced around. "This 'mall' is like its own city!"

Peter used his telepath powers to make kurt look normal in the eyes of every one and used his skill Electromagnetic spectrum manipulation to manipulate some cams so they don't record them.

"You haven't seen anything yet," Jubilee teased while dragging him toward the arcade. "Wait until you try the games!"

After exploring a while, they decided to catch a newly released movie—Return of the Jedi had just hit theaters. Scott led the way, he's clearly excited about the movie while Jean and Peter walked closely together and their shoulders occasionally brushing.

Two hours later, as they exited the theater, Peter and Jean's outfits had mysteriously changed much to Scott's confusion.

Peter now wore a sleek black hoodie with blue jeans, while Jean sported a white blouse tucked into green jeans, complemented by a stylish brown coat.

"Did you two change clothes during the movie?" Scott asked while frowning.

Peter smirked and placed his hands in between him and Scott, his knuckles are cracking as faint sparks of electricity arced across his hands. "What can I say? I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."

"That's so cool!" Kurt exclaimed while stepping closer to Peter for a better look.

Jubilee who knows some of Peter's secrets grinned. "That's nothing. Peter's got way more powers than he lets on."

Scott's curiosity grew as he watched Peter playfully let another bolt of electricity flicker from his fingers. "So... what exactly are your powers?"

Peter gave a sly smile. "Let's just say I'm a man of many talents."

Scott narrowed his eyes but decided to let it go for now, instead suggesting they grab food from the food court. Kurt immediately agreed and went ahead with excitement, leaving the others laughing at his antics.

Throughout the day, Peter and Jean remained close. Whether they were browsing music stores or sharing a milkshake, they gravitated toward each other naturally.

As they stood near a fountain later that afternoon, Jean glanced at Peter with a thoughtful expression on her face. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could speak, Jubilee called out from across the hall.

"Jean! Peter! Come on! Kurt's trying to eat three slices of pizza at once and it's hilarious!"

Jean sighed as her chance at a private moment gone yet again. "We should go," she muttered softly.

Peter glanced at her curiously but smiled. "We'll talk later."

She nodded, though her expression suggested there was something important she still wanted to say.

While Peter, Jean, Scott, Jubilee, and Kurt enjoyed their day at the mall, the atmosphere at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters was far from peaceful.

Charles Xavier had returned to the school with Maria MacTaggert, having sought her out to discuss the disturbing situation unfolding. Upon his return, they were met with the arrival of Raven, who delivered troubling news about Erik.

"Erik has been found," Raven stated, "His entire family is killed infront of his eyes, charles. You need to find him. He needs us right now, he needs his friends."

Determined to locate Erik and help his friend, Charles decided to use Cerebro.

Accompanied by Hank, Alex, Maria, and Raven, Charles wheeled toward the entrance of the vast, dome-like chamber housing Cerebro.

As they entered, Charles turned to Maria. "You must promise to keep what you see here a secret. What we're about to do cannot leave this room."

Maria looked around the facility, her eyes wide with awe as the massive dome surrounded them. "I'm not sure what it is to keep this a secret."

Charles then placed the helmet on his head and Hank activated the system, the familiar hum of Cerebro filling the air as its vast neural network came online. Holographic silhouettes of humans and mutants began to glow, floating across the dome in intricate webs of light.

"This is Cerebro," Charles explained as he tried to find Erik. "It allows me to see and connect with every human and mutant on the planet."

Maria's astonishment grew as she watched the display. "Incredible… The CIA would kill for this…" she murmured in disbelief.

Charles offered a tight smile. "I'm sure they would."

Focusing his power, Charles searched for Erik, his mind spanning continents until he found him standing within a ruined factory, surrounded by devastation. Charles could see the pain in Erik's expression as he spoke softly through their mental link.

Erik sensing someone is calling him went to a corner, he knows this calling very well, "Charles?"

"Erik," Charles said in a calm and empathetic tone. "I can feel your pain. I know what you've lost. Come back to us. Let me help you."

Erik however shook his head with his eyes burning with anger and grief. "I tried, Charles. I tried to live like you said, to live among them, but it always ends the same way. They take everything from me... Now, we'll'll take everything from them."

As Erik turned, Charles saw what Erik was facing: Apocalypse. The ancient mutant was crafting a suit of armor for Angel while Ororo and Psylocke stood silently nearby. Apocalypse turned slowly and his gaze suddenly turned sharp as if he sensed something.

Back in Cerebro, Charles stiffened. "Hank… he's not alone. Someone's with him."

Apocalypse who is now aware of Charles's presence, smirked with chilling fascination. "Fascinating…" he said as his voice is echoing unnaturally. "Thank you for letting me in."

Suddenly, Charles gasped and his eyes turned completely black as Apocalypse seized control of Cerebro. The once-blue chamber shifted to a menacing purple hue, alarms ringing as the system trembled under the intrusion.

Raven's eyes widened in panic. "What's happening?!"

Hank glanced frantically at the readings. "Someone's taken control of Cerebro! He's… he's connecting to everything."

Inside Cerebro, Apocalypse's voice resonated ominously, it was carried through Charles's link. "Now I can see… and feel everything."

Holographic images of politicians, military generals, and global leaders appeared across the dome.

Apocalypse sneered at their helplessness. "So much faith in your weapons… in your systems."

The scene shifted as Apocalypse manipulated minds across the globe, focusing on those who controlled nuclear arsenals.

Generals, their faces pale with horror, turned keys to launch missiles. Sirens blared in military bases worldwide as nuclear weapons ignited, soaring into the sky one after another.

Inside military command centers:

Alarms blared and warning lights flashed as nuclear missile silos activated without human intervention. Officers scrambled across rooms, shouting orders and trying desperately to override the launches, but the systems were unresponsive.

"What's happening?!" one general bellowed, slamming his fist against a console. "Who gave the launch order?!"

Technicians frantically typed commands into computers, their faces pale with fear. " Sir, we lost contact with the submarines that launched the nukes."

Around the globe, screens displayed missile silos opening and rockets firing into the sky. Giant screens showed trajectories—every nuclear weapon heading into space.

In an underground command bunker, a group of generals stared at the launch keys, which had been turned without anyone touching them. The realization hit them like a cold wave: this isn't human.

A general collapsed into his chair, watching the missiles climb higher on the monitors. "My God…" he whispered. "They've launched everything."

"Where are they going?!" another shouted.

The radar technician's voice shook. "Up, sir. They're going straight up… into space."

"How could this happen?" one growled.

"We've been disarmed," another said grimly. "Someone—or something—did this to us. And we couldn't stop it."

Panic erupted across the globe. News outlets reported missile launches, citizens watched in terror as the weapons streaked toward space like blazing comets.

Apocalypse's voice echoed through Cerebro with intense finality:

"No more weapons.... No more tools... No more systems."

Back in Cerebro, Charles screamed in pain as his connection being used as a conduit for Apocalypse's will. Hank rushed to him and desperately tried to remove the helmet but it wouldn't budge.

"Charles!" Raven shouted. "What's happening?!"

"Someone's controlling it!" Hank shouted, his voice strained. "Someone's using Charles as a bridge and is using cerebro!"

Charles gritted teeth and turned to Alex. "Alex… you have to destroy Cerebro!"

Alex hesitated, "Destroy it? But—"

"Now!" Charles screamed in agony.

Steeling himself, Alex positioned himself in front of the main Cerebro control panel. The energy in his chest surged and with a roar, he unleashed a massive blast of energy that tore through the machinery. Sparks flew as the dome shuddered and Charles cried out in pain as the link began to break.

Still not satisfied with the level of damage, Alex raised his hands to both sides and fired again, unleashing wave after wave of destruction until Cerebro was in ruins. The purple glow dissipated and was replaced by darkness and Charles slumped unconscious in his wheelchair.

Hank, Raven, and Maria rushed to Charles's side, pulling him out of the room as the alarms faded.

"Charles!" Raven called, shaking him gently. "Charles, wake up!"

Hank checked his pulse and sighed with relief. "He's alive… but he's unconscious. We need to get him somewhere safe."

Raven nodded and they slowly took Charles out of the cerebro.

Suddenly, a transparent purple sphere materialized in the corner of the room and as it dissolved, Apocalypse and his followers—Erik, Ororo, Angel, and Psylocke—stood ominously in its place.

Raven's eyes widened in shock as she saw Erik standing among them.

"Erik…?" she murmured.

But Erik didn't respond. Instead, he raised his hand and with a flick of his powers, Charles's wheelchair was ripped from its position and floated toward him, taking Charles—still unconscious—along with it.

"Stop!" Raven shouted while stepping forward but it was too late.

Alex rushed to intercept them with his energy already glowing from his chest. "Let him go!" he yelled.

The moment Charles reached them, Apocalypse and his followers vanished in a flash of energy, teleporting away with Charles.

"No!" Hank shouted but in frustration Alex began to unleash his energy blast—but suddenly, a black slime-like ball emerged from his pocket and leapt in front of him.

The mysterious substance expanded rapidly, absorbing the energy blast before it could cause any damage.

Everyone froze, staring at the scene in stunned silence. The black slime began to shift, twist, and reform, until it took the familiar shape of a human figure.

Peter stood there, now in his fully materialised human form while stretching his arms casually as if nothing had happened. He sighed with mock exasperation. "That was close."

Great sages voice rang in his mind:

> New skill acquired... Plasma Energy Generation

> Plasma Energy Generation: The ability to generate plasma energy and release it outside of the body.

Hank blinked in disbelief. "Peter?!"

Peter smirked. "Who else?"

The piece he left behind in the mansion went into Alex's pocket the moment he stepped into the mansion and Peter began to monitor the situation.

He knew he couldn't take on Apocalypse in such a confined space, not with his followers backing him up. But outside, he might have a chance to isolate him, consume him, and gain his powers.

The room remained tense as Alex grabbed Peter by the collar, his voice furious. "What the hell did you just do?! What are you?!"

Peter effortlessly freed himself from Alex's grip with an unbothered expression, ""Expected a 'thank you' for saving everyone" He dusted off his hoodie and added with a smirk, "But I guess 'thanks' is too much to ask from a hothead like you."

"What?!" Alex was ready to explode again but Hank stepped between them.

"Alex, stop!" Hank said firmly, turning to Peter. "Did you just... absorb the blast?"

Peter shrugged. "What can I say? I'm handy like that."

"Peter's right, Alex.Your blast was aimed directly at the mansion's power core and if that blast had hit the power core, the entire school would've been destroyed. Peter just saved all of us."

Alex looked stunned as Hank's words sank in. His fists relaxed at his sides, but he still glared at Peter, though less intensely.

Maria and Raven approached slowly but had expressions of relief and suspicion.

Maria spoke first, "Alright, that explains what happened here, but what are you exactly? And how did you know to stop him?"

Peter held up a hand. "As much as I'd love to answer your twenty questions, we don't have time." His tone turned serious as he pointed toward the mansion's entrance. "We've got company. The military will be here any minute."

The group collectively tensed at his words.

"How do you know that?" Raven asked while narrowing her eyes.

Peter turned to her and simply said, "Because of my powers." He glanced around at the others. "Look, I know you all want answers, but we need to deal with the guests first. Trust me on this."

Though reluctant, they couldn't ignore Peter's warning. If the military was coming, it meant trouble—and they might be able to use their resources to track Charles.

Hank gave a curt nod. "Fine. We'll deal with this first. But afterward, Peter, you owe us an explanation."

Peter smirked. "Deal."

Soon, all of them make their way outside.

**Outside the Mansion**

Pietro Maximoff stood near the entrance of the mansion and his gaze sweeping across the area. He paused as he noticed a car approaching very very slowly, carrying a group of teenagers roughly his age.

He turned back to glance at the Xavier mansion, he went in and searched the entire mansion but didn't find professor but he noticed Hank with his group coming outside.

Pietro chose to wait outside and time passed slow for him but soon the car come to a stop at the entrance.

Inside the car, Peter glanced at his companions—Jean, Scott, Kurt, and Jubilee—and said, "Stop the car here."

Scott looked at him in confusion but obliged, pulling over just as they reached the main door.

As the group exited the car, they noticed Pietro standing there, casually leaning against a side of the door. "Who's this guy?" Scott muttered.

Pietro waves at them with smirk. "Name's Pietro. I'm here to meet the professor."

Jean exchanged a look with Peter but remained silent. Pietro tilted his head as his gaze fell on Peter. 'Something about him feels off.'

Before anyone could respond, the group exiting the mansion—Hank, Raven, Alex, and Maria—stepped outside.

The moment they saw the students and the Peter with them they froze.

"What the…?" Hank's voice trailed off while his eyes darting between the two identical Peters. The group were equally stunned.

Under their shocked stares, both Peters stepped forward while smirking at each other. Without hesitation, the two merged into one, the black substance flowing seamlessly back into Peter's body like a shadow being absorbed.

Pietro grimaced as he is visibly disturbed by the sight. "That's disgusting."

Before anyone could demand an explanation, the distant whirring of helicopter blades filled the air.

A military helicopter appeared on the horizon, descending rapidly and landing just beyond the group. Its loudspeaker echoed across the grounds:

"We're here for support."

Students peered out of the mansion windows, curiosity and anxiety plastered on their faces as they watched the scene unfold.

Maria, now emboldened by the helicopter's presence, stepped forward. She adjusted her posture, flashing her CIA badge as soldiers disembarked.

"I got this," she said confidently to the group while striding toward the soldiers. "I'm Agent Maria MacTaggert, CIA."

Hank's expression turned to one of alarm as he caught sight of Colonel Stryker stepping out of the helicopter.

"Wait!" Hank shouted urgently.

But it was too late.

Stryker gave a signal and before anyone could react, the soldiers raised their weapons and fired sonic emitters. Waves of high-frequency sound pulsed through the air, hitting the group full force.

Everyone—Hank, Raven, Alex, Maria, and the students began collapsing on the ground unconscious.

Except for Peter and Jean.

The moment the sonic waves struck Peter, his Reactive adaptation triggered, making him instantly immune to their effects. Jean who is protected as she is Peter's host also stood unharmed beside him.

The soldiers hesitated as they realized their weapons had failed to incapacitate the two.

"Switch to non-lethal rounds!" one soldier shouted.

Before they could act, their bodies froze. Every soldier stood paralyzed, unable to move but fully aware of their surroundings.

The only sound was the crunch of Peter's footsteps on the gravel as he slowly approached Stryker with his hands tucked casually into his pockets. A sly, almost amused smile curved on his lips.

The soldiers' eyes darted wildly with panic on their faces as they realized they were completely immobilized.

Peter stopped in front of Stryker, "You really thought that was going to work?" he asked softly in an amusing tone.

Stryker's eyes widened while sweat forming on his brow as he struggled in vain to move.

Peter smirked while tilting his head slightly. "You messed with the wrong place and... a wrong person."

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A/N: What do you think happens next...

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