Three Mutants?

"I'm Professor Charles from Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in New York. I'd like to speak with your parents."

Professor X smiled warmly again.

Just then, his father Oleg's voice came from the living room.

"Hawking, who is it?"

"Two strangers. They say they're professors from a school in New York."

Hawking called back loudly.

Hearing this, Oleg and Elena immediately paused the television and came over together.

The moment he saw Oleg and Elena, Professor X activated his telepathy and began reading their memories.

Whenever he visited a home to recruit students, he always checked the parents' memories first.

If the parents feared and hated mutants and did not yet know their child was a mutant,

he would not tell them that he was the headmaster of a Mutant School, instead recruiting the child under the name of an ordinary New York school.

For example, several years ago, he had recruited a student in Boston who could release freezing air. After sensing the attitudes of the two parents, he had not told them the truth.

If the parents already knew their child was a mutant, or did not hate mutants, then he would choose to tell them the truth.

"Three? No... I can't be completely certain."

After reading Oleg and Elena's memories, Professor X looked surprised again.

He had initially thought there was only one mutant child here, but it turned out there were three, two of whom were rather unusual.

The one he could confirm was Little Pietro, the child whose presence he had detected through Cerebro.

The second was Pietro's younger sister, Little Wanda. He could not detect the distinctive brainwaves of a mutant from her, yet she possessed an ability similar to telekinesis, so he could not determine whether she was truly a mutant.

The third was Little Hawking, the adopted son the couple had taken in more than two months ago.

But he could not completely confirm that Hawking was a mutant either.

Still, he was more inclined to believe that Hawking was one, because he fit the characteristics of a mutant very well.

First, the little fellow had grown a tail behind his backside. Many mutants possessed some animal-like traits.

Second, under normal circumstances, the little fellow was merely stronger than an ordinary child, but when he erupted, he could intercept missiles and unleash powerful energy attacks.

That was also very mutant-like. Some mutants with tremendous potential displayed such traits before they fully mastered their abilities.

Finally, and most importantly, the little fellow could passively block his telepathic senses. That was why he could not detect the other's brainwaves, which made perfect sense.

Little Wanda was strange in this regard. He could see her memories, so if she were a mutant, she should theoretically emit the special brainwaves unique to mutants. Yet in reality, she did not.

If she was not a mutant, then there was no record in Little Wanda's memories of modification, experimentation, or any other unusual experience. Her telekinesis had awakened naturally.

Whether they were mutants or not, he had decided to recruit all three children into his school.

Especially Little Hawking. He possessed multiple abilities, all highly suited for combat, and was mentally mature for his age. With proper guidance in the future, he would be well suited to joining the X-Men.

If he went down the wrong path and was lured away by Magneto in the future, that would become another headache for him.

"That's the situation. We are a school dedicated to protecting and guiding mutant children."

In the living room, Professor X explained the general situation of his school and the purpose of his visit.

After hearing him out, Oleg and Elena began to hesitate.

According to Professor Charles, his Mutant School really was the most suitable place for the three children to study.

They had always worried that if the children attended school in Sokovia, their mutant identities might be exposed and put them in danger.

Moreover, Professor Charles had indeed given them many similar examples.

They did not feel that Professor Charles would deceive them. As for why, they did not know, but simply seeing the professor gave them an inexplicable sense of trust.

What truly made them hesitate was that the school was in New York, an entirely different country. It was simply too far away. They would only be able to see the children a few times a year, and they could not bear to part with them.

"Professor Charles, we..."

After some consideration, concern for the children's safety overcame their reluctance to part with them. In the end, they decided to let all three children attend school in New York.

However, just as they opened their mouths, Hawking, who had been listening to both sides, interrupted them.

"Dad, Mom, can I speak with Professor Charles alone?"

"Of course. No problem."

Oleg and Elena froze for a moment, then nodded together.

Because Hawking usually behaved very maturely, and because he had intercepted the missile to save their family, the couple treated Hawking differently from Pietro and Wanda. They truly regarded him as an older child.

Whenever something concerned him, they respected some of his own opinions.

Professor X was also very interested in Hawking, whose potential was enormous and whose mind he could not read. Curious about what Hawking wanted to discuss privately, he did not refuse.

The old man and the child moved from the living room to the basement.

"What did you want to say to me?"

"Professor, you should know about Sokovia. It's very unsafe. Even though the war has ended and there is a brief period of peace, no one knows when the next war will break out.

I'm very worried that Dad and Mom will be in danger while my brother, sister, and I are attending your school.

So I hope you can help them immigrate and find suitable jobs for them in New York."

Hawking spoke to Charles with a serious expression.

Attending the Mutant School was not a bad choice for him right now.

Lying low and developing in Sokovia was safe, but it was too slow for improving his strength. Besides, it was not truly safe either—there was war, Hydra, and Sokovia's eventual destruction.

The Mutant School was not completely safe either, but at least the X-Men were there to hold the line. He did not particularly agree with Professor X's ideals. How should he put it? He thought they were too idealistic.

But someone like that made a decent teammate. At least he would not sacrifice you for profit.

Professor X also liked to PUA people, but was Hawking the kind of person who could be manipulated that way?

If it benefited him, he would go along with it. If there was no benefit and it would harm him, he would find an excuse to refuse. In any case, Professor X could not read his mind.

He was still better than Magneto. From the perspective of mutants as a whole, Magneto was not wrong. He stood completely on the mutants' side and could even be ruthless enough to kill every non-mutant.

But if you were Magneto's teammate, he might sacrifice you someday for the interests of mutants as a whole.

Mystique was so loyal to him, and they had such a close relationship, yet when it was time to kill, he did not show the slightest mercy.

Hawking was an even clearer case. Besides, he was not a mutant. Oleg, Elena, and Little Wanda were not mutants either. Only Little Pietro was a mutant. In terms of stance, he and Professor X were more aligned.

Neither of them wanted mutants or humans to be completely wiped out.