The Demons Haunting Phoenix

He followed Jean into the main building, down a corridor, and up the stairs.

Photographs hung on the corridor walls—group shots of the X-Men and graduating classes, along with a few yellowed pictures that looked decades old.

He recognized the people in one photograph: a young Professor X and a young Magneto, standing shoulder to shoulder like old friends.

The fact that their photograph still hung in the Xavier Institute suggested there was something complicated about their relationship.

Good thing they weren't a man and a woman, or their children would have children by now.

Jean stopped at a door and pushed it open.

Inside was a large, quiet study filled with soft light.

Books lined the shelves. An ancient Greek philosophy book lay open on the desk, while an old man in a wheelchair sat with his back to the door, facing the golden lawn outside.

Hearing the door open, he turned around, his aged face full of smiles.

"Welcome to the institute, Russell." Charles Xavier's voice was gentle, like someone offering him a cup of hot tea.

"Yeah." Russell walked in but remained standing by the window. "I brought Rogue here safely, as you asked, but she doesn't seem keen to stay."

Charles glanced at Rogue.

The girl huddled behind Russell, curiosity mingling with the uncertainty in her eyes. Charles smiled without a trace of disappointment, as though he had expected this.

"That's all right. We respect every Mutant's choice. If she wants to leave with you, I won't stop her."

Rogue relaxed her grip a little.

Charles looked away from the girl and turned to Russell. His expression grew serious, even a little tense.

"Russell, now that you've seen this school, has your view on peaceful coexistence between humans and Mutants changed?"

Russell did not answer at